FREE WORLDVIEW MAG FREE WORLDVIEW RALLIES
Anti-depressants and Spiritual Conviction
PAGE: 1 2 3 4 5 NEXT>

Re: Anti-depressants and Spiritual Conviction
Posted On: 06/26/07 12:36:19 PM Age 47, IN
I've been doing online biblical counseling for 9 years and I can say this article hits the nail right on the head. Over the years, I've worked with about 2000 women who were depressed, and the most difficult ones were those who refused to see that how they viewed God played any role in their depression. While there is often a sin connection with depression, I think it boils down to more of an issue with understanding and truly believing who God is. Most of our churches do not equip people for dealing with difficult seasons of life. And when presented with a person who is slipping into depression, most church leaders abdicate their responsibility to teach them another way of handling life's sorrows. For further reading on issues with anti-depressants, I'd like to refer you to one of our ministry's articles, http://www.oaim.org/antidepressants.html . As Christians, we must remember that we were created for a relationship with God so anything that touches us must be filtered through that relationship. What we believe about who God really is will affect every aspect of our lives, and it should always be the first place we go to find roots of our struggles. One of the Holy Spirit's works in our lives is to convict us of sin, but He is not free to do that when we use other means to camouflage our sin. -- Chalkbrd
Click here to reply to this post

  1. Re: Re: Anti-depressants and Spiritual Conviction
    Posted On: 06/29/07 07:19:14 AMAge 40, NC
    I agree. Although I never suffered from a serious depression, I have had times of anxiety and sleeplessness. When I learned to ask God to search my heart and show me my ways, He began to reveal the areas where I needed to repent and change. He never fails to gently lead me back to Himself. God is just and does require obedience but He also knows us intimately and promises not to give us more than we can bear. When He reveals sin, He does it in a way that allows me to feel convicted without being overwhelmed, dealing with one thing at a time and revealing sin in layers - often the action and then the attitude behind it. Part of that process over the years has been learning who God is. Understanding His character has been key to understanding His heart and will, and being aware of when I'm not in it. And I've had to learn to really trust Him: for the future so I won't be anxious about the days to come, in His mercy so I can run to Him when I've done wrong, and in His omnipotence, so I can relinquish control. The most helpful thing to me was to read the WHOLE bible. I spent a year in Gen. 1-11 studying creation. That revealed much about God's character! It answered so many questions about sin, suffering, purpose, the future, and how God feels about us. Even in the curse God promised a future hope. His plan of redemption was there from the beginning. It has ALWAYS been His desire to pick us up, dust us off, and set us back on the path to Himself because He DESIRES us. He wants fellowship with us. He DELIGHTS in His creation. He HURTS when we sin. He LOVES us. Continuing through the Old Testament, reading the account of the Exodus and the years of wandering you get more glimpses into His character. The first time I read those passages I exclaimed out loud about those "crazy" Israelites, how could they be so ungrateful, so quickly and easily turning to their idols?! It wasn't long before a Still, Small Voice whispered in my ear that I did the very same thing. How quickly I could worry instead of praying, or turn to eating, shopping, or entertainment instead of dealing with God on an issue in my life. Seeing how He delt with the Israelites, hearing His heart cry for them, helped me to trust Him with my own heart, to understand how He felt about my sin and turn to him when I was worried, forsaking my idols and finding true joy in His perfect will. Recently, I've begun to study the Law as given to Moses. As Christians we don't often study these passages but I have found a wealth there of God's character. It was so true when Jesus said that to love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your might, and to love your neighbor as yourself summed up the law. Studying the law reveals how much God desires our hearts, wants to protect them from the enemy, and wants us to treat eachother. It's so much easier to know HOW to obey Jesus' command as I have studied the law. I'm not saying we have to obey the law for salvation. Salvation is by faith alone. It is just very helpful in understanding God's character and plan for our lives to study the law because that same law of love is written on our hearts. God's goodness, unfailing love, and faithfulness is unchanging, completely trustworthy, and worthy of our praise. If one at some point in their journey begins to doubt that, it will inevitably affect their emotions and ability to deal with life. We must look for sin and deal with it but it is also important to look at the root. Perhaps it stemmed from a lack of faith which in turn stemmed from a lack of knowledge of God's character. I would encourage everyone to study the Word in its entirety and really get to know Him. May He turn His face towards you and give you peace.
    Click here to reply to this post

    1. Re: Re: Re: Anti-depressants and Spiritual Conviction
      Posted On: 06/30/07 07:56:50 PMAge 41, SD
      Wow! I was blessed by your response and convicted as well. In my early years I suffered from depression, but by the Grace of God, He revealed to me it was from my unconfessed sins, but it was up to me to be honest with myself to see what they were. When I allowed the Holy Spirit to search my Heart, He revealed the "hidden" sins of my heart so I was able to confess them. We can not confess sins that are hidden to us. Thats where God's mercy and grace come in (not giving us what we deserve). He knows that we are so good at covering up sins with rationalizations, excuses, etc., that in time we forget we have sinned and left them unconfessed! I was tempted to seek medical help, but I turned to the true physitian who helped unlayer the thick crust that hid my unconfessed sins. I am not a medical Dr., but I know my depression was from sin, and the only remedy for it was confession from sin causing the depression. That is where this lady was coming from. There are two sides to the the coin here. There needs to be a balance, and the drug pusher people can't see that. I believe in drugs for those who have chemically induced depression, and the Holy Spirit for those who have sin induced depression. Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness (if you are a Christian) before going to a Psychosis Dr. If you are a crazy non-Christian, by all means, do yourself and society a favor and get medical help! Then I pray you seek the Lord! Then you can be on your road to spiritual recovery as well.
      Click here to reply to this post



Re: Anti-depressants and Spiritual Conviction
Posted On: 06/26/07 11:34:54 AM Age 63, TX
A needed article for believers. This note about Jim Elliff: From the number of articles he has provided on sin, doubtlessly, sin is taken seriously in his preaching. LLL Are you always tired? One symptom of depression is tiredness. Why are we depressed? Many causes are not physiological: poor self-esteem, money, children, jobs, health, failure of intimacy in marriage and with others, adultery, fornication, loss of friendship, or death are just a few causes; accordingly, depression is often the result of failed relationships. LLL Sin must always be understood as damaged or broken relationships either between man and God or man and man. How is it that depression results from these broken relationships or sin? How is it that a broken relationship with your enemy, or with your employer, or with your customer, or with your neighbor, or with your family, or with yourself, or with God is a sin resulting in depression? LLL Simply said, broken relations are a result of choices or decisions - to lie or be truthful, to be trustworthy or deceitful, to be honest or to be a thief, to do good or to be wicked, to help or to harm, to be honest or to be a cheat, to be moral or immoral, to love or to hate, to obey God or to participate with Satan. The wrong choices and decisions cause broken relationships. LLL There needs to be an understanding how making wrong decisions affect our relationships to each other and to God. Wrong decisions are always an offensive against others. The time used in coping with the feelings of broken relationships and corresponding feedback from those offended drain not just energy but spiritual power. Living is left with fighting battles and never a victory march. LLL Biblical fundamentalism: (1.) Unless we confess our sin to ourselves, to the offended, and to God; (2.) repent (determine not to do this sin again, even though in our weakness we may fail again); (3.) and we accept forgiveness or forgive, broken relationships are not mended and depression cannot be overcome. Without forgiveness, broken relationships continue, there is little self-esteem, and depression remains. Most important, a faith in Divine Sovereignty that is not permitted to waver by giving thanks with a grateful heart in all situations is imperative for an unbroken relationship to God. LLL Once forgiven, there is always a new creature, born again to a new life, free of depression and guilt – from spiritual brokenness to spiritual wholeness. Making the right decisions are just or righteous decisions, merciful decisions, and faithful decisions. These the Lord Jesus related as the weightier things of the law. These prevent broken relationships. When confession, repentance, and forgiveness become our daily prayer, each day is a victory march with Jesus through the camp of the enemy. old glen
Click here to reply to this post

  1. Re: Re: Anti-depressants and Spiritual Conviction
    Posted On: 06/26/07 01:03:41 PMAge 45, MI
    Is nobody appalled here? She went from a congregation that cared about her (and gave her great advice) to one that tells her that she should be in misery?!? I mean, people! Are you saying that God will condemn you to hell because you are taking antidepressants, because you have a medical condition that can be treated? This woman made a bad, bad decision and she needs to see a doctor. I mean, self-diagnosis is bad enough, but taking oneself off of your meds without the all-clear...that's dangerous. What I find thunderingly appalling is the implication that someone who is depressed is _responsible_ for their depression. This is simply not true. These are brain-changing medications, not conscience- or soul-changing meds! This poor deluded and woman! Oh, it kills me to see someone on the road to Wellsville and falling so short. Listen, I have had depressive tendencies my entire life and have been on a mood stabilizer for years now...and you know what? I can function, I can reason, I still have my conscience. I feel sorry for this poor woman's family, who will suffer as much as she will. She needs to talk to her doctor tout sweet, if you catch my genetic drift. Mental health and faith are not incompatible, are they?--RS
    Click here to reply to this post

    1. Re: Re: Re: Anti-depressants and Spiritual Conviction
      Posted On: 06/29/07 09:58:08 AMAge 50, MS
      The call to repentance is the hinge on which our salvation is based. If the drug dulls her perception of the awareness of her sin and her need to repent, then it is interfering in the relationship between this lady and God and has no place in her life. A "feely-good" church isn't doing its job. The true church holds us accountable for our sin and calls us to a recognition of our sin, an acknowledgement of it, a confession of it, and true repentance--turning completely from your sin. Many of today's churches are glossing over this process, and in the process are lulling their congregants out of a true relationship with Jesus Christ. I think this is one of the counterfeits of the faith that we were warned would come. If you attend a church that does not cause you to examine your life, acknowledge and confess your sins, and that does not call you to repentance of those sins, then you need to examine the purpose behind your church, and more importantly, your purpose in being there. Feeling good and being "loved" by our fellow congregants is not going to get us to heaven. The Bible tells us that God chastens those He loves. Mental distress and regret over wrongs we have done to others (what we once called conscience) is one of the most powerful chastenings He brings to us. When we take drugs that dull our perception of His chastening, we do not receive the intended cleansing effect of the chastening.
      Click here to reply to this post

    2. Re: Re: Re: Anti-depressants and Spiritual Conviction
      Posted On: 06/29/07 09:16:15 AMAge 36, MI
      My mother has had "depression" before I was ever born. I grew up with her sinful behavior and being blamed (even as a young child) for her having depression. Now that I'm an adult I know I'm not the reason for her depression. She is a complainer, murmurer, self-pitying, easily offended, and just plain negative. She blames every reaction and thought to depression. She has gotten better in these latter years and she says she is a Christian and goes to church. I truly believe if she'd ask God to tear down the strongholds the devil has set up in her mind (because she let him in)that she could ditch the drugs. If someone can have self-control in certain situations then I think that they truly shouldn't label themselves medically ill. I think way too many times people blame anything but themselves for their problems. I know there are true medical conditions but, I think for the majority, there aren't that many people with true mental conditions. I truly believe that drugs are overused just to numb yourself to your own sinful behavior. Just because you don't see your sins doesn't mean there not there and doesn't mean God will not chasten you until you get right.
      Click here to reply to this post

    3. Medicine and Faith
      Posted On: 06/29/07 09:07:00 AMAge 46, CA
      AMEN! The medicine I take for manic depression ALLOWS me to know God. My family can tell when I'm off-balance or out of meds because I start to take His name in vain. I never do that when I am properly medicated.
      Click here to reply to this post

    4. Re: Re: Re: Anti-depressants and Spiritual Conviction
      Posted On: 06/29/07 07:13:43 AMAge 65, FL
      This kind of ignorance from Christians is another reason intelligent people don't go to church. Christians stick to teaching the gospel and let doctors do their job of prescribing medicine. I have a sister-in-law who has been brainwashed by some fringe type church into believing if she will just pray more, believe more, etc,,,she won't be bi-polar, depressed and whatever else is wrong with her. Meanwhile we, the family, are left to pick up the pieces when she gets off her medication and loses yet another job and gets into yet another scrape. One minister had the nerve to tell us that if the family was more supportive our dear sister would be able to shake this thing. I felt like shaking him, as we had spent a year supporting her, caring for her child and letting her live in our home. Any church that feels medication is improper for mental and/or emotional illnesses should be prepared to practice what they preach and take these very ill people in and care for them when they're off meds. Did you know most "homeless" people are people who are mentally ill and have stopped taking their medication? Then some of them get on illegal drugs hoping to stop their mental and emotional pain. Why not stop taking your medication for diabetes or heart disease? why, with lots of prayer and a diet change you could probably beat that illness all by yourself, with God's help of course.
      Click here to reply to this post

Re: Anti-depressants and Spiritual Conviction
Posted On: 06/26/07 11:26:31 AM Age 25, WA
Thank you for sharing, Jim. Before Christ Jesus took hold of my life, I was taking anti-depressant and a few other prescription emotional "regulators". It was rather an addiction to the "numbing" effect it had on my ever increasing doubts and guilt for the lifestyle I was involved in. Thank God that I was delivered from that by Christ, but so many people do not yet understand the undercurrent of these drugs. This article was a warning that needs to be heeded.
Click here to reply to this post



Re: Anti-depressants and Spiritual Conviction
Posted On: 06/26/07 11:02:28 AM Age 46, CA
Wow. You're story sounds so familiar to me. I entered depression's deep tunnel at age 12 with the onset of menstrual cycles, but hid it effectively from everyone around me because I thought I was just a bad Christian. Alone in my house, I would scream to God, fall on my face and beg him to forgive my sins, to make me a better person, to let me serve him. Some years there were months of sunlight with frenetic activity, but I knew the tunnel would come back. I married young, had children in my early twenties. There were days I abandoned my tiny children while I hid in the bathroom keening in the corner "I can't do it." Yet all this time I served in church. Taught children's Sunday School, VBS, bible studies, directed a huge adult Sunday School class, ran the church library. No one suspected that I was living in such tar, stuck in such a depression. No one offered comfort when I sat in church weeping Sunday after Sunday, when I sobbed in the Sunday School meeting that three children was harder than I expected. I carried meals to others, but none came to my children when I could not even throw them crackers from a box. All because I was supposed to be a good Christian, a good example. In 1992, at Christmas, I beat my boys to the floor with a half inch dowel while my husband cut the grass. I fought back images of butcher knives in the kitchen drawer. ONly the grace of God allowed me to step back, put on my shoes and leave the house. Two days later I was in a doctor's office where I couldn't even stop sobbing long enough to tell him what was wrong. Thank God, he gave me a prescription for that little pill. Two weeks later, while putting on makeup, I realized that I was smiling in the mirror. I couldn't ever remember doing that before. The voices stopped. The impulsive behavior stopped. My children were safe. I began to see that God was there beside me, but that I couldn't see HIm for the darkness. Today I am still taking a combination of little pills. I love the Lord my God. My children and my husband love me. Daily I thank God for the miracles he works through pharmacists and physicians. I am glad that you were able to overcome your depression without medication, but please do not cause others to forego medical help when it is needed.
Click here to reply to this post

  1. Re: Re: Anti-depressants and Spiritual Conviction
    Posted On: 06/29/07 07:25:44 AMAge 65, FL
    God bless you! My heart aches for you. I was the same way. My tears went unnoticed by the church as I did my part as a "good Christian". I couldn't understand why God would not take away this horrible suffering I was enduring. Thank you Lord for a CHristian doctor who saw I was suffering very bad depression. I am on medication and I will stay on meds. I am able to worship God and witness for Him in a much better way. I could not have lived another day in that black hole of depression and I would not want anyone else to. No Christian should ever judge another Christian by how Happy, happy, happy they are. Many psychopaths are charming, smiling people. When Jesus suffered such terrible mental agony in the Garden, God sent angels to minister to Him. I believe He still sends angels; caring doctors, nurses and other caregivers.
    Click here to reply to this post

  2. Re: Re: Anti-depressants and Spiritual Conviction
    Posted On: 06/26/07 02:17:46 PMAge 58, NC
    I agree there are cases where the medicine is needed also. I suffered with panic attacks since i was 22 years old and it took a toll on my life. I was in a shell and i prayed many times to God to help me to get over this. Finally i went to a specialist who got me back on the right track. The article makes a great point about numbing the mind with drugs where your true emotions are not sincere. This is when you need to take a hard look at the amounts of meds you are taking.
    Click here to reply to this post

  3. Re: Re: Anti-depressants and Spiritual Conviction
    Posted On: 06/26/07 02:17:45 PMAge 58, NC
    I agree there are cases where the medicine is needed also. I suffered with panic attacks since i was 22 years old and it took a toll on my life. I was in a shell and i prayed many times to God to help me to get over this. Finally i went to a specialist who got me back on the right track. The article makes a great point about numbing the mind with drugs where your true emotions are not sincere. This is when you need to take a hard look at the amounts of meds you are taking.
    Click here to reply to this post

Re: Anti-depressants and Spiritual Conviction
Posted On: 06/26/07 10:55:20 AM Age 65, FL
I cannot imagine how many women this article will hurt. How many will not seek professional counseling. How many will not take the medicine they need because of this article and others like it. Depression hurts physically and mentally and there are many different reasons for depression. There is a certain kind of Christian who just can't accept that being depressed is neither spiritual laziness or a sinful attitude. This sort of Christian cannot accept the free gift of being saved by grace. Once you have acknowledged Christ Jesus as your saviour and his payment for all your sins; past, present and future, you are free. No more going up to the altar every Sunday to confess your "sins", no more groveling and moaning about what a bad person you are. Once saved its a done deal. Now you belong to God. You were a sinner (past tense).You are now holy and perfected in God's eyes. As it says in Hebrews 10:10,"We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." Did you get it? ONCE for all. 1 John1:7 says we are purified from sin. Thats present tense; "Are purified". The woman who wrote this article "Taking the Edge Off", has not learned to accept the freedom that Christ gave us. She just cannot believe she doesn't have to do something; feel guilty, be a miserable penitent, somehow suffer. She feels she doesn't deserve this wonderful gift of freedom from the curse of the law that God has given his followers.As Christians we are justified, redeemed, forgiven, Christ's friend, God's child, united with the Lord, a saint, bought with a price, free forever from condemnation, already seated with Christ in Heaven and lots more. Sometimes even Christians have good reason to be angry. Being taken advantage of by siblings who should be sharing the care of elderly parents (but aren't), being angry at children with smart mouths, upset with fellow Christians who take advantage of otherChristians who can't say "No" to more work at church functions. Jesus got angry at injustice. He called the Pharisees some pretty bad things. Are we better than Jesus?Here is the truth; even saints get depressed. Jesus was in agony (mentally, emotionally) in the Garden of Gethsemane. Depression is a genetic illness in my family. The ones who won't get medical help make everyone else in the family miserable, yet they feel so self-righteous that they don't take "drugs' for it. Implication being that those who do take medication are somehow less a Christian. My doctors, over the years, have all said the same thing; people take medication for diabetes, thyroid problems, etc...but they balk at treating depression. As if depression is all in the mind, a spiritual problem. Well, it wasn't too long ago that menopause was considered "all in the mind". God has given us doctors and modern medicine (which is sometimes almost miraculous), yet many refuse to accept them. We know "We are the caregivers and God is the curegiver." God works through men and women of medicine. Please, if you are depressed and you know you are walking with God, don't let anyone take away your freedom from condemnation. Go to a good doctor and get professional help.
Click here to reply to this post

  1. Re: Re: Anti-depressants and Spiritual Conviction
    Posted On: 06/27/07 11:49:06 AMAge 36, FL
    Age 65 from Florida has the most Biblically-accurate response to this situation out of all of you. Sir or Madam, if you are not a preacher you should be. You "know" your God better than most others standing in pulpits today.
    Click here to reply to this post

  2. Re: Re: Anti-depressants and Spiritual Conviction
    Posted On: 06/26/07 08:04:16 PMAge 35, TX
    THANK YOU! I see where this article can do NOTHING but harm. I am on anti-depressants and I am not trying to avoid my sin. I have suffered since a child and have spent spells without them, but was told the last time that I needed to just stay on...my spirals are just too severe. If I had to be on insulin, noone would dare say it was sin related. Should we say that people with cavities are being punished becasue of sin in their life becasue the old testament talks about how as punishment their teeth would crack? I think they are extremely far off and I thank you for standing up and being concerned that someone might be bullied into thinking that they are being sinful or unfaithful by taking antidepressants. Thanks again!
    Click here to reply to this post

  3. Re: Re: Anti-depressants and Spiritual Conviction
    Posted On: 06/26/07 06:17:11 PMAge 41, AR
    I am also concerned about how many believers, men or women, may be confused by this article. I applaud the author for sharing her story and I hope it will be understood as one person's perspective. I am certain that many other people could offer a different perspective that would be just as valuable and compelling as this one. Response to any of these drugs is going to differ from person to person. Do not take this article as anything more than one person's perspective offered to provoke more informed decision making. I take medication for anxiety and have shared the author's concern with regard to "taking the edge off". However, I have not found that I am numb to sin nor have I been rendered emotionless. My problem prior to the medication was that I would turn a small problem into a large burdensome problem that could be completely debilitating. The medication has enabled me to recognize my tendency towards anxiety and deal with problems in a more rational way. I still pray and ask for guidance but the medication has reduced the noise of anxiety so that I can listen to God's response (if there is one). I do not expect for God to solve all of my problems or answer all of my questions. He will, in his devine wisdom, provide me with all that I need. I do have to take issue with the "once saved, always saved" comments. It is true that we are saved from our sin by Christ but that means only that we can be forgiven. Grace is not the "get out of jail free card" that some happy preachers claim that it is. We cannot look at sin as a game of musical chairs in hopes that we are freshly forgiven just the before the music stops. We are called to reject sin. I do not mean that we are to be perfect but we must work with God's grace to continue moving closer to what he wants us to be. I fear that too many people take once saved always saved to mean that they can just go on doing what they were doing before with the added protection of fire insurance. We could not ever earn the grace we have been given but we also cannot take it for granted.
    Click here to reply to this post

  4. Re: Re: Anti-depressants and Spiritual Conviction
    Posted On: 06/26/07 04:58:47 PMAge 41, CANADA
    I believe what this woman suggests is accurate. She is NOT saying don't take anti-depressants. I did, I too had no choice. I too was not living a life for Christ. I was leading a false life, professing to be a Christian since I was 5 years old, but living in the world and I was so unhappy, suicidal, depressed, unable to cope, no laughter, sin that went unconfessed, forgotten and unforgiven. All this with 2 kids and a husband (non-Christian) who bore the brunt of my depression. After 5 years on severely high doses of 2 different kinds of antidepressants that helped some, but never completed me, I reached my lowest. Last April I fought to get off my meds and turned to Christ for an answer. He did acknowledge me, and told me I needed to do 2 things, 1) confess and repent of my sin 2) turn my life over to him WHOLLY. Still, knowing only He could help, it took 7 months of struggling on my own to fully submit. What a fool I was! Finally last October I stopped being strong on my own and I gave in WHOLLY to Him. He took over, cleaned me up and what I see now is so clear, I look back and can't believe the changes he has brought in my life. I am not just happy, but my life is full of Him. I evangelize, I feel the pain of seeing unbelievers who may die in sin. I am on fire because I finally understood what repentance meant and then TRULY REPENTED of my sins. And I agree, sometimes, God does use our emotions to get us to acknowledge our sin, oue feelings of self-loathing, bitterness, embarassment, unhappiness ARE not what Christ wants for us on our lives, it just may be a wake up call. This is NOT a crutch, it is reality. What this woman suggests is HONEST self-examination, on or off meds to determine whether it is a chemical imbalance or plain old sin. Ask God to open your eyes to past unknown or forgotten sins. I did and wow what a revelation. I have been anti-depressant free for over 1 year. I am not perfect, but I know I have been forgiven and there is a huge difference in my life because of it. I am also more honest with myself about my sins when I do wrong, and much quicker to repent and ask for that forgiveness. Please do as she suggests, examine yourself before a Holy, loving God and ask Him to reveal what's wrong or sinful in your life. He works. He forgives. He heals.
    Click here to reply to this post

  5. Re: Re: Anti-depressants and Spiritual Conviction
    Posted On: 06/26/07 12:43:42 PMAge 59, MO
    Below is a paragraph from the article. I believe that this woman was balanced and cautious in what she recommends. Please read: "I am not saying that it is never appropriate for a woman to use prescribed medication to fight depression, especially if it has a physiological cause and has so skewed the person’s thinking that she has become irrational.[1] Recognizing and confessing sin does require rational thought, and it is difficult to hold a woman accountable who is incapable of thinking through what God requires. In some cases, antidepressants or anti-anxiety drugs might help a person get to a place where she can think rationally. At this point, a qualified nouthetic counselor or pastor can begin to lead the individual to see how her own sin has brought her to the state she is in[2]. By the grace of God, she will repent, turn from her sin, and recover from her depression, alleviating the need for the drugs. I am writing to caution against a stall in this process.
    Click here to reply to this post



Re: Anti-depressants and Spiritual Conviction
Posted On: 06/26/07 10:27:24 AM Age 42, MN
Praise God that He allowed this woman to see for herself what was transpiring. Unfortunately, like in so many other areas, the Church has turned to the way of the world to solve its problems. This is all the more tragic because the promise of God is that His word is sufficient, but it is clear we do not understand how that is so, worse we often don't even believe it is so (If you are bristling at that thought, or immediately are looking to justify the use of psychotropic drugs - take warning). There is an excellent counseling model which seeks to address the devastating problems we face in a truly Biblical way headed up by an organization known as NANC, www.nanc.org. From their site: "The National Association of Nouthetic Counselors is a fellowship of Christian pastors and laymen who have banded together to promote excellence in biblical counseling. NANC exists to promote the cause of Biblical counseling and the doctrine of the sufficiency of the Scriptures. It was founded in 1975 in service to Christ to address several needs in the biblical counseling community." Russ Young
Click here to reply to this post

Re: Anti-depressants and Spiritual Conviction
Posted On: 06/26/07 10:03:06 AM Age 43, TN
Excellent article! I have witnessed the devastating impact of anti-depressants on friends and neighbors. I believe that psycho-active drugs are a tool used to suppress guilt feelings, conviction of sin, and repentance. A person under the influence of psychology and the accompanying drugs may never turn away from their sin and toward the freedom and peace that only Jesus provides.
Click here to reply to this post



Re: Anti-depressants and Spiritual Conviction
Posted On: 06/26/07 10:00:21 AM Age 57, TN
Excellent article, to the point and right on target! As a nouthetic counselor I have seen time and time again women coming for counseling that are on psychotropic drugs. I NEVER, NEVER encourage the person to stop taking the drugs and encourage them to talk to their doctor about it. In doing this I also send a letter to the doctor asking them “what do they need to see in their patients behavior change to reduce the amount of psychotropic medication they are receiving as the persons is trying to gain control of his reactions to the stresses in his life. We have also encouraged him to not change or reduce medications you have ordered without your supervision. We will appreciate any information you can give us that will be of assistance in dealing with his problems.” I have also seen many women who have come off of psychotropic medications to tell me later that part of their problems was their drugs and how it stifled the work of the Holy Spirit. Psychotropic drugs do work, most are dangerous, and they turn down the dial of life. Certainly people do feel better when they take psychotropic drugs, the same way they feel better when drinking alcohol or smoking illegal drugs, it is because they feel better when their brain is impaired. It is the same with psychotropic drugs because they “feel” less of their emotional suffering—but to the degree that they “feel” better, it is because they are experiencing intoxication with the drugs. So many Christians and churches today are filled with the buzz words of psychobabble that they think that a life of taking legal drugs is the universal remedy they are all looking for. God’s Holy Word tells us how we react in relationships depend on who is Lord over the spirit (see Gen 2; Rom 6; John 15; Gal 5). We must remember that psychology and religion are competing faiths and if you seriously embrace one set of standards you will rationally have to reject the other. But a warning to nouthetic counselors—some doctors will shoot the messenger. Some doctors will get explosive when you calmly discuss these issues with them “Sir why are you yelling at me, do you have anger issues?” Click! Just let them see Jesus in all you do and say.
Click here to reply to this post

Re: Anti-depressants and Spiritual Conviction
Posted On: 06/26/07 09:56:09 AM Age 35, TX
Four years ago I became extremely suicidal. I had begged the Lord to help me. On the day I was going to a Mental Hospital for help, I called a fellow believer and asked her to keep me in her prayers. Her response was "you need to turn to God, not the Hospital" I respectfully told her that I had been doing that, but He was excruciatingly quiet, I HAD to do something. I spent 5 sleepless nights journaling about how hard it was to just take the next breath. Finally the medication they prescribed started taking affect and I met the sun with hope. I was able to praise God in that moment when for months all I had done was beg for death, and had very honestly designed my own method to see it come to pass. My point is that I believe that the medical staff is there for a purpose, not to replace God, but to help as long as we don't cut Him out of the process. If I had diabetes, I would not think it sinful to take insulin. I would thank our loving Father for helping people gain the knowledge to make it a treatable disease.I chronically suffer from depression and I thank my loving Father that He helped scietists develope something that helps me move beyond the begging for death to being able to have hope and see beauty in life...in MY life! I am happy for you that you found the path to hope without medication, but I want to be sure that other weomen who do need that addition help even if it is for a period of time are NOT condemed for seeking help. I KNOW that if I had not, I WOULD have killed myself. Seek help if you need it! Don't wait! God CAN and WILL meet you in that place of darkness.
Click here to reply to this post

  1. Re: Re: Anti-depressants and Spiritual Conviction
    Posted On: 06/29/07 11:13:29 AMAge 47, CO
    I completely agree with your post as your story is very similar to my own. I believe that some depressions are caused by circumstances, some are caused by biological imbalances or disease, and some are the result of spiritual sickness and unrepentence. God gave humanity the wisdom to figure some things out on our own and take action to help ourselves, always keeping Him and His will foremost in mind.
    Click here to reply to this post



Re: Anti-depressants and Spiritual Conviction
Posted On: 06/26/07 08:33:02 AM Age 52, PA
This story has so many similarities to my own life. I have been on antidepressants, off and on, since 1998. I'd get weaned off of them but found myself unable to function normally. I agree that antidepressants keep us from feeling normal emotions. I haven't cried or grieved in years. My mother passed away on May 1; I did not cry. The only time I do cry is if I am angry or hurt...personal affronts. I lost my job the last week in March, and from that point until my mom passed away my life revolved around spending time with her. She was hospitalized from 3/23 through 5/1, and I was grateful I had time to spend with her. I have not found employment yet, but God has used this time alone with Him to get me to the core of my sin, which is self. It wasn't until I stood before him honestly, openly, without making excuses, rationalizing, or blaming, that my burden was lifted. It was a moment of total surrender and repentance, and since then I have been filled with joy and peace. In fact, I cannot ever remember a time in my life where I felt so emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually stable. Because of a glitch in my continued medical coverage, I could not get my prescriptions filled. I haven't taken my antidepressant in over 2 weeks. While I know this is not standard medical practice, I did not crash and burn as usual. Even when weaned off of the antidepressant, I would find myself in such a state I begged to go back on. I have not had that experience this time. I do not recommend going "cold turkey," but I am testifying that God brought such a miraculous healing to my soul that I no longer need them. Repentance is not preached in churches near as much as it should. It took me a long long time to learn that repentance is not a suggestion or an option, it is a requirement. That moment when I confessed all to God was a spiritual mountaintop experience, and I haven't been the same since.
Click here to reply to this post

Read More Feedback

Post Feedback
We would like to post your feedback, but please keep your feedback short and clean. All feedback will be reviewed before it is posted. We encourage healthy debating but will not accept feedback with personal attacks. Commenting on a person's public statements, actions and writings is not considered a personal attack. Please limit your feedback to less than 750 words. Comments written in ALL CAPS will not be posted.

All fields are required. Your age and state will be posted on the site, but your personal information will NOT. If you would like your name to be posted with your feedback, you must include it in your feedback text.

First Name:
Last Name:
Email Address:
City:
State: OR Country:
Age:
Feedback Title:
Your Feedback
(no HTML):
Save my information for next time.



Notice: By entering your email address, you agree to join the
Worldview Weekend email alert system.



Worldview Weekend
Family Reunion
Branson, Missouri
April 23, 24, 25, 2010
Worldview Weekend
Training Institute
Memphis/Collierville, TN
April 9th & 10th, 2010