Is Depression Caused By Demons?

[SoulSinging247]

I don't know the honest answer to this question. I've had groups and people show me evidence that it is...and I've also been shown evidence that it's not. I just don't know.

I'm curious as to whether anyone else here has been told that they "had demons" and that was why they had depression. This is what was told to me - I partly believe it and always question it.

Gah - this point could be so much longer. I'm just opening up the topic because it is such a close one to my heart. Is depression caused by demons? If it is...I maintain that that doesn't make the person in any way a bad or evil person! This has just been such a confusing topic for me...

 

[emily_elizabeth]

I've been told that too...and that if I pray, my depression will lift, my anxiety will be gone, I'll be fine.

Doesn't work. The Lord comforts me and is with me, but I have an illness. Severe depression is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain, not demons.

 

[Dianna_Child of God]

No it is not by demons. Because we children on God, does not mean we have an easy life. Some have chemical imbalances, so have had things happen in their lives that cause it, sometime it is a situation that is causes. Lots of causes. When we get depressed Satan loves it. He figures it is a great time to get us even more daily. Hold on to His word.

 

[plumsink]

Depression is not caused by demons. There is the biochemistry of it all of course, some people are born with a predisposition to depression, but also sometimes depression is a sane response to a bad situation. Jesus said that those who mourn are blessed; Jesus also cried. Isaiah said that the suffering servant was "a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief". Hebrews 5 refers to Jesus weeping greatly because of his impending crucifixion, and there are two overt public occasions when Jesus wept: once when he went to Lazarus' tomb, and once when he was weeping over Jerusalem.

Don't let anyone tell you that Depression is a result of a lack of faith. Faith requires no effort when it is not accompanied by trials, but when you have faith despite terrible trials, that is really faith. I have seen a lot of faith here in this forum.

Generally, "attack by demons" is a poor explanation for just about anything. Once you allow that explanation to take root, you wind up blaming them for everything. It's a road that leads to paranoia: God does not want us to have a spirit of conspiracy and fear but a spirit of love and peace.

 

[AmberNikki80]

I do not think it's caused by demons at all. Just wanted to drop in and tell you what has helped me! 5-HTP! It is amazing and has given me back hope! You can find it pretty much anywhere. Good luck everyone!

 

[Kelly J]

Jesus

 

[SoulSinging247]

Guess I will share just a tiny bit of my journey...

I struggled with depression for YEARS. I mean wound up in the ER b/c of suicide attempts struggled. Well, a few years back, I learned about demons for the first time. I had demons supposedly cast out of me - they "came back." I cast them out myself - they "came back." I was on medication, but it didn't work. I tried 13 different medications, and none of them worked.

Faith was sort of my last resort. I know that's not how it's supposed to be, but it was. And at first, that didn't work either. I don't think that the people who introduced me to what demons are were really the right people to hang around - I think they were more dead set on controlling me than they were on helping me. I left that group still battling mental illness... and I joined my church. I got rebaptized, I began working for a Christian bookstore, and I stopped taking medication and started trying to accomplish small goals in my life...and THEN I learned about the power of forgiveness.

I don't know when my depression left, but I do know why - it left because of my forgiving people I was holding offenses against. I don't know quite how it works - I honestly couldn't pinpoint a day when I woke and was like "wow my depression is gone"... I just remember that a couple of years ago, I thought about it and was like "for the first time ever, I don't want to die..." and that was a big deal.

I worry about my depression coming back - and I wonder about demons because that group introduced me to a whole new level of faith. Even though they weren't really the right church or group of people for me to be around, they opened my eyes to things BEYOND what I'd ever learned about spirituality and Christianity.

 

[Angeldove97]

I would be extremely careful of telling someone they must be possessed with demons if they have depression. Too many Christian groups jump on that bandwagon and it can have some very dangerous consequences~ the biggest being that the person with clinical depression doesn't get the proper help and might end up harming themselves.

Is it possible? I'd have to say yes its possible. Is it probable? Probably not. I went to a workshop that had a Vatican trained Exorcist priest and he said 95% of the time the person simple needs the assistance of a medical person or a priest for spiritual needs. That 5% is when he needs to step in and take care of spiritual issues that are more difficult than an average priest can deal with.

If you a person who is dealing with depression, please seek out medical help first and then a pastor or priest for spiritual guidance. (Not pointed to anybody in the thread, I'm just saying) For me, I'd want to make sure its not something medically wrong with my body before assume its the less likely issue of something spiritual going on. (And yes I am someone who believes in spirits~ good and evil~ and how they are apart of our lives)

 

[Kelly J]

You know the Truth: And He has set you free.

 

[hope_is_last_to_die]

lots of reasons why people are depressed. demons do oppress people and Im sure that sort of attack can make a person feel depressed. everyone individually needs to get to root cause of their depression. need good professional help and need to beware of wannabe amateur docs!

 

[Criada]

Menatl illness is like physical illness - there are a variety of causes, and a variety of ways of treating them.
Depression is no more caused by demons than is diabetes, cancer, arthritis, or any other illness. God can heal us of any illness, mental, physical or spiritual - and he has given us medicaine and doctors to help with that.

I think the cause is physical in the vast majority of cases of depression - and for myself, having had well-meaning Christians casting all manner of things out of me which I don'[t believe were there in the first place, I think that we should be very cautious about suggesting to vulnerable people that they are demonised.
Without a very clear word from God, I'd stick to medical advice and prayer

 

[SteveNZ]

I enjoyed all of these.

firstly I know exactly what you mean. I am epileptic and 'WOW' to many that makes me demon possessed. I have considered the whole metal health topic and my understanding so far is,

1 - We are both physical and spiritual whether we like it or not.
2- Depression generally seems to me to be a chemical based issue BUT spiritual voices/powers speak into our minds which I think, a depressed person is more susceptable.
3- I have felt/seen the equivalent of a spirit of joy and a spirit of depression. So I have no doubt there are things out there.
4- I loved the testimony on forgiving folk. Things like holding grudges and unforgiveness really make life miserable chemically/spiritually because God made our bodies like that. Even fear can cause physical/mental hassles. So these are all important keys.

Frankly our Lord cares for us and wants to train us up, heal us of whatever and have us be who he wants us to be. For depression it is simply a different path to healing and growing but still a path our shepherd leads us along.

NOTE - I had had a wise Christian Dr who even advised that he/she (want to keep the person anonymmous) considered all evidence, prayed about things and humbly advised myself to consider certain 'spiritual issues' as these seemed to be important. And there was a group, not unlike a retreat/monastic centre where wise old folk could assist/pray.

 

[Javanwarbler]

Ive heard and talked with different people about depression being demon caused. I went through the Cleansing Stream study where at the 2-day conference people prayed for me personally, and then tried casting out demons specifically of fear and extreme self hatred through Cleansing Stream (there are different things specific for different people).
Even though I had that scare at the conference, lot's of people get true life changing healing that they've never been able to have before. It's pretty amazing and I'm going to go through it again with hopefully getting myself out of the way. I feel I resisted God letting the changes happen the last time.

Yet now, because of the casting out situation with anger, fear, and self hatred, I feel I've lived in more fear, anger and self hatred since then and i've lived in terror basically that the verse in the Bible about if are demons cast out but then find the house swept clean, they come back 7 times worse or with demons much worse then the original ones were, is true about me. God I hope I'm wrong!!!!! Luke 11:25 and Matthew 12:44.

 

[hope_is_last_to_die]

Menatl illness is like physical illness - there are a variety of causes, and a variety of ways of treating them.
Depression is no more caused by demons than is diabetes, cancer, arthritis, or any other illness. God can heal us of any illness, mental, physical or spiritual - and he has given us medicaine and doctors to help with that.

I think the cause is physical in the vast majority of cases of depression - and for myself, having had well-meaning Christians casting all manner of things out of me which I don'[t believe were there in the first place, I think that we should be very cautious about suggesting to vulnerable people that they are demonised.
Without a very clear word from God, I'd stick to medical advice and prayer

well said, did you get the deliverance ministry in the UK and if yes can you say who did it?

 

[derek W L]

i see it as the Disobeyed god fall, the woman decides to eat the fruit. She then gives the fruit to the man, who eats also and the eyes of the two of them were opened not just Aware of their nakedness but fear death Depression greed and pain and so on , we are all related to their error

 

[derek W L]

i do believe in Demon possession Ive experienced it

 

[Chococat]

While I think demons can sometimes cause problems I don't think that is always the case though no doubt Satan and his demons will do their best to take advantage of a bad situation in order to make things worse. I would say if the depressed person has a history of occultism than the depression could be caused by demons as dabbling in the occult can open a person up to contact with malevolent spirit beings. Also I understand that if demons are cast out of a person they can return only if the person does not walk close to the Lord or goes back to their old ways. While demons do exist and can do a lot of harm I think some Christians especially in the charismatic movement can become obsessed with them which is not good as the Bible tells us to keep our eyes on Jesus not Satan.

 

[Tempura]

Short answer: no. NO.

Long answer: I can't say I know for 100% sure, but NO.

Longer answer. No. And if it is, which it isn't, I don't mind. Try me, demons! Set me on fire or something, this is too slow and it's making you evil demons look like morons.

No need to debate, I won't check out this thread again.

 

[someguy14]

All wickedness came from satan, and satan is a demon, fallen angel.

1 Corinthians 13:6
Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

Iniquity = wickedness = lies.

Romans 12:21
Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

 

[srjoanna]

No, its not caused by demons, but the evil one surely does take advantage of it. For example, he might send thoughts, that I would never have thought of if I wasn't depressed..
Just my view on the matter..