Dealing With Depression
Depression is different from feeling down or sad. It is a common mental disorder that causes one to be in a state of low mood and aversion to activity. This condition can affect a person's thoughts, behaviour, feelings, and sense of well being. Approximately 1 in 4 people in the UK will experience a mental health problem each year. In England, it is recorded that 1 in 6 people report experiencing a common mental health problem (such as anxiety and depression) in any given week.
I knew a lady who said a part of her died when her mother passed away and from that day she lost interest in living. She became recluse, slept all day; she stopped taking care of herself, stayed away from friends and family. It was painful for her loved ones to see her suffer from depression; they observed her interest in activities diminish over some time. Thankfully, they got her help.
Everybody finds himself or herself in a depressed state when things don’t go their way. When you get caught by a speed camera, missed your train, failed a test etc. Some people might find it difficult to face certain life challenges like going through a bereavement, separation, divorce, losing your child to a religious or cult-like organization, rape, or been robbed of your life’s earnings. These situations can lead to an overwhelming sense of sadness. If this great sadness mixed with various emotions go on for months, it can be seen as a sign of depression. However, if this feelings stay on for months or years and are mixed with the feelings of helplessness, then it can be regarded as clinical depression.
Symptoms of Depression
Having a feeling of sadness, irritable, marked anxiety
Spontaneous weeping
Feeling fatigue
Sleep disturbance
Weight loss
Loss of interests in hobbies, inactivity and impaired concentration.
Ways to help yourself
Set priorities for your life by having small goals. If a task seems too difficult, do not despair. Break the task down into even easier steps and start again more slowly.
Plan daily activities, it is helpful if you make a list of activities you are going to engage in at different times during the day.
Stop comparing your feelings, the way you are behaving or feeling while you are depressed, compared with the way you used to behave or feel before becoming depressed.
Give yourself credit for your achievements. Reward yourself for any of your efforts. Stay with supportive people and encourage your friends to support you.
Recovering from depression takes time, don’t rush towards getting better or comparing your good and bad days wishing for desperate change, instead take one step at a time.
Reduce the number of stressors, doing less running up and down, overloading your day with too many activities.
Ask yourself how important a problem will seem in five years time. Is it a life or death matter? Few things are important enough to lose sleep over.
Find a solution to the most pressing area of stress. This might mean changing location, jobs, friends or applying for a transfer, or walking away.
Ask for help.
I look forward to hearing your thoughts on dealing with depression. Have a nice day
Pass the "Love Test".
We know that we have passed from death unto
Life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not is brother abideth in death (1john3:14).
It reveals to us the" love Test"
This is how we know we've passed from death unto life. Not because we can perform miracles, prophesy, speak in tongues, help the depressed, its because we love the brethren.
As a Christian ,you must make the uncompromising choice to walk in love always and pass the love Test. Decide that there'll never be anybody anywhere that you will begrudge, dislike or be bitter against.
It doesn't matter the extent of hatred and animosity you experience from those around you, you have the obligations as a Christian to love and not hate.
Consider Jesus , he passed the love Test.
Stephen also passed the love Test. That's love. Even at point of death ,he didn't ask God to avenge him or punish his accusers, he prayed that God would forgive them
Have you passed the love Test?
Can you look into your life and confidently say you hold nothing against anyone?
Can you love even the most difficult of people in the most difficult of circumstances?
It's time to make that choice today,because you can!
The Bible says the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy ghost (Roms5:5)
It's time to forgive those who have wronged you,and choose to love them.
Make up your mind to walk in love today.
Pastor the ball is in your court ,
Can you pass the love Test?????????????????.
In your last post you are very correct.
But on a deeper thought , if they don't cut the tree ,how can they get toiletries, papers, chairs.
Secondly if man did not kill Jesus ,how could we have been saved?
Thirdly if humans don't offend others how can they be forgiveness?.
This only implies that we can not be disadvantaged
No matter how we must have been mistreated or cut as a tree.
Love is unconditional.
This is 2019 ,pastor can you pass the love test?????.
A lot of people who have lost loved ones feel depressed! This is the reality, even in the body of Christ. The difference is that people choose to ignore it and possibly call it sadness. Your article clearly states this isn't sadness and that is the plain truth. Thank you for not ignoring this topic, and thank you for addressing it, because the body of Christ needs to read and hear it.
Much appreciated.
To God be the glory