Anti-depressants and Spiritual Conviction - Feedback

Anti-depressants and Spiritual Conviction

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Re: Anti-depressants and Spiritual Conviction

Posted On: 06/29/07 05:23:17 AM

Age 53, FL

Thank you for this article. I have seen too many women(especially) but men also given a "little pill" to ease their way through life. And they slide through never really living. I have endogenous cyclical depression, but thanks to a loving husband and a Christian counsellor, I have dealt with the issues that had built up over a lifetime. Yes I have taken medication when I was in the bottom part of my cycle, the rest of the time? St. John's Wort and a very close walk keep me on an even keel, I do get grieved, I do experience great joy, and I stay hard on my Lord's heels. In other words, I have life and have it abundantly. We are medicating ourselves into slavery as a society. Since we have been set free by the Son, we should be living free, not in bondage to our sinful natures and easy outs! G*D bless this woman for speaking the truth, we are stuck with a microwave mentality when we need to be crockpots. And really live!
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Re: Anti-depressants and Spiritual Conviction

Posted On: 06/29/07 01:54:33 AM

Age 43, AZ

After reading all the replies to this article I see now why it was greatly needed to be written! It's shocking to me how many people jump into trusting a pharmacuetical company and doctor to give them a pill for symptoms that could and usually are caused by so many other dietary or medical issues. It is pure fallacy that one day one wakes up and their chemicals are out of wack and they need more toxic man-made drugs to get them back in order. If that were true, isn't anyone curious about what triggered it or what to do to reverse it? I guess not with handy-dandy anti-depressants at our sides. Before you get all upset and bark at me, understand that I know this bc I had severe post-partum depression after a birth trauma with our 5th child. The only advice I ever got from 3 doctors was to take anti-depressants. My husband and I prayed about it and we never had peace about it, in fact, we had angst. So we decided to grieve the situation and deal in prayer through the spirit every time the battle for my mind ensued. We enlisted an accountability group for me, prayer coverage for all of us, and personal discipleship (VCL) for me. I was having wacked out dreams of crazy horrific things I could have never thought up in my own mind and I feared sleeping they were so torterous. My daytimes were plagued with unpredictable panic attacks that eventually took over my nights as well - I'd wake up in a panic heart racing but feeling weak and tired like someone with heart issues. My daytimes were one big heavy cloud and I didn't enjoy my children any more. It would have been so very easy to take a pill and not cry anymore or not feel guilty anymore about feeling poorly. Turns out the root cause was that I had unrepented sin that I was too scared to confess and another issue of sin that I had never completely healed from. After a year or so of prayer, accountability and especially discipleship from a gal who would not allow my habits of Godship (Praise God for this sister!) I was healed completely! In a nutshell, I had never accepted His forgiveness completely bc inside I never really forgave myself. All these kinds of things can surface in a situation like our birth trauma but a pill only masks it, it will never go away until completely dealt with and made pure by the blood of Jesus!
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Re: Anti-depressants and Spiritual Conviction

Posted On: 06/27/07 07:03:27 AM

Age 58, VA

Having read the feedback here, the main thing is to consider what is being said here. Too many times anti-depressants, tranquilizers, narcotic pain killers are given by doctors or sought out by patients who would get well by taking neither but rather by drawing closer to God. No one is saying they should never be perscribed. But someone needs to say, as Jim has done, that they are not the only solution and many times the wrong solution. I was warned when I came out of treatment that Doctors had very little schooling on drug addiction and it would not be hard for me to get anything I wanted( the same still holds true today.) We were told to tell our doctors in the furture that we were addicted to drugs to forwarn them and to protect ourselves. "Make no provision for the flesh." Granted anti-depressants are not addictive. But both addictive drugs and anti-depressants are not always necessary. This article is not saying anti-depressants should never be administered. Likewise an addict might have to take a narcotic pain killer at some point in his life (after surgery for example.) This article is for those who have ears to hear what the Holy Spirit is saying at those times when anti-depressants are not necessary. The intent of this article is not to judge anyone but rather to inform and warn some.
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Re: Anti-depressants and Spiritual Conviction

Posted On: 06/26/07 07:05:28 PM

Age 58, VA

This article is way overdue. I am so glad this woman had the nerve to write it and you had the nerve to post it. In 1980, when I was in a 28 day drug rehab at ST Mary's Hospital in Minn., considered one of the best secular rehabs at the time, we were instructed that most of us had been diagnosed with various psychiatric problems before admitting we were actually addicts. We were instructed that drug addiction mimics many psychiatric disorders. We were told that as we progressed in our recovery that these psychiatric symptoms would disappear. We were then told that along our road to recovery we would possibly experience cycles of depression that would also eventually disappear for good. We were told that at about 5 to 7 weeks and then at about 5 to 7 months we would possibly experience some depression but that if we would just hang in there and do what we were there to learn, the depression would soon disappear. And so it went. Being 18 months into my Christianity at this time, I prayed and asked the Lord to keep me from the depression since I had battled it in previous years. He was faithful to do His part and I was desperate to do mine. The Lord led to me to a wonderful Church where I learned very quickly that it was the Word of God that was the real medicine I needed. It became my healing. Today though, practically every woman I meet who is new into drug recovery is told they are bi-polar and are then put on anti-depressants. Both Christians and non. It has been a real frustration to watch because they may seem to be stable but they also seem to lack any depths in their walk with the Lord. One X- heroin addict told me she feels like she can't get real close to the Lord or feel his presence like she could when she was off of anti-depressants. She said there seems to be a block there. I too know there is a time for meds, but I also I believe these only mask the problems. They are not for everyone. If these people were taught to get more into the Word and make themselves accountable to others who will love them, surround them, and support them, (the role of the church anyway) they can recover without anti-depressants. But many Doctors prescribe them like candy and many Christians nowadays think they are great. The truth is "the Word is life to those that find them and health to all their body." "Blessed is the man who walks not in the ... but his delight is in the law of the Lord and in that Law he meditates day and night and he will be like a tree firmly planted by rivers of water whose leaves wither not and in all that he does, he will prosper.” That is our God-given medicine. Most people will take their prescription until they finish it, but will not do the same with their spiritual medicine, our daily and lifelong prescription for healing and soundness of mind.
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Re: Anti-depressants and Spiritual Conviction

Posted On: 06/26/07 05:16:48 PM

Age 47, PA

I am a person who has bi-polar disorder. I've been on psychotropic drugs for 25 years, and I am a rock solid, born-again Christian. Without these medications, I become psychotic. I've had Christians tell me to stop the medications, and in May of 2003 I did stop them, because I thought I was healed. The result was that I became psychotic and broke the law and was prosecuted. I was put on house arrest for 6 months and was then required to complete 3 and 1/2 more years of probation. We must understand that humanity has Fallen, which brought disease among other things into the world. There is such a thing as a chemical imbalance that can occur in the brain as a result of the Fall. In December of 2004, I had a spiritual experience in which God stated to me that I would have to remain on these medications the rest of my life. As far as I'm concerned, the matter is settled. Like the Apostle Paul who cried out to God 3 times to remove the thorn in his flesh and God stated that his grace was sufficient for him, so God's grace is sufficient for me, and the use of the medications is with me for life. To deny someone medical attention for a brain disorder is sin. If a person feels as if someone should not take psychotropic drugs, then all medicines for all maladies should be forbidden. People should then be told not to take medication for high blood pressure or high cholestrol or even an aspirin for a headache, etc. I wonder how many people who feel a person should not take psychotropic drugs would be willing to go to prison for that person who needs these drugs but is told not to take them, which could result in that person breaking the law!!! I hope and pray these words minister and bless those who read them. - Spencer R. Clark -
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Re: Re: Anti-depressants and Spiritual Conviction
Posted On: 06/27/07 11:51:45 AM Age 42, MN
Spencer, thank you for sharing what you have. As I read this article, I became so aware of how many people have psychiatric disorders and/or chemical imbalances that lead to depression of one form or another. How many of those people will never turn to the doctors that God has placed on this earth for proper care in their treatment, because they have been told their depression is because of their own sin? Sin is real. I know that. Sin CAN be a cause of some forms of depression. I know that also. But to tell someone that they are "sick" because of their sin, is in essence telling them that if they are sick (physically, mentally, emotionally) it is because of some deep seated sin in their life that must be taken care of. How sad. It takes me back to the days when I attended a church of the "health and wealth Gospel". They told us that if you are following God's plan for your life, everything will be great. You'll be healthy, wealthy and happy. How sad. We live in a world that is overrun with sin. Along with that sin comes many problems and hardships. But even though we try our absolute best to stay in God's plan for our lives, we WILL encounter trouble. It's a given. Christians are not exempt from it. But we are also part of the race of humans that God calls "fallible". We are victims of our own situations, including the genetic heritage that is passed down through our family tree. We will probably suffer some consequences because of that, but by God's grace we will get through them, sometimes through prayer, and sometimes through the amazing knowledge that God has given to doctors in this world. As one that suffered through a short period of time, diagnosed as "depression", and pulled through using a mix of doctor's knowledge and God's teachings, I can vouch for the effectiveness of both, used together, not exempting either one.
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Re: Anti-depressants and Spiritual Conviction

Posted On: 06/26/07 03:20:50 PM

Age 42, TX

Dear Sir: Your article speaks volumes of truth. Thank you for sharing your own experience to shed light into the lives of others to make better choices. May God bless you and keep you.
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Re: Anti-depressants and Spiritual Conviction

Posted On: 06/26/07 02:37:56 PM

Age 58, NC

Great article that i also can relate to. I suffered from panic attacks since i was 22 years old and it really took a toll on my life. I would not wish one of these panic attacks on anyone. They are horrible. You just lose total control and its without one bit of warning which makes you scared to death all the time. I said many prayers to God to please help me get over this horrible loss of control. About 4 years ago i went to a specialist because it was tearing my family apart. I got so confined to a shell in my life i was afraid to drive in fear of one of these panic attacks beacause when i would have an attack in the car i would have to pull over. You would feel like you were going to die. There are no words i know of to describe these attacks. I finally got treated after trying many types of meds. If you use too much of these meds you can numb your mind. That is why i try to stay strickly by the doctor orders who monitors me a regular basis. This article is dead on the button because these meds can make you not feel your real true feelings. It is a very fine line but my quality of life is at least tolerable now. I pray that all of you will pray for me so i can put these meds away because i only want to rely on one. Our All Mighty God whom i thank and praise everyday. God Bless you all. Jerry
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Re: Re: Anti-depressants and Spiritual Conviction
Posted On: 06/29/07 08:57:10 AM Age 36, MI
I too used to have severe panic attacks. I had to pull over if I was driving, leave the store (with a grocery cart filled), hide in the bathroom at work, and finally became afraid to leave the house. My heart raced, I sweated terribly, thought I'd pass out, and felt the need to run away all at the same time. I even awoke at night with these "problems". At that time there was much sin in my life....I'm not saying that everyone who has panic attacks is sinning but, I was. I had to totally repent of my sinful ways and God removed this consequence in my life. We reap what we sow and, I was reaping physical illness and mental illness. Ask God to search you...put His light in your dark places....tear down the strongholds. There are many places in our being that we are blinded to. Don't medicate yourself needlessly (unless you truly need to due to imbalances).
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Re: Re: Anti-depressants and Spiritual Conviction
Posted On: 06/27/07 08:04:30 AM Age 58, VA
As I said in other posts I was addicted-to alcohol and Valium. I resorted to the prescribed Valium when I started having anxiety attacks out of the blue. Horrible, crippling attacks. I was a flight attendant and could not pass a drink w/o my hands trembling when they came on me out of the blue. I had no clue why I was having them. Once I got saved, went to treatment, was no longer drinking or taking Valium and was back to work,by God's grace, I was free of the anxiety attacks for a couple of years. However they suddenly started back up as I was serving one day. A little voice said to me, "you can take valium again." Fighting waves of fear, I said to myself, "over my dead body,” I excused myself and went in the bathroom and prayed. Once home I searched my heart for what in the world it was that I was afraid of-anxiety means worry, fear. Unable to come up with anything specific the Lord showed me that I had a "suppressed general fear and anxiety of what my future held." Most importantly I had a general fear of the unknown. He showed me that I needed to get, deep down inside of me, the fact that "He" knew the beginning to the end and "I" didn't have to, that He had my life under control, that I did not have to know what the future held but only know that it held good things because He was in control. I had learned the Word could bring "healing and soundness of mind." He then directed me to find scriptures on anxiety, fear, peace, sound mind, confusion, God's control and trust in Him. ("Be anxious for nothing...” “God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of love power and a sound mind.”) I began to say these scriptures out loud to myself, which began to hide them in my heart, and whenever I felt a twinge of that tightness in my chest or tingling in my fingertips I would head it off at the pass by thanking God (out loud) that He was in Control of my life and then I would say out loud to myself other scriptures I had learned concerning overcoming fear and walking in God's peace. I did this often and not just when the need need arose. The result was that I developed a peace and trust that I had never had deep down inside of me. Yes, I loved God and, yes, I trusted Him in many ways. But there was an underlying and suppressed general fear that I was carrying around with me. I never had another anxiety attack. In the past, I had battled them for over ten years and I have been free for roughly 25 years now. I will certainly pray for you and hope you will give this a try. I hope you understand our anxiety is rarely specific but rather a "general, overall",(you might say, underlying) but suppressed, anxiety that surfaces when we least expect it.
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Re: Re: Re: Anti-depressants and Spiritual Conviction
Posted On: 06/28/07 10:15:18 AM Age 58, NC
What scriptures did you read to get rid of this anxiety? Thanks so much for your thoughts and prayers.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Anti-depressants and Spiritual Conviction
Posted On: 06/28/07 11:33:30 PM Age 58, VA
Before I list some of the scriptures I used, I would like to share 2 other things. One: The Bible says God inhabits the praises of His people. That means when we Praise Him, He draws near. Guess who flees then? So early on, I learned also to praise the Lord when anxiety tried to come over me. I would literally say ten times, using my fingers to count on and with great enthusiasm, “I praise you, Lord, I praise you, Lord!” And Peace would flood my soul. As I was diligent about these things I was becoming free of the anxieties because the Word is life to those that find them and health to their bodies. As these Words got rooted in me, they brought healing and soundness to my mind and emotions. They will do the same for you, if you will be diligent. Two: I was diligent about writing down these scriptures and each morning in my devotions I would read them out loud and personalize them. As you I did this my emotions and feelings began to line up with the Word of God. This is Biblical meditation. To meditate is not only to think about but also to say to yourself, to mutter to yourself, to confess to yourself. Psalms One tells us that we will prosper in all we do, if we will meditate on the Word of God daily. The Bible also says we are Overcomers. We overcome by the Word of our Testimony. Our Testimony is now who we are In Christ and all that He has done for us. Some of the scriptures I meditated on were Psalms 3:5-6; Isaiah 54:17; Phil 4:6 in the NAS (says be anxious for nothing) Psalms 1:1-3; Rom 8:28; Jeremiah 29:11;2 Tim 1:7; 1Cor 1:16; 2 Tim 1:9; Phil 4:19; 1 Col 1:16; Phil 4:17; 2 Cor 2:14; 1 Pet 2:24; Isaiah 53:5.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Anti-depressants and Spiritual Conviction
Posted On: 07/01/07 11:31:50 PM Age 55, NM
With these two posts, you have condensed the entire essence of the practical application of the whole duty of mankind. To hide these words in your heart and make them a part of your very being. Most people read these words of God -or don't- and can't even remember them the next day. Or say 'those are fulfilled, they don't apply to me', not realizing that God's word stands forever. If everyone posting here would follow the simple instruction you have laid out, the same as God's instructions, depression would be on it's way out. PRAISE GOD!!
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Anti-depressants and Spiritual Conviction
Posted On: 06/28/07 11:23:51 PM Age 58, VA
Before I list the scriptures I used, which I will do in the next post, I want to tell you an exercise I did both daily, as well as any time a hint of anxiety, doubt or fear entered my mind. The Bible says we are to “cast down every thought that exalts itself against the Word of God.” That means we are to literally say, “No, I do not believe or accept that thought. It is not the truth! The truth is such and such.” Then I would quote the scripture that was opposite of the thought that came to my mind that was not in agreement with what the Bible said. Just thinking the scripture was not radical enough in the beginning. I needed to say it or whisper it to myself. For instance, when I had any thought of fear, I would say out loud, “No, That is not true! God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of love, power and a sound mind. I have a sound mind. A sound mind is not a fearful mind. God gave me a sound mind. Thank you, Lord, for a sound mind! Or when I felt anxious, I would say “ No, I am not anxious for anything because God says for me to be anxious for nothing but rather to thank Him as I pray and make my requests known to Him and then His Peace that passes all my understanding will keep my mind and my heart in Christ Jesus. So, Thank you, Lord, I am not anxious. Thank you Lord, I have peace in my mind and my heart. Thank you Lord you are taking care of my finances, my relationships at work, (whatever the case may be.) I know you are taking care of things for me. Lord, I am not anxious or worried . I am trusting in the You with all my heart. I don’t have to lean on my own understanding of things because You are taking care of every one of my situations and You are directing my path. I don’t have to know everything the future holds because you know what it holds. You have told me that your plans for me are for good and not for evil with a future and a hope. You have my life figured out. You know the beginning to the end. I don’t have to fear anything. I am at peace because You are in Control of my life and You are working all things together for good for me.” “You are not a man that You can lie.” I trust you, Lord, I love you, Lord, I Praise you Lord”. You have to say these things over and over at first until they become a part of you. And they will if you stick to it and don’t let up. The Bible says when the enemy comes in like a flood than God raises up a standard against Him. The Word of God is our standard now and it is effective to cause the enemy to flee. The enemy comes to us in our thought processes. As we cast down the bad thoughts of fear and doubt and worry and anxiety and quickly replace them with God’s Word, His thoughts, the Truth about the matter, the worry and fear will leave. As you cast down , reject, every thought that tries to raise itself higher or tries to present itself as truer than the Word of God, eventually God’s thoughts will become your thoughts and your feelings and emotions will begin to follow His thoughts. In other words, as His thoughts become foremost in your thoughts, you will begin to walk and respond to them instead of to the negative thoughts and emotions you had been flooded with. In essence you are literally flooding your mind with the Word of God and the other has to go! If you will be diligent about this, your anxieties will lessen and lessen and eventually be gone
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Re: Anti-depressants and Spiritual Conviction

Posted On: 06/26/07 01:11:28 PM

Age 65, PA

My heart did a little flip flop of joy in response to this article. 31 years ago I went through a similiar experience, and I later called it,"my concentrated school of faith". So many thigs God taught me through a very painful time. I was a 34 year old mother with seven chlidren under thirteen years of age. My husband was very supportive, but did not give in to the pressure of taking the drugs to relieve the pain, but rather desiring to see me come through stronger because of the work of the Holy Spirit in my life. I have been thankful so many times that the Lord gave him this insight, because on my own, I would have succombed to the lie that I can't cope anymore.Praise God for this woman's courage to speak forth her testimony, so others can be encouraged!
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Re: Anti-depressants and Spiritual Conviction

Posted On: 06/26/07 01:01:32 PM

Age 56, MN

Denial, isnt a RIVER in EYGPT. I have had depression when I was unsaved, they had me on so much (JUNK)all I wanted to do was sleep. Since coming to know the LORD in a personal way, I take nothing. DO I still have the depression from time to time, SURE who doesnt. Apostle PauL had depressing days too. AFTER all living on this fallen world was NEVER meant to be a PICNIC. I have asked the Lord on those heavy days to take the depressing ( FEELINGS ) away. but he has shown me, he wont, and they keep me humble, and broken. ITS his STRENGTH that gets me thru those days ( JUST as it did with PAUL) so he will never totally take that away from me. IT KEEPS me HUMBLE. I have spoken to people since I have been saved that have told me SINCE they were saved they wanted to kill themself. I have to wonder, WHY were they leaning on? Paul said " WHEN I'AM weak, "THEN he is strong". WE all will be weak, WE all will want to give up, but Paul said to endure to the end. WHEN one is in that state of MIND< LOOK up, dont look around, for the world will surely bring you down.
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Re: Anti-depressants and Spiritual Conviction

Posted On: 06/26/07 01:00:01 PM

Age 65, PA