If you have never been depressed, you
might not understand how a person can take their own life. I have
often heard comments like, “They had a beautiful family, they
had everything going for them, they had it made.” However,
when you are experiencing darkness so deep that you cannot see
anything else, nothing else matters.
Depression can be a very lonely battle.
One of the main symptoms of depression is feeling alone which, in
turn, causes people to isolate. I have seen marriages come unraveled
because the depressed spouse has lost their passion, energy, sex
drive, and any interest in activities they once enjoyed. Obviously,
marriages are not the only part of the family that is impacted.
Are you or someone you love currently
suffering from depression? Here are some symptoms to consider in
yourself or loved ones:
- Feeling sad
- Loss of interest in activities
- Changes in appetite and/or sleep
- Feelings of worthlessness
- Feeling tired all the time
- Suicidal thoughts
If the majority of these symptoms describe you, you might be suffering from depression. The first thing I want you to know is that you are not alone. There is help that is 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 call your insurance and find a Christian therapist in your area. If you don’t have insurance, call your community mental health clinic. Where ever you decide to seek treatment, you are not ALONE.
Sometimes people erroneously think that
if someone is a Christian, they should not struggle with depression.
I want to expose that myth. If you read a majority of the psalms
that King David wrote, he experienced terrible depression, as did
many other people in the Bible:
Psalm
42:5 New
International Version (NIV)
5 Why,
my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.
The myth that Christians cannot 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. Some of the heroes of the Christian faith experienced the
same feelings:
1 Kings 19:3-4 New International Version (NIV)
3 Elijah
was afraid[a] and
ran for
his life. When
he came to Beersheba in
Judah, he left his servant there, 4 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.”
In addition to professional help, I
recommend a few practical suggestions you can do on a daily basis to
help alleviate your symptoms:
Exercise
Watch a comedy
Use positive
self-talk
Tackle one thing at
a time
Journal your
feelings
Stay connected with
friends and family
Hug someone
Take a bubble bath
or do something nice for yourself
Take one day at a
time.
Read and quote scriptures- for example:
Read and quote scriptures- for example:
Hebrews 13:5-6 New International Version (NIV) 5…be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” 6 So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.”
Philippians
4:13 13 I can do all this through him who gives me
strength.
If you have not experienced depression,
I want to encourage you to reach out to someone if you see them
struggling or hurting. I believe simple acts of kindness keep us
compassionate and help us to begin to understand how depression can
affect our friends and family. Depression does not discriminate
based on color, race, gender, or social class. It is not something
to fear in other people, but an opportunity to reach out and let them
know they are not alone.
Kristi Lemley is an ordained minister in the Assembly of God church, speaker, author, counselor, and licensed Clinical Social Worker. She is the founder of Living in the Light Ministries, an international ministry focused on helping people deal with daily life struggles, and heal from their past hurts by experiencing the freedom and truth of the Gospel. Her latest book and bible study is entitled Broken and Transformed: Moving beyond life’s difficult times. For more information visit www.KristiLemley.com
Buy Link for Kristi's book
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