I've been diagnosed with clinical depression. I sometimes have suicidal thoughts (although I don't believe I could ever act on them) and I hurt myself quite often. I also have a disorder called trichotillomania, and without getting into details, it has ruined my life. I hide these problems well and look completely normal, but they are still there. Therapy and medication aren't options for me right now. I've prayed for years for God to help, but I feel like He's ignoring me. Any advice?
Depression
- Thread starter Academy Girl
- Start date
My Little Sister,
Can you think of anyone around you who can help you? Anyone who can explain depression and healing? Anyone to coach you on the pursuit of healing from God? Or are you all by yourself on this matter?
Rupert
Can you think of anyone around you who can help you? Anyone who can explain depression and healing? Anyone to coach you on the pursuit of healing from God? Or are you all by yourself on this matter?
Rupert
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silentpoet
Contributor
I pray for your needs. I think it wise for you to seek professional help. God gave us doctors and science for a reason. if it can help your quality of life, do not be afraid to seek help my friend. I pray you will find the help you need.
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Academy Girl said:
I'd have to wonder why neither therapy nor medication is an option. Keeping things bottled inside isn't healthy. Could you at least find a trusted adult - a school counsellor or a pastor or a church counsellor or someone like that - to talk about things with on a regular basis?
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Dear Academy Girl ,
I've found that prayer and fasting works well for especially stubborn ailments .
But research fasting first if you're not familiar with the potential hazards .
(Trichotillomania)
noun: an irresistible urge to pull out your own hair .
Pulling out one's hair is an expression of extreme distress or mourning .
Can you ask The Lord to help you understand what the source of your troubling is ?
Addressing the source is best , treating symptoms is less effective .
All our needs can be wonderfully met by God's Spirit of Grace .
Jesus proclaimed that our Heavenly Father would give the Holy Spirit to those who ask .
And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone ? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent ?
Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion ?
If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him ? <-----> Luke 11:9-13
You are a child of God .
Have we not all one father ? hath not one God created us ? ... <-----> Malachi 2:10
If there is any kind of idolatry in your life , or linking of your attention and affection upon occult type spiritualism / superstition paraphanelia ; depart and dispose of it . Forsake all avenues of hope except for that which is Direct Divine Assistance from your Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ and The Power of The Holy Spirit .
It's you and The Lord : one on One .
Let go of any ill will for any thing or any one .
Acknowledge you're in need of God's Mercy and Grace .
Pour out your heart before The Lord .
Contemplate Jesus dying on The Cross for your forgiveness .
And think on His Resurrection , and His Power to Deliver .
Ask Your Heavenly Father to give The Holy Spirit , in Jesus' Name .
Open your heart in warm acknowledgement that Jesus has atoned for your sins , and made it possible for you to pray and be heard by God , based upon Christ's Shed Blood and Broken Body .
Give thanks to God and Christ .
Relax , and rest in Holy Hope , knowing you've done what you could , and that God will do His Part .
Be cheerfully indebted and joyful in service , however The Spirit does lead .
Keep up your study in God's Scripture of Truth .
Here's a good source of Bible Study Downloads - They're free , with donations accepted . ( Click on the word " Link " below ) .
Link
I also pray that The Lord will be pleased to make His Marvellous Virtue and Healing Power known , for His Name to be Magnified , for the Glory of God , and benefit of all who believe . Amen .
In Christ's Care ,
wayfaring man
Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.
The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed. <-----> Psalm 103:1-6
...He [ Jesus ] was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed . <-----> Isaiah 53:5
...Now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. <-----> Ephesians 2:13
For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. <-----> Hebrews 4:15+16
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I have no one I would feel comfortable talking to. I go to a Christian academy that is a ministry of my church, and it's the same people leading both the church and school. They don't like me. They suspended me twice and almost expelled me. Despite the fact that they've known me since birth and have practically raised me, I don't get along with them.
I can't go to a psychologist because money doesn't grow on trees and private school is expensive. Ditto with the medication. Plus, doesn't medication come with a list of horrible side effects?!
I can't go to a psychologist because money doesn't grow on trees and private school is expensive. Ditto with the medication. Plus, doesn't medication come with a list of horrible side effects?!
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Oh, and wayfaring man, I've tried those things! I really seriously have! I know God promised to be there and to answer prayers and stuff, but I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong...He's deserted me!
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forgivenmuch
christ is the answer
you really need to get some medical treatment, counsling could help you also.
if you never try to help yourself you may not get better. God uses medicine to heal the body, i really beleive you should find someone to talk to about it.
if you never try to help yourself you may not get better. God uses medicine to heal the body, i really beleive you should find someone to talk to about it.
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Treatment for depression is nothing you should wait around for. The longer you are in a depression, the more damage it does. Get help, get the meds.
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Academy Girl -
It sounds to me as if you are living in a world where you just don't fit. It's not that you are not a Christian, but you are just not buying into the brand of Christianity that your school promotes. It's very hard to be an outsider all the time - especially when you are 17, and when you should be in a place where people love and accept you and try and help you grow to become who God intended you to be, not who they want you to be.
Think over the people in the Bible who God A.) loved and B.) used. They lived in palaces and they lived in caves. They wore purple and they wore animal skins. They were bipolar (David sure seems to be bipolar to me), they were prostitutes, they were virgins, they had terrible tempers (Samson) they listened to the still, small voice of God (Elijah, Samuel) they were rulers, and they were prisoners (Joseph on both counts!)... you get my point. The Bible is not populated with cookie cutter people and I see no reason why Christians should expect each other to all be llike each other today. Except that so many of them do!
You do not have to be like the other Christians around you! You have to be the person God wants you to be!
I was in 7th grade when I started ripping up my skin. My fingernails are my tool of choice. Most self injurious behavior is a way of coping with emotional pain - somehow the physical pain quenches the fire of the emotional pain. I got into tearing at my skin (I have some interesting scars!) and you got into pulling out your hair. Both choices are far better than suicide, but what is better still is quenching the fire of the emotional pain.
I strongly urge you to go seek out counseling or therapy. Who diagnosed you as clinically depressed? Go back to them and ask where you can get help. Many, many counselors take on some patients at no pay or on a sliding sacle. Your parents health insurance may cover mental helth care; almost all do these days. If it was a doctor that diagnosed you, ask if they can give you sample medicines. Until you are 18 you will have to have your parents approval for these medicines. Even though you are in a private school, you are still entitled to any services that the school district in which you live provides to students in the public schools. Many now offer professional counseling...
You are made in the image of God. Tell yourself that every single morning. God sent His one and only son to die in your place. (Yes, I know he died for the whole world,) but if you were the one and only person on the planet, he would have died just for you. You are precious in His sight. Tell yourself that all day long. Even if those Christians at school do not like you (and I know that there are teachers who do not like some students - I've been a teacher. I know!) God loves you. and values you.
And so do I!
It sounds to me as if you are living in a world where you just don't fit. It's not that you are not a Christian, but you are just not buying into the brand of Christianity that your school promotes. It's very hard to be an outsider all the time - especially when you are 17, and when you should be in a place where people love and accept you and try and help you grow to become who God intended you to be, not who they want you to be.
Think over the people in the Bible who God A.) loved and B.) used. They lived in palaces and they lived in caves. They wore purple and they wore animal skins. They were bipolar (David sure seems to be bipolar to me), they were prostitutes, they were virgins, they had terrible tempers (Samson) they listened to the still, small voice of God (Elijah, Samuel) they were rulers, and they were prisoners (Joseph on both counts!)... you get my point. The Bible is not populated with cookie cutter people and I see no reason why Christians should expect each other to all be llike each other today. Except that so many of them do!
You do not have to be like the other Christians around you! You have to be the person God wants you to be!
I was in 7th grade when I started ripping up my skin. My fingernails are my tool of choice. Most self injurious behavior is a way of coping with emotional pain - somehow the physical pain quenches the fire of the emotional pain. I got into tearing at my skin (I have some interesting scars!) and you got into pulling out your hair. Both choices are far better than suicide, but what is better still is quenching the fire of the emotional pain.
I strongly urge you to go seek out counseling or therapy. Who diagnosed you as clinically depressed? Go back to them and ask where you can get help. Many, many counselors take on some patients at no pay or on a sliding sacle. Your parents health insurance may cover mental helth care; almost all do these days. If it was a doctor that diagnosed you, ask if they can give you sample medicines. Until you are 18 you will have to have your parents approval for these medicines. Even though you are in a private school, you are still entitled to any services that the school district in which you live provides to students in the public schools. Many now offer professional counseling...
You are made in the image of God. Tell yourself that every single morning. God sent His one and only son to die in your place. (Yes, I know he died for the whole world,) but if you were the one and only person on the planet, he would have died just for you. You are precious in His sight. Tell yourself that all day long. Even if those Christians at school do not like you (and I know that there are teachers who do not like some students - I've been a teacher. I know!) God loves you. and values you.
And so do I!
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My Little Sister AG:
My thoughts seem to be mine and I seem to be the only one who chooses what to think and what not. But, in fact, unless I am in Christ, my thoughts are not quite mine.
A cigarette addict does not want to smoke much of the time. But there is another thought that tells him to smoke every once in a while. When the two thoughts are in conflict, the smoking thought wins.
Self-infliction is just like smoking. No one is born with the thought of hurting himself. But as he gets into bad habits, the thought of self-infliction gets stronger. When the two thoughts are in conflict, self-infliction wins.
The thought of self-infliction came from the Thief. It was put in you by the Thief. It didn't come from God.
God and Jesus are the only ones who can remove the thought from you. It would be so easy for Jesus to remove the thought. But you will have to let Jesus do that for you.
You need to give all your thoughts to Jesus. Not that you count all your thoughts and give them to Jesus one by one. It is a blanket statement of determination. Healing starts there.
Sister AG:
I sincerely hope you to have an adult who will teach you the words of God, and pray with and for you. But even if you don't have anyone, still you can be healed by God. God is greater than all the barriers. We can help you online to a certain extent.
But we are many. We will give you different directions. One may say depression is physical (brain chemical imbalance) and has to be medically treated. Another may completely ignore physical and see it as spiritual. Still another may go the middle. That is the risk of getting online help.
Counselors can help you. Medical doctors can help you. But none can heal you or determine your mind for you. Only God can heal you. Only you can make a determination.
Depression is the result of many unhealthy thoughts. That is why you need to give all your thoughts to Jesus and take his words as your guide. It is a commitment. It is a determination.
I know a girl of your age who was tired of obsession. After many medical treatments she finally made a decision to seek God and be healed, or not live with obsession. She sought God with determination and was healed.
There will be failures, many failures. But the Lord will help you. The process of healing is going to be lengthy. It takes more than a few prayers. It takes more than reading a few chapters of the Bible. It takes all your heart (not all your time).
You said you asked God to heal you but he did not. That is a good start. Healing takes more than a few askings. You need to give God enough time to remove many unhealthy thoughts from you and put godly thoughts in you. It is a changeover. It is getting closer to Jesus. It is living a life worthy of his blood, his cross, and his resurrection. It is living a life of grace.
Each time unhealthy thoughts try to overcome you, you must resist. You must kneel and pray to Jesus to help you. You must open the Bible and read the words of God. Aloud, if you can. You must do your best. If you fail, rise again.
Pray about it. And if you are still determined to be healed of depression, please let us know. We will start to pray for you and encourage you and comfort you.
Rupert
My thoughts seem to be mine and I seem to be the only one who chooses what to think and what not. But, in fact, unless I am in Christ, my thoughts are not quite mine.
A cigarette addict does not want to smoke much of the time. But there is another thought that tells him to smoke every once in a while. When the two thoughts are in conflict, the smoking thought wins.
Self-infliction is just like smoking. No one is born with the thought of hurting himself. But as he gets into bad habits, the thought of self-infliction gets stronger. When the two thoughts are in conflict, self-infliction wins.
The thought of self-infliction came from the Thief. It was put in you by the Thief. It didn't come from God.
God and Jesus are the only ones who can remove the thought from you. It would be so easy for Jesus to remove the thought. But you will have to let Jesus do that for you.
You need to give all your thoughts to Jesus. Not that you count all your thoughts and give them to Jesus one by one. It is a blanket statement of determination. Healing starts there.
Sister AG:
I sincerely hope you to have an adult who will teach you the words of God, and pray with and for you. But even if you don't have anyone, still you can be healed by God. God is greater than all the barriers. We can help you online to a certain extent.
But we are many. We will give you different directions. One may say depression is physical (brain chemical imbalance) and has to be medically treated. Another may completely ignore physical and see it as spiritual. Still another may go the middle. That is the risk of getting online help.
Counselors can help you. Medical doctors can help you. But none can heal you or determine your mind for you. Only God can heal you. Only you can make a determination.
Depression is the result of many unhealthy thoughts. That is why you need to give all your thoughts to Jesus and take his words as your guide. It is a commitment. It is a determination.
I know a girl of your age who was tired of obsession. After many medical treatments she finally made a decision to seek God and be healed, or not live with obsession. She sought God with determination and was healed.
There will be failures, many failures. But the Lord will help you. The process of healing is going to be lengthy. It takes more than a few prayers. It takes more than reading a few chapters of the Bible. It takes all your heart (not all your time).
You said you asked God to heal you but he did not. That is a good start. Healing takes more than a few askings. You need to give God enough time to remove many unhealthy thoughts from you and put godly thoughts in you. It is a changeover. It is getting closer to Jesus. It is living a life worthy of his blood, his cross, and his resurrection. It is living a life of grace.
Each time unhealthy thoughts try to overcome you, you must resist. You must kneel and pray to Jesus to help you. You must open the Bible and read the words of God. Aloud, if you can. You must do your best. If you fail, rise again.
Pray about it. And if you are still determined to be healed of depression, please let us know. We will start to pray for you and encourage you and comfort you.
Rupert
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"Each time unhealthy thoughts try to overcome you, you must resist. You must kneel and pray to Jesus to help you. You must open the Bible and read the words of God. Aloud, if you can. You must do your best. If you fail, rise again."
This is great advice.
For some and not everyone this is enough. That is part of the solution however if one is at a certain point where nothing is helping, it's time for the meds. It's just a fact. If your body is beyond the point where anything will work or you are so far down you can't get back up even praying 24/7.
I have seen many people like that and it's not b/c of a lack of faith or anything. The prayer may work for you but if for some reason it is in the cards for you to go through this pain for some reason, then you will need the meds to correct a literal "physical" problem of which you have no control.
Once you re-gain control, you must work toward a solve and stay in closer prayer with the Lord than b4 and you will get through it. I know that God led me to the help I needed. Be careful not to think it is God vs medicine. There are some out there that won't take an insulin shot because of the God vs attitude (not that anyone was suggesting that). Make the God + attitiude.
This is great advice.
For some and not everyone this is enough. That is part of the solution however if one is at a certain point where nothing is helping, it's time for the meds. It's just a fact. If your body is beyond the point where anything will work or you are so far down you can't get back up even praying 24/7.
I have seen many people like that and it's not b/c of a lack of faith or anything. The prayer may work for you but if for some reason it is in the cards for you to go through this pain for some reason, then you will need the meds to correct a literal "physical" problem of which you have no control.
Once you re-gain control, you must work toward a solve and stay in closer prayer with the Lord than b4 and you will get through it. I know that God led me to the help I needed. Be careful not to think it is God vs medicine. There are some out there that won't take an insulin shot because of the God vs attitude (not that anyone was suggesting that). Make the God + attitiude.
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Thanks, guys. But...I'm scared. I did go to a psychologist for a while for the depression, but it got to be too expensive. I simply couldn't bring myself to talk to him about the other problem - the hair-pulling. I don't think I can find it within myself to talk face-to-face about it with anyone. Ever since I figured out how to cover it up, I've hidden it from everyone to the point where I refuse to swim, have sleepovers, or do anything else that involves being seen without makeup. Maybe that doctor WAS God's answer to prayer, and I blew it....
And I'm scared to trust God again. There have been so many times when I thought, "This is it. It's over. He finally helped me through," but it always comes back. It seems like just when I think it's gone and start thanking Him, it comes back to haunt me.
By the way...thanks for your input and advice...you guys have no idea how much it means to me just to know someone else cares and is willing to help!
And I'm scared to trust God again. There have been so many times when I thought, "This is it. It's over. He finally helped me through," but it always comes back. It seems like just when I think it's gone and start thanking Him, it comes back to haunt me.
By the way...thanks for your input and advice...you guys have no idea how much it means to me just to know someone else cares and is willing to help!
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Confused and alone
Regular Member
speaking from some experince with returning problems myself. When you think its finally over and been beaten is what exactly what Satan is waiting for. He wants to get comfortable about being over a problem and start moving it to the back of your mind so he can restart it so to speak.
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Academy Girl said:I have no one I would feel comfortable talking to. I go to a Christian academy that is a ministry of my church, and it's the same people leading both the church and school. They don't like me. They suspended me twice and almost expelled me. Despite the fact that they've known me since birth and have practically raised me, I don't get along with them.
I can't go to a psychologist because money doesn't grow on trees and private school is expensive. Ditto with the medication. Plus, doesn't medication come with a list of horrible side effects?!
Dear AG ,
Were you suspended and almost expelled , because people there don't like you ?
Or did you do , or fail to do something which broke the rules ?
wm
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So...what do I do? I mean, I try so hard to stop it...I really do. And there is that verse about no temptation beign to great for us to handle, and we'll always have a way of escape. But every time, I fail. And it's ruining my life! I don't even know if it's worth tryign again, without meds and stuff...could be years before that would be an option!
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Academy Girl said:
The Lord Jesus is our One and Only Saviour .
If our prayers and requests seem to go unanswered , there really is no one else who can take His Place .
Keep praying and seeking and searching your heart for insight and understanding of what might be hindering your prayers .
The problem might not be in you , but often there is something amiss in us , that if recognized and confessed and forsaken will help greatly in our drawing close to God through Christ , where our thoughts and prayers will be heard and recognizably answered .
wm
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Academy Girl said:
You might look into finding a wig that fits you well , and then shave your head .
Have you tried or considered that possibility ?
wm
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Well...okay, so they hate me BECAUSE of that incident. Those two incidents, really. But it was nothing horrible! And they have no sense of humor! Nevertheless, I simply cannot turn to them for help at this point. I know they would try to help me, but things are just too weird. They treat me differently now. And I have a hard time turning to people who made my life miserable and asking them for help and support. They're the cause of the cuts on my wrists!
wayfaring man said:
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