depression

I dont mean to be disrespectful, but I dont agree with a church that would say it is a sin to be depressed. There is more to it - (hormones and chemical imbalances that are not the fault of the sufferer) than someone feeling sorry for themselves.

Depression is a very hard thing to understand, and for any *community* to teach that it is a sin is a disgrace IMHO.

((((((Debbie))))))
It sounds like you are really going through some overwhelming struggles in your mind and I am so sorry for how you fee.
I don't believe depression is sinful. Christians are taught to give our worries to the Lord and pray for His will, but depression is completely different.
I agree with Ivory Rain and believe depression that lasts for a long period of time is caused by a chemical inbalace in the brain.
Have you talked with your doctor about how you feel? We all go to the doctor with other physical problems that we face, and depression is also a physical problem...a chemical imbalance. Please talk to your doctor. He will help you.
I know that it's difficult sometimes to open up and express our thoughts. It's important though, to try!
You will be in my thoughts and prayers.

I haven't read the posts on this thread, but wanted to share part of my experience with depression. I had a five year long bout with depression beginning during a particularly difficult time in my life. After the problem got better the depression did not get better. To make a long story short, it turned out to be a sleep disorder. the doctor kept telling me that my depression was causing the sleep problem when in fact, the sleep problem was causing the depression. After I insisted on going to a sleep disorder clinic and had a multiple sleep latency test, I was diagnosed with the sleep disorder, began taking medicine. The depression went away after a few days and has not come back. That was several years ago.

I know God had a reason for my going through it all, so I share this with those having problems with depression.

Read about David. He certainly had some depression at times. there are so many people that have no clue as to what real depression is like. for me it felt like I was dying a slow death. for those who told me to "just snap out of it" I had to understand that they just had no clue as to what it is like and overlook their comments.

I met a lady on Easter Sunday at the gas station. She self-injured herself and we prayed right there at the gas pump. As I understand it is a coping mechanism, not necessarily a great one. When I was depressed, I didn't care what happened to me, wanted to lie in bed all day and just cry. The doctor would just tick me off giving me another brown bag of medicine samples to take home. I wound up faxing my 20 page medical history to a sleep disorder doctor at UAB in order to get the ball rolling and then told my general doctor to give me a referral. The best thing I ever did. I was so relieved when they told me something was wrong with me causing the depression.

At the time I went through all of it, my pastor's wife was suffering from depression as well so he was very understanding. I'm sorry your church does not understand what clinical depression is and cannot seem to seperate it from your spiritual life. That is their problem not yours, although I know it affects you too.

Just keep praying and asking God to help you through it all. Remember that Jesus knows exactly what you are going through.

Debbi said:

I get depressed alot but my church teaches that it is a sin to be depressed. I can't get help and am really reluctant to ask for prayer. I especially get depressed around the holiday season and sometimes cut or self injure. How can I just snap out of the depression? Listening to christian music don't work real well at times. If I feel like crying, I cry but it is hard to cry sometimes. So I stuff the feelings inside and try to act like I'm alright. Praying and reading the Bible helps some too but the feelings of depression just don't go away. How can I make my mood really swing? Does bipolar people have ways of making thier mood swing if they really tried or does it just swing?

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Debbi,

I do not believe depression is a sin. Look at the story of Eljiah, when he defeated the phrophets of baal. He went and laid under a tree, and wanted to die. He was suffering from depression. What did God do? He sent and angel to minster unto him. He reseted and ate, and then God told him to get up and do soemthing. This is an example for us in our own life.

I suffer with depreesion, so I know how hard it can be. I recommend medical and or couneling help if you have not done so already. Read and study as much as you can about it.

Chareles Stanley has some good teaching on depression, you can get them at www.intouch.org

Precious Debbi! {{{HUG}}}
First of all, Ivory Rain is right, a church that condemns you for depression is not walking in the Love of Jesus. Second, depression can be caused by chemical imbalances. You need to see a doctor if it's too intense.
Third, Jesus understands Debbi. HE knows how awful depression can be and HE wants you to know HE loves you in spite of the depression! HE loves us despite all of our weaknesses.
Stop being hard on yourself and try to forgive your church members. We are all on a road to be more Christ-like, some folks think they have arrived and none of us have arrived, until we die. Your church members may not understand the path you walk. I can relate because most churchy sorts don't understand my path in the least. I've been called the most vitrolic, hateful things by my brothers and sisters, but when I would go to Jesus weeping, He let me know, they are NOT on my path and do not understand. IF they were closer to Him, He would give them enlightenment but most of them don't want to get that close to Jesus. There is some sacrifices to gain this intimacy and some folks just won't go there. *shrug*
Try to forgive your church members. In forgiving them their failings, YOU will be the one to benefit.
If you need people to chat with you have several here on this thread that are wonderful listeners and give great advice.
As to harming yourself, this is born of pain and sorrow that has no outlet. Take your pain and sorrow to Jesus. I'm not talking about reading the Bible, that's good, I'm talking about sitting down and talking with Jesus, one on one, intimately. You can do this silently, out loud, whatever... this is intimate prayer when we get up close and personal with Jesus. HE loves it when we do this. It shows Him we trust Him. This intimate relationship will help you Debbi. Talk with Him about EVERYTHING and ANYTHING.
Precious lamb, we are here too for you to chat with. Just PM any of us that have answered you in this thread. We care about you and the pain you are trying to bear up under. Sometimes we need help letting go of the pain. Don't feel like you are imposing, because you are not. True Christian brothers and sisters are thrilled with the blessing of helping others! It blesses us!
You might be surprised to learn of some of the tribulations we have faced. Hang in there precious lamb!
{{{HUG}}}
~Cyberwing

Debbi said:

But I have over the years been to see counsellors and taken antidepressants. the antidepressants never helped. The counsellor were secular and didn't want to talk about God. I don't need someone to tell me what my problem is, I need answers. I need hope. Counsellors wrote me off as hopeless. I talked to my pastor over the years and he counselled me at times. He did a good job but he has a totally different belief about depression. I can respect that considering I used to go to a church where if I mentioned depression, I would have gotten the devil knocked out of me. So pentecostal churches don'talways keep up with the times. I have a stack of counselling books too and it has helped, too. I just feel withdrawn and don't feel like talking to church people. I feel so alone most of the time even when i'm with people.

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Debbi,

Find a good christian couselor who can help you. If the first one doesn't, then find another. If the antidpresssants don't work find another. Make sure there is no sin in your life, and seek God's will for your life. Read the bible and pray daily. Realized that God loves you, and he needs to be the first love in your life, so make sure you put Him first in your life. Seek Godly advice on depression. The bible says "Seek and ye shall find". Research on the net and anywhere else you can find christain advice about depression. It is not easy and I am sure that you know. It's just take discpline and a lot seeking finding.

Hello Everyone im Kylee from New Zealand..I suffer from Depression too has well has epilepsy..had epilepsy for 6yrs..In the last 2yrs ive been activate has a christian..I know how you all feel. Has sometimes its hard to see the light at the end of the tunnell. I have just recenty had my heart broken well, 3 month anyway..So im struggling with the grieving process. But i know That God is out there. Its hard to move on when u have gone through something like this. Anyway i just wanted to say deprssion is not a sin its a chemical embalance and lots today suffer from it, and its nothing to be ashamed of. Even david and job suffered badly in the bible Anyway God bless for now Blessings Kylee