Overcoming Depression

By: Peter Stone

Many associate the word 'depression' with a temporary state of feeling down. Although everyone is touched by this fleeting mood, many others experience a much more serious depressive disorder, known as clinical depression. This physical, mental, emotional and spiritual condition affects every single aspect of the sufferer's life.

Symptoms include anxiety attacks, insomnia, heightened anxiety levels, obsessive fearful thoughts, inability to concentrate, lack of interest in life's pursuits, crippling feelings of guilt, the destruction of one's hopes for the future, inability to maintain relationships, low self-esteem, as well as other physical symptoms such as racing heart, missed heart-beats, eating disorders, fatigue, and the list goes on.

When afflicted by depression, I suffered from all the above and more. However, though Christ's help I overcame the illness and went on to live a normal life despite its presence. 1 John 5:4 says, 'for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.' Below are some of the things that I learnt during that time, which I share so that others may too overcome this malady rather than let it imprison them.

I slipped into depression at the beginning of 1990. This was largely due to the undiagnosed and unexpected emergence of complex partial epilepsy, and from burning the candle at both ends by working full time while assisting to pastor a church. It began with an eight-month period of living hell which included an endless cycle of debilitating anxiety attacks, chronic insomnia, the symptoms listed above, and utter despair at what was happening to me. As the days turned to weeks and then to months, I was crippled by the fear that this 'thing' that had overcome me would never lessen or end.

Four months into this nightmare, I finally acquiesced to my doctor's requests to take anti-depressant medication, which though did not cure the illness, greatly reduced its severity. The medication dulls the effects of depression, makes life more bearable, and enables you to concentrate on the task of recovery. Do not think that taking anti-depressants is a cop-out. My doctor told me on several occasions, "You've got a chemical imbalance in your brain, which the medication corrects. It's nothing to be ashamed about--it's no different from a diabetic taking medication to correct their illness."

During these first eight months, I frequently blamed Jesus for allowing such a thing to afflict me. Why would He not simply end it? I ready the Bible constantly and spent hours in prayer, but these provided little relief. However, although I could no longer feel His presence, I knew Jesus held me in His hands. It is in times like this, when our feelings and emotions utterly betray us, that we learn to stand fast upon God's Word, and on promises such as, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.' (Joshua 1:5)

Note that you cannot overcome depression by choice--it is overwhelmingly powerful and afflicts every part of your life. It cannot be switched off, nor can you 'pull yourself together.' Some well meaning people will tell you that it is nothing more than a spiritual attack. Ignore such comments. Of course the enemy is involved, making it worse, but depression is much more than the attack of the enemy.

My recovery from depression only began when I put into practice the practical steps presented by Dr Claire Weekes in 'Self Help for Your Nerves.' This wonderful book taught me how to change my underlying thinking processes, explained how my mind worked, and illustrated how my fears had become blown out of proportion to trick me. The most helpful technique in the book for me was learning to accept and live with the symptoms of depression rather than fighting or fearing them. Doing so stopped the endless fear-flight flow of negative adrenalin, which then led to rapid recovery. I found this process to be a practical application of John 14:1, where Jesus says, "Let not your heart be troubled, trust in God, trust also in Me.'

Upon reading this book, hope re-entered my life and I began dreaming of a positive future again. (The book is available from Amazon.com.)

One thing that helped me greatly was this advice a friend suffering from depression gave me: "Find anything that you enjoy, and pursue it. Just try to have fun." This task seemed impossible at first, but I refused to let the illness overcome me, so I did my utmost to follow his advice. I bought a computer, played a lot of engrossing computer games, and also wrote a novel in which I put the main character through something similar to what I was going through, which provided some relief.

It is very important that you keep yourself busy. Do not make the mistake I did in the early days of depression--I spent hours sitting down or lying on my bed, fretting over the things that troubled me--which of course made me worse. Find things that interest you and get lost in them.

Vigorous physical exercise, such as aerobics, circuit, brisk walking or jogging, can be very effective in dulling the effects of depression. I also found that taking a multi-vitamin/mineral supplement every day replenished my energy reserves.

Let me introduce you to two great friends who will assist your recovery: Time and Acceptance. Allow yourself time to heal--which you can do with the assurance of hope rather than fearing it will never end. Acknowledge that you are suffering from depression, and rather than fighting or fearing what it is doing to you, just learn to accept it as part of your life, as background music to your day. The more you can accept it, the faster you will recover. Philippians 4:12 ‘I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.’

I recommend seeing a Christian counsellor to address the cause of your depression; however, be careful to choose a counsellor or minister who has been through depression and came out the other side smiling in victory. Such a person understands what you are going through, and can help point you in the right direction. Some counsellors or ministers, who have never experienced depression, think a 'pull yourself together' pep talk, or a one-off prayer session, or shock tactics are all you need to recover.

Depression is a terrible thing but you can overcome it to live a normal life again, and once you have learnt how to cope with it, you need never fear succumbing to its depths ever again. Galatians 5:1 'It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.'

(All verses from NIV)

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