Evangelicals & Nervous Breakdowns

[Rhoni]

Today on my way to work I was listening to James Dobson on FM 100.7. He had a guest Pastor from a Denton, Texas mega-church on there to tell of his experience with depression. The type of depression has been called a "Nervous Breakdown" before the public was educated as to what was really going on.

This type of depression is primarily among the most successful men & women, a high % of the fortune 500 people as well as those who Pastor large churches and are highly motivated. This happens with Type A, & those with choleric personality types when they are completely overloaded, oeverworked, and their body reacts to the decreases Seratonin levels.

In his experience he said that his co-workers and peers who are "Evangelical" were no help whatsoever. He said that he was told the typical: just pray an read the Bible more, give it to God, and just get over it. He ended up going to a psychiatrist who normalized this, described the symptoms, and through medication and counseling the Pastor was able to prioritize, let go of some things/works that he could delegat to others and within 6 months he was back to himself and off medications.

It was interesting to note that he said, "Unless you have been through it you cannot help others to understnad and know there is hope." He strongly recommended that no one go to an 'Evangelical' for help with such a physiological reaction to depression caused by overload of stress.

Your well thought out posts/opinions on this would be appreciated. Do not personalize this to me and what I do for a living. Please keep this on topic.

Thank you & Blessings, Rhoni