Psycho-Babble Faith Thread 323510

Shown: posts 1 to 12 of 12. This is the beginning of the thread.

 

Christianity and Depression

Posted by Sent4 on March 12, 2004, at 7:41:27

I only started taking Rx for depression 2 weeks ago and only because I started crying for no reason as the Dr's office. He caught me on a bad day. So I was forced to tell him how long this has been going on, etc. How embarassing.

Anyway, as a Christian, not being able to "pray through", "overcome", or "get victory over" depression caused guilt.

This guilt was not caused by any religious doctrines or my parents. It seems to be home grown right inside of me.

Fortunately, when I was researching my Rx on the internet, I read about the symptoms of depression which, wah lah, include guilt. I feel guilty a lot and frequently find myself praying for forgiveness. Now I know better than this. I know God loves me. I know my sins are forgiven. Even more, I know He understands and cares about this stupid anxiety/depression.

Anyone else have this guilt beating them up? It's annoying. It's defeating.

 

Re: Christianity and Depression » Sent4

Posted by rayww on March 12, 2004, at 14:58:37

In reply to Christianity and Depression, posted by Sent4 on March 12, 2004, at 7:41:27

Well, I guess I should start listening to my husband. He's been telling me for a couple of weeks that I'm a little off, and I haven't beleived him, but lately every time something goes wrong, I find a way of blaming myself and taking on all the guilt. Strange, that nearly every day there is a reason to take on the guilt. Denial has never helped. I prefer EMPower supplements to other meds. www.truehope.com. They are good at equalizing the poles and making me feel like myself, not that it is any less strange to be me. :) Come to think of it, I've put prayer and scriptures on the back burner also. That never helps. Here comes more guilt.

I have been noticing little things lately that seem to be clearly stating that God loves me and has forgiven me. Today has been a bit of a challenge. I hope it isn't showing up in my writing. It'll pass.

I took Rx a few years ago. Every day around 5:00 something would hit me and I'd be in tears, even if the day had gone well. I seemed to be spiralling down into some unfamiliar territory, and it was frightening me so I sought help. Through prayer, fasting, scriptures, and by doing all I could to help myself, I was able to receive the guidance I needed to bring me back to health. This guidance came from all different angles, and was all inclusive, like pieces falling into place in a jig saw puzzle. There are still quite a few missing, but I'm making progress.

Ho, hum, I don't want to post this.

 

Re: Christianity and Depression

Posted by PeggyY on March 12, 2004, at 15:14:25

In reply to Christianity and Depression, posted by Sent4 on March 12, 2004, at 7:41:27

Dear Sent4:

I can SO understand everthing you are feeling. I was diagnosed as Bi-polar several years ago. However, before that I experienced a lot of mood swings. I couldn't understand why the depression would just sweep over me and I would sob and sob. It went on for so long starting when I was a young teenager that I began to think that these feelings were somehow a punishment from God for things I had done wrong. My illness caused me to question my faith.

I grew up in a pentecostal environment. IF you weren't healed then you weren't doing something right. That was also the era that I heard preachers say that those wordly psychiatrist and psychologists were evil and not of God. If you had emottional issues you were supposed to bring it to God only. It was considered weak or even sinful to go to a psychiatrist. Thank God I have be delivered from that guilt.

I felt guilty for a long time taking medication because I thought I should be better. It took me a long time to accept the diagnoses I was given. I constantly questioned whether it was really real or not.

We don't question whether a diabetic needs his medication, but we do question our chemical imbalance needing medication. I had to accept that I had an illness that needed treatment.

I'm glad you posted here, and it was probably a God Thing that you broke down in your doctors office.

Good luck to you!

Because He Lives,
Peggy

 

Re: Christianity and Depression » PeggyY

Posted by Simus on March 12, 2004, at 20:17:26

In reply to Re: Christianity and Depression, posted by PeggyY on March 12, 2004, at 15:14:25

>If you weren't healed then you weren't doing something right. That was also the era that I heard preachers say that those wordly psychiatrist and psychologists were evil and not of God. If you had emotional issues you were supposed to bring it to God only. It was considered weak or even sinful to go to a psychiatrist. Thank God I have be delivered from that guilt.
>
I can relate to that. At one church years back, in the midst of a deep depression (completely chemical - no upsetting events at the time), the elders literally told me I needed to grow up and face this on my own, and to stop even coming up for prayer. I got lots of advise on what to pray, what to confess, etc., but they wouldn't pray for me anymore. They refused to see it as an illness. At the time, it was devastating. Now, I just see them as a bunch of ignorant people (not my original choice of words). Just to make this clear, I am not putting down Pentecostals. I am only referring to just this one very small, particularly odd church full of goofballs who no longer exist as a church.
>
> I felt guilty for a long time taking medication because I thought I should be better. It took me a long time to accept the diagnoses I was given. I constantly questioned whether it was really real or not.
>
I still face this daily.
>
> We don't question whether a diabetic needs his medication, but we do question our chemical imbalance needing medication. I had to accept that I had an illness that needed treatment.
>
Thanks so much. It helps hearing someone else say that. I am more accepting of it now.


What do you do when others judge and question you, even those closest to you? That tends to start me down the path of self-condemnation again.

 

Re: Christianity and Depression » Sent4

Posted by Simus on March 12, 2004, at 20:20:42

In reply to Christianity and Depression, posted by Sent4 on March 12, 2004, at 7:41:27

>Anyone else have this guilt beating them up?

Yes. Oh my, yes. I wish I had an answer for you, but I am still trying to overcome it myself.

 

Re: Christianity and Depression » PeggyY

Posted by Sent4 on March 13, 2004, at 17:01:52

In reply to Re: Christianity and Depression, posted by PeggyY on March 12, 2004, at 15:14:25

"I grew up in a pentecostal environment. IF you weren't healed then you weren't doing something right."

I was blessed growing up with ministers that encouraged you to go to your doctor. He always encouraged people to come up for prayer, but never-never wanted us to avoid our doctors. That guilt must have added to your depression!
The idea that I was weak in faith because I was depressed so much was my own idea. Even though the scriptures tells us to "cast our cares upon Him, for He careth for you," I felt should should be the strong one and pull up on my boot straps and get over it. The truth is, sometimes we need help and shouldn't be afraid to ask for it. What compounded the problem for me about asking for help, is when I did try to communicate to my friends (I didn't know what was wrong, but I knew I needed a break) I was misunderstood and lost most of my friends. This made the depression a lot worse not being able to lean on a friend.

"it was probably a God Thing that you broke down in your doctors office.
"

It was! Because I would NEVER have gone to any doctor because of the crying. I was too ashamed.

I believe God chooses to use doctors sometimes to heal us. Giving good diagnosis and having good insights are gifts from God.

Thanks for your response. It is very encouraging. It just feels good to know I'm not alone in this. I really thought it was just me.

 

Re: Christianity and Depression

Posted by Sent4 on March 13, 2004, at 17:09:40

In reply to Re: Christianity and Depression » PeggyY, posted by Simus on March 12, 2004, at 20:17:26

"What do you do when others judge and question you, even those closest to you? That tends to start me down the path of self-condemnation again."

This is what my big problem still is. It pushes me right back down. I seem to have no defense against this. I would appreciate your prayers for this!

"the elders literally told me I needed to grow up and face this on my own"

LOL. We visited a new little church for a while. The pastor said "the reason a person feels bad and can't get over it is because they hug it to them like a teddy bear. They want to keep their bad feelings." Well, how many of you out there LIKE to feel sad? My guess is NONE. I hate it. It's not like me. It's debilitating, humiliating, and frustrating. I felt sorry for the man because I realized he hadn't gone through this kind of valley, YET.

 

Re: Christianity and Depression

Posted by Sent4 on March 13, 2004, at 17:11:47

In reply to Re: Christianity and Depression » Sent4, posted by Simus on March 12, 2004, at 20:20:42

">Anyone else have this guilt beating them up?

Yes. Oh my, yes. I wish I had an answer for you, but I am still trying to overcome it myself.
"

Isn't it funny that so many of us have this guilt thing? I want to through it aside and run the race. Know what I mean?

 

Re: Christianity and Depression » rayww

Posted by Sent4 on March 13, 2004, at 17:17:38

In reply to Re: Christianity and Depression » Sent4, posted by rayww on March 12, 2004, at 14:58:37

"I have been noticing little things lately that seem to be clearly stating that God loves me and has forgiven me."

Same here. Everytime I turn around He sticks something if front of me that says, "I love you." I can't explain how it happens, but it does.

" Every day around 5:00 something would hit me and I'd be in tears, even if the day had gone well. I seemed to be spiralling down into some unfamiliar territory
"

This is how my crying started.

"Through prayer, fasting, scriptures, and by doing all I could to help myself, I was able to receive the guidance I needed to bring me back to health"

This is what pulled me up from the bottom. I still have a long way to go. My help did not come from other people.

Your post is a big encouragement, thank you!

 

Sent4

Posted by Simus on March 13, 2004, at 18:49:55

In reply to Re: Christianity and Depression » rayww, posted by Sent4 on March 13, 2004, at 17:17:38

Sent4,

Thank you for posting. :)

 

Re: Christianity and Depression

Posted by Sent4 on March 24, 2004, at 13:23:07

In reply to Christianity and Depression, posted by Sent4 on March 12, 2004, at 7:41:27

I just wanted to say thank you. After only one day of starting this post on depression, my depression lifted. It helped to talk on this board, but I also believe someone prayed for me from this board. If you did pray for me, thank you. I'm sorry I waited so long to say so, but I wanted to make sure it lasted. If no one prayed, that's ok, it still really helped a lot to talk about it in a safe zone.

 

Re: Christianity and Depression

Posted by sueds on March 29, 2004, at 22:07:53

In reply to Re: Christianity and Depression, posted by Sent4 on March 13, 2004, at 17:11:47

I feel so weak that I am unable to struggle through all the chaos and pain in my life by just putting my faith in God. It's what I've been taught all my life. And others seem to do it. But I just can't. I need the therapy. And the meds. And all the help I can get. And the people in my life love me, but I feel their condemnation.


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