Gospel singing star Mandisa says sharing about her own depression has helped fellow Christians.,,,
Grammy Award-winning Mandisa has called for Christians to embrace a new approach to mental illness after revealing her own battles with depression.
The gospel and contemporary Christian singer said, since sharing her own inner turmoil that took her to the brink of suicide, she’d been contacted by lots of believers facing the same struggle.
The 45-year-old, who rose to fame on American Idol, said the church needed to be more open about the issue.
“So many people shared what a relief it was to hear that they weren’t the only ones,” she told The Christian Post. “I realised we don’t really talk about this a lot in Christendom. It’s just not something we address very much, so I wanted to continue telling my story in the hope it would encourage other people who have battles with mental illness the way I do.”
Mandisa’s depression was sparked by the breast cancer death of her close friend Kisha Mitchell. She vanished from the public eye for four years after the loss, but has returned with a book chronicling her depression and a plea for church leaders and parents to share their stories.
“The younger generations, they’re looking for authenticity, and so talking to people, letting others know about some of the struggles that maybe you face, I think that will breed a similar thing in others.”
