Experiencing Depression

“I am bowed down and brought very low; all day long I go about mourning. My back is filled with searing pain; there is no health in my body. I am feeble and utterly crushed; I groan in anguish of heart.” (Psalm 38:6-8)

Did you know that 1 in 10 people in America suffer from depression each day?  Depression can be brought on by many different factors in our daily lives.  Sometimes it is temporary, and sometimes it can last for months.  Each person experiences it differently, but the symptoms are the same: Feelings of loneliness, sadness, exhaustion and even thoughts of suicide.  You find yourself at the bottom of a deep, dark hole with no apparent way out, and there is a sense of losing all hope.

Unless you have experienced depression for yourself, you probably won’t understand how a depressed person feels.  When you are experiencing a darkness so deep that you cannot see anything else, nothing else matters.  Depression can be a very lonely battle, and even marriages can begin to unravel because the depressed spouse has lost their passion, energy, sex drive, and any interest in activities they once enjoyed.

Sometimes people mistakenly think that if someone is a Christian they should not struggle with depression.  And I want to expose that myth.  In the Psalms, we read that King David experienced terrible depression, as did many other people in the Bible.  Some of those most familiar were Job, Elijah (1 Kings 19) and Jonah (Jonah 4).  More recently, two of history’s great preachers, Martin Luther and Charles H. Spurgeon, both suffered from depression. 

Now, the word depression is not found in the Bible, but the symptoms are certainly described.  There are two factors that cause depression.  It is either physical or spiritual.  Physical, meaning that you may have an illness or medical issue in your body.  There are many different factors and you should consult a medical doctor to eliminate any possible biological issues.  The other cause of depression is always spiritual, and we will look to scripture to treat this deep darkness in our souls.  At times, the physical and spiritual are interwoven, resulting in that miserable and hopeless state.

In his article “How I Know Clinical Depression Isn’t Sinful” author Tim Laitinen shares that it became necessary for his health and safety to begin prescription medication for his depression, something many Christians find hard to understand:

 “…chronic clinical depression is not fun. But neither is it immoral. It’s not a crime. It’s a mental condition that doctors are recognizing has a distinct biological component. Have you ever heard of serotonin? Serotonin is a neurotransmitter in our brains, and scientific studies indicate that imbalances of serotonin may play a key factor in clinical depression.”

And now for my true life confession.  Not many people know, and even my parents never knew, that I have struggled with depression off and on for most of my life.  I seem to remember first noticing the symptoms about the time I became a teenager.  Sometimes it grew with persistent problems in my life.  Other times it came on with no apparent reason.  During those periods I didn’t understand my own feelings.  My family and friends assumed I was just a bit shy, and no one ever asked how I felt.  I had heard about other people with depression, but I was much older before I finally realized what my problem was. 

In researching about depression in Christians, I found that many believers felt that people who were depressed probably have sin in their lives, or they needed to pray more.  For many years I lived with this problem before I finally realized it wasn’t just a spiritual problem.  I learned that depression could have its roots in the physical as well as the emotional.  This realization alone has given me hope.  I realize there is a reason and there are ways to alleviate the symptoms.

Do you feel hopeless right now?  Do you lack the energy to even go through life each day?  Maybe you are feeling all alone and sad, and you don’t know why.  Perhaps someone you love is currently suffering from depression.  Here are 10 symptoms from the National Institute of Mental Health to consider:

  1)  Difficulty concentrating, remembering details, and making decisions

  2)  Fatigue and decreased energy

  3)  Feelings of guilt, worthlessness

  4)  Feelings of hopelessness and/or pessimism

  5)  Loss of interest in activities or hobbies once pleasurable, including sex

  6)  Insomnia, early-morning wakefulness, or excessive sleeping

  7)  Irritability, restlessness

  8)  Persistent sad, anxious, or "empty" feelings

  9)  Thoughts of suicide, suicide attempts

10)  Overeating or appetite loss

If the majority of these symptoms describe you, then you might be suffering from depression. The first thing I want you to know is that you are NOT alone.  There are people ready and willing to meet you right where you are, and join you on your journey to recover your life.  Call your primary doctor for help, go to your minister at church, or find a Christian therapist in your area.

The myth that Christians are not supposed to be depressed is one reason I believe that some people simply do not seek treatment.  

Do not be ashamed for what you are experiencing.  Find the courage to seek help, especially if you are thinking about ending your life.  Even the great man of God, Elijah, felt this way.

“Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. ‘I have had enough, Lord,’ he said. ‘Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.’” (1 Kings 19:3-4)

God understood the problem, and encouraged Elijah to rest and eat, knowing this would help relieve the symptoms of Elijah’s depression. 

“Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said, "Get up and eat." He looked around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again. The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him and said, "Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” (1 Kings 19:5-7)   

In addition to professional help, I recommend a few practical suggestions you can do on a daily basis to help alleviate your symptoms:

1) Pray

2) Exercise

3) Eat healthy

4) Watch a comedy

5) Journal your feelings

6) Stay connected with friends and family and tell them how you are feeling

7) Take one day at a time.

8) Read and quote scriptures. For example:

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)

“I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13)

“The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” (Deuteronomy 31:8)

“For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  (Jeremiah 29:11)

As we continue this journey and battle to overcome this hopeless state in our souls, take heart, and recognize that even though you have lost all courage, you can have hope in God; He is your only hope.  And until you realize that, despair and hopelessness will continue to paralyze your life.  

One day, our depression might be used to encourage another believer, or to refine our faith so that we will have less sin, and more peace and perseverance in our lives. (James 1:2, 3)

Unless you have taken a step in faith and followed Jesus Christ, and recognized Him as Lord of your life, you will never have true hope.  If you would like to know how to become a follower of Christ and truly crush the empty void in your life as a result of sin, please watch this video:

  

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