TOPIntroduction to Depression
Characteristics of Depression
What are some of the causes of Depression?
Steps to overcoming Depression
Depression is probably the most common health problem that we are facing in today's world. Who gets depressed? Depression affects everyone - both sexes, people of all ages, the rich and the poor. Just because a person is successful or wealthy does not mean one will be protected from the possibility of depression. An alarming number of young people are being treated for depression, as are seniors. The good news is that probably 95% of even the severely depressed can & will recover from their bouts with depression - if the condition is identified & treated early enough! Often, an episode of depression will "bottom out" within three - five weeks once the problem has been diagnosed & proper treatment provided. So it is important to be aware that the chances are quite high that every person will, sometime in their lifetime, experience some depression. No one is immune, not even the Christian or deeply religious person. And depending on the degree & length of the depression, the level of ability to function while depressed will be affected accordingly.
The Psalmist reflected some of those feelings which surround the person suffering from depression:
"The Lord is close to the broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."
(Psalm 34:18)"O Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath. For your arrows have pierced me, and your hand has come down upon me. Because of your wrath there is no health in my body; my bones have no soundness because of my sin. My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear. My wounds fester and are loathsome because of my sinful folly. I am bowed down and brought very low; all day long I go about mourning. My back is filled with searing pain; there is no health in my body. I am feeble and utterly crushed; I groan in anguish of heart. All my longings lie open before you, O Lord; my sighing is not hidden from you. My heart pounds, my strength fails me; even the light has gone from my eyes. My friends and companions avoid me because of my wounds; my neighbours stay far away. Those who seek my life set their traps, those who would harm me talk of my ruin; all day long they plot deception. I am like a deaf man, who cannot hear, like a mute, who cannot open his mouth; I have become like a man who does not hear, whose mouth can offer no reply. I wait for you, O Lord; you will answer, O Lord, my God. For I said, 'Do not let them gloat or exalt themselves over me when my foot slips.' For I am about to fall, and my pain is ever with me. I confess my iniquity; I am troubled by my sin."
(Psalm 38:1-18)"O Lord, the God who saves me, day & night I cry out before you. May my prayer come before you; turn your ear to my cry. For my soul is full of trouble and my life draws near the grave. I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I am like a man without strength. I am set apart with the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave, whom you remember no more, who are cut off from your care."
(Psalm 88:1-5)
Common Characteristics of Depression
Feelings of hopelessness, despair, sadness, apathy
For example, people will sometimes feel an overall gloom,
an inner deadness. This may get reflected through crying or feeling
like crying, eyes downcast with a far away look in them, droopy mouth,
strained features making one look tired, discouraged and dejected. As
depression worsens, a general loss of interest in appearance may result,
leading to a general untidiness.
When a person is depressed the way one experiences & sees
their life, their job and their family is all "coloured" by the fact we are
feeling the way we are. As one person described it: "There is a
real difference between being unhappy and being depressed. When my
wife & I have an occasional argument, I'm unhappy about it. I don't
like it. But it's a part of living. We make up in fairly short
time. I may be concerned over it, but I can sleep all right, and I
still feel in good spirits. But when I'm depressed, that's a different
matter. It hurts all over; it's almost something physical. I
can't get to sleep at night, and I can't sleep through the night. Even
though there are still times when I'm in pretty good spirits, the mood comes
over me nearly every day. It colors the way I look at everything.
If my wife & I have a fight, our marriage seems hopeless. If I have a
business problem, which I would normally react to with some tension and
frustration but which I deal with promptly and appropriately, I feel
as though I'm a lousy businessman and I battle with the problems of
self-confidence instead of dealing with the issues in front of me."
There's a feeling of being less & less confident of
oneself and of one's abilities as a person; feeling less & less positive
about who one is with nagging questions regarding one's personal worth.
Being around people who normally one enjoys being with
now arouses a general sense of uncomfortableness; there's cancellation of
favourite activities; a failure to return phone calls; finding excuses to
avoid talking with & seeing people.
There is a general desire to escape from problems & even
from life itself. Thoughts of leaving the home or running away or even
committing suicide may become more & more dominant.
There is a greater tendency to misinterpret the actions &
comments of others & viewing them in a negative way, resulting in an
increase in being irritable. And as a result of misinterpretations,
one may experience being "weepy".
As self-confidence wanes, the tendency for the depressed person is to increase their dependence upon other people, serving to reinforce their own feelings of helplessness. Feeling powerless, they may try to regain their control through the use of anger.
It is important to remember that once a person starts becoming depressed, the tendency is to behave in ways that reinforces the depression. Once on the merry-go-round, it becomes increasingly difficult to step off.
What are some of the causes of Depression?
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The person who does not get sufficient sleep or who
does not eat regularly my find themselves becoming depressed because they
are cheating the body of the rest & the food it needs to keep functioning
properly. |
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All drugs affect the body and the mental processes in
some way. As well, over time there may be a build-up of toxins in
the body from the long use of drugs. If the effects of the drugs are
too severe or uncomfortable, the person should inform their pharmacist or
doctor immediately. |
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There are many physical causes for depression and for
that reason alone one should consult their family doctor or specialist and
request a complete physical examination. |
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This is the anger that gets built up within
the body and usually gets directed at self. One definition of
depression is 'unresolved anger turned inward.' |
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This is depression resulting from a loss or losses.
Over time, there is a sense of feeling "empty" on the inside - something
is "missing" and the body now finds itself reacting to that sense of
having that "something" no longer there! |
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This is caused by a disturbance in the body's chemical
system & can only be treated medically. |
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This is the condition whereby the person
begins to see the world as being 'against them'. While it may be
fair to say that most people have felt sorry for themselves at one time or
another, to wallow in it is an invitation to suffer depression. |
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It's absolutely amazing to understand the role that
one's thought life has in causing depression. Faulty & negative
thinking is at the root of much depression. If one is already prone
to have a low self-concept, then faulty & negative thinking serves to
reinforce & intensify that perception of oneself. Then there are
people who hold unrealistic expectations of themselves: They start
demanding from themselves "perfection" and when the perfect self fails to
meet the standards of how one should perform, they slipped into being the
"despised self". And once those feelings become too painful, they
may choose an automatic numbing process that serves to relieve the pain
temporarily. This is the stage where the body starts "shutting
down". |
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Consistently acting in a way that is contrary to their
moral standards or their value system may contribute to depression.
There is a sense of "failure" now that there is an inner conflict between
the standard and the actual behaviour(s). |
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The common thread that underlies much of depression is LOSS. Whenever a person experiences a real or an imagined loss, depression may be the result. It is common for adolescents to undergo bouts of depression as the normal developmental process presents teens with many real losses and/or threats to their self-esteem. They want independence, for example, and yet loosening of ties to parents and the making of their own decisions may create anxiety and insecurity. |
Depression does not have to be the end of the world, even though to the depressed person it most often appears that way. Depression is a signal that something in one's life is not right; it's a scream for help, a message that maybe there is an area of one's life that has been neglected! There are ways to deal and ways to counteract the causes of depression. This can be an opportunity for change and growth as the causes are pinpointed and steps are taken to rebuild the areas of life that are causing problems.
Steps to Overcoming Depression
Eliminate the possibility of physical causes by encouraging the person to make
an appointment with their family doctor for the purpose of getting a complete
medical check-up. If the person is severely depressed, they may need
help in following through on this recommendation.
Ensure that they are getting sufficient sleep and eating regularly. If
appetite is poor, encourage the person to try very hard to eat frequently
small amounts of food. If lack of sleep is a problem, they made require
a prescription to help with their sleep.
Provide encouragement to keep up with daily routine. If they work
outside the home, encourage them to go to work each day since it will be more
beneficial for them to get up in the morning, get dressed, have breakfast, and
go to their place of work than to remain home in bed with their discomforting
thoughts.
Encourage as much physical activity as possible - singing, swimming, bicycle
riding, jogging, walking, etc.
Encourage as much getting out of the house as possible, even if it is only for
short periods of time.
Get them talking about events which may have happened to them within the last
6 - 12 months. Look for such events which would contribute to a deep
sense of loss. Have them complete a Holmes-Rahe Stress Test.
Without the person realizing it, their depression could be a reaction to
severe loss, in which case they would need some assistance in walking them
through the grieving process.
Listen carefully for indications of anger, resentment or bitterness as a
result of circumstances & events which have entered their life within the past
year. They may need some help in processing those feelings and being
able to extend forgiveness to those who may have hurt them. Helping them
to accept the painful truth that certain things may have happened to them but
there is still the need to move on from that point.
Listen for indications that they may be experiencing genuine guilt over
inappropriate behaviour. They may not know how to process genuine guilt.
They may also not know how to distinguish between "real guilt" and "imagined
guilt".
Look for signs that their sense of identity, worth, value as a person needs
building up & affirming. Help them be aware that regardless how they may
"feel" towards themselves, they are, nevertheless, still a person of
incredible worth and value. Though feelings of self-worth may fluctuate,
the truth of who they are in reality remains constant.
Let them know that God loves and accepts them as people who have been created
in His image, regardless what they may have or have not done. There may
be some need to walk them through the process of accepting either God's
forgiveness or being able to forgive themselves or others. They may need
some pointing in a new direction.
It is highly probable that some work will be needed to help them move away
from faulty & negative thinking.
The above steps are not meant to be exhaustive and they do not replace needed professional help in specific cases. If your depression has severely affected your ability to function or thoughts of suicide have been occurring, please make an appointment with a counsellor, pastor, or your family doctor immediately.
"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!"
"Remember God is faithful and He will not let you suffer beyond what you can bear but He will make a way out so that you will be able to stand up under it."
(1 Corinthians 10:13)."And in ways we sometimes do not understand at the time "in all things God works for the good of those who love Him."
(Romans 8:28)