Depression is
currently the leading cause of disability in the United States and second in
the world (Stanford, 2008). While many
individuals have suffered from some form of depression, few can find the means
to properly describe its impact and devastation on their lives. David Powilson
(2000) seeks to accomplish this task in his booklet on Depression.
It is technically called
depression, but it cannot be captured by a word. You feel numb, yet your head
hurts; empty, yet inside there are screams; fatigue, yet fears abound. Things
that were once pleasures now barely hold your attention. Your brain feels like
it is in a fog. You feel weighted down.
Do you remember when you had goals?
Things that you looked forward to? They could have been as small as going to a
movie on Friday night or a job you wanted to accomplish. Now you have very few
goals. Making it through the day seems like enough. But every day is the same. There is no rhythm
of rising and anticipation, satisfaction, than rest. Each day brings a dreadful
monotony, and you fear that tomorrow will be the same as today. The flatness of
life feels like it is killing you.
Clinically Defined
Major Depression falls under the Mood Disorder category in
the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder (DSM). Individuals have been struggling with
symptoms of depression since the beginning of time, but in 1856 Louis
Delasiauve was the first individual to clinically identify these symptoms with
the term “depression”. There is a wide range of symptoms identified in the DSM
for diagnosing Depression. What distinguishes someone who has clinical
depression from someone who is experiencing a temporary symptom of depression
is the intensity, frequency, and intrusion on daily activities brought on by
the symptoms. “Depression is characterized by one or more episodes in which a
person has a depressed mood or loss of interest in nearly all activities for at
least two weeks. Symptoms must interfere with his or her ability to work,
study, sleep, eat, or perform normal daily activities” (Stanford, 2008). The
affect of depression may have a similar impact on those suffering, but the
causes or influences of depression can be very diverse.
Influencing Factors
No one thing is known to cause depression. It is more
accurate to explore a number of potential influences that lead an individual to
experiencing depression.
Biological
factors are still being explored for potential connections to depression. A
number of the common components could be associated with chronic pain, chemical
imbalances, terminal diseases, prescription medication/treatment, and illicit
drugs. While a biological influence can have a drastic affect on someone’s mood
it is not the last place one should look for potential factors influencing
depression.
Psychological issues
are also a hot topic when it comes to depression. An individual’s self-concept
and cognitive process are key elements for understanding how individuals
interpret and apply meaning to their experiences. Knowing their worldview is a good place to
start when trying to understand why someone may think the way they do. An additional
psychological component to depression is their mood disposition. Not all
individuals are automatically excited about life. People are generally
characterized as having an optimistic or pessimistic out look on life. Both
points of references could lead someone to experiencing depression. If some one has a very low or mild depressed
disposition, they appear to be down or sad all the time. Those who are overly
optimistic run the risk of experiencing a major tragedy and not knowing how to
emotionally respond to it. They may continually act lightly of the situation
and never face the reality of pain until it becomes devastating and prevents
them from completing daily activities.
Situational depression
is most likely responsible for being the largest reason individuals face
depressive symptoms. The grieving process of losing some one may lead into
depression. Experiencing a traumatic situation can leave the person physically
disabled or emotional harmed to the point of depression. There are an endless
number of possible events that could prevent some one from processing the
situation in a healthy manner. What may seem like a minor situation to somebody
could become debilitating to someone else.
Another situational factor might include the environment the person is
living in. Environments can be
chemically toxic, but they could also be emotionally toxic. Addressing these components is important for
helping the person walk through problems and apply new meaning to their
experience.
The most controversial influence of depression is spirituality. For those who are
religious, the factor may be over emphasized while someone practicing from a
clinical field is generally going to undermine the spiritual components. A
Christian worldview addresses every person as a spirit-embodied individual with
a unique psychological and genetic make up. This spirit embodied being lives in
a social environment that was created and is sustained by an all-powerful
God. Therefore, it is important to
consider the previous categories of influence and how they all contribute to
the problem. The borders of each category are not neatly cut and frequently,
one can affect the other. Just because some one believes in God does not mean
they will not experience depression. Many people in the Bible experience long
periods of pain like Job, King David, Jeremiah, Solomon, Paul and several more.
Everyone experiencing symptoms of depression may not be
living in active disobedience to God. However, to ignore sin as a potential
contributor to depression is not to view someone from a holistic mind set.
Living in sin frequently leads believers to experiencing feelings that could be
associated with depression. They experience these feelings because they are
attempting to live a life that is contrary to their beliefs. Rather than
putting off the “old man” and putting on the “new man”, the believer chooses to
live as if they are still enslaved by their sinful nature. This life style is
very conflicting and will likely damper one’s mood.
Sensitivity to the brokenness of the world and the number of
loss souls can also lead a Christian to feel depressed. Grieving over the brokenness
of the world is not a sin. Nevertheless, we are to surrender this world to the
sovereignty of God and use our sensitivity to reach out to others who are
hurting rather than respond by isolating or becoming overwhelmed to the point
of being ineffective for God.
Influence vs. Cause
As a society, we are eager to learn of the cause for our
pain and a quick resolution. I would encourage someone suffering with
depression to change the language from a cause
to an influence. It is more likely
that there are a number of diverse elements at work in influencing someone to feel depressed rather than one factor that causes him to be depressed. Using the
term “cause” leaves someone feeling hopeless in his or her depression. If there
is something that causes me to be depressed, then I must respond to the factor
with depression. However, if I am only influenced to feel depressed, I realize
that when I am exposed to these factors, they are merely encouraging me to be
depressed and not causing me to be so. I can then trust in God’s power to help
me learn to respond to these factors in a way that would not cause me to remain
ineffective.
Just because something or someone is influencing me, does not mean I am
no longer responsible for how I respond. An individual can experience symptoms of depression and choose to respond in many different ways. Anger, self-pity, and withdrawal are just a few examples of unhealthy ways to respond to symptoms of depression. I can experience these symptoms without having to respond in an unhealthy manner or in a means that would not bring glory to God. Choosing to allow someone's biological, psychological, situational, or spiritual influencers to prohibit them from worshiping or bringing glory to God is choosing to remain depressed. I personally believe that while we can experience severe emotional pain and distress, we do not have to allow influencing factors to prohibit
our ability to be productive for God. This does not mean the emotional pain is gone... it means I choose to rely on my beliefs to guide my response rather than my emotions or other influencing factors. I would argue that much suffering could actually
lead someone to becoming more effective. This concept, and ways to offer
support to those who are suffering with depression will be explored in the next
blog entry.
• Emlet,
Mike(2011) Teenagers and Depression. CCEF
• Powilson
David (2011) Is Depression Purely Biological. CCEF
• Powilson,
David & Smith, Winston (2010) How do Biblical Counselors Think About
Depression? CCEF
• Sarason,
Irwin & Sarason, Barbara (2005) Abnormal Psychology. Pearson Education Inc.
• Stanford,
Matthews (2008) Grace for the Afflicted. Paternoster Publishing
• Welch,
Ed (2000) Depression: The Way Up When you are Down. P&R Publishing
• Welch,
Ed (2010) Depression: A Stubborn Darkness. CCEFTube
• Welch,
Ed (2011) Does Depression Look the Same Around the World. CCEF
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