Depression: Emerging from the Darkness (pt.1)
Well, as soon as I lament about not having enough to blog, here comes something. The following is part of a counseling manual that I am working on about depression. I will post the rest in the following days.
Depression: Emerging from the Darkness
1. Definition and Description of Depression:
A. Definition: There are two types of depression that one might experience. The first and less severe is called Dysthymic Disorder, or more commonly referred to as situational depression. The more serious type of depression is classified as Major Depression, or clinical depression.[1]
B. Description: Depression has often been described as being submerged inside a black hole. Some have even called depression their own private “hell.” Depression smells of being desperately alone, impending doom, deep wells, and emptiness. Depression also feels like meaningless pain and torture that has no end. Nothing seems to matter. One feels like he is always sick and often thinks that he is going insane. Depression, to the person experiencing it, is a prison with no way out.
C. Development: According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, ed. 4 (DSM IV), the building block for “Depressive Disorder” or “Bipolar Disorder” is a “major depressive episode.”[2] In order to classify as being clinically depressed, one has to “test” positive for five of nine symptoms. The checklist includes include a depressed mood most of the day, diminished interest in activities, significant weight loss, frequent insomnia, psychomotor agitation, frequent fatigue, feelings of worthlessness, diminished ability to think, and recurrent thoughts of death.[3] Situational depression accounts for two of six similar categories. There are many theories as to what causes depression. Most likely, the cause of a person’s depressed state is multi-faceted and complex. In the next section, we will look at a biblical interpretation of the causes of depression.
II. Biblical Diagnosis and Explanation:
A. Causes: First and foremost, what needs to be understood about depression is that is a form of suffering. There are five causes of suffering that may contribute to depression. The first cause is other people. A glance at the Psalms will show that half of them are cries to the Lord because of oppression by others. A second cause of suffering is our own selfish desires. Our anger, selfishness, wants, and sinful desires and actions contribute to our suffering. A third cause is our bodies. Ed Welch states, “Since sin entered the world, our bodies gradually weaken and waste away. Diseases, deterioration from old age, post-partum struggles, and possible chemical imbalances are just a few of the physical causes relevant to depression.”[4] A fourth cause is Satan. Satan is the father of lies, and according to the book of Job, can afflict us in a variety of ways. While Satan is not omnipresent, his demons are also active agents in spiritual warfare. Finally, a fifth cause is God himself. As Ed Welch astutely remarks, “God is over all things, and nothing happens apart from His will. To believe anything else is to opt for a universe that is random and out of control, without a guiding hand bringing all things to a purposeful and awe-inspiring conclusion.”[5] God is a cause of suffering because He is in control.[6] Among these five causes, there are some unknown causes that we may never know and God may never reveal.
[1] Edward T. Welch, Depression: A Stubborn Darkness, (Winston-Salem, NC: Punch Press, 2004), 27.
[2] Ibid., 28.
[3] Ibid., 28-29.
[4] Ibid., 39.
[5] Ibid., 41.
[6] These five causes may be found on pages 39-41.
Depression: Emerging from the Darkness
1. Definition and Description of Depression:
A. Definition: There are two types of depression that one might experience. The first and less severe is called Dysthymic Disorder, or more commonly referred to as situational depression. The more serious type of depression is classified as Major Depression, or clinical depression.[1]
B. Description: Depression has often been described as being submerged inside a black hole. Some have even called depression their own private “hell.” Depression smells of being desperately alone, impending doom, deep wells, and emptiness. Depression also feels like meaningless pain and torture that has no end. Nothing seems to matter. One feels like he is always sick and often thinks that he is going insane. Depression, to the person experiencing it, is a prison with no way out.
C. Development: According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, ed. 4 (DSM IV), the building block for “Depressive Disorder” or “Bipolar Disorder” is a “major depressive episode.”[2] In order to classify as being clinically depressed, one has to “test” positive for five of nine symptoms. The checklist includes include a depressed mood most of the day, diminished interest in activities, significant weight loss, frequent insomnia, psychomotor agitation, frequent fatigue, feelings of worthlessness, diminished ability to think, and recurrent thoughts of death.[3] Situational depression accounts for two of six similar categories. There are many theories as to what causes depression. Most likely, the cause of a person’s depressed state is multi-faceted and complex. In the next section, we will look at a biblical interpretation of the causes of depression.
II. Biblical Diagnosis and Explanation:
A. Causes: First and foremost, what needs to be understood about depression is that is a form of suffering. There are five causes of suffering that may contribute to depression. The first cause is other people. A glance at the Psalms will show that half of them are cries to the Lord because of oppression by others. A second cause of suffering is our own selfish desires. Our anger, selfishness, wants, and sinful desires and actions contribute to our suffering. A third cause is our bodies. Ed Welch states, “Since sin entered the world, our bodies gradually weaken and waste away. Diseases, deterioration from old age, post-partum struggles, and possible chemical imbalances are just a few of the physical causes relevant to depression.”[4] A fourth cause is Satan. Satan is the father of lies, and according to the book of Job, can afflict us in a variety of ways. While Satan is not omnipresent, his demons are also active agents in spiritual warfare. Finally, a fifth cause is God himself. As Ed Welch astutely remarks, “God is over all things, and nothing happens apart from His will. To believe anything else is to opt for a universe that is random and out of control, without a guiding hand bringing all things to a purposeful and awe-inspiring conclusion.”[5] God is a cause of suffering because He is in control.[6] Among these five causes, there are some unknown causes that we may never know and God may never reveal.
[1] Edward T. Welch, Depression: A Stubborn Darkness, (Winston-Salem, NC: Punch Press, 2004), 27.
[2] Ibid., 28.
[3] Ibid., 28-29.
[4] Ibid., 39.
[5] Ibid., 41.
[6] These five causes may be found on pages 39-41.
posted by Charlie Wallace at
9:01 PM
3 Comments:
Do you believe that some depression may require medical treatment?
Or do you think the root cause of depression is always moral or spiritual?
Every Blessing in Christ
Matthew
That's a good question. Depression is usually very complicated. A big part of depression is a persistent focus on one's self and this usually sneaks up on us. However, there are probably some instances where there is a medical condition that relates to depression. Western society is too quick, in my opinion, to diagnose someone with depression. Scientists blame depression on chemical imbalances or changes in brain pattern behavior. The problem with this proposed explanation, is that there is no way of knowing whether the chemical imbalances cause the mood, or if the mood causes the chemical imbalance.
Thanks for that answer.
God Bless
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