When counseling someone for depression, if the question of medicine arises, the right question is not necessarily, “Is it sinful to take medicine for depression?” The best question is, “Will medicine solve your problem?” The answer to the second question is always a “no.” People who are on medicine and seeking counsel are probably doing so because the medicine is not working anyhow.
Ultimately, depression results from responding sinfully to discouragement and difficulty. On the surface, that might seem insensitive and harsh. However, it is the most loving thing you could tell someone. Taking personal responsibility for feelings of depression gives hope because if behavior or wrong thinking is the cause of depression, there is great hope to change. If I am labeled with a disease, I have nothing to hope in. I am a victim.
I would highly recommend reading Dr. Wayne Mack’s book Out of the Blues: Dealing with Depression and Loneliness. If you are angry or feel as if it is insensitive to make the comments above, please read this book before responding angrily or making judgment. The purpose of this blog post is not to discourage or judge, but to lead people who are struggling with depression to help.
Again, depression is a result of failing to respond to the difficulties of life biblically. Recently, I was explaining this to a sweet lady during counseling. She responded to my comments with tears, “Don’t you think if I knew how to respond rightly, I would? I hate feeling this way.” I explained to her that if my car was malfunctioning, we could go outside and open the hood. Looking under the hood, we would likely be looking right at the problem, yet unable to identify what to do about it. That is helpless. However, if we were to get a trained mechanic, he could look at the exact same thing we were looking at with the ability to discern things we were not trained to discern. When visiting a NANC counselor or reading a book like the one I mentioned above, you can learn how to look at your thinking and correct it – resulting in a cure for depression.
It has never been proven that depression is a disease (see the peer-reviewed journal article that I posted several days ago). Medicine and psychiatry will not solve your problem.
Below are some characteristics of depressed people. If you can identify with what you are reading, please order the book I suggested, or see a NANC counselor. I hope this gives you some hope.
Most depressed people would rather have their circumstances changed rather than understanding that God is sovereign over our circumstances and orchestrates them for our good (Romans 8:28-29)
The difference between depression and discouragement is increased immobility. Those experiencing depression usually do not have set schedules and are increasingly inactive during the week (withdrawn; not social; avoiding activities).
People experiencing severe depression would rather die than live; have problems sleeping; want to sleep the day away; allow their feelings to dictate their behavior, have chronic physical ailments and use physical problems as an excuse to remain inactive.
In order to overcome depression the motive must change from “I would like this circumstance to change” or “I just want to feel better” to “I desire to glorify God more than anything else.”
There are many examples of Bible characters that experienced depression. The Bible has answers and you can change. Start with the suggested book and a counselor. I will be praying for you.
Pastor Brian
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