Is anyone here suffering from anxiety or depression? I would love to know how they deal with it and if there are any tips they might be willing to share with other anxiety disorder sufferers?

 

Start with your PCP. careful with MoAs, SSRIs can work wonders, but talk to your PCP first and see what she or he says, they may start you with something or immediately refer you to a professional. I've seen this first had ruin people lives, don't try to "tough it out" or self-medicate.

 

Thanks for the responses. I do agree that a lot of people see asking for help as a sign of weakness, and therefore end up destroying their lives by not seeking professional help when they should.

 

I also do not have to deal with depression very much, but sometimes I get upset with myself because some very small things can get me down. Strange as that is.....I mean really small things can bug me and I think what is wrong with me? So many people have it much worse than I and I am letting this stupid little thing take away my joy? Zane as you can see I am a Christian and nothing calms me more than reading the Bible. It has many promises to those who have chosen to accept the gift of salvation. Psalms are very good. One promise is of a peace that only God can give: "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7
At the same time I also realize that some people have actual medical issues that make them depressed. I have seen believers who trust God a lot go through this. My wife is a strong believer as I yet just a couple of years ago she went through a serious form of depression. Not bad enough to hospitalize her, but close to that. We could not understand what was happening to her. She did get some good counselling and in time came completely out of it. In her case she had to forgive her dad (now dead) for all the emotional abuse he gave her.
I also believe there is a spiritual realm out there that can affect people, forces beyond the physical we can only see. Whatever it was combining to make her unable to cope is now gone. So I am not a name it and claim it kind of person, I realize there will always be things that can get us down if we allow it, or give up.
I will end for now with another directive that means a lot to me.
Philippians 4:6-8
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
What we think of affects us a lot. That is why I do not watch a lot of the news either as was mentioned...it can be very depressing....thinking about stuff we can not change is unhealthy IMO. Wishing you the best. Mike. PS. nice convertible...if you were near I would hit you up for a ride in it.

 

I can relate so much to what you said Forgiven. It's long been my belief that our thoughts create our reality, and that's why we need to be extra careful about what we fill our minds with.

 

be careful with that please. I have an aunt who strongly believed the same, she took her life last year. If someone you know has a concern, please seek professional help, please. Some people have literal differences in their brain chemistry, no religion or therapy is going to have an effect on a brain that contains different structures and chemistry which contributes to their issues.

 

I beg to differ, 4thand26. I think that there is absolutely nothing that faith cannot heal or provide in our lives. It's because people have more faith in doctors than they do in the higher power that gave us life in the first place.

 

The human body is very complex and yes much can go wrong with it. Do get medical help if there is something going wrong physically that can be treated. However when y0u realize that God created us there are some things that go beyond what medicine/doctors can comprehend or deal with. Only God can heal some aspects of our lives (and some things may never be healed, we all must die of something eventually). Just a month ago an acquaintance (friend of a friend) killed himself. My last conversation with him seemed normal as ever. It turned out he was being mentored by my friend in AA. My friend told me that this guy had rejected the 'God' or higher power aspect of the steps AA takes a person through. This in my mind is very sad, he rejected the One who could have helped him with his torment, loneliness, or whatever he gave up on. (He had a 90's corvette he bought new and was a retired GM mechanic, in fine shape financially) Suicide can be the result of many factors, but mainly it is a result of a lack of hope IMO. Faith in God does not make all a person's problems go away, however knowing God will be with me through anything I have to go through is very comforting. And above all knowing I have eternal life, well that is priceless. He seemed to be as my friend stated, someone not interested in God at all, even so...now I wish I had made an effort to talk to him about his eternal destiny.
I know of many people whose lives God has literally turned around, if you are not in these 'circles' you will not hear of this but it is happening and everyone is invited to partake by God himself.
"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." Matt. 11:28-29

"He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God." 1 John 5:12-13

This is what works for me and is in line with the original question of this post. I have found it the complete 'cure' for myself. A partial (there will always be some pain in this life) one in this life, and a perfect one in the next.

 

I totally believe that faith can heal anything, but some people aren't at that 'required' level of faith and it might help them to let a doctor take care of their problem while they're figuring out what the mind is all about.

 

I thought I made that clear, (read carefully what I wrote) I did say to check out any medical solution as well. My wife's faith did not make her better from the depression for a few years, (so it was not a matter of her not having enough faith) it was not until she got help in finding what the root problem was that needed to be delt with did she get better. There to me is no 'required' level of faith that will fix things, in fact it is fine to admit that we often do not have enough faith as in this passage:
“What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.”
The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”
When Jesus saw that the crowd of onlookers was growing, he rebuked the evil spirit. “Listen, you spirit that makes this boy unable to hear and speak,” he said. “I command you to come out of this child and never enter him again!” Mark 9:23-25
More important to having faith is what y0u place your faith in.....that is of paramount importance IMO.

 

I did read and understand your post Forgiven. But I still stand by what I said. If someone hasn't been healed yet, it just means that they don't have enough faith and expectation of a complete healing. That is my belief. Of course my ego isn't so big as to believe that I'm the only one who could possibly be right in regards to that. I know that's just one way of looking at things, and I do respect your opinion and your belief as well.

My grandfather who was a Methodist Reverend used to say that the truth of life is like the center of town: It doesn't matter which side you approach it from - when you get there, you're all at the same place!

 

I don't have faith in anything, and people who do, that's fine, I just urge caution as I have seen first hand families and lives destroyed and ended early do to reliance on only faith. It was sad for many people and left that person's children confused and hurting.

 

One thing to keep in mind is that we are not going to be healed physically in this life. We all must die of something, no amount of faith will put off that. There have been many quotes by various men over the years. For myself I will go with what God says, and one quote of Jesus says it all concerning the truth of how to get to heaven: Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!” John 14:6-7
Narrow minded, you bet, Jesus left no other way to believe in him (that is why people either hate him or love him) as stated also in the Bible. “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it." Matt. 7:13-14 I realize there are many opinions on this topic, everyone of course is entitled to believe what they want. I for one believe there is such a thing as absolute truth. Wishing you all a great life.