To those of you who are Christians?

Question

Do you think it is wrong to be on anti depressents? Or do you think there is an actual physical disease of the brain? I ask this because there has been so much controversary over it. I will tell you that I think a lot of people should not be on it- but then I do believe there are people with chemical inbalances who should be on something. I just wish the docs could test better- instead of ask questions. I wish there was a blood test or something. Many christians think that someone who is on anti depressents should not be on them because it is all spiritual. So what do you think?

I agree with many of you. I do think there can be a physical disease. And I do know many use it as a happy pill- which is what I do not agree with. I agree with the chemical inbalance- the seratonin levels that need to be fixed. And yes God does give us doctors!

Answer 1

I agree with you. Some people have to be on them but I do think that they're over prescibed

Answer 2

As a minimum, you should be in counseling and making life style changes. There is a nutritional aspect that should be considered. If there is a disease, then what caused it and address that issue.

Then there is the medical approach to treat the symptoms. There is no doubt, just watch TV, read ads, that the drug companies and physicians like the long term revenue stream that getting people on drugs brings.

So yes, medicine is a step. But make sure you do not stop there or you can create worse health issues in the long term.

BTW, it could be spiritual. I'm just using this as an example. Maybe, if you were to get involved in people's lives, helping the poor, or being a big brother or sister for a child without 2 parents, or something like that, you would gain a sense of fulfillment and happiness, and your troubles would be lessened. There are many studies that show this also.

I've seen anti-depressants help and some people need them to survive. I've also seen them mask the underlying personal and maybe even spiritual issues, and then these people never addressed these issues for they could cope, and thus they continue to struggle with the same problems, when they needed to make a change. Each case is situational, and has pro's and con's that should be considered, with professional help, that should not solely be focused on just the symptom side.

Answer 3

I can answer you both ways. I believe that modern anti-depressants are harmful to the body. I do believe that finding out the problem of depression is very important to treating it. That is a physical, emotional, mental and spiritual going over.

If you are serious about fighting depression. Keep a daily journal of what you eat and how you feel. After a month of doing so, you may even find out that you have certain food reactions that affect how you see the world. Also, if you are a woman, record your menstral cycle as well. Then when you go and see a holistic doctor, he can better assess what you need. Many only need a few herbal suppliments. Also, when you go to the doctor, pay the money and get a full food allergy test done. That way, you can start the next months journal, and then go over more things in greater detail. You may be amazed to learn that many depressions are very simply solved.

What to journal

what you eat, and when
menstration
how long sleep and when
how long working
if you are sick
if you exercised that day
when you awoke
who you met today
any kind of stressful situations
prayertime if any, and how long
how much outside time if any
if married, any sexual activity
how much water you drink
when do you get to sleep
what time is your last meal (this is really important believe it or not, if you eat before going to bed, your body won't heal itself and you can feel depressed the next day) at least 4 hours of no food before bed. You can have some water if you wish.

The answers may be simpler than you realize.

Answer 4

I am on anti-depressants, and I don't think this is wrong at all. I also go to a Christian Counsellor.

When you are stressed or have negative thoughts which lead to depressive feelings, your brain uses up its chemicals which are there for coping with those types of situations. So the chemicals become depleted. Without them, anyone would be depressed. That is a physiological condition. It may be caused, in a round-about way, by negative thinking (in some people). But once they are depleted, you need SOMEthing to get them replenished. And that's where anti-depressants come in. Without the proper balance of chemicals restored in your brain, you cannot think clearly about your stresses in life. You cannot feel joy, and sometimes can't feel love. What the anti-depressants do, is replenish the chemical balance, so that you can then work on your problems rationally, and in a non-depressed state. They won't make you euphoric or get rid of your depression altogether. They don't mask anything. They just restore your brain to normal. And in that normal state, you are in a better position to think through your problems, and come to better ways of coping. This is where faith is very important.

Also, I should mention that once those chemicals are depleted, you can do all the positive thinking in the world, and you are still not going to feel happy. Our brains need the chemicals in balance for us to feel well. So once you've gotten into that situation, where there is an imbalance, I see nothing wrong with using medication to restore the balance.

Anti-depressants give you time. They give you time to learn new positive ways of thinking and coping, etc, so that you will not go down that road again.

Also, there are many other causes of an imbalance besides just stress and negative thinking. There are prescription and over the counter medicines that can cause it. I have learned that I cannot, in any circumstance, take Nyquil! It causes me severe depression. Anything with dextromethorphan in it causes depression for me and many others. There are vitamin deficiencies that can do it too.

Make sure you get enough Vitamin B, especially B-12. Also, get enough healthy oils (like flax seed oil) or eat fish (like tuna or salmon). The fat in these keep your brain's chemicals in balance. In fact, one time, a doctor almost put me on a medication that was supposed to be a mood stabilizer, but when he found out that I used to eat fish many times a week, and had stopped, he said just start eating the fish again. I found out that flax seed oil has the same effect as the fish oil. (I prefer it because I try to be vegetarian). It helped tremendously.

Depression is a complicated thing. It is different for different people. The causes and cures are different in individuals. If you are spiritual, then this is a plus, because prayer and spirituality can be effective in therapy. But healthy eating, and an anti-depressant, and making sure your thyroid is ok, and all that kind of stuff, is also indispensable.

Answer 5

Well, I am only one of those misguided Mormons you read about on these boards but, here is my take:

Major Depressive Disorder is a medical condition. When the neurochemicals in your brain are not firing correctly, you will experience depression.

I wondered too up until recently. I never felt right - it turned out I had MDD and never realized it.

I had to try a couple different medications, but I feel like a new person.

I can now fully enjoy life and all the good things that are a part of it -- including my spirituality.

I recommend taking a serious look at the research.

People who object to it, do not understand the neuro-physical processes involved.

If you had a stomache ache, wouldn't you take something for it?

The brain is the same way. I understand a hesitancy from a spiritual perspective - been there - but its been an absolutely correct decision for me.

Answer 6

No I don't think it's wrong, any more than someone with a physical affliction needs to be on medicine to keep that under control. My sister has been on anti-depressants most of her life, she is a believer, and the balance these medications brought to her probably saved her life.

Anyone who says, oh a Christian shouldn't be on anti-depressants, doesn't know the whole story about the body and its chemical imbalances. Yes, God can heal anyone at any time. He also uses doctors to help us.

Answer 7

Clinical depression is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. Many people take anti-depressants and are successfully treated. Some get recurrences and take anti-depressants for the rest of their lives, as a preventative. It's like taking Zocor to lower cholesterol. Higher than normal levels of cholesterol are not an illness. Taking the meds is a preventative against clogged arteries.
I am not aware of any legitimate Christian religion that is against preventative health care. I am Catholic.

Answer 8

As a Christian and a physician I get asked this quite frequently.

In most cases of depression there is a biological or chemical cause and anti-depressants help tremendously. As such, I equate depression with any other disease process. Not prescribing anti-depressants because I think that it is not spiritual we be like not prescribing hypertension medications to someone with high blood pressure.

God, in His wisdom has chosen people to heal through the medical arts. Part of that wisdom is the knowledge of disease process. To ignore the biochemical nature of depression and not treat it is not what God would have.

Now.... can God cure depression without medications? Of course He can. Can he cure hypertension, cancer, heart disease or whatever else without drugs.... of course He can.

Answer 9

There are three kinds of depression.

Clinical depression is the kind that occurs due to a chemical imbalance in the brain. You could praise Jesus from now till kingdom come and it wouldn't change a thing. Only medicine is going to change it.

Situational depression is due to some circumstance; death in the family or loss of a job or financial problems, etc. While medicine might help, the best cure is either change the situation or in the case of grief, time.

"Spiritual" depression is a state of mind, it is due to a lifetime of bad choices in thinking. No amount of medicine will cure it, or even help it. Only counseling and guidance into a new way of thinking will change it.

Hope that helps.

Answer 10

From a Christian here:

I have been on them...on 2 occasions.

1) Started after separation which led to divorce.
I was in HORRIBLE shape over the ordeal.
Lost appetite (lost 50lbs in 6 weeks). Couldn't sleep for nights on end, and had severe panic attacks...none of which I had ever experienced before.

2) I tried to come off of them a bit soon and had to resume them because of getting similar problems back.

The medicine was used for getting things balanced. I do not believe that God would deem using medicine for the purpose of getting better as something sinful. We are supposed to take care of ourselves. Things in life make it such that our bodies react physically or chemically...and we have to do something for adjustment.
Its no different than being diabetic and needing insulin. The doctor told me that if I did not get straightened out I would end up in the hospital.

I am off of them now...and doing fine...there was a period of time that stress and such threw my body into a place that it didn't react like normal. So it needed something for balance.

Using them for recreational purposes would be different than using them for actual medicinal needs.

Answer 11

KJV
The Gospel According to Saint Luke.
2216 Writer, Luke, The Beloved Physician.
Luke was one of The Original 12 Disciples.
GOD gives us Physicians.
Choose Wisely.