Antidepressants

[Pinecone]

I take effexor, it seems like sort of a slap in God's face to me. Do you think that God should provide for all of our emotional needs?

 

[Cosmic Charlie]

I take effexor, it seems like sort of a slap in God's face to me.

This kind of thinking always seems weird to me. i mean, unless you're a Christian Scientist exactly how how is availing yourself of medical help to ease your suffering supposed to be a slap in God's face ?

Do you think that God should provide for all of our emotional needs?

He did. He inspired a group of smart, well educated people to create a medication to help you. You were expecting maybe a healing thunderclap ?

 

[Stanfi]

I prayed for God to take my anxiety and depression away, but he did not. I take Lexapro, but I still need God, the drug is not a cure all.

 

[Iddie4him]

I have to take Lithium everyday, Have for 10 years now.
Gotta do what you gotta do.

 

[Vollkommen Warrior]

I know what you are saying. It was my similar question when I decided to take the meds. Just thank God we live in a time that has proper meds is all I can say. Secondly, we are not here for a bed of roses..far from it. I am sure you already know. Loving God does not make us any less ceseptable (butchered sp?) to physical ailments in my opinion. I pray and ask itf it is in his will/my destiny than make it so and I laeve it there. My mom died of cancer in 93 after tons of prayer, I had depr that required meds 6 yrs ago. I don't have the answers other than we're here to do our "time" and then back to the Lord. I will say there were many unbelievable signs and miracles during that time though. Doctors COULD NOT explain it either.

 

[Cosmic Charlie]

iddie4him: 10 years of lithium. 13 for me. It'll make you thirsty, make everything you eat taste like spraypaint, kick your appetite into hight gear and mess with your libido. But it beats the alternative.

After 31 years actively bi-polar I don't fear anything anymore. Except that they'll run out of lithium.

 

[Stanfi]

Take the medication and don't worry about it. Even with meds it's enough of a struggle. Life is to short to live it suffering.

 

[rookie]

mrstace, love it!

Life is to short to live it suffering.

I agree. I've been on zoloft, now on effexor. I don't think this stuff is here if wasn't to help us. I look at it that God knows we're on it, but we still love and worship him and he doesn't condemn us for it. I've even discussed this with pastors.

Where I have a problem is, for example, I have an acquaintance who found Jesus, but then went off her medicine and is not spouting to anyone who will listen that we don't need medicine. According to her, our problem is that we don't have enough faith in God or Jesus and that's why we still suffer. And she tries talking people out of their medicine, making them think
that if they take medicine, they are going against God.

I don't associate with her. I have tried talking to her, citing my conversations with pastors, but she's all gung ho and everyone else is wrong. So all I can do is pray for her.

rookie

 

[jessiegirl]

Depression is a chemical imbalance in the brain. I look at it like diabetes in a way. A diabetic has to take insulin because of an insulin imbalance. Depression is not a weakness.

 

[rookie]

You are so right Jessie. It is a very real illness. Even though people say it's "all in our head", it really is, the chemical imbalance.

But it's such a stigma for us who deal with it. That's one thing I'd like to see change.

rookie

 

[Jenna]

I have chronic depression and am on anit-depresssants. Anywho, what I wanted to say is that God doesn't always give us our answers in the way that we want them. I believe that God works through our doctors, and that taking medication isn't a way of saying "God, you failed me, so now I'm turning to something else". I thank God for the fact that he works through the hands and hearts of those caring enough to spend their lives working on ways to make me healthy, not only physically, but mentally also.

 

[Mr.Cheese]

No, it's not a slap in the face. I'm on 2 antidepressants. I thank God for them.
They correct a real problem. It's like an antibiotic if you have an infection. It's physiological.

 

[Cat59]

I work from both ends (I have depression and treat depression in my work) I've seen so many people get better using tablets that I cannot believe God would not want us to use them. As I try to say to the people I work with, its an illness and the tabs are part of the treatment.

 

[Stanfi]

Where I have a problem is, for example, I have an acquaintance who found Jesus, but then went off her medicine and is not spouting to anyone who will listen that we don't need medicine. According to her, our problem is that we don't have enough faith in God or Jesus and that's why we still suffer. And she tries talking people out of their medicine, making them think
that if they take medicine, they are going against God.

I don't associate with her. I have tried talking to her, citing my conversations with pastors, but she's all gung ho and everyone else is wrong. So all I can do is pray for her.

rookie

Hi rookie,

I have encountered people like this. I actually feel like God nudged me to go to the doctor. If I may state my opinion. I think a lot of people are on antidepressants, and they are not depressed. What do I mean by that? Some people have a 'bad day', and they think they are depressed. So yeah, if they if they get there life in order it would be easy to come off them, and maybe God divinely healed them, I don't know. Anyway bad to the bad day theory. Real depression is not like that. When someone gets to the point, they can't even get of out bed, every other thought is about dying or suicide, and you really can't face the next day. When you get to that point come and talk to me.

Of course I have anxiety bad also. I suffer from post tramatic, social and just general. It doesn't take much to make my heart pound out of my chest. It's not fun to be afraid to talk to new people for go places.

So yeah, I thank God for Meds!!! They are not a cure-all, but they do help. I wish they took everything away from me 100%, but they don't. If it wasn't for meds, who knows what kind of substance abuse problem I would have by now, or what kind of mess I would be in.

Sorry, I guess that was a bit of a rant.

 

[rookie]

Don't worry about the rant at all. I didn't even think it was one. I was diagnosed as being major depressive. I occasionally have bouts of anxiety, but nothing bad so far.

But I've been there, the not wanting to get out of bed, to sleep all day so that the world isn't there, if I was awake, crying all day for no reason, and of course, wanting to end my life. I thank God for doctors and medicine.

rookie

 

[Jacob4Jesus]

I am currently on anti depressants and anti psychotics. I take 60 mg of paxil and 50 mg of Seroquel. Before I did this, I was scared the devil was going to steal my soul. Several times I thought I was going to kill myself.


I think about it like this:

In this town, it was raining for days and days. The town started flooding and people started to evacuate the town. THis one old Christian man stayed though. When asked why. He simply said "The lord will save me."

As the floods got higher, he climbed up on the roof. Another man on a raft came by and offered to help the old man out. He refused, again stating "The lord will save me."

Later, a guy in a motorboat drove by and asked the man to get in. The man refused again, insistent that "The lord will save me."

Finally, as the waters were about to overtake him, a helicopter flew over him. The people aboard yelled for him to get in, but he again said "No, the lord will save me."

So, the waters got really high and the man drowned. He went to Heaven and asked God, "Lord why didn't you save me? I go to church every day, I have so much faith in you. Why didn't you save me?"

God looked at the man and said, "I sent you a raft, a boat and a helicopter. What more did you want?"

It wasn't until I accepted Jesus that I received the strength to seek help with my problems. THese meds are here because the lord provided them.

Prayers,
Jacob

 

[wblastyn]

It wasn't until I accepted Jesus that I received the strength to seek help with my problems. THese meds are here because the lord provided them.

Prayers,
Jacob

I heard a similar story about a rock climber, it's a very good lesson.

I think a lot of people expect God to be this magical sky fairy casting spells (miracles) with his magic wand, but from experience God doesn't seem to work like that, rather He uses people and the laws He established in nature to get His job done.

 

[bud_dy]

anti depressants? are those prescribed?

 

[cleopa_of_emmaus]

I went through a severe depression a couple of years ago, and was on Neurontin and Prozac. My doctor eventually took me off the medications. Don't hesitate about taking medication you need to be well. You are not slapping God in the face by taking medicine that you need, but you would be slapping God in the face if you did not accept the help that he has so graciously provided you.



~cleopa

 

[Karrinne]

Depression, whether clinical or situational, is a real problem, and affects every facet of your life. Taking medication for it is no different than taking meds for a heart condition or asthma or blood pressure.
In the last six years, my mother died violently, I have had six children move out from home, I have had serious marital problems, serious financial problems, my only grandchild died unexpectedly, and my two remaining children at home have serious relationship and depression problems.
I take Effexor and if I didn't have it I would probly be in the nut ward by now. God helps me, but I don't think He looks down on me for taking meds from the doc. I tried counselling, "natural" meds such as St. John's Wort, but the Effexor has done wonders for me. If I wasn't on it when the baby died, I would probably have gone clear off the deep end.
Don't be afraid to take meds for a serious problem. God loves us and wants us to be well and happy, and if taking meds helps, I'm sure He won't mind.