Dealing with Depression

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Dealing with Depression


Brandon: I readjusted this layout to better fit the formatting needed when I print. If you will just keep all your text within the blue margin lines on this page, I shouldn’t have any more issues ☺. Thanks! Dr. Brandon Park | April 10, 2016 Depression is America’s number one emotional disorder. It has become so pervasive in our society Depression is America’s number one emotional disorder. It has become so pervasive in our society that it is now called "the common cold of mental illness." It is estimated that 35 million Americans suffer some degree of depression, and 10 million are severely depressed. _______ out of every _______ people you meet today are in some state of depression. _______ people you meet today are in some state of depression. John W. Stott said, “A Christian's two chief occupational hazards are depression and discouragement.” discouragement.” What is depression? A psychologist has described depression this way: a feeling of helplessness and What is depression? A psychologist has described depression this way: a feeling of helplessness and hopelessness that leads to __________________ ___________________. hopelessness that leads to __________________ ___________________. Many of the godliest men in the Bible struggled with feelings of depression: Many of the godliest men in the Bible struggled with feelings of depression: ____________________ - Numbers 11:15, “If this is how you are going to treat me, please • Numbers 11:15, “If this is how you are going to treat me, please go ahead and kill me—if I have found favor in your eyes—and do not let me face my own ruin.” • ____________________ - 1 Kings 19:4, “While he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. ‘I have had enough, LORD,’ he said. ‘Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.’” • _____________________ - Jonah 4:3, “Now, LORD, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.” Moses had a PEOPLE problem; he had his eyes on others. Elijah had a PITY problem; he had his eyes on himself. And Jonah had a POUTING problem; he had his eyes on his circumstances. But none of them had their eyes on God. The Phases of Depression: • A passive or listless feeling • Sadness • An attitude of "nothing seems to matter." • A feeling of helplessness • A feeling of hopelessness • An attitude of feeling nothing is ever going to get better • An idea that no one cares or understands • A sense of rejection • An emotion of "I would be better off dead." • A desire for death itself In Psalm 42, this Scripture asks a question: “Why are you cast down O my soul?” To him, his depression was both a malady and a mystery. What can we learn about depression? Its cause and its cure.

1. The ________________________ of Depression

Psalm 42:5, “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me?” If you are depressed, don’t deny it. Admit it. David admitted where he was. The symptoms of depression include: The symptoms of depression include: • Fatigue, weakness, decreased • Feelings of sadness, hopelessness energy • Insomnia, early awakening, difficulty getting up • Diminished ability to think or • Thoughts of suicide and death concentrate • Restlessness, irritability • Loss of interest and pleasure in • Low self esteem or guilt activities once enjoyed • Eating disturbance - usually loss of appetite • Chronic pains that fail to respond and weight to typical treatment

2. The ____________________ of Depression

There are basically four types of depression: 1. ___________________________: A chemical imbalance in the nervous system. 2. ___________________________: This would be a reaction to a major life-altering event in your life (divorce, breakup, loss of a job). Sometimes depression is the result of the aftermath of failure, or even that of success. 3. ___________________________: Which would be caused by a viral illness, wrong type of drugs/prescription, or a poor diet. 4. ___________________________: This is the type that is linked to those who are genetically predisposed to depression. Those clinical causes of depression coincide with the Biblical causes of depression. • ______________________ __________________ - Read Psalm 42:3. When your body is physically rundown and worn out, when your diet and nutrition is unhealthy, when you are not getting enough rest, when your nerves are jangling from pressure and anxiety – you are an easy prey and a prime target for the monster of depression. • ______________________ ___________________ - In vs. 5 David says, “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me?” Emotional loneliness often comes from upsetting circumstances. When this happens, so often we want to withdraw into a shell. Even though depression is more than just a feeling, it does directly affect the feelings, and our feelings can bring on depression. • ______________________ ____________________ – Read vs. 9. For David, his depression had maximized his foe and minimized his faith. The Devil is a master strategist…He is a great tactician. He knows exactly when and where to attack you, and it is almost always when you are in a state of depression. Sometimes we get down in the dumps that we have built with our own hands. In some (certainly not all) cases, depression is a spirit of heaviness that God brings upon His children to bring them to a point of realizing their sin and repenting of their sin.

3. The __________ for Depression

There is nothing that Satan likes better than to see a soldier of the Lord too depressed to fight a battle that has already been won. 3 simple biblical steps you need to take when you feel depressed: 1. _______ ______________: You need physical refreshment. Read vs. 6. Sometimes, the best thing we can do is to get some rest and refreshment. ELIJAH WAS PHYSICALLY REFRESHED – 1 Kings 19:5-6. God gave him sleep, something to eat and drink, and then let him sleep some more. God, the great Physician, knows better than anyone how to take care of us. That’s why one of the Ten Commandments is to take a Sabbath. It’s a sin not to work, but it’s also a sin to work all the time. 2. ___________________ ___________: You need emotional renewal. Read Psalm 42:4. One of the ways that David dealt with his depression was to be around people. Get out with the people of God and serve people of God. If you pull down the shades of self-pity over your heart and isolate yourself, you will never heal. Martin Luther, “Isolation is poison for a depressed person. For through this the Devil attempts to keep him in his power.” MOSES WAS EMOTIONALLY RENEWED – Numbers 11:16-17. God gave him 70 elders to help in the administrative duties that were before him. God helped him to see that he could not do everything, and he could not do it alone. God taught him how to eliminate, delegate, and dedicate. 3. ______________ _________: You need spiritual revival. Read Psalm 42:5. David got his eyes off of himself. He got his head up, he got his eyes up, and he focused on the Lord. JONAH WAS SPIRITUALLY REVIVED – Jonah 4:11. God told Jonah that he needed to forget what he wanted and how he felt about the whole situation, and once again remember that God has the right to whatever He so desires. Sometimes what we need is a fresh word from God. We need God to step in and give us a word that our needy hearts need. David was depressed. Elijah was depressed. Moses was depressed. Jonah was depressed. But each one came through, and you can too!

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Brandon: I readjusted this layout to better fit the formatting needed when I print. If you will just keep all your text within the blue margin lines on this page, I shouldn’t have any more issues ☺. Thanks! Dr. Brandon Park | April 10, 2016 Depression is America’s number one emotional disorder. It has become so pervasive in our society Depression is America’s number one emotional disorder. It has become so pervasive in our society that it is now called "the common cold of mental illness." It is estimated that 35 million Americans 1 suffer some degree of depression, and 10 million are severely depressed. _______ out of every 8 _______ people you meet today are in some state of depression. _______ people you meet today are in some state of depression. John W. Stott said, “A Christian's two chief occupational hazards are depression and discouragement.” discouragement.” What is depression? A psychologist has described depression this way: a feeling of helplessness and What is depression? A psychologist has described depression this way: a feeling of helplessness and prolonged sadness hopelessness that leads to __________________ ___________________. hopelessness that leads to __________________ ___________________. Many of the godliest men in the Bible struggled with feelings of depression: Many of the godliest men in the Bible struggled with feelings of depression: Moses ____________________ - Numbers 11:15, “If this is how you are going to treat me, please • Numbers 11:15, “If this is how you are going to treat me, please go ahead and kill me—if I have found favor in your eyes—and do not let me face my own ruin.” Elijah • ____________________ - 1 Kings 19:4, “While he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. ‘I have had enough, LORD,’ he said. ‘Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.’” Jonah • _____________________ - Jonah 4:3, “Now, LORD, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.” Moses had a PEOPLE problem; he had his eyes on others. Elijah had a PITY problem; he had his eyes on himself. And Jonah had a POUTING problem; he had his eyes on his circumstances. But none of them had their eyes on God. The Phases of Depression: • A passive or listless feeling • Sadness • An attitude of "nothing seems to matter." • A feeling of helplessness • A feeling of hopelessness • An attitude of feeling nothing is ever going to get better • An idea that no one cares or understands • A sense of rejection • An emotion of "I would be better off dead." • A desire for death itself In Psalm 42, this Scripture asks a question: “Why are you cast down O my soul?” To him, his depression was both a malady and a mystery. What can we learn about depression? Its cause and its cure.

1. The ________________________ of Depression Condition

Psalm 42:5, “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me?” If you are depressed, don’t deny it. Admit it. David admitted where he was. The symptoms of depression include: The symptoms of depression include: • Fatigue, weakness, decreased • Feelings of sadness, hopelessness energy • Insomnia, early awakening, difficulty getting up • Diminished ability to think or • Thoughts of suicide and death concentrate • Restlessness, irritability • Loss of interest and pleasure in • Low self esteem or guilt activities once enjoyed • Eating disturbance - usually loss of appetite • Chronic pains that fail to respond and weight to typical treatment

Cause 2. The ____________________ of Depression

There are basically four types of depression: Endogenous 1. ___________________________: A chemical imbalance in the nervous system. Reactive 2. ___________________________: This would be a reaction to a major life-altering event in your life (divorce, breakup, loss of a job). Sometimes depression is the result of the aftermath of failure, or even that of success. 3. ___________________________: Which would be caused by a viral illness, wrong type of Toxic drugs/prescription, or a poor diet. 4. ___________________________: This is the type that is linked to those who are Genetic genetically predisposed to depression. Those clinical causes of depression coincide with the Biblical causes of depression. Weariness Physical • ______________________ __________________ - Read Psalm 42:3. When your body is physically rundown and worn out, when your diet and nutrition is unhealthy, when you are not getting enough rest, when your nerves are jangling from pressure and anxiety – you are an easy prey and a prime target for the monster of depression. Loneliness Emotional • ______________________ ___________________ - In vs. 5 David says, “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me?” Emotional loneliness often comes from upsetting circumstances. When this happens, so often we want to withdraw into a shell. Even though depression is more than just a feeling, it does directly affect the feelings, and our feelings can bring on depression. Spiritual Emptiness • ______________________ ____________________ – Read vs. 9. For David, his depression had maximized his foe and minimized his faith. The Devil is a master strategist…He is a great tactician. He knows exactly when and where to attack you, and it is almost always when you are in a state of depression. Sometimes we get down in the dumps that we have built with our own hands. In some (certainly not all) cases, depression is a spirit of heaviness that God brings upon His children to bring them to a point of realizing their sin and repenting of their sin. Cure 3. The __________ for Depression There is nothing that Satan likes better than to see a soldier of the Lord too depressed to fight a battle that has already been won. 3 simple biblical steps you need to take when you feel depressed: Lie Down 1. _______ ______________: You need physical refreshment. Read vs. 6. Sometimes, the best thing we can do is to get some rest and refreshment. ELIJAH WAS PHYSICALLY REFRESHED – 1 Kings 19:5-6. God gave him sleep, something to eat and drink, and then let him sleep some more. God, the great Physician, knows better than anyone how to take care of us. That’s why one of the Ten Commandments is to take a Sabbath. It’s a sin not to work, but it’s also a sin to work all the time. Launch Out 2. ___________________ ___________: You need emotional renewal. Read Psalm 42:4. One of the ways that David dealt with his depression was to be around people. Get out with the people of God and serve people of God. If you pull down the shades of self-pity over your heart and isolate yourself, you will never heal. Martin Luther, “Isolation is poison for a depressed person. For through this the Devil attempts to keep him in his power.” MOSES WAS EMOTIONALLY RENEWED – Numbers 11:16-17. God gave him 70 elders to help in the administrative duties that were before him. God helped him to see that he could not do everything, and he could not do it alone. God taught him how to eliminate, delegate, and dedicate. 3. ______________ _________: You need spiritual revival. Read Psalm 42:5. David got his eyes off of Look Up himself. He got his head up, he got his eyes up, and he focused on the Lord. JONAH WAS SPIRITUALLY REVIVED – Jonah 4:11. God told Jonah that he needed to forget what he wanted and how he felt about the whole situation, and once again remember that God has the right to whatever He so desires. Sometimes what we need is a fresh word from God. We need God to step in and give us a word that our needy hearts need. David was depressed. Elijah was depressed. Moses was depressed. Jonah was depressed. But each one came through, and you can too!