Depression

Depression, due to the untimely death of actor/comedian Robin Williams, people are talking about it (kind of like when Reggie White died people starting talking about sleep disorders).  What is depression?  Well, unfortunately, most people say that everyone feels "down" or "blue" periodically and that they need to just "think positive thoughts" and move forward.  It's not that easy, people battling chronic depression wake up everyday thinking and wishing it WAS that easy.  Most people that think that it is that easy are just simply not informed or educated enough on "Clinical Depression".  Clinical depression is very real, very scary to those who have to live with it, and to live with clinical depression is just downright exhausting.

So first of all let's educate ourselves, the following is taken directly from the Mayo Clinic website:

What does the term "clinical depression" mean?

Answers from Daniel K. Hall-Flavin, M.D.

Depression ranges in seriousness from mild, temporary episodes of sadness to severe, persistent depression. Clinical depression is the more severe form of depression, also known as major depression or major depressive disorder. It isn't the same as depression caused by a loss, such as the death of a loved one, or a medical condition, such as a thyroid disorder.
To be diagnosed with clinical depression, you must meet the symptom criteria for major depressive disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), published by the American Psychiatric Association. This manual is used by mental health providers to diagnose mental conditions and by insurance companies to reimburse for treatment.
For clinical depression, you must have five or more of the following symptoms over a two-week period, most of the day, nearly every day. At least one of the symptoms must be either a depressed mood or a loss of interest or pleasure. Signs and symptoms may include:

• Depressed mood, such as feeling sad, empty or tearful (in children and teens, depressed mood can appear as constant irritability)
• Significantly reduced interest or feeling no pleasure in all or most activities
• Significant weight loss when not dieting, weight gain, or decrease or increase in appetite (in children, failure to gain weight as expected)
• Insomnia or increased desire to sleep
• Either restlessness or slowed behavior that can be observed by others
• Fatigue or loss of energy
• Feelings of worthlessness, or excessive or inappropriate guilt
• Trouble making decisions, or trouble thinking or concentrating
• Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide, or a suicide attempt

Your symptoms must be severe enough to cause noticeable problems in relationships with others or in day-to-day activities, such as work, school or social activities. Symptoms may be based on your own feelings or on the observations of someone else.
Clinical depression can affect people of any age, including children. However, clinical depression symptoms, even if severe, usually improve with psychological counseling, antidepressant medications or a combination of the two. (http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/expert-answers/clinical-depression/faq-20057770)

Unfortunately many teachers/leaders in Christianity, view this disorder as one that should not happen to a believer in Christ.  I have heard it said, and taught, by some that if a believer's relationship is not right with Christ, or if they have "sin" in their life then that is what causes their "depression". 

Jesus addresses such a thought process in John 9:

As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. ^2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”  ^3 “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. ( Jn 9:1-3., NIV)

 

Sometimes things just happen in our lives that there is no explanation, rhyme, or reason as to why.  Depression is an illness just like any other.  This person mentioned in John 9 was dealing with blindness, the disciples wanted to know was it because of his sin or his parents that he was blind.  Jesus responded by saying "neither", sometimes things happened in God's providence so that His work might be displayed in our life.  Depression is NOT because of sin in your life, my life, or parents lives.  It just happens.  It happens so the work of God might be displayed in their life.  If a person battling depression can get out of bed and face the world, it is a miracle of God working in their life.  Sometimes just doing the simplest of things is a battle for them.

 

For the person battling clinical depression they face a battle that most people don't have a clue or understand.  The Bible tells us that our battle is not against flesh and blood, but its against powers of darkness (Ephesians 6:12).  The person battling depression faces that battle in their own mind, and it is exhausting.  They know a mental, physical, and spiritual exhaustion that most will never understand.

 

Only a person with clinical depression can understand the battle that some face on a daily basis.

 

If someone around you doesn't seem "right", if they fall under some of the above symptoms, I beg of you please encourage them to get help.  (This is one of those times as well that you don't need to say "I know how you feel", especially if you don't.) 

 

Here is how you can help with some do's and don'ts:

1. please please please don't tell them when life gives you lemons make lemonade
2. please don't tell them suck it up buttercup
3. please don't tell them if they prayed more, read their bible more, loved God more this wouldn't have happened (though they may need to do these, sin in their life is not the problem)
4. please don't try to give them quick fix answers, like "focus on the good" enjoy the sunshine, etc.
5. please do ensure them you are praying for them
6. please do remind them of how great they are
7. please listen...... don't talk just listen
8. please do not try to handle something as sensitive as depression with quick witted answers and advice, that is the doctors job
9. please listen.....don't talk just listen
10. please listen....don't talk just listen

For those of you reading this that battle depression, I pray for you and that you will stay strong in the battle...

Chris