Contents:
The Bible has much to say about depression; interestingly, the causes and solutions are not what are commonly thought in Christian circles. This article will offer insights that may help erase the stigma associated with depression and to see it in a new light. When seen correctly, there is no more stigma or shame associated with depression than any other illness. For those afflicted with depression, please understand you are not alone in your feelings, not going out of your mind, confusion is common, and the inexplicable black cloud can be lifted.
A sad truth is that many Christians suffer from depression and either do not know it they are miserable but do not know why or cannot admit it because they think that would be admitting a spiritual problem.
So, they suffer in silence hoping and praying for deliverance; but the consequences of doing nothing often result in further complications. To be the comforters of II Corinthians 1: We will see that our brains malfunction like any organ or system of our body. Would we be gracious comforters if we went to a person with diabetes or any physical ailment and told them their problem was due to sin or lack of faith? Generally we would be wrong and we would just be heaping misery upon misery and making matters worse. Normal moods of sadness, grief, and elation are typically short-lived and part of everyday life, but these can progress into a depressed mental state.
Other symptoms often accompany depression but the most common symptoms of major depression are: If a person experiences at least five of these symptoms for one month they have major depression. Mild depression would typically be defined as having two to four of these symptoms for over one month.
Bipolar disorder manic depression includes swings from deeply depressive moods to wildly manic moods elation, irritability, hostility, inflated thoughts of self, boasting —with many intensities and variations. If what I feel were equally distributed to the whole human family, there would be not one cheerful face on earth.
Whether I shall ever be better, I cannot tell. I awfully regretfully forebode foretell I shall not. To remain as I am is impossible. I must die or be better it appears to me. Depression is the ascendancy and tyranny of our emotions over our lives. Depression is a universal problem, but no one really knows if Biblical characters had what we call depression, or if it would be more appropriate to say they suffered emotionally.
However, Paul in I Corinthians Temptation can mean trial, calamity, or affliction. Accordingly, we should understand that our present day afflictions were also common to the great Bible characters. David was overwhelmed with grief and sadness, his heart was desolate, and his tears fell all night Psa.
Whenever characters express rejection, loneliness, self-pity, hopelessness, overwhelming grief, and wish they had not been born, it seems they are expressing more than temporary sadness but classic symptoms of major depression. Paul had classic symptoms: Hannah I Samuel 1 had many of the symptoms of depression and her spiritual leader instantly and incorrectly accused her of a spiritual problem. It seems there is a universal truth concerning depression, that is, the non-depressed rarely understand the unrelenting pain involved, the feelings of hopelessness in this life, not once delivered from this body , and think the person should just pick themselves up and get over it.
It is not that easy. In fact, when that part of the brain that mediates emotions is not functioning properly, medical help not criticism is often needed. Each year depression strikes ten million people in the United States. Older Christians have more depression than younger; does this mean that spiritual maturity is of no avail?
No, what this indicates is that older people have more biochemical and brain malfunctions as they age; depression is a natural consequence. Similarly, more women two to three times have depression than men. Women do not have more spiritual problems than men, but they do process adverse events differently than men, and, they have a complex body chemistry that can get out of balance, both leading to depression. Women tend to take adverse events and internalize them and take the blame—this is a thought-processing problem.
Men tend to react to the same events with escapism sports, TV, sexual obsessions, alcohol ; which can later result in heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, etc. There is another difference: Understanding the causes of depression is very helpful to finding the solution. It is rare that there is only one causative agent, generally there are several at work.
Listed below no specific order are some factors known to contribute to depression: Depression can have its source in our body, soul or spirit. Our body can affect our soul and spirit and vice versa. The main cause of impaired frontal lobe function is a harmful lifestyle—the same cause of most of our physical diseases. There is now no question that reductions in frontal lobe function lie at the core of depression. Complimenting this research is the finding that depressed children have significantly smaller frontal lobes than non-depressed children.
The evidence indicates that frontal lobe problems are the cause and not the effect. As fog veils a beautiful meadow, so depression clouds life itself; existence becomes dreary and dark.
It has been described as darkness visible. One can go to bed feeling fine only to wake with an overwhelming gloom that cannot be explained or escaped. With proper nutrition, lifestyle changes and a renewed way of processing the events of our lives we can break through that fog into a sunny day.
The point is clear, depression should be addressed early or it may lead to fatal consequences. However, because of their illness depressed persons have diminished ability to combat their own disease, so help is often needed to lift them out of the pit of despair. How the Brain Works: The chemicals used to do this are called neurotransmitters. To have a properly functioning system we need an adequate amount of neurotransmitters. The neurotransmitter most commonly associated with depression is serotonin. Depressed people have low serotonin levels.
Thus, they have impaired brain message sending, especially relating to emotions and mood. Serotonin is produced in the brain from tryptophan a protein , which is converted into 5-HTP, and then into serotonin. Some serotonin is converted into melatonin, the hormone needed for proper sleep thus the connection between depression and sleep disorders. One cause of low serotonin is the lack of an enzyme that converts tryptophan to 5-HTP. This article will consider botanical medicine, medications, proper lifestyle, nutrition, thought processing, and spiritual direction—the most common causes of depression.
If depression were primarily spiritually induced, people should not get better from medications because medications do nothing about the spiritual problem. If the medications merely treat the symptoms and do not get to the root spiritual cause then the depression should always come back once the medications are stopped, which is not the case.
The Scripture makes it clear that because of sin the earth today is not yielding its strength Gen. As a result of this Romans 8: Often herbal products are slower acting than pharmaceutical medications, but the advantages of herbal supplements is that they can often affect a cure rather than just address symptoms and the side effects are minor compared to pharmaceutical drugs. The most important and well tested herbs to consider in connection with depression are: If botanical medicines do not work in conjunction with the lifestyle, thought processing, and consideration of other causes then medications are an option.
A short-term use of antidepressant drugs may be needed in order to get the mind operating sufficiently well so that a person can function. They do not help create increased blood flow or frontal lobe function. A deficiency of any single nutrient can alter brain function and lead to depression, anxiety, and other mental disorders. The most common deficiencies are folic acid, vitamin B12 and B6. An insufficiency of Omega 3 fatty acids oils has been linked to depression. Low Omega 3 oils result in cells throughout the body and brain that do not function correctly, and the mind suffers.
The needed Omega 3 oils are found in fish oils and flaxseed oil. Rule to live by: Eat foods as close to the way God created them as possible: He created vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, etc. He did not create processed foods or animal meat full of antibiotics and hormones. Regular exercise and sleep are essential to combat depression. Exercise at least 30 minutes four times a week. One does not have to jog: Regular exercise takes time for the effects to be felt, sometimes weeks. We each have an internal clock that operates on a roughly hour schedule circadian rhythm.
Even mentally healthy people can become depressed if the circadian rhythms are significantly disturbed. Seasonal Affective Disorder is common in the winter months in northern climates because the lack of natural sunlight disrupts these rhythms.
Scripture points to many issues of sin or conflict that can affect your emotions; most counselors would agree that depression can result from other underlying issues. Don't just worry about the depression itself; check to see what other problems need attention. Christians base life on truth, not feelings. Choosing to trust truth rather than your feelings may require a lot of faith. And if that is what we mean by asking if faith can solve depression, then faith may be enough in some cases. Trusting what God says rather than your feelings is certainly a more realistic approach to life!
That's too nebulous a concept to be reliable. Many of the same people who claim to have faith keep plunging through life ignoring God's principles for healthy living.
If we spurn the good advice that the Bible contains, we won't escape the consequences - even if we have faith. Some cases of depression may be caused by chemical imbalances. If that is the cause, then antidepressant drugs may be the answer. God has allowed mankind to learn about many medical tools, and He sometimes uses medicine to heal. There may also be some cases of depression so severe that medications are necessary to bring the sufferer to the place where they can tackle some of the other issues; such cases might require medication, at least temporarily.
I know of no Scripture that forbids such use. However, any medications should be used with caution. Virtually any medicine has some side effects. Drugs can mask the symptoms, allowing you to ignore root causes. Some people may use antidepressants to avoid approaches that require you to deal with other unresolved issues. It seems easier to pop a pill. A general rule of thumb is to try other strategies first, unless the depression is so severe that the person endangers themselves or finds themselves unable to participate in other therapies.
Depression is a complex area, and severe problems of depression deserve the attention of a pastor or other counselor.
Eight major causes of depression. Word Publishing, , chapter 5; Gary R. A Comprehensive Guide , revised edition Dallas, Texas: Depression often has a physical basis. At the simplest level, we know that lack of sleep, insufficient excercise, the side effects of drugs, physical illnesses, or improper diet can all creation depression.
Thousands of women experience depression as part of a monthly premenstrual syndrome PMS and some are victimized by postpartum depression following childbirth. Other physical influences, like neurochemical malfunctioning, brain tumors, or glandular disorders, are more complicated creators of depression.
Depression is a very important Christian-living topic. The Bible has much to say about depression; interestingly, the causes and solutions are not what are. What can we learn from their examples and biblical principles? Welcome to this Bible study lesson on "Dealing With Depression. . peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
There is evidence that depression runs in families and may have a genetic basis. Word, , p. Net users generous rights for putting this page to work in their homes, personal witnessing, churches and schools. What should a Christian do if overwhelmed with depression? However, there are a few general principles I would recommend when trying to deal with depression: