Faith and Depression

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Title: Faith Healing and Depression?
Author: Dave Turo-Shields, ACSW, LCSW
E-mail: mailto:editor@overcoming-depression.com
Copyright: by Dave Turo-Shields, ACSW, LCSW
Web Address: http://www.Overcoming-Depression.com
Word Count: 948
Category: DEPRESSION

Don't worry, I'm not going to get in the pulpit but I will
challenge you to take an objective look at what faith may
be able to do for your depression. In doing so, we'll be
looking at many people who use faith in different ways.

Did you know that someone who practices healing touch, such
as Reiki, which is simply prayer by channeling God's love
and healing energy, can help a hospital patient's wound
heal up to 5 times faster?

Were you aware that the great majority of happily married
couples, couples married 50 years and longer report in
public polls a long and strong faith background? Measure
that up against today's divorce rates!

Did you know that devout Christians have fewer health
problems and live an average of 7 years longer than non-
believers?

Most helping professionals, including psychotherapists,
never touch this area of faith in recovery from depression.

Why? Well, I could talk long and hard about this single
issue, but I want to keep the focus on your recovery, so
I'll just tease this out a little bit. We currently live
in an ultra-independent society (United States). Most
things only have value if they can stand on their own.
Yes, this particularly applies to us Americans. But, we've
also separated church and state, medicine and spirituality,
healing and faith, and on and on. I say enough of this
immature, black-and-white approach to life. It's hurting
us to live this way and it's time to reclaim
interdependence and begin living holistically again.

Christians are disrespected and often under attack. Most
never talk about their Christian beliefs in public for fear
of reprisal. Others are too embarrassed to admit that they
question the existence of God or are extremely disappointed
in God for one reason or another. Of course, then there
are Christian hypocrites who greatly embarrass Christians
of good integrity and give Christianity a bad rap. Being
fair though, I've met many wonderful Christians, but I've
never met a non-hypocrite. We're all human after all. ;-)

What is the status of your belief in God or a Higher Power?
Remember, you're only answering to yourself as you read
this so p-l-e-a-s-e be honest with yourself. Who or what
is God to you? What kind of a God or Higher Power do you
believe in? Are you in need of a God-belief makeover?

Have you ever wondered if God would help little ol' you and
your depression? Have you tried this angle? Have you
given God the opportunity to BE WITH you as you struggle?
Or have you already put your own judgment above God's and
sunk yourself into the quicksand of self-disgust and
despair?

You see, I know. In my deepest depression days I judged
myself unworthy of God's healing embrace. I didn't deserve
it. I felt humiliated to even consider it. There may even
be evil in chronic depression, insofar as it loved the
awful things I thought of myself -- it kept me from a
relationship with God, it kept me from healing and it kept
depression growing stronger and stronger.

I'm not preaching God or a Higher Power as the ONE and ONLY
answer. That would be joining those I've criticized above.
Of course there are Christians who become depressed, and
some depressed Christians already pray ardently to God for
relief from their suffering. I am simply hoping to get
your attention for a moment.

Belief in something bigger than you is one powerful
resource that you can tap into this very moment. When
added to the many other available depression support
resources I have offered and will continue to write about...
Wow, you'll become unstoppable in your recovery.

Here are five suggestions for you to begin your new journey.

1. The 3rd Step Prayer from page 63 of Alcoholics
Anonymous, one of the best kept secrets around.

"I offer myself to you, to build with me and to do with
me as you will. Relieve me of the bondage of self, that
I may better serve you. Take away my difficulties, that
victory over them may bear witness to those I would have
of your power, your love and your way of life. May I do
your will always. Amen."

2. This is thanks to my good friend Jill: Visual Prayer
Cards - a wonderfully creative way in which to connect
and develop an ongoing relationship with God. You can
find more information here: www.comfortqueen.com/cgi-
local/print.cgi?results.html?291

3. And thanks to my good friend Nancy for this next
resource -- the Encouragement Bible was developed by Dave
& Jan Dravecky and Joni Eareckson. Find more about how
to order it here:
www.outreachofhope.org/index.cfm/PageID/187/index.html

4. Sit and imagine the most peaceful scene you can in the
theatre of your mind. Now imagine God joining you in
this scene and the two of you spending some time
together, perhaps just holding you in His arms for 5
minutes per day. Do this on a regular basis and watch
the results.

5. Begin a Prayer Journal. Here's a sample outline for
your entries. Begin with 5 gratitudes. Then list one
item having to do with your depression recovery and
request God's help in this area. End with a "Caught Ya!"
section, where you document any time you caught God in
action during your day, whether in your life or in life
around you. Look for the "God shot!" It can be simple
or profound. For example, you realized you were
daydreaming while driving, but only noticed this after
you "safely" and unconsciously ran through a red light at
a busy intersection and no one got hurt.

May God's love surround you like a cleansing white light.