UNDERSTANDING
& DEALING WITH
DEPRESSION
Greg Swenson, Ph.D.
Depression is not a single, simple
entity. It is the culmination of circumstances, personality styles,
mental perspectives, emotions, experiences, and relationships. Just as
there are many different roads to alcoholism, there are varying routes
to the common experience of depression. Depression is important
because it becomes a handicap, interfering with the quality of a
person's life, how they are able to fulfill the purpose for which God
made them, as well as the nature of their relationship with God
itself.
Our emotions are a significant part
of our self. They enrich our lives, but like our body and spirit, our
emotional state can become impaired. Many people can relate to this
experience. Most adults have been depressed at some point in their
lives. For some, the condition has been a part of their life for so
long that it becomes "normal" for them. The emotional
component of depression may simply be a prolonged absence of
pleasurable feelings; or a preponderance of anger, grief, sadness,
futility, or hopelessness. In addition to emotional disturbance,
depression can result in loss of interest in previously important
activities; changes in appetite, sleep, and energy; reduced
concentration; difficulty making decisions; and lowered self-esteem.
The result is that work, family, social life, and spiritual life is
affected. In extreme cases, the futility and hopelessness can lead to
suicidal thoughts and actions. When a person's daily life is marked by
intense emotional pain, almost anything else seems preferable.
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There are some false assumptions
frequently found among Christians who suffer from depression that
hinder them from finding help. One assumption is that emotions are not
really important. They feel ashamed to admit that the way they feel
has become such a problem. Many are apologetic about their problem, if
they are able to admit to it at all. This assumption seems parallel to
the belief that "big boys don't cry": "Real Christians
don't get depressed." In fact, some rather prominent biblical
personalities showed evidence of depression. Consider Moses, Elijah,
Job, and David. Martin Luther is said to have struggled with
depression on a regular basis. Freedom from depression does not appear
to be correlated with commitment to God. Depression is a hazard of
being human and living in a world fraught with evil, natural
consequences, and experiences that separate us from God. Complete
immunity to depression would imply that we can somehow separate
ourselves from our emotions, something that Jesus himself didn't do.
He wept, was angry, and showed compassion and pain. God the Father is
frequently described as an emotional being as well. There are numerous
biblical references to and expressions of emotional struggle: i.e. Ps.
6:6-7, Ps. 55:4-8, Ps. 131, Ps. 69:1-3, Eccl.1, Mt. 14:33, Eph. 4:26.
Emotions do not go away if ignored. Recognizing that they are a
powerful and integral part of our self is the first step toward
correcting the excesses and unbalanced emotions found in depression.
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Where does depression come from?
Frequently, it stems from thought patterns, in particular, unrealistic
expectations. Some people strive for a level of control and order in
their lives that is not possible in the real world. Hence, they live
with repeated frustration and disappointment. Others are excessively
"tuned" to their own performance. Inevitable fluctuations in
success cause constant self-critical evaluations. Consequently, a
person who objectively appears ninety percent successful may focus
instead on the ten percent failure. He or she sees only what the mind
spotlights.
Depression can also result from
mental/emotional overload. A person may assume excessive
responsibility, thus collecting the stress, disappointment, failures,
and frustrations of an entire family. Sometimes certain events, or
series of events, cause an accumulation of emotions that can't be
processed. It is not uncommon for depression to follow childbirth,
marriage, job changes, or geographical moves.
A specific kind of emotional
overload is found in loss and grief experiences. They create a void
that is painful in itself, but also requires adjustments which some
are better prepared to make than others. Losses of friendships, death,
divorce, or children leaving home are frequent depressive stimuli.
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A subtler source of depression is
found in people whose lives do not include sources of pleasure. While
a steady diet of "good times" is unrealistic, the joys that
most of us experience through family, friends, activities, and God's
physical creation, indicate that the capacity to experience pleasure
is important. Achievement oriented people may see life as a series of
tasks to be accomplished: a grade to obtain, children to raise, or
money to be made. Even ministry can become oppressive when we focus
exclusively on results and fail to find enjoyment in the process.
In addition to thought patterns,
emotional overload, loss, and the absence of pleasure, depression can
arise from within our bodies as a physical phenomenon. It can result
from endocrine or metabolic disorders, and from abnormal brain
function. In my experience, these are less frequent sources, but
always need to be considered.
The best preventive medicine for
depression is a consistent and genuine relationship with God. But it
does not render us immune to depression. We sometimes need to give
attention to the factors that generate depression, understand what
kind of depressive process is going on, and develop a plan to cope
with it and move through it.
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This is the purpose of therapy.
Research indicates that a significant percentage of persons suffering
from depression will eventually improve spontaneously, without
professional help. Certainly some of these people benefit from
therapeutic forces in their lives, from people and experiences that
prompt significant changes. Therapy does not guarantee improvement.
Yet there are some good reasons for seeking professional help:
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Personal change. Times of difficulty
can be opportunities for change. Rather than enduring or waiting out
depression, therapy can assist a person in correcting a distorted
perception of life, God, or others. It may help to revitalize a
person's lifestyle, or develop the ability to accept the realities of
life.
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Depression can simply be too
overwhelming to endure alone. It can obscure God's goodness and
eliminate the desire to worship and pursue a relationship with God or
others. Depression can worsen, just as spinning wheels in the mud
deepens the rut.
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Depression seldom affects only one
person. It can cast a shadow on spouse, children, and friends. It can
reduce a person's effectiveness in their career or ministry.
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