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Recently, Catherine
Zeta Jones hit the headlines. This time, not for Oscar winning awards
or for her husband Michael Douglas’ brave fight against cancer. Neither
was it for her stunning Welsh looks or her perfect family. Ms Zeta
Jones had a secret. She was a bipolar disease sufferer.

Bipolar disease, or
manic depression, is a mental illness characterised by depression and
outbursts of mania. Like many mental illnesses, I can’t imagine this as
a nice addition to an otherwise so-called perfect life.

Many have applauded
the bravery of Ms Zeta Jones in talking openly about mental illness.
Mental illness is not exactly dinner party language. “Hey, by the way,
do you know I see a shrink twice a week?”

Mental illness
carries a stigma. Mental illness carries a shame tag. Employers
discriminate, friends lose patience. Families just want you to pull
yourself together. But why so much shame?

Rarely does anyone
laugh at a person with a physical condition. Are we guilty of seeing
such as heroic or brave? Are those who therefore suffer from mental
illness perceived as weaklings and wimps? Less human even?

Jesus sees no
difference between physical or mental illness. All sicknesses are
manifestations of the works of the devil. And Jesus came to destroy
every last one of them. And thank God He did. Because through Him, we
have a hope and a future.

My husband, Eze,
was diagnosed with psychosis for 18 long years. That beats the record
of the woman with the issue of blood! He did the hospitals, the
medications. Yes, he coped with the stigmas, the full works. All
through the years, he sought the end to the torture. Like the next
person.

Thank God that the
Resurrection Power of Jesus, that same power that raised up Jesus from
the dead, is still available in us today. I met my husband in the 14th
year of his mental illness story. The next four years were a test of
faith for both of us. Faith in the healing power and goodness of God.
Thank God, God’s word never lies. Thank God that the same Word that
cures diabetes cures psychosis. Thank God that the same Jesus that
loved a blind Bartimaeus is the same God that loves Eze.

Jesus is the same
yesterday, today and tomorrow. Celebrities may encourage us to seek
help for mental illness. They may even begin to glamorise the whole
mental health thing. It may become trendy to be taking a happy pill or
to be seen zooming in and out of rehab, or boasting of having sleeping
sessions on the psychiatrist couch. But, God is not new in any of this
business. I like God’s style, however. He offers a permanent solution!

The woman with the
issue of blood likewise had a terrible condition that society scorned.
Thank God she stepped out one destined day to meet her Healer. No
matter the stigmas you may face now due to mental illness or whatever
shame the devil has tried to bring your way, you can step out. You can
rise above the shame and stigma. And take your healing. What does it
matter what society has labelled you? God has another label for you. He
calls you ‘My son’ or ‘My daughter’. Yes, Jesus called the woman with
the issue of blood, ‘daughter’. He wanted her to know that she was now
restored, not only in her body, but into society.

Well, my husband‘s
story had a very happy ending. Who said ‘And they lived happily after’
only happened in fairy tales? Life in Christ has a guaranteed success
ending. Faith works.

In cutting a long
story short, my husband appropriated his healing and ended 18 years of
mental illness, medication, mental hospitals and…shame. The life he
lives today is more glorious than before it all happened.

As we celebrate
Easter this weekend, let us remember that Jesus died for every one of
us. Yes, He died for the scourge of society. He went to hell. Destroyed
the works of the enemy. He made a shameful spectacle of the devil so
that people like my husband can take off their cloaks of shame. Imagine
the devil’s own stigma and shame that day in front of his employees!
Jesus rose from the dead, ascended and sat at the right hand of the
Father. Sat at the seat of authority. And where He is seated, we, as
Christians are seated too.

And that seat has no shame or stigma!

(Zoe A. Onah is the
author of Defying the Odds: One man’s struggle and victory over mental
illness and his wife whose trust in God never failed)