The last thing the world needs is another pandemic. Yet, this new pandemic of mental illness has been in the works for over two thousand years when the prophet announced the three woes coming soon upon the world (see Revelation 8:13). In its infancy, long before it was ever recognized as an epidemic, few people suffered from mental illness while even fewer souls were classified as being insane. By the sixth century, this all changed. The epidemic was growing exponentially in the East with the first mental hospital constructed in Baghdad, Iraq in 750 AD. By the nineteenth century, the epidemic moved to Europe and then to the United States. With the growing number of mental disorders being cataloged in the “Diagnostic Statistical Manual” the pharmaceutical industry started producing an array of mind-altering drugs to treat every symptom. As the epidemic grew, most people were reluctant to admit to having a mental disorder and they soon became the unseen majority, popping their pills and suffering in silence. This silence caused the closure of many mental hospitals and the rise of numerous counseling centers to handle the sheer number of patients. Mental illness is real, causing a great drain on the world’s economy and the productivity of its workforce. As the world suffers in silence it’s time for God’s prophets to proclaim loudly what’s causing this silent pandemic. Continue reading The Silent Pandemic of Mental Illness – The First Woe →