Church Security: How to Identify 25 Common Mental Health Behaviors

Church security teams serve their congregations by overseeing the safety and decorum of church gatherings. Part of the training for team members includes the ability to quickly and correctly assess the reasons behind the disruptive behaviors of individuals during those events.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Self-Defense and Church Security: Make Scanning Your Priority ]

Determining whether a person is unruly due to a mental health crisis or to an intentional violent motive will influence the proper response required to keep the peace.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Chart: The Spectrum of Potential Threat Personas in Self-Defense and Church Security ]

The ministry Spiritual First Aid^™ offers the free PDF resource, 25 Common Mental Health Fact Sheets, that helps identify the signs, symptoms, and triggers of mental health conditions people may struggle with; it’s a tool that can assist security team members in ascertaining whether de-escalation tactics or more extreme measures are necessary.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Gentle Response De-Escalation Training for Church Security Teams ]

For example, the fact sheet on Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED) states that this “is a mental health condition characterized by recurrent, sudden episodes of impulsive, aggressive, violent behavior, or angry verbal outbursts that are disproportionate to the situation. These episodes are typically brief and may result in physical harm to others, damage to property, or significant emotional distress, and they often lead to feelings of remorse or regret afterwards.”

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Tactical Training for Individuals and Church Security Teams to Thwart Active Violence Incidents (Part 2 ]

This comprehensive set of 25 fact sheets offers insights on the following topics:

    •  Adjustment Disorder
    •  Anxiety
    •  Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
    •  Autism Spectrum Disorder
    •  Bipolar
    •  Borderline Personality Disorder

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Church Security Book Review: A Gentle Response ]

    •  Dependent Personality Disorder
    •  Depression
    •  Dissociation
    •  Eating Disorders
    •  Gambling Addiction
    •  Grief

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Church Security Book Review: Defending the Flock ]

    •  Intermittent Explosive Disorder
    •  Moral Injury
    •  Narcissism
    •  Obsessive-Compulsive
    •  Panic Disorder
    •  Posttraumatic Stress

[ Read the SemperVerus article, A Prayer for Church Security Team Members ]

    •  Schizophrenia
    •  Specific Learning Disorders
    •  Specific Phobias
    •  Stress
    •  Substance Abuse
    •  Suicide Ideation
    •  Technology Addiction

[ Read SemperVerus articles on the topic of CHURCH SECURITY ]

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