Depression - a Spiritual Problem

Photo from Far Above Rubies

Coincidence? I was just talking with some folks about depression recently, and then I found this article today. Here's a woman-to-woman talk, the author sharing her experience and some very good ideas for dealing with depression.

Are You Depressed? You Don't Have To Be!
by Far Above Rubies

(Please read the article linked to above)


I hope no one considers this article to be "potentially harmful" because she doesn't immediately point people to psych drugs as the answer (but only as a possible temporary help), instead encouraging you to make a choice to change yourself. She writes: "Medicine may be of some use, but it is not a permanent solution. You must take other disciplines such as changing your eating habits, exercising, praying, meditating on God's word, and spending time with people that challenge and inspire you. Stop hanging around negative people. "

Found in "The Male Perspective: Dealing With Depression" in Secrets of a Good Girl blog

You see, these I have done, never having been labeled or diagnosed during a down time myself, and yet experiencing ups and downs has shown me that this short article does indeed have a lot of merit and advice for climbing back out of the mud puddles and into the Light, where we can see that we were washed and cleansed. For some crazy reason I believed them when they taught that the word of God was infallible, and was profitable for all kinds of correction and reproof, able to make me complete, whole. And I think it works. (So maybe I rely on coffee and chocolate sometimes as my drugs; nobody's perfect. Isn't that a good lesson for the depressed perfectionist?)

Found in "theiemommy" blog

Now, we're not to condemn or judge anyone - that's not my job or purpose here. If you are depressed, you're not judged or condemned, you're just going through a season like everyone else (even David, the man after God's own heart, went through some pretty rough seasons, cf. Psalms 42). If you haven't dealt with it well, you're not condemned or judged, you are merely reading someone's experience who feels that they have learned a better way to deal with depression, and they want to share it so that they can help others. If nothing in this article helps you, then you may shake your head and say, "well, I'm glad it works for you, but I'm not like you." And that is okay with me. But please don't be too negative about it; that may only increase your sense of depression, which is exactly the opposite of why you and I are reading this article in the first place. I just hope that you do read something here or in her article that helps you in some way. If nothing else, find someone to talk about this with.

When I feel down, I tend to look down and in. But I have learned that some of the most amazing things to see are found when you look up and out.

by Robyn Gough

Oh, and don't forget to get some fresh air,  breathe right and drink enough water. ;)


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You might be interested to read also: 

"What Does the Bible Say About: Depression?"  From Jack Zavad, at About.com (yes, about.com; it has a good little summary with several Bible links)

For a little more indepth reading, try these links, with numerous links to other articles at the end of the article:
"Are there biblical examples of depression and how to deal with it?" From Paul S. Taylor, in ChristianAnswers.net
Bible Help To Overcome Depression from Bible.ca

And for a LOT more indepth reading, go to this link on psychiatry and the Bible at Bible.ca, which starts with this introduction:

"The wise old church elder said, "Depression is not a medical problem, it is a faith problem."

Since insanity, schizophrenia, bipolar and depression have no biological cause, this essentially banishes Biopsychiatry to the Junk Science Hall of Fame beside Humoral Medicine. It obsoletes psychiatric drugs and shocks as cures. It extincts all psychiatrists who claim to be experts in something they do not think exists ("psychiatrist" lit. Greek: "doctor of the soul"). What is left standing is the Bible and Christians who had it right all along as the historic experts on human behaviour.

--- EDIT --- (same day in the evening) - the last article here may or may not line up with your own beliefs about psychiatry, the Bible and the human soul; please read it to think about, and if you have questions, you may contact the author at the link provided on his website. ---

7 Things We Must Tell Our Daughters

"Raising Daughters in a World That Devalues Them: 7 Things We Must Tell Them — We are THAT Family"

If you haven't read the latest article that's burning up the facebook shares, you must read this. Don't miss the link to the follow up article which lists a ton of resources to help you as a parent or as a young woman.

"The Problem With Low Self-Esteem"

Young women, and the rest of us too, will benefit for understanding the words this young woman offers us. Using the Bible and her own life as a reference, she puts self esteem where it needs to be: away.

The Rebelution: The Problem With Low Self-Esteem
by Ana Harris

Her letter opens this way:

"Hello friend! Thank you for contacting us. I definitely understand the discouragement of feeling like you’re bad at everything and have no talents. I’ve been there too — always comparing myself to others, always feeling bad about myself, always focusing on my weaknesses and wondering if I could ever be good at anything. It is indeed, a miserable way to live! And I have come to believe that it is not only a miserable way to live, but a sinful way to live. Let me explain…

"Most modern people would say that young girls who are perpetually feeling down on themselves have a low self-esteem problem and need to learn to accept themselves for who they are, and even love themselves. I absolutely believe that this is the wrong approach and that “good self-esteem” is a terrible goal to pursue.

"Some people even put a Christian spin on it and basically say that we need to feel good about ourselves because God feels good about us. But that completely misses the point. Feeling good about ourselves was never meant to be the goal of anybody’s life!

"When I was an anorexic thirteen-year-old, I spent a good deal of time thinking thoughts like, “She’s’ more beautiful than me. She’s funnier than me. She’s better at sports. She’s smarter than me. She has more friends than me. I can’t do anything right! Nobody likes me!” Do you notice how selfish those thoughts sound? Me! Me! Me! Me! Me!

"Now, If I had embraced the world’s solutions I would have learned to replace those negative thoughts about myself with positive ones, “I am the most beautiful me. No one else could be better at being me than I am. My true friends love me. I’m good at this and that, etc.” Certainly, thoughts like these are less destructive to my immediate happiness but they are no less me-focused.

"I am so grateful I had parents who offered me a different solution to my supposed “self-esteem” problem; parents who preached Christ and urged me to repent. I am so grateful they recognized how sickly and narrow a self-focused life really is, and spurred me on to love and good works (Heb. 10:24). So now, I want to offer you the opportunity to embrace same solution they offered me."

Please click the title link above to read the full article to find out more about the problem with self-esteem. And let no one think more highly of himself than he ought to think.