Darkness Is My Only Companion: A Christian Response to Mental Illness

Darkness is my only companion. The words of the psalmist rang hauntingly true for Kathryn Greene-McCreight when she was in the depths of her mental illness. It's a darkness that she says shuts off the windows to the soul, making God--the Christian's very source of life--feel remote.

In Darkness Is My Only Companion, Greene-McCreight confronts the difficult questions raised by her own mental illness, bipolar disorder. Does God send this suffering? Why, if I am a Christian, can I not rejoice? What is happening to my soul?

Greene-McCreight concludes that God does not will mental illness or any other suffering on his people. We suffer because of evil, but still she sees God work grace out of suffering.

With brutal honesty, she tackles often avoided topics such as suicide, mental hospitals, and shock therapy. She also shares her perspective on Christian versus secular therapists. Greene-McCreight offers the reader everything from poignant and raw glimpses into the mind of a mentally ill person to practical and forthright advice for their friends, family, and clergy.

As a theologian, Episcopal priest, and mother, Greene-McCreight's voice will be a comfort to those who suffer from mental illness and an invaluable resource for those who love and support them.

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