Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - Mar/92

Contributor - Kerry Boyd

Title - A Discussion About Depression

Topic - Mental Health

All of us have had the experience of feeling depressed at one time or another. It may be that a tragedy strikes our family or we lose our job or some long hoped-for-dream is shattered and we "feel low" for a day or a week or a month.

When, however, these "low periods" persist, and a pervasive depressed mood sets in, sometimes accompanied by a loss of interest or pleasure in activities which were normally enjoyed, or a loss of energy becomes apparent, then they become signals of something more serious than just "being depressed". At times the depression may affect a person's feelings about himself, the world, or his future. There may be an extreme sense of worthlessness, guilt or a despairing of life, and when this type of outlook affects one for a prolonged period it is called Clinical Depression.

It is important to distinguish depression, in this proper sense, from simply "feeling low". The reason for this is that sometimes, when people are in the midst of a clinical depression, their friends or family think of it as a low mood and say things such as "snap out of it" or "just look at the bright side". These bits of advice may be fine and necessary for someone who is having a bad day or, showing a little too much self-pity, but to a person experiencing a real clinical depression, they are more cruel than kind. Depressed persons can't snap out of it, and their inability to see the bright side just makes them feel worse. This kind of depression doesn't affect everybody, but it does affect many people during their lifetime.

Causes

There is much debate and discussion among psychiatrists and psychologists about the causes of depression, but in general, a few things can be said.

First of all, those who are Christians believe that the root of depression, as in all mental illnesses, and all diseases, is sin. That doesn't mean that a person who has a serious depression has committed some particular sin for which they are being specially punished. It does mean that depression is a fact of human life, as physical disease is a fact of human life, because of the fall of man.

What are the likely causes? Most psychiatrists suggest that some people have more of a genetic (born with) predisposition towards depression than do others. Most psychiatrists also believe that childhood experiences of physical, emotional or sexual abuse are factors, as are powerful experiences of internalized anger or loss. Sometimes certain illnesses or some medications prescribed for physical illness will precipitate depression.

Treatment

Over the years thousands of different types of therapy have been used, or suggested. In the old days they opened people's skulls to let out the evil spirits. This technique, of course, did not work well! In modern times several approaches have been helpful.

Medication: The basic mechanism for most anti-depressant medications is that they help the brain restore chemical balance necessary for proper functioning. Sometimes Christians especially are wary of taking such medications, and it is good to be cautious. Anti-depressant medications are not suitable in all circumstances but have proven very effective in helping many people through the worst part of a depression.

Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT): Although the exact mechanism is not known, the idea here is that by inducing a seizure in the anaesthetized patient, brain activity in some way returns to normal. One of the reported side effects of ECT is that sometimes there is a small amount of temporary memory loss. But ECT has been found to be very effective in treating severe depression.

Therapy or Counselling: Sometimes therapy or counselling is the only treatment needed, and sometimes this treatment is done in conjunction with medications or ECT Psychologists are people trained to counsel. Psychiatrists are medical doctors who can prescribe medications and who usually have training in psychotherapy. A question that often arises among Christians with depression is, "If I see a therapist, should he or she be a Christian?" For a Christian, it is helpful to find a counsellor who is also a believer, but if one cannot be found, a competent counsellor, although he or she may not be a Christian, can be of great help.

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