Tabby Cat

I don't think that there is anything wrong with Christians taking medication for anxiety or depression. If your were asthmatic, or diabetic, you would (I guess) take medication to help your body deal with those illnesses. Depression and anxiety are no different - they are an illness and God has given doctors the ability to find medications that can help us deal with it. I wouldn't say there's anything to be ashamed of. (I take medication for anxiety, depression and hallucinations and have done for several years, and I accept that I will probably be on them for the rest of my life).

Hi, I feel rather uncomfortable doing this and I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this but I'll give it a go. I'm a Christian and I suffer from severe and chronic depression. I moved to Switzerland (from the UK) a year ago and I have been hospitalised twice in a psychiatric hospital since I have been here, once for 3 months and I've just come out after another month long stay. Both times I was hospitalised because I wanted to commit suicide. The last time, I had got as far as going online and finding out what would happen if I took an overdose of my medications (the answer - pretty lethal), and I was sitting there contemplating it when something inside me said 'This is wrong, you can't do this, ring your psychiatrist now.' So I did, and she arranged my admission etc. But some days I wish I hadn't rung her. I know that suicide is wrong and is a sin but I just can't seem to stop getting these desires. And I have all these questions no-one can answer, like 'What happens when a Christian commits suicide? What will God say? And sometimes I think 'Well if I can't lose my salvation then why not just do it and then I will be in paradise and all this unbearable pain will have gone away.' It's hard to know who to turn to for help. I have had to stop talking to my parents about it because they can't cope with the thought of me wanting to die and it's not fair on them to go on talking about it. My church here is very small and although everyone has been very welcoming to me and very supportive (especially when I was in hospital last winter) I don't really feel there is anyone else I can talk to there, especially as this time when I was hospitalised my parents told everyone I had wanted to take an overdose (the last time they didn't say why I had been hospitalised) and I feel like they are treating me differently and judging me. Like people who came to see me when I was in hospital the first time didn't come and see me the second time... And I'm still getting to know them (I also have social anxiety disorder and avoidant personality disorder so I find it really hard to trust people and let them in). I asked my dad to get me some Christian books on suicide and self harm (something else I think about a lot but I've never really done anything), and he did. But they were awful - so judgemental and 'Suicide is a product of sinful thinking and you need to sort out your wrong thinking...' not loving or really understanding what it feels like to be so low and so trapped and so desperate to get away from it all and just get to heaven where finally you will fit in that you want to die. So anyway, my psychiatrist (who is not a believer) advised me to try and find some Christians online who might be able to help me - people who had been through something similar themselves and might be able to empathise with me. Also she knows I find it easier to communicate online than face to face. So is there anyone out there who can help me, and might be willing to talk with me via PMs? I hope I haven't caused offence or upset anyone. If this isn't the right place for me to get the kind of help I need does anyone know of some place that can help me?