Depression        by Richard Winter, Covenant seminary, Mo.


Introduction
 * Charlie Brown & Lucy
 * Difficult life:
    -- Some Christian say you should never be depressed.
    -- Spiritual depressions.
 * "Depression" (from mild blues to the extreme form of depression)
    := Self seems worthless, useless. (self-criticism, very little hope)
    -- Bible : David, Jeremiah
               Ps 102: Physical symptoms
               Ps 22: Why have you forsaken me?
 * All of us are vurnerable to depression.
   Realistic view of life .vs. Idealistic view of life                          
   We are living in the shadow of "Fall".
   Recognize our weak points.


Vurnerability factors
 * Psychological : Past(baggage you carry around all your life)
    -- Relationship with parents, Conditional acceptance.
       Guilt and Anger come out as depression later stages of life.
    -- Loss and Seperation : depression later in the life.
       William Cooper, Van Gogh.
    -- Sense of repeated failure in life : "Self-acceptance = self-esteem"
        Depressive lifestyle
    -- Temperament: Product of genes.
        Thinker vs Feeling
       "Perfectionist" (insecure w/o control of their life) are very vurnerable.
 * Biological : Biochemical
    -- Anti-depressant Drug.
    -- ECT
 * Demonic: Supernatural element
    -- Devil is out to destroy KoG.
    -- Devil is working on our weak point. e.g. Eph 5(anger)
    -- Screwtape letters.
 * No meaning/purpose in life: Bury their heads

 * There factors work together. Stress factor(death of spouse:100, divorce:73,ect)


Practical ways to overcome Depression
 * Depends on the way you respond, the way you choose to respon.
   We are choice-makers: Image of God.
 * God's instruction John 8:31-32, Value, attitude,

 * Believe and trust God: He loves us. Unconditional love.
    Fellow Christians are ministers of Love. Church is very important in healing process.
 * Talk to yourself: Bible Ps. 42 First sign of Sanity.
    Ask yourself questions. Why?
 * Acceptance of feeling, grief, : Jesus wept at the tomb of Nazaroth.(angry and sad)
 * Face anger: self-control, Deep root of anget from past.
   Guilt: James 5:16
 * Forgiveness
 * Guilt: e.g. sexuality.   Real guilt.

 * Talk to God, yourself, counselor, friends,
 * Do something for others.
 * Indulgence/relaxation, change lifestyle
 * Food: diet, exercise
 * Allergy
 * Reading: Children's book, e.g. Narnia story
 * Be realistic about time to change, your limitation
 
 * His Holy Spirit is working in us: sactification
   Restoring our broken image.
 * David says, "In this life, we are sorrowful, yet always rejoicing".
 * Paul, Rom. 8

Q&A session.


Discussion:
(1) When were you depressed?
(2) How did you cope with depression?
(3) What was the reason for the depression?
(4) How should we cope with depression as a Christian?
(5) Let's pray for God's healing in our depression
    for both ourselves and fellow Christians.