Loneliness and depression discussion thread

[teresa]

Welcome all whom have ever felt depressed as well as lonely. Lets talk.

Share stories and struggles, as well as recovery help regarding these concerns

 

[Amazing Horse]

When im sad i just look at this guy <---- and think that when everybody gets thier horse in heaven , mine will look just amazing this as one .

Also this song make sad things go away .

 

[sometimesthewolf]

Yep. I live with chronic depression - 17 years now. Major anxiety as well. My neurological circuits are fried and I'm pretty sure I have brain damage from the chronic stress and depression (one's hippocampus shrivels which creates issues with focus, memory, and emotional impulse). I cope by reading aphorisms and numbing my brain with media.

I need a long stint at a monastery/convent (?)/retreat.

 

[Amazing Horse]

Yep. I live with chronic depression - 17 years now. Major anxiety as well. My neurological circuits are fried and I'm pretty sure I have brain damage from the chronic stress and depression (one's hippocampus shrivels which creates issues with focus, memory, and emotional impulse). I cope by reading aphorisms and numbing my brain with media.

I need a long stint at a monastery/convent (?)/retreat.

Maybe you just need God to heal your depression . It's much easier to live when you know that you will not die .

 

[Tolworth John]

Welcome all whom have ever felt depressed as well as lonely. Lets talk.

Share stories and struggles, as well as recovery help regarding these concerns

While this forum is a good idea, a better one is to ask your church to advertise a 'fellowship' group for thos who have or have had mental illness and to meet together for tea/coffee, a buiscuit and to talk together.

Online encouragement and support is good, but its better if you can see and touch the person whose told of there struggle with depression etc and to be able to wave/shake their hand every sunday, knowing you are supporting them in prayer and they are supporting you.

 

[sometimesthewolf]

Maybe you just need God to heal your depression . It's much easier to live when you know that you will not die .

Maybe. If that's possible. A lot of the depression is existential, though. Kind of a natural reaction to viewing the conditions of the world around me.

 

[Amazing Horse]

Maybe. If that's possible. A lot of the depression is existential, though. Kind of a natural reaction to viewing the conditions of the world around me.

Give Jesus a try what can you lose , maybe it will work , you don't have to go to church or do any works it's free gift 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 then you are saved forever Ephesians 1:13-14 God will slowly heal you , i myself was in situation that half year ago i would not go out of house for 50-100 days straight , would just order groceries , work through internet and was scared to leave my house , and it's all gone , i even stopped eating my fingernails which i was since i was kid till 22 year old without thinking about it . I just become not stressed anymore .

 

[.Mikha'el.]

I struggle with loneliness a lot. I hate it, because spending time with family does nothing for me. As for friends, well trying to make any is impossible. I feel stifled by the fact I'm still with my parents and don't own a vehicle, and also have no real place to meet any. My church is too big, and I try to separate work life from everything else because work should be primarily about work, and socializing with coworkers is definitely a secondary priority. As for a relationship, I want that more than anything, but also don't feel like I'm in position for one right now. What's really irksome is that copout answer of "just spend more time with God". It really doesn't help, and I actually find it insulting.

 

[teresa]

@.Mikha'el. have you tried walking outside in the parks? Beach? There are lots of people milling about that you could strike up a conversation with there.

Do you have a dog you could take walking outside in the parks/beach and meet people who also have dogs or want to pet yours and talk?

Also, joining a non-online volunteer group you could possibly meet a lot of really nice people.

There are lots of nature groups here in the states, like the Sierra Club among many others.

What do you have over there?

 

[salt-n-light]

I feel as I am walking with God more, I'm finding myself being more distant to my close non-believing friends.Some of the stuff i use to be into, or neediness I use to be in needing to talk to them about is fading. The shows i use to be into, music i use to listen, or topics i use to talk about, i have no interest in engaging in it.It feels very lonely. I don't have much people my age group to talk to at church, and I wish I had people I can talk to about Christ, as in text, or get encouragement. It really does feel lonely.

 

[MishaMarie]

Welcome all whom have ever felt depressed as well as lonely. Lets talk.

Share stories and struggles, as well as recovery help regarding these concerns

Yep, clinically depressed and feeling isolated. I have major depression, seasonal depression, and disphoria. Totally sucks.

 

[Celticroots]

I have chronic depression and anxiety. I find talking to God only helps so much because I go over the same things or I have nothing particular to talk about.

 

[Jeshu]

i used to be really really lonely. even when my wife and family were home and felt cut off and not part of the whole, a black sheep even. yet now that i have let Christ's light into my darkness His loving truth has taken my loneliness completely away. i like being alone now it helps me to organise my thoughts and direct my prayers. Especially the long nights have become more of a blessings than a curse.

 

[Celticroots]

Loneliness and depression feed off of each other. Sometimes it takes a complete change of circumstance to help with loneliness. I joined events, talked with others, yet still felt horribly lonely. I did this as much as I could, but after seeing nothing improve after months, even years, the depression got worse. For the sake of my own health I just stopped going to social events even Christian ones.

Other times it's getting the depression taken care of. For some it's something they deal with till they day they die, even for the strongest of Christians who talk with God, get into the Word everyday, etc.

I am glad you no longer experience it. I think we'd all want to get to that place.

I now have a few friends but still feel very lonely at times.

 

[Jeshu]

Loneliness and depression feed off of each other. Sometimes it takes a complete change of circumstance to help with loneliness. I joined events, talked with others, yet still felt horribly lonely. I did this as much as I could, but after seeing nothing improve after months, even years, the depression got worse. For the sake of my own health I just stopped going to social events even Christian ones.

Other times it's getting the depression taken care of. For some it's something they deal with till they day they die, even for the strongest of Christians who talk with God, get into the Word everyday, etc.

I am glad you no longer experience it. I think we'd all want to get to that place.

I now have a few friends but still feel very lonely at times.

Have you let Jesus into your darkness then? For that is how He got me away from it. When i realised how much He was hurting me on the cross of His Daily reality. Then i understood how much love He had for me, and then after the fear and anger had gone i could let my hurt out and share that with Him. And then thankful love for His grace over me began to lift me away from my depression. it was a 10 year process so it didn't happen over night. Yet letting myself be crucified beside Jesus is what brought me new life in the end. not some miracle cure but hard work where i had to change my daily reality by changing my thinking form negative to positive in Him.


Peace

I wrote a poem about this see what you think.

Forsaking The Pit.
As I climb over the rim, I clearly see,
Involuntary I shudder the sight in me,
Down without a bottom the pit below,
Yes this fiery hole within me on show!

Hear voices of darkness pressing hard on must.
Those 'speaking guilt, shame, unbelief, and distrust,
All together pushing, yes, pressing me deep,
Resisting my climb to the top so steep.

See those guilty feelings still tug my feet,
I can feel flames searing, my toes they meet!
Electrifying my soul, no mercy on show.
Why ever did I take this hell-hole in tow?

Above me the Light, Jesus, the Truth so high!
How long before I will meet up with Him in the sky?
He knows I will come after Him without a doubt,
As true nourishing goodness He is all about.

My bloodied fingers scraped by rock,
For how many years did they mock?
Those hard places within my very being,
Those fiery stones of my own seeing!

I climbed after the Light right above me,
The only truth that truly leaves me be,
Never will I stop seeking after The Light.
As Jesus Christ is my very soul's delight!

Soon the 'resting place' of my enemy,
Bottomless pit shall forever be!
For the ones without Love or Grace.
Those who with their lies made this place.

 

[alsughasoughaiuyfygh]

.

 

[WilliamBo]

I was diagnosed with Aspergers... in fact, I scored VERY, VERY high on the testing, beyond aspergers levels, into the full blown autistic levels.... but God is taking care of it. God can take care of aspergers just like anything else....

 

[MishaMarie]

I have a whole list of disorders that can create boundaries between me and other people. The combined effect of my disabilities makes me look very much like a high functioning autistic and, in fact, I was once thought to be. You're not alone in your viewpoint. I wish it were easier for people to embrace what is foreign to them and see value in the uniqueness of everyone.

 

[teresa]

@Jeshu I love your imagery in your new poem. I can see you climbing out of the deep hole, your hands clenching the rocks as you work so hard to get up and out

there are dark forces trying to push you back down

so can relate to this struggle to keep pushing forwards, whole darkness tries to keep pushing you back

the pit is a scary place

so alone down there I can be

seems a constant, daily struggle at times

thank you for writing this and sharing it

 

[teresa]

unwittingly, some of my loneliness was abated today, when I went to minister to a homeless woman in my area..

its helping me to stop the victim mentality and to develop a survivor mentality instead

helping other women to see their own strength and helping them up, makes me feel stronger myself

got my mind off myself and onto her needs

it was fun to hang out with her and to hear her tell me more about her story

My take-away lesson today was: I may feel sad, angry, depressed and confused today, but I will not always feel this way. Things will get better.