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The desperation of depression
Never, ever do I want to go back to how I felt when I had the deepest, darkest depression one can suffer from. So what is the best way to proceed? To know oneself. For me I need to get outside and walk in my wilderness for at least half an hour, often for an hour or more 3-4 times per week. The sunlight plays a huge part in our health as we need the emission of the sun’s rays onto the surface of our skin. This process produces Vitamin D which helps in the development of strong bones and also with a sense of general well being or positive thought processes. I visit my GP once annually to have bloodwork collected to ascertain Vitamin D levels as they play a huge part in our physical and mental health. I have come to realize that my levels were lower than what is recommended due to working and living in buildings most of the time. Just walking to the car from home and back again and from work to car etc. is just not enough to be therapeutic for me.
Most of us have computers. If you do not have one then try to get to your local library and access a computer there. Google “Ten best places to walk in your local area” and start to enable yourself. The most important thing is to start. Even though you may think this will be useless, it isn’t. Our minds are not healthy when we are depressed and so to cave in to what your unhealthy mind is telling you to do is the opposite of what should be happening. Once you get out and about I assure you things will change. It may take a few weeks but it will gradually happen.
What can brethren do to help?
Words are hard to find for some more than others. It may be awkward for you to sit with someone who has just confided in you that they want to die. Tell the person they are not alone even though they may feel like they are alone or want to be alone. They actually do not want to be alone. This is what I would tell everyone. It was like a litmus test. A lot of people will just physically leave and respect the wishes of the affected person and think to themselves, well if they want to be alone, then I better leave them alone. This is the worst thing you can do. Give them your mobile phone number and urge them to ring you whenever they need to. Keep the lines of communication open. If you do not hear from them, phone them. If they do not answer the phone, text them. Keep texting them until they realize you are not going away anytime soon. Persistence pays off. (2 Thessalonians 3:13 and Luke 11:5-10).
If you can’t tell the person that you love (agape) them then show them with actions. Make them a lovely home cooked meal and bring it over and share it with them. Bring over a movie or DVD to watch together (a comedy or something uplifting). Your presence there in their life is a huge example to them that you actually care. Come over after work and visit; even if you can only spare an hour. Play a game of cards, bring a good book over, a board game like scrabble or something to help do something together. Keep trying. Don’t give up. Your persistence and love for that person will eventually reap benefits. They may say some things that are hurtful but they will not mean them. It is the pain inside of them that is beginning to surface. If you can drive a car then take them for a drive somewhere. Anything is something. Buy some fish and chips and sit in the car and watch the waves on the beach if it is cold and wintry. Throw a few chips to the seagulls. If you can make conversation talk about things to look forward to which are only a few days away. For example, “Next Friday I would love to show you some photos of the excursion I am going on tomorrow with my family/class/students” etc. Keep being consistent. Never give up and eventually things will get better.
The state of the world we live in
Some years ago, while trying to help those around me who are suicidal an announcement was made on the nightly news that another young person had tragically taken their life. Peaches’ mother had also died from suicide (drug overdose)some years earlier.
The causes of depression and suicide are many. Genetics, trauma, long-term stress, drug and alcohol use, and changes in the brain’s levels of neurotransmitters (chemicals). The treatments are many and varied. I chose to accept the fact that something was seriously wrong and attended a professional psychologist for a session to identify what was wrong. I was given a sheet of questions with multichoice answers to determine my best response. I scored the highest number for the severity of my depression. That was when it hit home I had to realize there was a problem. I did not choose medication even though it was offered to me. However that may be the answer for others. I did not want chemicals in my bloodstream. To me taking tablets was a sense of failure. Rightly or wrongly, this is what I thought. My healing began shortly thereafter with one person of faith who would regularly and persistently show me that someone cared. Despite all those times I calmly said I was fine over the phone and everything was OK, he knew otherwise. All it takes is for one individual to care. We must be inclusive of our brethren. If we cannot help our brethren, then how will we serve others in the Kingdom of God?