Encouragment from the Bible, or I am doomed to be depressed

[oak]

Mikado -

Some have given you great advice here. I suffer from depression as well but I fear you may have a very severe form of depression. Also, in my life I have met many people who suffer greatly from depression, and some learn to manage it or even conquer it.

First, in terms of this post, keep closer to those who caution you that it takes time to resolve, then with the

Edited December 25, 2008 by oak

[Iryssa]

Mikado -

Some have given you great advice here. I suffer from depression as well but I fear you may have a very severe form of depression. Also, in my life I have met many people who suffer greatly from depression, and some learn to manage it or even conquer it.

First, in terms of this post, keep closer to those who caution you that it takes time to resolve, then with the

[Leonard]

TRAIN your heart to be happy. You will be about as happy as you DECIDE TO BE!

[Iryssa]

TRAIN your heart to be happy. You will be about as happy as you DECIDE TO BE!

Okay, that works when you're in a bad mood or are having some "down" feelings, but Clinical/Major Depression is an ILLNESS, like diabetes. It's not the kind of thing where you can think happy thoughts and it will just go away. Yes, self-discipline with regards to your thought patterns is a part of managing it, but you can't oversimplify it like that either.

[mikado5001]

TRAIN your heart to be happy. You will be about as happy as you DECIDE TO BE!

Okay, that works when you're in a bad mood or are having some "down" feelings, but Clinical/Major Depression is an ILLNESS, like diabetes. It's not the kind of thing where you can think happy thoughts and it will just go away. Yes, self-discipline with regards to your thought patterns is a part of managing it, but you can't oversimplify it like that either.

Thanks all, especially Iryssa and Oak for these last few posts. I will look into Focus ASAP. And other areas for depression. I have thought of so many things to do on this. From joining a new congregation and leaving another to other less savory areas. I confess suicide, while not the answer, and not being attempted by me EVER again. Along with dreams of dying. I despise being alone. Sometimes, and most times, I crave for someone to come and get me out for a time. I am so weak in fellowship, it's weird. Anyway, it's 6:30 am as I type this, and have not slept at all. So I think I ought to try. I was out with people last night. Ironic that I should mention being alone, after hanging out with folks. All Christians, and for the most part uplifting, ones at that.

[greenlee]

No real pearls of wisdom at the moment, but I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers.

[nebula]

Proverbs 22:6 "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

Hey -

I don't have time to read through all of the responses, so I don't know if this has been addressed or not -

But the passage says "in the way he should go." What this means, I believe, is that there is a way we were meant to go, but not all of us were raised in that way. (This is a sobering word for parents, Ii think.)

The passage does not mean that you are doomed to stay in the way your parents raised you. The word, I believe, is addressing parents, not the children.

Make sense?