Fighting Depression

As some of you know, I was laid off from my job at Animal Makers, Inc. It was a good 4 years, but they can no longer afford a full-time IT Manager/Webmaster.

Now, this blog entry is not to get sympathy, but to encourage others. God is ALWAYS with us. That does not and will not EVER change. Here is a small example.

I got laid off last week, they gave me 1 week severance when they could not really afford it and they were not required to do so (GOD). My wife gets a leading to go to a particular grocery store and finds an amazing sale on food (GOD). I went to a Christian event at a local park on Saturday. I had promised to take pictures, so I was just there to complete a promise. I was approached by a "Soldiers For Jesus Motorcycle Club" and asked to build their website (GOD). After 2 days of a extremely dark depression, I am snapped out of it and have hope (GOD). I decide to open a new business with my best friend and suddenly domain names are on sale (GOD), I cannot decide on a domain name and the perfect one pops into my head (GOD). When I tell others of my intention, I get confirmation that it is a wonderful idea that leans into Jesus and my talents (GOD). The domain name and the mission statement centers on the cross and begins with Jesus (GOD). The domain name is "JCiTech.net". Does not seem too exciting? Well, it stands for "Jesus Christ Internet Technology". It all begins with Jesus Christ. Look at the website and see the title image. This design just appeared in my head (GOD).

Now, I did not say all this to advertise a new business. God will take care of all that. Playing to my talents, I will be teaching computers and internet, building websites and repairing computers. All the while ministering to others.

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As for the depression, for all those facing the same thing, I have the following suggestions.

Let me start by saying that these are only suggestions. Your particular situation may require that you see a doctor, get medications, get therapy, etc. There is nothing wrong with going to a doctor when you need help. Balance it with prayer and biblical study and you have a winning combination. That being said, let us continue.

First, know that I have ADHD and take medication for it. I am subject to some very dark depressive moods. This means that sometimes, I just see no hope at all and there is no helping me out of it. What I have found, and it works for me is the following:

1. Just Get Up.
   Turn on a light (darkness feeds the depression). Turn on some music (light, worship, whatever works for you). Silence allows room for your own thoughts to enter. These can be very dark thoughts. Take a shower or bath. Geez! You have been depressed and sitting in a dark silent room for nobody knows how long. A shower or bath goes a long way in lifting depression. Do the dishes, something small. Sweep the floor, then start doing bigger things. I am not talking about just doing chores to make yourself feel better. Just do something productive to take your mind off your depression.
   
   Notice that I said "Your", this means that at this time, you are claiming the depression as your own. That is inherently the problem. You don't own the depression, it owns you. That is, until you do something about it. The productive behavior, helps take the edge off and gives you a little bit of control. These actions help you to look back and see what has been accomplished.
   
   You have heard it said "idle hands are the devil's workshop". This is incredibly true. DO NOT DO MINDLESS INTERNET SURFING!! I cannot emphasize this enough!! It MUST be something productive (like writing this article). Mindless wandering or behavior leads to trouble every time. I fell into this trap! Please take my mistake to heart! Productive behavior leads to productive results.
   
2. Pray
   You may wonder why I did not start here. When I am depressed, I cannot make myself pray or read. I feel like it is a waste of time. I know in my head that this is a lie, but I cannot shake it. This is why the prayer of your friends and family are so very important. You may not be capable of praying for yourself, when you are depressed.
   
   
   This step is by far the most important of them all.
   
   The bible says "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me". This also implies "I can do nothing without Christ to strengthen me". Jesus said "You have not because you ask not". The Father values you so much, He loves you so much that He will NOT usurp your personal will. You MUST ask for help. Having friends and family to pray for you is part of the puzzle, but you MUST ask for yourself as well.
   
3. Read Your Bible
   If you pray and do the things I suggested above, you will accomplish much. Doing anything under your own power however, is always a temporary solution. You will eventually wear down and have to start all over again. This is because you need to feed your spirit too. Praying does some of that, but reading your Bible and spending time in fellowship with other believers will do the rest. If you don't know what to read, call a friend or pastor and ask. Start at the beginning, pick a topic and study that. It does not matter, just read. God will plant the lessons He wants you to learn.
   
4. EAT and Drink Responsibly
   You have heard it said "Out of the heart, the mouth speaks". What you fill your mind, soul, and body with is what you use as a resource when you speak, think and act. A car cannot go forward, unless you fill it with gas and oil. Those are the only resources it has to pull from. A woman who is pregnant understands that the child is feeding on her body's resources and in return she takes vitamins, changes her eating habits, stops the negative behaviors (drinking, smoking, drugs, etc) to promote the growth of the child within her. How much more should we do the same for our spirit, mind and body?
   
   Fill your body with good food and drink. Hold off on the sugar intake (I am a big eater of chips, cookies and m&ms). The sugar gives me a big rush of energy, but when it drops, I sink deeper into depression. We all know that when we gain weight, we feel depressed. Do you really need another reason for depression? I am addicted to coffee. When I do not drink coffee before I go to bed, I wake up with a nasty headache. Because of the ADHD, the caffeine does not keep me awake, it calms me down. I do NOT need a reason to go to sleep when I am fighting depression. Hold off on anything that gives you a temporary rush and then drains your energy levels. This means all sugary snacks and chips, sodas, many juices, etc. Carrot sticks do the job and they are cheaper too. Ice Tea and water do wonders as well and is much better for you than sodas and Red Bull. Changing this behavior can lift your spirit as well.
   
5. Focus Outward
   Now that you have gotten up, taken a shower, completed some productive activity, prayed and read, you need to get out of the house.
   
   You have spent enough time focusing on yourself. You see where that gets you and it just does not work. Sure, you need to do it on a regular basis, but balance is the key. In order, focus on God, focus on yourself, focus on family, focus on friends, focus on God's children. Now you can juggle the order all you want as long as God is always first. All these items though, must be done in order to have a balanced life and a balanced life helps to relieve the depression. Now that I am unemployed, I find that I have more time. Empty time is the very best friend of depression. You need to get out. Not just drive around mindlessly, make a goal. Example, today, I have to go to the public library and return 2 books. I also have made plans to meet with some friends and feed the homeless in my local area. This is not said to brag, it is an example to show errands that you can do and believers you should be around. Fill your empty time with fellowship time. Being around like-minded people helps build faith. Faith helps relieve depression.

Again, these are just suggestions, but I truly believe that God has put this article in my head just so I can place it here. There is no such thing as a "Quick Fix", you have to decide to act. God has very likely been telling you many of these same things for a long time. It took an unemployment situation for me to wake up and listen.

I heard somewhere a quote and I cannot remember who said it, but they said "A fool is a person who keeps doing the same exact thing and expects different results". Please break the pattern. Get help when needed, whether it is a doctor, a friend, a pastor or whatever. Just take action and break the pattern of depression.

I hope this helps.
~Charles P. Scott