you would be alert and quick to take action the moment you feel that depression is going to overwhelm you.
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Family, friends, church members, may be willing to help you. It is always best to get it from a Christian source.
The sources ought to be mature, non-hypocritical, and, once again, able to keep a confidence.
Whatever is told to you, compare it to the Bible. Always take God's Word above man's word. If you are unduly criticized, forgive that person, forget what was said, and move forward. Below will be a great link on this point. ["The Christian Depression Pages"]
Keep in mind that non-professional help is exactly that. Be extremely careful when listening to advice about medication. Somewhere along the line someone may tell you, "If you believe God, throw away your medication." Do not do that until you know you are cured and a doctor confirms that you are healed. (However, some doctors may be reluctant to admit that you are cured and therefore refuse to permit you to throw away your medication when you actually do not need it anymore. I will deal with this under "PROFESSIONAL HELP".)
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G r o u p s
For those of us that have to go to therapy this can be a tricky area. There's a good chance this will definitely not be a Christian atmosphere. Well, if you are a Christian, look at it
as a mission field, but tread carefully. Make sure your life somehow reflects Jesus, and that your talk matches your walk. As
a young Christian, you may have plenty of imperfections. When someone points them out to you, admit it, and tell them you will work on it.
As I think of groups, I think of two types - activity and discussion.
Before you go to a discussion group, ask God to tell you what to say. Ask Him to "place a guard before your mouth" so you do not say something that may be misunderstood by others. Avoid displays of anger
.
About activity groups, hopefully you can pick and choose here. Do only what Jesus would do. If you know it is definitely a Christian atmosphere, heartily join in. If it is something that Jesus would not do, i.e., listening to worldly music, dancing, sexual contact, gambling (includes BINGO when money or goods are involved, watching videos, films that Jesus would not watch, etc., - then GRACIOUSLY decline to do it. Offer, instead, to do something constructive.
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Institutional Settings
You or your loved one may be in a psychiatric care setting. Most are pretty good. My heart goes out to you. My aunt was in one. My mother was in one. I have visited scores of people in these settings.
If this is your situation, or that of your loved one/s, your first step is praise and prayer. Most psychiatric institutions are in favor of engendering real sensible faith in people. Read the Word of God, or in the case of a friend or a loved one VISIT THEM, and read it to them.
At this point, let me address those who have friends or loved ones in psychiatric institutions - VISIT! - VISIT! - VISIT!. Visit often. This will speed the healing process.
Although, as far as I know, most of these institutions do a fine job, many of the nurses, aids, staff, etc., do not know Jesus as their Savior. Therefore they may react to a negative situation in a negative way.
I have seen it, and I have come to the conclusion, that . . .
Sometimes the wrong people are on the wrong side of the wall!
One time I visited a state run institution and some of the patients looked and acted better than some of the staff. At one hospital run clinic, one of the staff who let us in acted like they themselves didn't know whether they were coming or going. One time at a state run place, a young man was a little upset, and of course was running his mouth. The nurse
gave him a number of vocal threats, especially mentioning the "quiet room" (a room where they would lock him in with a window he couldn't get out of, a mat on the floor, and video camera to watch him) - whereas if she would have addressed him with some type of genuine interest and respect, and not talk down to the person, she would have achieved some positive results.
This is not to say that all such institutions are bad, but that the fact remains people are people. In my opinion, every last one of us suffers from mental illness to some degree when compared to Jesus. Jesus was the only truly completely normal individual that ever lived.
If you find yourself in a psychiatric institution, ask God to modify your behavior and responses so that those taking care of you do not see extremes in your personality too often.
If at anytime you feel that you or your loved one are really being abused, work through your psychiatrist (after prayer) for reassignment to another care facility.
If the institution you are involved with doesn't deal much with the Godly side of the spirit realm, pray for them and begin to insist that you or your loved one have access to genuine pastoral care from a man or woman of God.
If you are a staff member of a psychiatric institution and are "bristling up" at what I have just written, admit this - although you are a professional, you are far from perfect, especially if you do not know Jesus Christ as you Lord and Savior. You know very well that some people, not all, on the staff have their bad days and use the PRN medications on the patients a little more often at times. Try a genuine conversation with the patient, offering options and not threats when they get "bent out of shape".
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Seeking Professional Help
In seeking professional help, always strive to secure real Christian help. Those that help you should
really and truly be born again according to the Scriptures, believing totally in God's Word. The professional/s
should be a man/ woman of God (I do not mean a preacher - any Christian can and should be a man or woman of God). In the following links provided, I have tried to find the best I can, or at least a good source of
help.
I realize I have set a pretty high standard in the above paragraph, and for many this may seem impossible to achieve. In that case, try to secure someone who at least acknowledges there is a God that
could help you.
If you cannot secure any such help here is what you can do . . .
That you yourself would listen to God's instructions in regards to your spirit, soul and body.
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I am very particular. God MUST come first. God's Word must be our primary source of direction. If you feel that some of these links are not
up to par for this level here mentioned then please email me at the address below.
In these links I have tried to find the best sources of help. Some in my opinion are not "top notch", but are, at the very least somewhat
helpful. The following is my rating system, but please note it has been years since I have seen them so things might have changed - be careful:
K E Y -
CONTENT ... C=Counsel Is Available, D=Doctrinal, I=Informational
QUALITY OF CONTENT / SITE'S SUCCESSIVE PAGES -
O=OK, * GOOD, ** BETTER, ***BEST
U=Unsure O=Ok N=none available Q=not explored
?=unsure with caution
We do not have the time at present to investigate each site's external links.
Not responsible for content outside of . . .
Brother Pete's Oasis Of Hope
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OVERCOME DEPRESSION PART 1
THE MAIN CURE (IN PART ONE) |
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text ©1998, Peter P. Macinta - you may print out for private use
Bro. Pete's Oasis Of Hope
Before you ask someone to pray for you, make sure you're praying for yourself! An exception to this would be if you are really having trouble praying. Ask God to help you if this is the case.
