And sometimes, mild depression naturally goes into remission, like cancer, which may reinforce the dangerous idea that seeking medical help signifies lack of faith.
Of course, our God is powerful and able to heal in an instant. No matter how many times I recited verses, asked for healing, and did all the other things I was supposed to do, I still had an illness. Unfortunately, this mistaken belief prevents people from seeking the help they need. In 2013, a Lifeway Research study found that nearly 50% of evangelicals believe that prayer and Bible study alone can conquer serious mental illness. It’s not because we don’t pray or read our Bibles.
All I want is sleep, not just because depression is exhausting, but because sleep is an escape. The world seems to move in slow motion, but I still can’t keep up. Many people who seek help for depression only report physical symptoms because they don’t feel sad.įor me, I first notice it as brain fog. It’s much more complex: emptiness, flatness, irritation, or a strange numbness. We might not be sad.ĭepression isn’t sadness, as this article explains. He spent some time in a psych ward, got on meds, and found support he’d never found in the church. My good friend, Steve Austin, nearly died because he believed ending his life was best for his wife and infant son. She knew he wouldn’t be burdened by her illness and her child would have a better mom. This mom thought her husband would find a beautiful new wife and mother for their baby. I was certain taking my own life would be a blessing to others. In those pits, I believed I was toxic and harmful to those close to me. Depression often carries an intense, shameful sense of self-hatred. But for many battling the darkness, dying seems like the most selfless thing to do. Sometimes people say suicide is the most selfish act you can commit. At one point, I was seriously underweight because I couldn’t force food down.
#You got me twisted feeling so gifted lyrics skin#
My skin stung like lotion on a fresh sunburn and my throat hurt from the lump that lived in it. Every part of me ached from resisting gravity, as though my cells wanted to collapse in a puddle on the ground. That day at the beach, I told my coworkers about depression’s physicality. When people say they can’t get out of bed because of depression, this is what they’re talking about. There’s a bone-deep weariness that becomes a constant companion no amount sleep or coffee can shake it off. Chest pain, migraines, stomach problems, and a weakened immune system are some common symptoms. WebMD lists at least 12 physical symptoms of serious depression. The phrase “mental illness” makes it seem like it just exists in our thoughts. So here are some things every Christian should know about suicide and depression: It’s not just mental and emotional. But if we don’t understand the darkness people endure, it’s much less likely we’ll reach them in it. We are called to be the light of the world, a refuge for the broken and weary. And I’m reminded how little the church knows about depression and suicide. They had never heard what it’s like to be suicidal and they started to understand, at least a little. I remember my colleagues’ faces as my words sunk in. Our hearts are breaking with those in such pain. Several of our friends’ kids have attempted suicide, shocking their church communities. Anthony Bourdain and Kate Spade ended their lives last week. The last two weeks have brought news of too many people wanting to die. I told them it’s like dying of a terrible disease and wishing I could hurry it up, knowing things would only get worse. So I told them about the physical pain, the exhaustion, the heaviness. Finally, someone asked what it’s like to want to die. My coworkers stared, jaws dangling in breathless shock. “I do.” For the first time in my life, I spoke up. I swallowed hard and let out the breath I’d been holding. My insides rattled when my coworker said he didn’t understand what would make someone feel like taking their life was the only option. The familiar ache and nausea filled my chest. Eventually, somebody mentioned a friend-of-a-friend who had died by suicide. I was in California on a business trip, just yards from the beach, eating ice cream and laughing as the conversation drifted away from business.
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