Depression versus Discouragement

    We all get discouraged sometimes. The word means a “loss of confidence or enthusiasm.” But discouragement can degenerate into depression if it is allowed to develop. If you get depressed, you lose interest in your daily affairs. You feel a dark mood settling over your heart and mind. You might lose your appetite and lose sleep. Much of the symptoms of depression can cause one to withdraw from friends and society. This behavior can then motivate one to have a low self-esteem. That, in turn, fuels more depression. It can be very dangerous.

    Depression, its causes and cures, are not easily remedied. Some people deal with biological causes for depression. Those individuals need medication and, perhaps, professional help. Some who struggle with psychological-caused depression may also need professional counseling. The Bible was not necessarily written to cure depression in all of its manifestations.

    If depression has a psychological cause, reminding ourselves of certain facts might be helpful. If a woman becomes depressed because her husband was unfaithful, she needs to remind herself that she may not have been the cause of it and every person chooses his or her own behavior. She would have to find value in her own relationship with God.

    If depression is caused by a lack of productivity, one may have to do small tasks in order to receive some immediate, positive feedback. He or she may want to keep a journal of those successes and be reminded of them frequently. We may have to look for alternative ways to solve the issues causing our depression. But we have to always keep control of our minds and act on those thoughts that are good, positive, and helpful.

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    If the depression is caused by society, our environment, then we might need to change our environment. If we can, we should reduce stress as much as possible. Stress caused in marriage can usually be remedied by changing communication patterns (or starting to communicate). Simplifying life can also help ease stress. Refuse to procrastinate and begin keeping a schedule. Act your way into feeling better.

    Finally, some depression is caused by spiritual factors. When we are sinning against God, knowing that we are not right with God causes depression. Find someone with whom you can confide (James 5:16). Make sure your life is measuring up, as best you can, to the expectations of Christ and refuse to allow others to dictate your spiritual life with Christ. Pray for self-control over your behavior and over your thinking. 

    Read God’s word frequently and study it often. Spend time with Jesus in the Gospel accounts. Keep persisting on controlling your thoughts and the depression will become more controllable. Thomas Edison performed 10,000 experiments before he perfected his rubber disc phonograph record. It took 1,500 experiments before he found a filament that would carry an electric current. He even tried a thread of hair out of a redheaded woman to see if it would carry electricity. Be persistent. It will help you overcome depression.

–Paul Holland

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