Depression

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What It Feels Like: 

Depression often leaves those living with it feeling numb, tired, and disconnected from life. This condition can lead to feelings of persistent sadness or emptiness, loss of interest or pleasure, low energy, changes in appetite, difficulty falling or staying asleep, difficulty focusing or making decisions, feelings of shame or worthlessness, irritability, and even thoughts of death or suicide. Oftentimes even things that once brought you joy no longer do so. Every day feels like a struggle and it can feel like you're always fighting an uphill battle just to get through life. One misconception about depression is that you need to have a depressed mood to meet criteria for the condition, but actually, lack of interest or pleasure in activities that once brought you joy is one way that depression can manifest. 

 

Psychologically Speaking:

Depression is more than just being sad. It is more of a deep hopelessness and a disconnect from life itself. Depression is often linked to brain chemistry, life circumstances, or even trauma that a person has experienced.

 

Christian Perspective:

While many Christians won't experience any significant form of depression during their lives, it is actually not uncommon for a Christian to go through a bout (or multiple) of depression at some point within their lives. Many may not even realize that depression is in fact what they are experiencing. The deep sadness that is associated with depression may feel so far from the joy that is supposedly promised with life as a Christian but it is a reality for so many out there. I would like to make one thing clear: depression does not mean that you are a bad Christian or that God has abandoned you.

 

Depression does not disqualify you from the kingdom and it does not become a defining characteristic of your walk with God. For some individuals going through a period of deep sorrow or depression actually leads to an increased faith and a deeper understanding of what life as a Christian truly means. “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18). God will not waste the pain that you are experiencing. He can turn that hurt into a new way of trusting in Him, a deeper version of compassion, and a new understanding of grace. Keep pushing through, fighting the good fight. God loves you just as much as He ever has and trust that He will get you through this.

 

If You Are Depressed This Is What I Recommend:

Remember that you are not alone in this battle. You are not the first and you will not be the last person to have felt this way. It is so important for you to give yourself grace, as depression is fueled by feelings of guilt or shame. When you start to allow negative thoughts to seep into your mind, it will only cause you to spiral. The best thing you can do for yourself is to get involved in a community. The church is usually a great option, and one that I would recommend, but family, friends, or even support groups work as well. I would encourage you to spend time with God and in prayer; even when you don’t feel like doing it, do it anyway. When you’re depressed, a lot of little things like waking up, getting dressed, and leaving the house can feel like monumental tasks; however, when you force yourself to do them, you are training your brain and helping yourself break the cycle. I can't recommend talking to somebody enough. Therapy is a great idea and just expressing how you're truly feeling can often lead to results. I know these last few are a bit cliche but changing your diet and exercise have both been proven to help as well and are two things i highly recommend. There are plenty of training plans out there on the internet for you to find and fueling yourself with nutritious food instead of the junk we have become all too accustomed to can offer immense benefits to how your mind functions.

 

Final Thoughts:

Quite frankly, depression sucks. If you are struggling with it, taking the first steps towards healing is huge and something to be proud of. Don’t expect immediate recovery and when that “bad day” inevitably pops back up every once in a while remember that it isn’t the end of the world. Healing is a journey and trusting God through the process is what will ultimately build you up stronger than before. Find somebody to talk to and don't isolate yourself from the outside world. The enemy wants you to believe that you have somehow “failed” by feeling this way. In reality there have been many great believers who have gone through bouts of depression. There is no shame in fighting this battle. God will be with you and He will get you through. Who knows, maybe your story will be used to break many others out of the same oppression that you are facing now. Remember that God wastes no pain that we have faced and He can turn all things for good. I know it's hard but don't give up. Lean on Him.