Depression in the Bible - 1331 Words

Depression is defined as, â€Å"a mood disorder marked especially by sadness, inactivity, difficulty with thinking and concentration, a significant increase or decrease in appetite and time spent sleeping, feelings of dejection and hopelessness, and sometimes suicidal thoughts or an attempt to commit suicide† (Merriam Webster). A close friend of mine battles depression and would describe it is, â€Å"a debilitating mood that makes it hard to get out of the bed in the morning, a desire to sleep all the time, inability to experience joy, and apathy towards life.† Due to its prevalent occurrence among several people groups throughout history, depression is known as the â€Å"common cold of mental illnesses† and has been called â€Å"the most widespread, serious,†¦show more content†¦Another imbalance that often causes biological depression is amine imbalance. Amines are the neurotransmitters that float in the synapse between two nerve cells in the brain (S mith 3). The key amines are serotonin and norepinephrine. When there is a decrease in the levels of these neurotransmitters, depression often occurs. Biological depression is as common among Christians just as it is common among the general population. However, it often goes undiagnosed due to dissenting views held by many Christians regarding the causes of depression. Many in the church believe depression is just â€Å"all in the head.† They believe it should be easily cured with a bible verse and slapping on a smile. In most cases, it is just â€Å"all in the head.† Although for someone with biological depression, a cure does not always come so simply. Many Christians adhere to beliefs regarding depression such as: 1. Depression is always the result of unconfessed sin. 2. Depression is always the result of lack of faith in God. 3. Depression can always be removed by spiritual exercises such as prayer and fasting. 4. Depression can be removed by making a choice to be happy (Smith 5). It is crucial for pastors to realize that sometimes a depressed person is suffering from an actual medical imbalance and needs to be treated as such. â€Å"It is abundantly clear from current research that certain kinds of depression have important biological roots and can be substantially relievedShow MoreRelatedEssay on Health Grief1546 Words   |  7 Pagesare responses that many people may go through, but there is not a typical response to loss as there is no typical loss and everyone grieves differently (helpguide.org). The five stages of grief are denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. The story of Job in the Bible is an example that displays all the stages of grief set forth by Kubler-Ross’s grief model. Job was a Christian man who followed the path of God’s will in His life. Kubler-Ross was not a Christian, and formulated the griefRead MoreAnxiety And Anxiety Of Anxiety1207 Words   |  5 Pagesanxiety may be? 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