How Can God Help You Through Depression?

What is Depression?

According to the World Health Organization

"Depressive disorder, or depression, is a common mental health condition that can happen to anyone. It is characterized by a low mood or loss of pleasure or interest in activities for long periods of time.

This is different from regular mood changes and feelings about everyday life."

I was diagnosed with depression when I was thirty-one, about a year after my son was born.  My moods were all over the place, I was constantly stressed, and I could fly off the handle at the slightest thing.  I was miserable and made other miserable.  I finally sought help from my doctor after two coworkers approached me. I was prescribed medication and I still take medication to this day.

While doing research for this post, I found a great article from Faith in Recovery about scripture for depression.  I have linked to the article the resources at the bottom of this post. The article talks about how God responds to Elijah and his depression.  Like the loving Father that he is, God comforted Elijah and offered him encouragement during a fragile time when Elijah felt isolated and alone.

The article provides examples from Psalms 38, 42, and 43 where people are experiencing continuous mourning and overall disturbance and despair in their souls. As with Elijah, God offers compassionate help.

If you are suffering from depression, I encourage you to seek help from your doctor or another licensed medical professional.  There is no shame in taking medication to manage depression.  Your doctor might also suggest therapy or counseling in addition to or instead of medication.  I have gone to counseling at different points in my life and I found having a neutral party to talk with was extremely beneficial.

Resources:

World Health Organization

Faith in Recovery

Ryan Robinson Blogging Tools

Freepix