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| | From:  dmbarry777 (Original Message) | Sent: 4/23/2003 11:12 PM |
Depression affects millions of people each year in our society. In
the public mind, depression is often confused with unhappiness or a
reaction stemming from a death of a loved one which are natural
emotions. Depression, on the other hand, is a disorder that affects
both the mind and the body in profound ways. A person with depression
experiences great distress and is often inconsolable. He or she may
suffer from sadness and guilt leading to outbursts of crying or lack
of pleasure in all activities.
The two basic categories of mood disorders are: major depressive
disorder and bipolar, or manic-depressive, disorder. Major depression
is marked by persistent, extreme, and inappropriate low mood, while
bipolar depression is much less common and is marked by periods of
excited states as well as periods of depression. There is evidence
that a bio-chemical imbalance of the chemical messengers
(neurotransmitters) that transmit signals between brain cells is
associated with depression (chemical imbalance may also play a role
in other mental disorders, such as panic attacks). Specifically, a
deficiency of the neurotransmitters norepinephrine and serotonin may
be present. Antidepressants mitigate depression be-cause they
increase the supply of these neurotransmitters, thereby correcting
the imbalance. Hormonal imbalance is also related to some forms of
depression. For example, changes in cortisol seem to be related to
sleep disturbance, which is present in most types of depression.
Criteria used by the American Psychiatric Association to diagnose a
major depressive episode include:
*Depressed mood most of every day
*Diminished interest or pleasure in almost all activities most of
every day
*Significant weight loss or weight gain when not dieting
*Insomnia or hypersomnia nearly every day
*Restlessness or slowing down nearly every day
*Fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day
*Feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt nearly every day
*Diminished ability to think or concentrate nearly every day
*Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide, with or without a plan
Symptom checklists like the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression can
be helpful to the health care professional in distinguishing "the
blues" from depression (many family doctors fail to diagnose
depression). People may be misdiagnosed because they present
predominantly physical symptoms or may be reluctant to mention moods
or feelings because of the social stigma attached to mental illness.
In addition, some people do not seek help for depression because of
lack of insurance coverage. Education of health care providers about
diagnosis and treatment may help correct these problems.
Nervous breakdown: Generally, health care professionals don't use the
this term anymore because of the negative and unfair stigma attached
to its vague meaning. Meanwhile, most lay people continue to use this
phrase as a catch-all term to describe a psychological or emotional
collapse. Usually when someone speaks of a nervous breakdown, they
are referring to a psychological crisis that has caused someone to
spend time in a hospital to recovver. In most cases, the patient may
be unable to cope with their normal daily routine during the period
of the crisis.
Often, a breakdown is caused by a culmination of factors such as
depression, anxiety, and stress that are intensified by unexpected
events in one's life. The death of a loved one, divorce, or sudden
unemployment can trigger an emotional collapse, especially if there
was an existing inclination towards psychological fragility. Once
these factors are set in place, a completely reasonable person can
suddenly behave in an irrational way, sometimes becoming paranoid,
extremely agitated, or even suicidal. It is impostant for all
involved to accept that a stay in the hospital is often the first
step in recovery and reversing a spiraling state of mind that could
otherwise be extremely damaging to the person.
Recent studies have found that an estimated 50 million Americans
suffer some form of mental illness during their lives. Visiting a
mental health facility, depite the current stigma attached to it, may
have more benefits for the person's health than most people care to
acknowledge And a great number of people who spend time in the
hospital actually recover and lead productive, healthy lives.
(Research for this post was taken from www.mentalhelp.net and
yahoo.com/dailytips/mind_spirit/2001)
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More on Depression from my friend and co-moderator in "There is Power in Prayer", Terry Quintopatruno.
Depression roots often run deep and are very complicated, especially as many of the
childhood hurts and scars that are carried through well into adulthood.
Depression is related to personality structure, physical makeup body chemistry, glandular functins, emotional patterns and learned feelings. Some say Christians can't be depressed. I say phooey!!!
Yes they can. They shouldnt, but they can.
Many Christians sit under their juniper trees crying woe is me as Elijah did in 1 Kings 18. After that greatest moment in his life the triumph over the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel, he went and sat under the juniper tree and cried woe is me. Depression is a reaction.
When we are born again, the new birth does not change your personality or basic temperament. Remember that no two snowflakes
are alike. No two set of fingerprints are alike. By personality people are different in nature and temperaments. People handle situations differenly because of this. Remember always that in spite
of your circumstances, in spite of what happened to you in the past, God is still there. It may SEEM like God is nonexistent. It may SEEM like you want out of this world, but that comes from the enemy, the
greatest discourager of all.
You have physical, emotional, and spiritual limitations. Let me ask you this: do you get enough sleep? Sleep deprivation can cause seriously mood swings which can lead to depression. We must get our proper rest.; We must eat right.
One woman, a nurse who worked in an E.R. room was asked onetime, "What do you do when depressed people who have attempted
suicide come into the emergency room?" She replied simply, "Well we
feed them a steak dinner. They are generally LOW IN PROTEIN" in their system. The protein in steak helps bring them out of it."
The protein level when low, causes energy levels to be low and depression level is risen high. Therefore people need to eat more protein. Christians who consistenly neglet the physical area of their lives can easily become depressed. .
Did you ever think that perhaps you Depression is God's built in cruise control? He might be tryng to slow you down, trying to balance out your emotions because you live about realistic possibilties. The slave-driver of perfectionism might propel you with that sens of "OUGHT" you overstrain your emotional motor and
pay the price for it in chronic depression.
The things that happen to you are not as important in life as the ways you RESPOND to those events.
Have you ever said to yourself: "My friends are all jumping on me!" or.....
"My friends say I shouldn't feel this way because I'm a Christian!"
UNTRUE. Sometimes lack of rest and proper nuitrition can change our mood. That doesn't make us any less saved people. Please grasp this.
We are human, not superhumans. We all handle situations differently. No two of us are exactly the same nor can we handle life's situations the same way.
Rarely is a depressie perfectionist who didn't have a terrific sense of injustice and unfairness. The only answer with deep anger against the injustices that life has offered is FORGIVENESS. Forgive whoever hurt you. Say it out loud. I forgive so and so for such and such. REPENT by forgiving. Often the ROOTS of depression are buried in the subsoil of early family life many times abuses.
For married couples let me say this......you may need to forgive your marriage partner for past and/or present mistakes. You might feel, "But God I have a right to feel this way!" We might feel cheated and resentful, betrayed, but then we are on the road to
depression unless we release those feelings and take them to God. You might be depressed because you hold on to ANGER and refuse to FORGIVE PEOPLE who have hurt you or hold authority over you. Granted
they may have misused their authority, but if you forgive them, God forgives us, and heals our hurts.
Here are some helpful hints to HEALING if you are depressed.
1. AVOID being alone. When you are depressed, don't shut everyone
out. Don't withdraw. Here is where you can choose to be depressed or
snap out of it.
2. SEEK help from others. During depression or depressing times your
perceptions change. A little hill becomes a huge mountain.
Seek out people and situations which generate joy. Do you have true
friends both off and on the net you can turn to who can offer you
good Godly advice?
They are there. Seek them out.
3. SING. Even if you do not have a good voice, sing anyway. God
inhabits the praises of His people. You don't know any good gospel
song? Sing something else.
4. PRAY, PRAISE and give thanks. Be thankful. Read 2 Timothy 1. Read
1 Thess. 5:18.
5. LEAN heavily on the pwoer of God's Word. READ GOD'S WORD. STUDY
GOD'S WORD. God can use SCRIPTURE to help you break out of your
depression. When you don't feel like praying; when you don't feel
like reading the Bible, that's the time to do it! Out of the 150
Psalms there are 48 which can speak to your condition. Psalms
13,18,23,27,31,32,34,37,38,39,40,42,43,46,51,55,57,62,63,69,71,73,77,
84,86,90,91,94,95,103,104,107,110,116,118,121,123,124,130,138,139,141
,142,143,146, and 147..
6. REST. Rest confidently in the prsence of God's Spirit.
Beloved I trust this information has helped you on the way to
healing your emotions and snapping out of your depression.
I love you with the love of God.
In Christ's Ministry,
Terry
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