06/07/2026
I really wish some pastors would stay within the scope of their training and allow licensed mental health professionals to do the work they are trained to do. Unfortunately, this happens far too often, and when mental health concerns are addressed without appropriate clinical knowledge, it can delay treatment, increase suffering, and negatively impact lives. Faith and mental health treatment can work together, but one should not replace the other when professional care is needed.
🙏💔 A California mother says she is preparing to file a multi-million-dollar wrongful death lawsuit against her former church after the su***de of her 22-year-old son Micah, claiming church leaders convinced the family that his worsening mental health crisis was “demonic” instead of medical.
According to the woman, her son had reportedly been struggling for months with severe depression, paranoia, hallucinations, insomnia, and religious fear. She says when she sought help from her pastor and church elders, they told her the young man was under “spiritual attack” and needed deliverance, repentance, fasting, and a deeper commitment to God rather than psychiatric treatment.
The woman claims the pastor discouraged her from seeking therapy for her son and instead insisted that demons were tormenting his mind. She also alleges church leaders suggested the reason “deliverance” had not come was because the young man was somehow resisting God or hiding sin in his life.
The lawsuit her attorneys are reportedly preparing is expected to accuse the church of negligence, emotional distress, spiritual coercion, and wrongful death, arguing that church leaders allegedly interfered with necessary mental health treatment during a psychiatric crisis.
The mother says her son eventually became consumed with fear that “God didn’t love him” because his condition was not improving despite constant prayer, repentance, and attempts to rededicate his life to Christianity. Over time, she says he spiraled deeper into isolation, hopelessness, and paranoia before ultimately taking his own life.
In a social media post, the grieving mother wrote:
“After sharing my son’s experiences with psychiatrists, I was told it was highly likely he was bipolar and had gone from a manic state into full psychosis. He needed hospitalization and medical intervention, not to be told demons were attacking him because God was disappointed in him.”
She also claimed mental health professionals told her they “see situations like this far too often,” where severe psychiatric conditions become spiritualized by religious figures who are not equipped to recognize or respond to mental illness.
The family’s legal team is reportedly considering seeking between $15 million and $25 million in damages. Legal analysts say the case could face significant First Amendment challenges because courts are often cautious about interfering with religious counseling and church doctrine. However, experts note churches can still face civil liability if it is proven that leaders actively discouraged urgent medical treatment during an obvious mental health emergency.
The pastor has denied wrongdoing and reportedly maintains that the church only provided biblical guidance and prayer support. No lawsuit had officially been filed as of Monday May 25, 2026, though the mother says attorneys are actively preparing the case for California civil court.
