Depression effects & Rebuilding Process

Hi,

At the moment I am feeling very very lost. My head is all over the place and i am struggling to cope. Im looking for advice or some kind of way to stop this, permenantly. College life isnt enjoyable (havent been in a few weeks), social life is almost non-existant, relationship with God is dead. What can I do ppl? Im not looking for sympathy Im looking for answers.

Thanks

[Ed]

Ok - you don't want sympathy i wont give it for now.

Practical advise - have you actually been diagnosed with depression? or do you just know that you have it? Or is it you really just feel a bit down?

Drugs do help re-balance your hormones etc... to make you capable of coping, and until physical needs are adressed it is always much harder to deal with social and spiritual needs tho we can't leave any of the combination out. Thats why God's great for he provides for the physical and social too! Like he clothes the grass in the fields and feeds the birds....sO if you can afford anti-depressent drugs its worth seeing your doctor about... Exercise so playing sport can also be a big help releasing positive chemicals



Secondly i suggest that you get hold of a copy of this book!
A practical workbook for the depressed Christian – John Lockley - ISBN-085009237X (paternoster press)


Thirdly - are you at a church? I suggest if so and you can face it going to see a member of the pastoral care team. They are generally trained in helping people in all situations and depression is a common one these days, they'll offer support, practical help and prayer. If your really blessed with a good church they'll prob. offer you someone who doesnt mind you phoning them, dropping round etc... at any hours.

Fourthly - Take it one step at a time - "God is God and i am not. I can only see a part of the picture he's painting" (to quote steven curtis chapman) So don't try worrying about the whole picture, as it's out of your grasp. Concentrate on each day as it comes. Looking back at whats gone wrong at this stage makes things feel worse - it's a no no. Looking forward brings dread - equally a no no. So set a simple goal each day, like today im going to get a bit of such a such assignment done or today im going to email/phone/meet so and so or im going to go play some sport... Then when achieved you feel your getting somewhere and feel more positive. Sometimes it only takes a different perspective!


And my final piece of advice is - go and write a prayer to God if you can't talk to him... REmember he loves you and always take you back no matter what you've done - take the example of the prodigal son! And Romans 8:38/39 (i think) "nothing can seperate us from the love of God!" So he'll just be so happy that your talking to him. If your angry at him - let it out, he knows anyway... Just spill your heart, how you know the relationships dead at the mo, how you can't cope, how lifes a dead end. Whatever you feel. And try building prayer and then reading the bible back into your life. If you really struggle with this meeting with others eg. a home group or cell and theyll provide the passages and discussions. You could just sit in the background listening if you really wanted too... Because from your i have almost no social life and want to change things comment i dont think time or avoiding ppl are teh issue. Go for it. Just take that big first scary leap.




Lord - protect him, flood him with your love, give him motivation, hope and peace. Help him out the hole he feels trapped in, by your Grace. Lord most of all let him get the sleep, food and other physical things he needs. Let him be rested and restored. Healed emotionally and spiritually. Lord you are an all powerful God and can to anything, anytime, any place, so right now for your Glory i ask you to lay your healing hand on him. Amen

[~*Amy*~]

yeah, I totally agree with ed.

I cant say I know how you feel because I dont know what exactly your going through, but Ive been depressed before to. I felt really alone and felt far from God too.

From my expereince from being a christian....Im going to tell you what I did. I didnt take medicine to get me right. I dealt with it myself, which was probally a lot harder and it wouldve been easier with medicine, but I didnt want to do that. I fasted. I thought it was kind of crazy at first, but, thats what I did, I fasted. And now, every time I start feeling myself go a little down hill, I fast and it boosts me back up again.

Did you ever think college was stressing you out? Maybe your taking too much on yourself. Is college REALLY something you want to do? What are you majoring in? Is that REALLY what you want to major in? Think about these things, and if you dont feel like college is for you, dont do it! If its not something your going to enjoy then whats the point? Dont go if you dont fell right about it. Or, if you still want to goto college, goto a small community college or take classes online. Online classes can be much less stressful. Lay face down on the floor one night/day, and turn on some praise and worship music and just cry your hear to out to God. Dont just 'ask' for things, just tell him how you feel. And you may be a guy, but guys cry too. And (if you havent already) just cry! It takes a lot of stress out. But please please please dont turn to cutting or drugs or alcohol. Thats so horrible and it wont help you at all. My dad was a drug addict and an alcoholic until he got saved, and it was horrible.

Trust in God and keep your faith. No matter how HARD it is, trust in God and believe that He will get you through this. This is a major trial that you are going through, and it can very well be a test from God. A test that you WILL pass, because you are a child of God and you just show the devil that God is greater than him

If you EVER need anything at all, you can PM me or email me. My email adress is on my profile God Bless.

[brothercory_2005]

Trust in God and keep your faith. No matter how HARD it is, trust in God and believe that He will get you through this. This is a major trial that you are going through, and it can very well be a test from God. A test that you WILL pass, because you are a child of God and you just show the devil that God is greater than him

im going throught a huge trial myself. its very hard. espically that we are in revival the devil is on us 10x more. so just stay strong.