Defeating Depression

DEFEATING DEPRESSION

Used book The Bumps are what you climb on by Warren W. Wiersbe pgs 33 – 36

Scripture: Psalms 42 & 43

Introduction: David wonders if and how he can shake depression.

I. DEPRESSION

A. Major Depression

1. Defined:

A mood disorder in which an individual is deeply unhappy, demoralized, self-derogatory, and bored. An individual with major depression does not feel well, loses stamina easily, has a poor appetite, and is listless and unmotivated.

2. Symptoms

Symptoms of depression include a persistent sad mood; loss of interest or pleasure in activities that were once enjoyed; significant change in appetite or body weight; difficulty sleeping or oversleeping; physical slowing or agitation; loss of energy; feelings of worthlessness or inappropriate guilt; difficulty thinking or concentrating; and recurrent thoughts of death or suicide. A diagnosis of major depressive disorder (or unipolar major depression) is made if an individual has five or more of these symptoms during the same two-week period.

"I feel depressed," is often an abused statement. This is a frequently used term, but major depression is more intense and long lasting than the mild form which may last for only weeks, days, or hours.

B. Cost of Depression (Major)

1. Millions to Employers

2. Millions to Medical/Insurance Agencies

3. Annual Indirect and Direct Cost to Nation in 1990 = estimated $30.4 Billion

4. More than 250,000 hospitalized each year. Depression is so common that it has been called the common cold of mental disorders.

5. Happiness to families

6. Most severe cases may prove fatal to the afflicted person

C. Who Can Become Depressed?

1. Students, Professors, Executives, Laborers, Secretaries

a. Depression can affect anyone, regardless of background, though major depression strikes women twice as often as men. Some form of depression affects over 19 million Americans each year.

b. More than 1 in 5 Americans can expect to get some form of depression in

their lifetime.

2. Famous Examples:

a. Francis Scott Fitzgerald --> American Author (1896 - 1940)

(1) Wrote "The Great Gatsby"

(2) Known as an extravagant drunk

(3) Died 44 yrs old with a heart attack

b. Ernest Hemingway

(1) Genius, Wealth, Fame, Friends

(2) Nobel Prize 1954 for Literature

(3) Spoke of suicide in 1925 when distraught over marital affairs

(4) Father shot himself in the head in 1928

(5) Had 4 wives

(6) Problem with alcohol

(7) Health problems

(8) 1961, Idaho, Shot himself with a double barreled shotgun in a log cabin

c. Abraham Lincoln --> U.S. President

d. Winston Churchill --> Prime Minister of England during WW II

II. SOME CAUSES OF DEPRESSION

A. Physical --> Example Elijah I Kings 18 - 19

1. Sleep --> Exhausted v. 4 - 5

a. Exodus 20:8 - 9 Sabbath

v. 8 "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy."

v. 9 "Six days shalt thou labour, and do all they work:"

b. II Samuel 17:26 -29 (Read)--> Hungry and weary (Companions)

c. Mark 6:31-32 Even in Ministry --> Come apart and rest

v. 31 "And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a

desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and

going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat."

v. 32 "And they departed into a desert place by ship."

2. Food --> Hungry v. 5 - 8

a. Ps. 107:4 -6 (Read) Hungry and thirsty --> fainted

b. Matt. 4:1- 4 Jesus tempted while hungry

c. Isa. 44:12 Hungry --> Strength faileth

d. Lam. 4:9 Hunger --> Pine away

e. Matt. 21:18 - 19 Fig tree withered

3. Biological --> Chemical Imbalance

4. Other

a. Job Loss/Demotion b. Marital/Relationship Problems c. Drugs and/or alcohol

d. Death of close family members or friends

e. Physical Illness of self or others --> Go back to sleep, basic needs, vision

f. If we are not careful, poor health habits can lead us into depression. W. W. W.

B. Spiritual --> Attack of Satan

1. Accuser of the brethren Rev. 12:10 --> Reminds us of past sins and failures.

2. To steal, kill, and destroy --> John 10:10

3. Oppression Psalms 43:2

4. Lost Vision

a. Proverbs 29:18 No vision --> people perish

"Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the

law, happy is he."

Define Vision -->Hebrew (02377) --> oracle, prophecy, (divine communication)

b. I Sam. 3:1 No open vision

"And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision."

Define open -->to break through, down, or over

c. I Kings 19:9 - 18 Elisha had lost his vision --> communication with God

d. Job 33: 14 - 16

e. Ezek 11:24 Vision by the Spirit of God

Vision (04758) --> sight, phenomenon, spectacle, appearance;