Would you answer this question differently if I were a Christian?

Question

When I ask about what to do about being depressed, some people suggest that I accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I respect these answers because I know that they are really trying to help the only way they know how. But I have to wonder, if I were already a Christian, and I said, "I'm so depressed" would your answer be different? Or do you think that if I were a Christian, I honestly would never experience depression?

Please be honest, I respect your views, even if I do not agree. Thanks.

I've been on every anti-depressant out there I think.

Answer 1

I wouldn't tell you to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior in the first place for depression. Anyhow, you have got to get to the root of the depression. Taking drugs help you cope with the root of the problem but if you haven't got to the root, the drugs won't do much of anything to help you.

Answer 2

I think a lot of people would answer differently. I would never give you such an answer because that is not the solution and I say this as a christian and yes christians get depressed too. I would have given you a more appropriate answer such as the following with an "I'll pray for you". I would at least offer you some information so you could speak to your doctor about the possibility of being bi-polar. I have been on anti-depressants for over 15 years and I wondered so often why they didn't seem to work. Too make a long story short I recently found out through having a new doctor that I am bi-polar. Most people do not know there are two types of bi-polar, the most common one where people experience extreme highs and lows and the 2nd type where they exhibit depression like symptoms of always being in the lows. They may have "high" lows where they are not so depressed as at other times, but still depressed. I would be more than happy to give you more information and let you know how i discovered this to speak to my new doctor about. So feel free to email me if you want. And GOOD LUCK!

Answer 3

I don't think so. I was depressed in High school and had all of the danger signals that I was suicidal. I threatened suicide and felt like it was the only good choice. But I was captured by the Love of Jesus for me and filled with His Holy Spirit and I had an immediate outpouring of a flood of tears that were so unstoppable that I was speechless for 15-20 minutes. My depression lifted and the life that I started among committed loving Christian brothers and sisters helped me to get rid of the negative Reasoning that went on in my head that caused my depression in the first place.

So over the next couple years of my life I shook off the tendency toward depression and built a whole new life and new Identity.

This has carried me through 30 years of my life so far and I am happier and more complete as a person every day. I am happy, well adjusted and a contributer to society at large in every way that I can be.

Answer 4

Depression affects you mental , physical and spiritual capacities and faculties.
i have had SSRI's prescribed to me by a doctor, while i am a Christian, and do not believe it to be wrong. i would, though think it important t have a holistic approach to it's healing, categorically dealing with each of the faculties it affects: the drugs i had prescribed worked just fine, actually, they do by raising the Serotonin level in your brain, which alleviates the symptoms, general fatigue, and somnolence in cases, the thought pattern, however may not immediately change. i mean, your way of processing stress, assuming of course depression is caused by inability to cope rightly with a particular stress factor.
Then, a fresh way of looking at your problem might be the one way out. Learning to trust that GOD, our loving Father allows problems in our lives only for ultimate good is the first step of learning to let go of our problem and having a renewed outlook of it, and quite frankly it might take time, quite a bit of Biblical literature and a lot of the Bible.
Prayer is the one other way in addition to the previous two. i will say quite honestly there will come times when you will not even want to pray, that's when you need a confidant, of a close knit friendship or family, basically a support structure, a loving church...it's taken me a while, initially i was a train wreck...almost 2-3 years...if you ask me, it was the nastiest experience, but again the most enriching.
Christians can get depression, David did and expressed his feelings in many places, what you have though is HOPE taht will never fail, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST!

Answer 5

Neither one of those. I am a Christian and I know a great deal about depression because I suffer from it. So I wouldn't come out with the facile, glib answers--which aren't terribly helpful sometimes. I am always reminded of that kid's joke: If you were standing in a barrel of pus up to your neck, and someone threw a bucket of vomit at you--would you duck?
That's what some of the glib answers make you feel like.
I would suggest you try to find out the root of the depression. Is it simply stress-based, so that if you change something in your situation or get away for awhile, it will ease? Or is it physical? (There are types of depression that are caused by chemical imbalance in the brain or blood.) Physically provoked depressive states can only be helped with meds and possibly diet change, if it's part of a reaction to something like a chemical preservative in certain foods, etc. If stress, evaluate your situation (usually the help of a qualified therapist or counsellor helps you see more clearly here). What have you been going through lately? Sometimes your depression reflects longterm stress that has come to an end and you're reacting; rest and diversion can help. Sometimes you can be unaware of the amount of stress you cause yourself by over-stretching your resources and abilities; I needed an outsider to say, "Whoa, girl! Slow down or you'll crash!" I was "mummy's little overachiever" until I realised that I was still, at age 30, trying to win points like a child. Are you in any negative relationships that need changing or abandoning? Maybe assertiveness training would help.
Anti-depressants treat the symptoms; if you don't deal with the root cause, it won't "go away" by itself.
And yes, I know my faith has helped me, but sometimes you need to work in the physical realm as well.
Best of luck and I'll be thinking of you.

Answer 6

Firstly let me say, while I have not been on anti-depressants I have experienced depression, both personally and being married to one who experienced major depression. You are in a rough place and I feel for you.

Second let me say, I would not answer this question differently as I am aware that being a Christian doesn't keep one from experiencing depression anymore than it will keep a person from being in a car wreck. Depression is a chemical imbalance of the brain. There are steps you can take to alleviate some of the symptoms. And there are some medications out there which can do wonders... but the travesty of it all, as you probably well know is that the medical science is inaccurate and is a huge guessing game.
It is trial and error and you are the guinea pig.
My heart goes out to you.

There are no easy answers for any serious illness. I would not make any attempt to give you a simplistic and superficial answer.
I believe Jesus could make a difference, but that doesn't help you if you can't really see His love in me, so that you could truly know how He could make a difference.
Take as good of care of yourself as you can, and let others help as much as they will.

Answer 7

I can tell you from personal experience that even Christians get depressed. I read somewhere that depression is "anger turned inward". Sometimes depression is caused by a chemical inbalance in our bodies; sometimes it's emotional. If a Christian is depressed, they do have Jesus to talk to and take their troubles and worries to, but a non-believer can't do that, because he/she doesn't know Jesus in a personal way. It does help to know Jesus as your Lord and Saviour because He already understands what you're going through, and He can give you the strength and support you need to get through the tough times. I don't know what I would have done without Him during the tough times. If you're having problems with depression, I suggest you talk with someone you trust: your doctor, minister, a friend, a parent, someone, and get some help. Don't try to tough it out alone. You could make things worse. As a Christian, I will pray for you that God will help you, and you will find Jesus to be the best friend you ever had. He can help you better than anyone else.

Answer 8

I'm a Christian and I experienced severe depression for many years, and never used any anti-depressant drugs after becoming a Christian. I suffered with CFIDS and it was a vicious circle of being sick and being sick of being sick and being depressed. But I can honestly say, that Jesus has healed me both physically and spiritually. I may have a depressing day now and then these days, but nothing like I used to have. I have found joy and peace in knowing Jesus and if He could do it for me, He could it for anyone. How long did I have that depression? I had it for about 30 years, and I've been healed now for a little over 6 years. I've been a Christian for about 27 years.

Answer 9

Yes my answer would be different. I do not think that because you are a Christian you would not experience depression. However, I know for a lot of people the transformation that comes from accepting Jesus....and building a life on the foundation of His word....has lifted them out of their depression, and I mean it. When I say give your life to Christ I don't mean you'll never have to do anything else. That's just the beginning. The more you study the word of God, the more God can work within you and transform you from inside. That can work miracles in your life.

On the other hand, perhaps you do need medication for a chemical imbalance, I don't know. My sister is a Christian and she takes medicine for depression.

The transforming power of Jesus Christ can change anyone's life. A born again Christian who is chronically depressed, well that would puzzle me. But I don't think there is anything wrong with getting this medically checked out.

Answer 10

Christian get depressed too. You need more than medication. Therapy can help get to the root of the depression and cure it. Some will tell you that is can't be cured. But if it is caused by life events, it can. If it is bio-chemical, as in Bi-Polar disorder, that is genetic. In that case a therapist can still be helpful but the focus of sessions would be different. And whether you are Christian or not, people can pray for you if you ask them too. Prayer can always be helpful. Sometimes it even cures. I would do, A. all of the above.

Answer 11

I am no doctor or anything but i don't think that pills are the only solution. They could help but are not as the full solution. What cold be the reason for the depression. Find a good friend or family member that you can talk to. You could also see a shrink. Depression is something that will after your mind, body and soul so, you should resolve it at the earliest.

I wish you all the best and if you want to talk some more, drop me an email. You can send it to my Yahoo email or gmail account: [e-mail].