Depression question

I'm new here and didn't know if there was a better place to post this. I know I am not the only one who has gone through depression (though sometimes I feel like it lol). I have a couple of questions...

1) For those of you who have experienced depression...what are some ways that you have overcome it or at least been able to deal with it?

2) Unrelated (or maybe it is..) for the Christians here that have felt this way. I haven't really felt close to God. I've felt He couldn't possibly care about me...I do know what the bible said and some really nice people here have quoted scripture. The question is though, how do you get a closer relationship with him? I have prayed...I just don't see how it is possible for someone as mighty as God to care about me. I don't feel like I deserve it even if I did ever feel that.

Before you get up in the morning, ask God for guidance in making the many decisions needed to get through the day. Also during the day keep your mind on God. In other words try to commune with Him by asking yourself if He would want you to do this or that. I believe over time that this would bring you closer to God. Yes, God does answer prayer in his own way. Keeping our minds on God will bring us peace.

You're right. You don't deserve God's love. None of us do- we are all undone. The thing is, He loves us anyway. God's love is not like man's love. There is nothing you can do to earn it, and nothing you can do to lose it. That's what grace is "unmerited favor". I won't give you a lot of quotes, but this one demonstrates His great love- while we were YET SINNERS, Christ died for us. He didn't wait to love us until we were good- He'd have to wait forever.

The good news is, He loves you even when you can't feel His love. It is fact and not feeling. God bless you.

I get he does...my question was more how do you get over that slump of feeling that way and not really feeling like you are loved and cared for. How'd you finally overcome it and actually feel like you had a relationship with him. I have prayed just never really felt he listened, although I know he does.

I could stand to exercise more but I don't think I could straighten up my diet much more than I already do. My daughters are allergic to a lot of stuff (one soy, one dairy and one gluten) so we follow a paleo diet when we can and lots of fruits and veggies lol I will add some exercise to my day though. Thank you! I didn't even consider that.

1. I first manifested the symptoms of depression early in my childhood and was first formally diagnosed when I was 19. I've never gotten over it, but I deal with it. I deal with it by trying to refrain from blaming myself for the depression or thinking I am weak because I have it. I don't think my depression will ever be "cured", so I learn to live with it the best I can and realize I won't be like other people, and that's okay.

2. Hard for me to answer given my spiritual status. There are a lot of words of comfort in the Bible though. One thing that might be of help is to realize that God chose the weakest, most unlikely people to do His work. Look at Paul. Not the nicest dude, yet he was chosen by God to do great things and we owe most of the writings of the New Testament to him. Might be helpful to think of depression not as something that keeps you from God, but as something you must go through in order to learn to grow closer to God. Maybe depression is your trial.

Sleep habits is the third piece of the puzzle. Getting enough sleep, on a regular schedule, along with healthy eating and exercise can reduce depression. Though it depends on the degree of depression you have.

I am 41 and have had depression since i was 14. If those three things don't do enough to help, then the next option is having a doctor do checks for physical causes. Things such as hormones and unknown allergies can cause depression, or worsen existing depression. If that all comes back ok, then the next step is counseling. Tell them right off the bat that you are Not going to jump straight into medication. See if a deeper root issue can be discovered and dealt with through counseling. If that fails then continued counseling and medication may be your last resort.
Depression isn't really an issue that you can just will away. It has specific causes that need to be addressed if you want to have any hope of change. Just remember medication should only be used when everything else has been tried and not worked.


Here's a scripture you may not have heard before, from others.
Ecclesiastes 7:3
Sorrow is better than laughter, because the heart is made better through trouble.

I've never slept well. I've had depression for a while...only diagnosed after I had my third daughter with depression and anxiety. I have always been able to detach and not allow myself to get close to a lot of situations since I was little. A lot of my childhood and beginning of my teen years I was able to push out of my mind and forget a lot. However...never been able to get a full 8 hours of sleep without waking up 3 or more times.

I have gone to a doctor and they checked my thyroids but that was it. They said those were normal and just prescribed me medicine but I didn't want to jump to those. It would benefit me greatly to go to a therapist I know, and I know it is from a deeper rooted issue. I've just never felt comfortable sitting down with someone and telling them face to face what has happened to me as a kid and how I am feeling. My husband knows but only because it caused a lot of issues when we first married.

**** have you seen a doctor about depression?-------don' t go by your feelings---- God loves you----- I was thinking about that the other day---- how much I love my granddaughter---- can' t put it in words---- God loves you like that----- when He was on the cross---- you were on His mind...

Sigh...I have read the bible. I know there are scriptures saying God does care for us. "He formed you in your mother's womb" "he knows the number of hairs on your head"

I have been to a doctor just not a therapist. I guess that should be my next step...

****a good Christian Therapist is best...(praying)

I've been taking an anti depressant daily for quite some time now. Once I got on the right one for me, it worked out really well.

I listened to a lot of inspiring sermons on youtube. I also have a couple little booklets that have positive scriptures in them. One is called The Bible Promise Book and the other is 199 Promises of God. They're both around $2 each.

Jesus said that man cannot live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from God (Matthew 4:4). It's true.. scriptures are nourishment for the soul, especially the downcast soul..

Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.
(Psalm 42:5)

I've been thinking about your thread today. Something that I thought about, I wanted to tell you. I do not know if you grew up in church. When we were little, we sang a song called "Jesus Loves Me"

Jesus loves me, this I know
For the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to Him belong,
They are weak, but He is strong.
Yes, Jesus loves me.
Yes, Jesus loves me.
Yes, Jesus loves me.
The Bible tells me so.

It's not about feeling, it's about knowing. Do you know that the sun will rise in the morning and set in the evening, and always be there? It's the same with God. His love is a fact to know, not a feeling to be felt. I hope this helps.