Condemnation, a lack of sympathy and lecturing will not help anyone with mental illness, be it depression, anxiety or something more severe. Telling them that it's not important they find a solid sense of healthy self worth (and that indeed having a healthy sense of worth is sinful) will only increase the stresses they are already facing. And self righteousness towards the broken does nothing to heal them.

This is a problem in the Church...a distinct lack of compassion, and an unwillingness to empathize with, and understand those who are struggling with mental illness. Telling someone that all their mental issues are because they are a wretched, sinful mess isn't going to suddenly snap them out of an episode...the lack of love will most likely only acerbate the problem.

I know that there are sectors within the Church that put very little value on compassion, grace and mercy, and often it is those sectors that drive people away from Christ, rather than draw the masses towards Him.

If Christ has enough compassion for us to have lived, and died, for our sakes...can't we show some compassion to the hurting amongst us?