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CHRISTIAN
SINGLES
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CHRISTIAN
DATING ADVICE
CHRISTIAN SINGLES : GUIDE TO
ENDING LONELINESS AND DEPRESSION Cont.
Chapter 11. Facts About Depression You May Not Know
Depression and other mood disorders are
“ the common cold” of psychiatric medicine. It has been estimated
that 10 to 20 million Americans will suffer depression or mania in their
lifetimes. Fortunately there are several psych medicines that can help
with extreme symptoms to stabilize a patient before he goes into therapy
or treatment. They have been improved upon greatly in the past twenty
years. We see problems when the wrong patients, like children or teens,
are prescribed these potent drugs and they should be used judiciously,
carefully, only after all other therapies have been tried, if at all..
Symptoms that the doctor will question
the patient about include a long list of complaints and the patient’s
general health is carefully examined because some diseases mimic
depression. The doctor will look for a loss of interest in all the
activities the patient used to enjoy; hopelessness, along with a failure
to be a vital part in family activities. Also, sadness, fatigue, even
after eight hours of sleep, thoughts of death, inability to concentrate,
sleep problems, and low self-esteem are common symptoms.
Depression is most likely to occur at
critical or unsettled times; in the adolescent years, during pregnancy
or after the birth, loss of a job, death in family, or in later years.
It can happen to anyone, and education, financial status and race do not
make any difference, thus any patient may be a candidate for this. Some
therapists avoid expressing sympathy for their depressed patients
because they know that they must keep the patient’s mind focused on
ridding themselves of depression. By giving too much sympathy, they
believe they could reinforce their self-pity, a negative, destructive
emotion, which will only prolong depression. A sympathetic ear may
actually be the emotional “pay-off”, that makes the person feel
better for awhile because they feel that someone finally understands
their pain and is in agreement, that they are victims of a cruel fate.
Anytime a person can be convinced that they are victims, it will greatly
hamper their recovery. Success will be that much more elusive, because
they have accepted that forces have conspired to keep them down. No, the
Lord said we are “more than conquerors” in Christ’s
power. Don’t fall for the enemy’s
lies! Resist the temptation to label yourself a victim, and resist the
urge to feel sorry for yourself and you will not fall into the enemy’s
trap.
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