The General Mental Health Forum is now a Read Only Forum. As we had two large areas making it difficult for many to find, we decided to combine the Mental Health & the Recovery sections of the forum into Mental Health & Recovery as a whole. Physical Health still remains as it's own area within the entire Recovery area.
If you are having struggles, need support in a particular area that you aren't finding a specific recovery area forum, you may find the General Struggles forum a great place to post. Any any that is related to emotions, self-esteem, insomnia, anger, relationship dynamics due to mental health and recovery and other issues that don't fit better in another forum would be examples of topics that might go there.
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Kristen.NewCreation and FreeinChrist
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The only strength I have is to cry. I want to give up. I'm tired of trying to figure things out and constantly wrestling within myself about my salvation, about what God is like, does he care for us does he hear my prayers, where is he, where was he the times I felt hopeless, and even in my compassion toward suffering people it all just reminds me of how painful this world is. Who can I turn to in times of hopelessness? I'm tired I'm not living I'm just surviving
All negative thought's are an enemy of God. Surely you are aware of it. The devil is a failure since attempting to fight against God.
Thank you, your message was very encouraging. I never thought I was at the stage where I was strong enough to deal with this as you gave the analogy of the mother and child. I don't really think I'm spiritually strong because I've always struggled with doubting my salvation and I struggled with doubting God's love and compassion. I'm very weak spiritually
Thank You for your message it was very encouraging and insightful it gave me hope
I'm very weak spiritually
Thank you, your message was very encouraging. I never thought I was at the stage where I was strong enough to deal with this as you gave the analogy of the mother and child. I don't really think I'm spiritually strong because I've always struggled with doubting my salvation and I struggled with doubting God's love and compassion. I'm very weak spiritually
Thank You for your message it was very encouraging and insightful it gave me hope
Today I've decided to give up. 3 years ago when I accepted Jesus as my savior the downward spiral began with doubting my salvation. I have experienced nothing but depression. Then heartache and betrayal and my father's substance abuse issue has beat me down. I have asked To know God as a father but that prayer has not been answered. Through it all I've gotten worst. I was diagnosed and put on medication. It felt like a slap in the face and betrayal. I tried to follow God but depression has won and I have not found God through this. He seems to be helping others in various ways but not me. I thought the devotional book I was studying on distorted images of God and self would help but every ray of hope fades away. I have not grown spiritually over these 3 years. I feel betrayed and abandoned. I asked for salvation but I got depression instead. I'm alone in this and have to figure it out on my own, I should've counted the cost of salvation.
knw1991: I know that you are struggling right now with depression. All I ask is that you not give up. Depression is a clinical condition that is helped by medications, support, cognitive behavioral therapy, and self-work. This is difficult to do, especially when you are depressed, because your brain chemistry is not working properly.
What I did in my own recovery from major depression is I take stock of my symptoms every day. Every day I do this. I look at my behaviors, what I do, what I don't do, and how I can fix it. I want to repeat that it's really difficult to become self-aware due to the chemical imbalance, but it is workable. I promise you that. For less than $20 you can get a cognitive behavioral therapy workbook for depression. I don't know if you have health insurance, but if you don't, I would highly recommend that if you can afford the 20 bucks, I would get one of these manuals. I have several in mind. When I get a chance, I will look at my library and pop off some names for you. Depression is manageable. The problem is, the brain chemistry is difficult to work through. This is the crux. When it comes to being a Christian, don't give up on your faith. Salvation has nothing to do with brain chemistry, or the way you were raised, or what is going on with you and your dad. Christ lifts us up in our darkest moments, even when we don't think he is there, he is. I thought God would just magically cure me of my depression when I was really young, or would somehow make my life more manageable. It doesn't work that way. We have the tools to do the work, we just have to work with the tools. When I was in my most deepest depression, I made extremely small goals for the day, very small steps, like getting out of bed, throwing out the trash, taking a shower. When someone is severely depressed, your motor senses are even slower. So that's when you really truly have to give yourself a break and make small steps in your recovery. This is what I did:
1. Psychiatric evaluation
2. Medication
3. Find a therapist
4. CBT work books
5. Set small workable goals every day
6. Do activities I enjoy even IF I don't want to or don't enjoy them anymore
7. Sunlight and exercise (Both increase the hormone levels in your brain
8. Refrain from any negative or depressing media. (I stopped watching TV, I got rid of abusive friends and family, I quit an abusive job, I stopped watching negative and depressing/violent movies)
This was just my own program of care. You may find you can remedy your symptoms with a few of them. My biggest helper of all was incorporating all of them as I was so ill at the time, but depending on the severity of your symptoms, you can incorporate just a few if you feel you are getting well or see a diminishment in symptoms. My absolute #1 helper in this is being self-aware, being non judgmental, and making small steps in recovery.
Hope this helps.
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