Venting about Mental Health and Family

Mental Health, what is it? and how is it achieved?

Is mental health real? For those of us that are Christians it is hard to understand the line between spiritual growth and mental health. Therapists, meds, book studies, journaling, music all used to help us remain stable and "get through" things. I come from a family that is very strong in their faith and the majority of my large extended family are "born again believers of Jesus Christ", but still we seem to have a large group that struggles with depression, anxiety, perfection, social disorders, eating disorders, the list goes on.

How do I continue to grow as a woman, a Christian woman when often I feel as though I am alone and the only one of this painful journey towards personal betterment. I know that is not the truth and that we are all just in different places in our lives and we must love and accept people where they are. That is hard when as adults on the process of living free from drama and codependent behaviors we make choices to protect ourselves and limit the type of people that are in our lives. We don't get to chose our family. As a divorced woman, I got realized that my life was better after he left me and I grew because of it. Changing parents or siblings is not a choice and I love my family dearly, but there is such drama. A family with strong, independent, opinionated, and passionate people leads to lots of disagreements. I am trying to find a balance between all of it. I am by know means perfect or have all the answers, but at times I feel as though I am the only one trying to find them. Some people are ok to push things on the back burner, to just not talk about it, pretend that nothings wrong and hope it goes away. I used to be ok with that, but I have learned that is not health behavior and doesn't do any good for anyone. Other members of this family just limit their contact or level of interaction as a way of protecting themselves. Surface relationships with the ones that you should be the closest too.......

I don't like or want either option. How does one achieve more?