For years, especially as a young Christian, I was encouraged to deny the reality of clinical depression. I am not completely sure why, though I have some educated guesses, but we seemed to believe that clinical depressions was the result of a sinful choice that the depressed person made which could reversed simply by thinking better and more biblically. I now see this as totally bizarre nonsense.
With major depression, it may be difficult to work, study, sleep, eat, and enjoy friends and activities. Some people have clinical depression only once in their life, while others have it several times in a lifetime. Major depression seems to occur from one generation to the next in some families, but may affect people with no family history of the illness.
What Is Clinical Depression?
A good answer provided by WebMD says:
Most people feel sad or low at some point in their lives. But clinical depression is marked by a depressed mood most of the day, particularly in the morning, and a loss of interest in normal activities and relationships — symptoms that are present every day for at least 2 weeks. In addition, according to the DSM-IV — a manual used to diagnose mental health conditions — you may have other symptoms with major depression. Those symptoms might include:
- Fatigue or loss of energy almost every day.
- Feelings of worthlessness or guilt almost every day.
- Impaired concentration, indecisiveness.
- Insomnia or hypersomnia (excessive sleeping) almost every day.
- Markedly diminished interest or pleasure in almost all activities nearly every day (called anhedonia, this symptom can be indicated by reports from significant others).
- Restlessness or feeling slowed down.
- Recurring thoughts of death or suicide.
- Significant weight loss or gain (a change of more than 5% of body weight in a month).
I went through a three-year struggle with clinical depression in 1987-1990. God graciously lifted me out of it with no medical intervention. I do not boast in this as I think it was pure mercy plus I should have done something, as my wife urged me at the time, so much sooner. I am now convinced that I could have been helped much sooner had I sought professional care, including good counsel and proper medication.
One of video resources that I often watch (I subscribe to these) is the TED Talks. Last week TED presented one by a young man who has suffered from clinical depression. It is genuinely worth your time to see this video if you have ever struggled, or know someone who has, with depression. You might be able to help someone just by seeing this video. It would be helpful if Christians stopped denying the reality of this illness, especially by their blaming the person for the illness.
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RT @JohnA1949: Clinical Depression Is Real: For years, especially as a young Christian, I was encouraged to deny the … http://t.co/Zap15e…
A friend gave me this post (anonymously) this morning:
During my husband’s first clinical depression, in 1989, the friends we were temporarily staying with (we had just moved across the country) prayed with us. Later, a group of men was called together to speak with him and help him find deliverance. The two phrases I remember, one from each of these two experiences, respectively: “Lord, the word ‘depression’ has been used. I rebuke that word in the name of Jesus…” and, in the context of the story of Peter walking on the water, ” ‘Dave’, you took your eyes off Jesus, and that’s why you went under water. So you just need to get your eyes back on Jesus.”
And if you’re not in that more miracle-driven stream of Christianity, you may hear more subtle suggestions. They’re the same thing; perhaps worse.
I’m glad I went with my gut and stayed by his side throughout all of it. I was until then convinced that any “leadership” I provided as a spouse was a denial of God’s Perfect Will for marriage. I may have convinced a man or two that my refusal to play my proper role was part of the problem, but I put an end to the meeting.
My husband is the bravest, strongest, most consistently loving human being I have ever met. Were I to have tried, I could not have dreamed him up. Thank you, John, for understanding the importance of awareness. While the stigma has been significantly reduced, it is anything but gone and it continues to limit our progress toward humane treatment of persons with mental illness. If we can’t manage a reasonable amount of respect and dignity and transparency related to clinical depression, how are we to develop quality services for those with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia? I have seen the latter first- and a close second-hand and I can tell you that, at least in some places, we have only inched past One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.
If you are suffering from depression, I would also encourage you to lift up your eyes, not only to “Jesus,” but to the person nearest you who is loving as Jesus would love.
In other words, seek Love Incarnate. It is that Love which seeks out, not the powerful, but the ones who know they need help. That’s what grace is, I think.
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Good words. We were taught, or at least many of us were, that good Christians always rejoiced over their salvation. There was even a Christian grin (one could always pick out the Christians). It was non-sense, of course, but a non-sense that kept many people from getting help.
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Something I have sometimes said: If Prozac had existed, would there have been a reformation? Not that all the reformers were depressed, but throughout the history of the church, many of the “greats” we admire suffered from depression – and God used them mightily – broken clay pots to show his glory.
What a fascinating suggestion and comment Toni.
And keep an eye on the meds for side-effects: while much-needed, one of them caused a severe sleep disorder for one of my kids.
Thank you for this. It’s good to let people know mental illness – including depression – is not a curse or a sin. It’s just another illness and can be treated like other illnesses. People hide it and don’t get treatment because they are ashamed and worried about what others will think.
Great comments all. I hope more people read my post and your comments friends.
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