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8-12% of the population experience depression in any year
Depression affects 1 in 5 older people living in the community and 2 in 5 living in care homes
Source Mental Health Foundation
Suicide remains the most common cause of death in men under the age of 35
UK has one of highest rates of self-harm in Europe, at 400/100,000 population
Depression
A state of morbidly excessive melancholy, mood of hopelessness & feelings of inadequacy, often with
physical symptoms
Some signs of depression
• Inertia • Loss of energy • Insomnia • Feelings of pessimism, hopelessness and
worthlessness • Loss of interest in usual activities, • Inability to enjoy even pleasurable events
Some causes of depression
• Physical
• Physiological - e.g PND
• Bereavement
• Guilt
• Repressed anger
10 ‘Why?’ questions from Psalms 42 & 43
Why are you so downcast O my soul? – 42:5a, 11a, 43:5
Why so disturbed within me? – 42:5a, 42:11a, 43:5
Why have you forgotten me? – 42:9a
Why must I go about mourning? – 42:9b, 43:2b
Why have you rejected me? – 43:2
The Psalmist’s experiences
Facing oppression from non-believers
… people say to me all day long, ‘Where is your God?’
Psalm 42:3b
My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me, saying to me all day long, ‘Where is your God?’
Psalm 42:10
The Psalmist’s experiences
Prevented from worshipping God
These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go to the house of God under the protection of the Mighty One with shouts of joy
and praise among the festive throng
Psalm 42:4
The Psalmist’s experiences
Feels as if he’s drowning
all your waves and breakers have swept over me
Psalm 42:7
How does he respond?
He asks himself questions
Why are you so downcast O my soul?
Psalms 42:5a, 42:11a, 43:5
Why so disturbed within me?
Psalms 42:5a, 42:11a, 43:5
“I always seem to fail at everything I do”
“Everything and everyone is against me”
“Because something happened to me when I was younger, I can never escape the past”
“God doesn’t love me. Nobody appreciates or loves me”
“I am of no value. This world would be better off without me”
‘10 Cs of self-defeat’ by Richard L Mason
1. Never make mistakes
2. Upset yourself when things go wrong
3. Blame your neighbour as yourself
4. Neither love, nor forgive, nor accept yourself
5. Always expect things to be different from way they are
You shall …
‘10 Cs of self-defeat’ by Richard L Mason
6. Seek the love and approval of everyone for everything that you do
7. Avoid facing life’s difficulties, remembering that you cannot change because you are trapped by the past
8. Be totally preoccupied with whatever bothers you
You shall …
‘10 Cs of self-defeat’ by Richard L Mason
9. Wait passively for happiness to come to you
10. Be dependent mostly on others for your happiness
You shall …
How does he respond?
He looks inward but then upwards
Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Saviour and my God
Psalms 42:5b, 42:11b, 43:5b
How does he respond?
He affirms that …
He has a personal relationship with God 42:5b, 11b, 43:5b
He is loved by God 42:8a
God can dispel the darkness 43:3a-4
How does he respond?
He thirsts for God
As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you,
my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the
living God
Psalm 42:1-2a
Hope for the disappointed
Then you will know that I am the LORD; those
who hope in me will not be disappointed
Isaiah 49:23
Hope for those who are tossed about
We have this hope as an anchor for the
soul, firm & secure
Heb 6:19
Suggestions for helping others
• Never view depression lightly
• Don’t overlook physical in search of the spiritual
• Gently encourage talk - be ready to listen
Suggestions for helping others
• Encourage person to think about being involved in doing something for others
• Gently share Scriptures but don’t preach
“Whoever thinks s/he has the ways of God conveniently tabulated, analysed and correlated with convenient glib answers to ease every question from aching hearts hasn’t been far in this maze of mystery we call life and death … At this time of writing, I never knew less how to explain the ways of God, but I never
had more confidence in my God”
(Though I walk through the valley – Vance Havner)