Depression

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by Nicodemus1968

When you mention helping hand, are you referring to having someone to talk to, or someone to help you pray? So, reading what you posted your thought on depression is a chemical imbalance thus medication will allow the imbalance to become balanced again, and all should be fine. Then some of it will be in your opinion?

Helping hand is the medicine cabinet.

Where you find Valium.

Here is an old hymnal about it.

What a drag it is getting old
"Kids are different today"
I hear ev'ry mother say
Mother needs something today to calm her down
And though she's not really ill
There's a little yellow pill
She goes running for the shelter of a mother's little helper
And it helps her on her way, gets her through her busy day
"Things are different today"
I hear ev'ry mother say
Cooking fresh food for a husband's just a drag
So she buys an instant cake and she burns her frozen steak
And goes running for the shelter of a mother's little helper
And two help her on her way, get her through her busy day
Doctor please, some more of these
Outside the door, she took four more
What a drag it is getting old
"Men just aren't the same today"
I hear ev'ry mother say
They just don't appreciate that you get tired
They're so hard to satisfy, You can tranquilize your mind
So go running for the shelter of a mother's little helper
And four help you through the night, help to minimize your plight
Doctor please, some more of these
Outside the door, she took four more
What a drag it is getting old
"Life's just much too hard today"
I hear ev'ry mother say
The pursuit of happiness just seems a bore
And if you take more of those, you will get an overdose
No more running for the shelter of a mother's little helper
They just helped you on your way, through your busy dying day

[diakonos]

I’ve gone through depression myself. Got a script for fluoxetine... that was going to make me a mad man, so I tossed it out. I didn’t like how it made me feel. Any sudden noise would startle me. It’s not normal to wake up smiling like the Joker anyway.

Through the years depression has come and gone. I find that it’s usually something in my life that I can fix myself. This is just my experience.

Not to say there isn’t a spiritual element behind the scenes. Demons work on the mind. “Natural” depression combined with a demonic attack could be a mess to deal with. But fighting the demonic attack with medicine will not get you anywhere.

Many pastors and their wives are busy but sedentary. They eat slop. They don’t exercise. Changing these two things may work wonders.

Something else that affects me is the changing of the seasons. They bring doom and gloom. As I have aged I find that this is not as strong as it was when I was younger.

Anyway...

[diakonos]

So people dealing with this non stop for decades... have no joy of the Lord, correct?

[Evang.Benincasa]

This has always worked for me

Leave it there, oh leave it there
Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there
If you will trust Him and never doubt, He will surely bring you out
Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there
Now if the world from you withhold of its silver and its gold
And you'll have to get along with meagers fare
Just remember in God's words, how he fed those little birds
Take your burden to the Lord, leave it there
Now if your body suffers pain and your health you can't regain
And your soul is almost sinking in despair
Jesus knew the pain you feel, He can save and He can heal
Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there
Oh leave it there, oh leave it there
Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there
If you'll trust Him and never doubt, He will surely bring you out
Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there
If your enemy assails and your heart begin to fail
Don't you forget that God in Heaven will answer prayer
He will make a way for you, He will guide you safely through
Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there
Now if your youthful days are gone, and old age is stealing on
And your body sinks beneath the weight of care
Jesus will never leave you then, He'll go with you to the end
Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there
Leave it there, oh leave it there
Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there
If you trust Him, never doubt, He will surely bring you out
Take your burden to the Lord, leave it there
Now if your mother leaves you here, grief and sorrow you must bear
And you feel that all the friend you have is gone
But whenever you feel alone, Jesus will take you in His arms
Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there
Oh leave it there, oh leave it there
Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there
If you trust Him, never doubt, He will surely bring you out
Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there

[Tithesmeister]

Originally Posted by Amanah

I believe that pharmaceuticals are a trap. I would rather see pastoral counseling and support along with the spiritual warfare of reading the psalms and focusing prayer time on praise, worshipping and thanksgivings. This battle is won through worshipping and praising God. Others should be enlisted for prayer, fasting and intercession.

And wine

[Nicodemus1968]

Originally Posted by Amanah

I believe that pharmaceuticals are a trap. I would rather see pastoral counseling and support along with the spiritual warfare of reading the psalms and focusing prayer time on praise, worshipping and thanksgivings. This battle is won through worshipping and praising God. Others should be enlisted for prayer, fasting and intercession.

I hope there will be videos posted of the conference so you can see the entire panel at work. I understand what your saying, yet what do you tell this Pastor/Moderators wife that she already stated she has prayed, been prayed for, fasted and my trouble was not answered? I guess I wouldn’t of been shocked (if I can use that term) if this was a new soul to the faith, yet, this is a Pastors wife, who has been in truth for many years. In my opinion, why have a discussion like this unless there are many dealing with it, maybe in some parts more than others. Or maybe there doing damage control to help when the need arises?

[Amanah]

Originally Posted by Nicodemus1968

I hope there will be videos posted of the conference so you can see the entire panel at work. I understand what your saying, yet what do you tell this Pastor/Moderators wife that she already stated she has prayed, been prayed for, fasted and my trouble was not answered? I guess I wouldn’t of been shocked (if I can use that term) if this was a new soul to the faith, yet, this is a Pastors wife, who has been in truth for many years. In my opinion, why have a discussion like this unless there are many dealing with it, maybe in some parts more than others. Or maybe there doing damage control to help when the need arises?

Pharmaceuticals are a temporary fix with side effects, and dealing with withdrawal when you realize that you need to get off something you are addicted to because you are suffering from memory lapses and other problems is going to be even more depressing.

You need to be transformed by the renewing of your mind through the word, praising and worshipping God.

[n david]

Originally Posted by Evang.Benincasa

This has always worked for me

Leave it there, oh leave it there
Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there
If you will trust Him and never doubt, He will surely bring you out
Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there
Now if the world from you withhold of its silver and its gold
And you'll have to get along with meagers fare
Just remember in God's words, how he fed those little birds
Take your burden to the Lord, leave it there
Now if your body suffers pain and your health you can't regain
And your soul is almost sinking in despair
Jesus knew the pain you feel, He can save and He can heal
Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there
Oh leave it there, oh leave it there
Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there
If you'll trust Him and never doubt, He will surely bring you out
Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there
If your enemy assails and your heart begin to fail
Don't you forget that God in Heaven will answer prayer
He will make a way for you, He will guide you safely through
Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there
Now if your youthful days are gone, and old age is stealing on
And your body sinks beneath the weight of care
Jesus will never leave you then, He'll go with you to the end
Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there
Leave it there, oh leave it there
Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there
If you trust Him, never doubt, He will surely bring you out
Take your burden to the Lord, leave it there
Now if your mother leaves you here, grief and sorrow you must bear
And you feel that all the friend you have is gone
But whenever you feel alone, Jesus will take you in His arms
Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there
Oh leave it there, oh leave it there
Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there
If you trust Him, never doubt, He will surely bring you out
Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there

Love that song.

He truly is a Wonderful Counselor.

[UnTraditional]

Good morning. This is a topic I feel I can talk openly about myself. I had battled seriuous depression over the past year, a heart crushing, soul obliterating depression that caused me to hate myself, to sink deep into darkness, and almost take my own life. My causes were both environmental as well as my own past. I have said this many times myself that I wish the church had more discernment in dealing with the masks of depression, that those suffering depression wear masks, and do wear them well. I was one of them, and instead of people seeing through my mask to help me, everyone though everything was OK.

Since November 2018, I had walked away from ministry, endured a heart wrenching breakup, lost my position due to health, and broke my back in a work related accident. I was in such a place I actually told my Mom, whom I stay with, to remove the gun from my room, so as not to go through with the notion of ending it all. I felt alone, worthless, broken, and dead on the inside. I felt no one could help me. Then, one day, as if a brekaing of storm clouds, Jesus reached down and started the healing process, one moment at a time. I began to like the broken guy in the mirror, to see myself as worth something, even when some did not. I found His strength to allow me to get out of bed, and even while still in pain of my body, go to work in the limited capacity I can now, and even with my other health issues, see myself as someone of worth, even in seeing myself as someone of worth in God's eyes.

From losing everything to starting back. I am back at my original church, and am also back at my job as an Asst. Supervisor over a high school (no physical work, but overseeing the morning work). I am at peace hoping and believing for healing, and have found strength in family. Depression is very real folks, and it can lead to suicide. It sometimes needs meds to get through it. But, for me, I needed something much deeper and stronger to come out of mine.

Thanks to the OP for opening up this discussion. I have not fully shared my story, and I actually felt a lifting as I did. Thanks to all and God bless.

[Scott Pitta]

There is more than one approach to dealing with depression. Part of it is medicine. Part of it is counsel. Part of it is prayer.