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;
vision (supernatural)
f. Ezek 12:24 Vain Vision
C. Psychological
1. Early Approaches
a. Chip Skull --> release demons
b. Burn at the stake --> witches
2. Some people have a personality is naturally gloomy and pessimistic. Need a competent Christian counselor.
3. Some are overcome and develop a pattern of defeat and depression.
III. PATTERNS OF DEPRESSION
A. Begins with self-protection --> "I, even I only, am left"
1. Because you have been hurt, you pull into yourself and retreat from realities of life.
You feel safe with yourself; you don't feel safe with others --> isolation.
You build walls and tear down bridges to the real world.
2. No interest in life --> family, friends, job, etc.
3. Isolation protects from being hurt again. Depression doesn't stop here.
Self-protection leads to self-pity.
B. Self-pity
We feel sorry for ourselves, so we pull into ourselves and retreat from life.
We get all wrapped up in our own problems and pains and forget that other people
have problems and pains, too! Psalms 42:3 "Where is Thy God?"
C. Self-Punishment
You protect yourself by withdrawing; then you pity yourself because you feel so isolated; and then you start punishing yourself for whatever you think you have done.
1. Satan reminds you of past sins, mistakes, and failure.
2. Wounds are deeper --> withdraw even deeper and isolate self from reality
3. Condemnation of self to a life of self-inflicted pain to atone for whatever wrongs you
imagine you have done. Depression and suicide tend to be associated.
D. Self-Destruction (Suicide) --> Satan is the destroyer.
1. In 1995, 31,204 suicides occurred in the U.S. That works out to 1 suicide
every 17 minutes.
2. About 1% of deaths in the U.S. each year are suicides.
3. From 1952 to 1992, suicides tripled for teens and young adults.
4. Rapid rise at 15 yrs old --> accounts for 12% death among teens and young adults
5. Suicide is the third leading cause of death for 15 - 19 yr olds following accidents
and homicide.
6. Males are nearly four times more likely to succeed. White males are the highest group.
a. Males--> violent methods --> shooting b. Females --> Pills
Suicide is not the answer. Christ is the answer.
IV. CURES FOR DEPRESSION
A. When you realize you've been attacked by depression, surrender yourself to Jesus Christ
and tell Him all about the hurt down inside.
1. Psalms 42:4 Pour out your soul. The psalmist gave his heart to the Great Physician.
2. I Peter 5:7 Cast all your care.
3. Matt. 11:29 Take my yoke.
4. John 6:35 Jesus--> will never thirst, never hunger
5. Galations 5:22 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,"
"But," you say, "I am a Christian."
B. Get your eyes on the Lord and off yourself. Self-pity is one of the most dangerous attitudes
you can cultivate. It poisons your system and nothing looks right; everything people say and do gets out of proportion.
1. Attend Church --> Psalms 42:4 "I went with them to the house of God."
Isa 26:3 "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee."
2. Read God's Word for the peace
a. Psalms 119:165 "Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them."
b. Psalms 29:11 "The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD
will bless his people with peace."
3. Volunteer/Help Others
C. Remember
1. Remember that Jesus Christ died for all your sins and failures and you need not
punish yourself.
2. Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ
Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
D. Forget Phillipians 3:13
Forget what God has forgiven.
The way to forget the sense of our miseries is to remember the God of our mercies. M. H.
E. Think Phillipians 4:6-8
v. 6 "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God."
v. 7 "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
v. 8 "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virture, and if there be any praise, think on these things."
Proverbs 23:7 "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:"
From The Bumps Are What You Climb On pg 33 "Defeating Depression" Warren Wiersbe
