Mental Health and Metaphysical

[Caramello]

I've been thinking about this all week, ever since I saw the Denton show on Monday (Mods if this is better in TV, then please move).

Andrew Denton was attending a seminar on mental health.

On it was a lady called Heidi that was diagnosed with schizophrenia.

She talked about the angels and devils that she could see.

She also had drawings of them.

When I saw them - particularly the drawing of her dog I thought - 'That drawing looks very similar to spiritual drawings that I have done in the past.'

Then it got me thinking - what is the link between spirituality and mental health?

Heidi actually talked of feeling that she was more in the next world than she was here.

Also, the man running the seminar (sorry, can't remember his name) felt like his aura was literally beaming out of the television.

I wondered that if either of these people had been brought up in a different environment, whether their gifts would have been viewed in a different way?

Or is it that they need the drugs to control their mental illness, but still would be highly gifted spiritually?

I know a friend of mine that works in mental health says there is a strong link between mental illness and spirituality.

I'd be interested to know what people think.

ETA - I am not trivialising mental health in any way - I have at times had depression and my DH has anxiety so I know how horrible it is to be in the throws of these conditions.