Depression

[Ferdi]

I'm in an odd place, emotionally. Been on SSRIs for more than seven years, for clinical depression and anxiety-related issues.
Anyway, as of late the medication isn't working as well. I continue to pray, asking God to help me to do right by Him; and to be healthy enough to do so.

Anyway, I'm just sharing a thought here. Feel free to respond or not respond. Have a nice weekend.
Praise God.

 

[JaumeJ]

I was at then end of my rope for the world situation in 19i69. I locked myself in a room thinking of the people dyingin Biafra, the hypocrisy of the countries saying they were helping but would not want to upset their oppressors for diplomatic reason, and more.

My heart was broken, I prayed to "You are Who You are,2 and He recognized my sadness adn broken heart responding to me in a dream. If He did it for me, He will do the same for anyone. He led me to Jesus and the Bible and gave me joy.

 

[IFOLLOWHIM]

Hi Ferdi!
Welcome to cc.

I have found during times of darkness,anxiety and even depression,it I WORSHIP HIM....... I always feel better.
sometimes in this state it is hard to pray and even study.
music is uplifting and just being aware how blessed we are and praising Him for His goodness to us helps.

I pray you find His comfort and peace during this time!

 

[TheIndianGirl]

When I get down, I tell myself I am going through a season, which helps me feel better:

Ecclesiastes 3 King James Version (KJV)
3 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

 

[Lanolin]

Hi Ferdi

thats terrible...if you want to talk about it please share, its important to undertand why you depressed or fearful and then can do something about it...I was on different medications for many years till God showed me how to overcome. So please dont feel you have to be like this forever. Its not fun to be captive to emotions.

Have a look in natural health forum for encouragment. And will pray that God lifts you up cos He loves you.

 

[laughingheart]

Hi Ferdi,
North America has a very particular attitude towards depression. We glorify happiness to a point where anything else is abnormal. Depression is a catch all for a lot of different things. Sorrow is a normal reaction to a lot of life. I read that it is actually a good barometer of spiritual awareness. Life is difficult. When I spent time in Turkey, melancholy was perceived as normal, and at times, respected. You could be sad, share your pain, get hugged, accepted, laugh, dance, sing or cry. It was all normal. You did not need to pretend. With the pressure off you had time to be. We are in a conflicted world and it can wear away at you. Sometimes it pushes our bodies and chemistry to a point where medication is needed to help with rebalancing our systems. They do not always stay effective and we need to revisit our doctors to try different medications. We would do it for blood sugar control. Brain chemistry control is also valid.
I would also say that joy and happiness are different. Joy is something that is deeper, more of a bedrock foundation. I think sometimes our society pushes happiness for their comfort rather than our truth.
I also suffer from depression and anxiety. I also know joy, humour and love. I have learned that all the things that make me who I am, are valuable. During times of depression I learn to listen. In times of anxiety I turn to God and learn about trust. I see my shortcomings and His strength. Will I ever be without some depression? I doubt it. I am eastern European in ancestry and it is more common than not. I have peace with it. In accepting myself I have contentment and gratitude. I see beauty, love laughter and seek out those who need connection. I appreciate things deeply and richly. The stigma for depression needs to stop.
All the best to you brother.

 

[JaumeJ]

Hi Ferdi,
North America has a very particular attitude towards depression. We glorify happiness to a point where anything else is abnormal. Depression is a catch all for a lot of different things. Sorrow is a normal reaction to a lot of life. I read that it is actually a good barometer of spiritual awareness. Life is difficult. When I spent time in Turkey, melancholy was perceived as normal, and at times, respected. You could be sad, share your pain, get hugged, accepted, laugh, dance, sing or cry. It was all normal. You did not need to pretend. With the pressure off you had time to be. We are in a conflicted world and it can wear away at you. Sometimes it pushes our bodies and chemistry to a point where medication is needed to help with rebalancing our systems. They do not always stay effective and we need to revisit our doctors to try different medications. We would do it for blood sugar control. Brain chemistry control is also valid.
I would also say that joy and happiness are different. Joy is something that is deeper, more of a bedrock foundation. I think sometimes our society pushes happiness for their comfort rather than our truth.
I also suffer from depression and anxiety. I also know joy, humour and love. I have learned that all the things that make me who I am, are valuable. During times of depression I learn to listen. In times of anxiety I turn to God and learn about trust. I see my shortcomings and His strength. Will I ever be without some depression? I doubt it. I am eastern European in ancestry and it is more common than not. I have peace with it. In accepting myself I have contentment and gratitude. I see beauty, love laughter and seek out those who need connection. I appreciate things deeply and richly. The stigma for depression needs to stop.
All the best to you brother.

Having spent a very little bit of time in Turkey, I say "Çok iyi teşekkür ederim," or, very good, thank you.
I used to think people a bit strange who claimed "depression" as debilitating, but the Lord humbled me one day when I was overwhelmed by grief and depression, and I felt helpless. I believe He was giving me a lesson not to discount the feelings of others. All I know is I certainly learned my lesson to the point of always hearing others on their varied woes and anxieties. It certainly is debilitating for many people, and they all not only need our prayers but deserve our prayers if we believe Jesus, Yeshua. Thank you for this testimony on the feelings of others. It is so very important always. All love in Jesus, Yeshua, and my you never experience this very real sadness again, in Jesus, amen.

 

[oldethennew]

Great responses shared, TY to all -

depression is a natural part of our lives like any other emotion,
also poor diet and over-use of meds ups the ball-game, especially
when used for a long time -
hub and I believe that Jesus gave us the ability to over-come all forms
of negative emotions, if' we follow Him...
GAL. 5:22.
But the fruit of The Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23.
Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24.
And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25.
If we live in The Spirit, let us also walk in The Spirit.

 

[laughingheart]

Great responses shared, TY to all -

depression is a natural part of our lives like any other emotion,
also poor diet and over-use of meds ups the ball-game, especially
when used for a long time -
hub and I believe that Jesus gave us the ability to over-come all forms
of negative emotions, if' we follow Him...
GAL. 5:22.
But the fruit of The Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23.
Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24.
And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25.
If we live in The Spirit, let us also walk in The Spirit.

True but depression can go far beyond negative emotions. It can be a chemical dysfunction and like other imbalances, there is no shame in taking medication. I think there is a stigma about taking meds. for mental health issues, and yet we don't say that insulin for diabetes is a lack of faith. It can be genetic. It can be a result of medical issues. In the brain there are transmitters and receptors that allow us to feel happiness. When the body/psyche is under prolonged stress it can do a couple of things. It can reduce the transmitters or increase the receptors and either imbalance can result in an inability to feel happiness or joy. It can leave the person feeling frozen, disconnected or helpless. It is like watching life as if it was on TV. Our self preservation instincts are dulled to a point where self care or self protection diminish to dangerous levels.
Dear Oldthennew, I appreciate your gentle and loving heart. Please know this. One of the difficulties in the church is that, in general, there is a real discomfort with any form of mental illness. Either it is denied as a thing, or stigmatized as a lack of faith, which compounds the problem for the person, and makes it a matter of blame. People who suffer hide it so as not to be seen as less, and don't get the help they need. I think some see it as a denial that if you become a Christian that all will be well. The truth is that not all will be well in your life as a Christian. You will get ill, get your heart broken, have financial struggles and all other manner of problems, and that is OK. That is real. Divorces happen (I am not condoning it but sometimes you don't have a choice) and children rebel and cancer takes loved ones. We can't be afraid of that. Christ will walk through our valleys of death with us. We are not alone but we still walk through our valleys. Let us be a community that supports each other as we all journey on in this life. It will be a testimony that rocks our world. Bless you.

 

[oldethennew]

laughingheart,

we have got your point of the (both-sides-of-the-coin) been there done that, probably
more that most, for the 'both of us' -
support and love is the essential of any congregation, whether one-on-one with Christ,
or in a group -
we have a compassionate Lord, and so, we also should always be compassionate
towards one another...

 

[Lanolin]

I think the helpless state of depression when you literally cannot even get up, is very humbling as thats just when you need to rely on the Lord and have faith that His grace is sufficient for you.

Some things we arent equipped to handle so we need to learn to lay those burdens down at the cross, not keep carrying them as it will exhaust us. Psalm 23 actually says He makes us lie down...

sometimes these burdens just need a good airing out which is why writing it down can be good therapy it might be a looong story. But you DO need to confess what ever it is thats troubling you. Dont bottle it up.

If something happened in the past that you cant get over you need to say what it is. How can people help, how can God help if you dont tell Him? studies show when we are young the brain is still developing and any trauma can mean our brain connections dont fire as they should or they get over stimulated. But the brain is an amazing thing it CAN rewire itself.

I have a cousin who suffers from schizophrenia, which is a mental illness that can be very hard to deal with, so she lives in a special home and takes meds, but apparently she was just fine growing up according to my aunty who reckons it was the truama of her parents splitting up when she was young. the dad left or was abusive and it must have affected her deeply. But the thing is, I dont know if anyone actually took the time to listen to what she had to say about it or process what she was going through. whether she had a counselor or was able to talk to anyone about her experience. shes not likely to open up to a doctor or a family member. I think she has to be willing to open up though.

I have some other friends I know of that suffer depression but actually pretend everything is fine. I would rather they say what is really bothering them then keep on pretending. I mean taking meds for years on end is not good. You dont have a life and you cant really heal cos meds keep you in a state of limbo. what it does is just takes the edge off but masking the symptoms means you have to keep taking them.

it might have been something really awful or embarassing that you dont eant to admit like..you had a baby out of wedlock that you had to give up for adoption or you did something bad like had an affair or something. God can forgive you but you really need to confess it.

sorry if Off topic but just want to put that out there your mental health and sanity is important to God.

 

[JaumeJ]

Sometimes schizophrenia inherited from predecessors, I hear tell. When this is the case, according to my hearing and seeing written down, it will not manifest itself unti l the late teens or early 20's.

As for being in a limbo with meds. When I was in my early 20`s, I developed very painful colitis. My doctor prescribed Thorazin and Darvon combined. Either one, I hear is enough to make a person sotally wonky. I took these sstrong meds for two days. Walking home from work along the lakesideI felt completely detached from this realm, and although I did not yet know Jesus, I prayed saying either I will get well or I will die, but I cannot take this medication. I never had another attack that doubled me over making me so I could not walk. Actually, I never had a nother attack. I thanked God many times over, but I had not yet been drawn truly to Jesus, yESHUA.... i BELIEVE OUR fASTHER HAS ALWAYS WATCHED OVER ME VERY CLOSELY EVEN AS A CHILD WITH CERTAIN VISIONS...AND SO IT GOES. i SURE THANK hIM AND CANNOT SEEM TO THANK hIM ENOUGH. lOVE IN jESUS...J

 

[Lanolin]

that reminds me of Arthur Blessit, the doctors said he had arthritis and was not ever going to be able to travel again cos he was going to be crippled, but God had spoken to him and said he was going to carry His cross and walk across america and spread the gospel all around the world. Who was he going to listen to...man (doctors) or God?

 

[Nehemiah6]

Feel free to respond or not respond. Have a nice weekend.

You may or may not like to hear this, but chemicals cannot eliminate or cure depression. That is a myth promoted by medical and mental health practitioners.

Allowing depression to control us is A CHOICE.

And not allowing depression to control us is also A CHOICE.

Depression is a state of mind, and the Bible tells us how to change our state of mind so that we will not be depressed:

PHILIPPIANS 4
4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity.
11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

 

[Bleed]

have you been on Paxil?

 

[Ferdi]

have you been on Paxil?

I have, yes. I was on Paxil for a few years before ending up on Zoloft/Sertraline

 

[Ferdi]

Hi Ferdi,
North America has a very particular attitude towards depression. We glorify happiness to a point where anything else is abnormal. Depression is a catch all for a lot of different things. Sorrow is a normal reaction to a lot of life. I read that it is actually a good barometer of spiritual awareness. Life is difficult. When I spent time in Turkey, melancholy was perceived as normal, and at times, respected. You could be sad, share your pain, get hugged, accepted, laugh, dance, sing or cry. It was all normal. You did not need to pretend. With the pressure off you had time to be. We are in a conflicted world and it can wear away at you. Sometimes it pushes our bodies and chemistry to a point where medication is needed to help with rebalancing our systems. They do not always stay effective and we need to revisit our doctors to try different medications. We would do it for blood sugar control. Brain chemistry control is also valid.
I would also say that joy and happiness are different. Joy is something that is deeper, more of a bedrock foundation. I think sometimes our society pushes happiness for their comfort rather than our truth.
I also suffer from depression and anxiety. I also know joy, humour and love. I have learned that all the things that make me who I am, are valuable. During times of depression I learn to listen. In times of anxiety I turn to God and learn about trust. I see my shortcomings and His strength. Will I ever be without some depression? I doubt it. I am eastern European in ancestry and it is more common than not. I have peace with it. In accepting myself I have contentment and gratitude. I see beauty, love laughter and seek out those who need connection. I appreciate things deeply and richly. The stigma for depression needs to stop.
All the best to you brother.

Thank you very much for your thoughtful response. It has been very helpful. God bless you.
By the way I'm Turkish. English Turk. Parents born in Turkey, my brother and I born here in England.

 

[Ferdi]

Thank you all for your kind words. x