Soul Care #13: Fruits & Roots of Depression

If you're just happening across this series, these are the notes from Dr. C's counseling class. I'm processing them outloud. Join me!

Depression

Charles Spurgeon, Martin Luther, William Cowper all struggled with depression.

What does it look like?
There is a godly sadness because there is something wrong with everything this side of heaven. But this is not depression. The church fathers called depression the "Dark Night of the Soul"-- not as a negative thing but a place where God is working.

FRUITS:
The looks of depression are measured by intensity and length. Depression is a sadness that is no longer tied to circumstances.It can look like low energy, or agitated energy; low appetite, insomnia, or 'mid-somnia' (you wake up in the middle of the night and can't sleep.) You quit doing the things you used to do, and a hopelessness sets in. You have trouble making decisions, (not big ones--everyone has trouble with those, but little ones.)

ROOTS:
Depression starts with a blocked, unreachable, unattainable goal. A person's first reaction is disappointment. You miss a flight. First you are dissappointed, and then you get angry. This heightens your creativity about how to catch another flight. But when you realize that all your efforts wont' work, the anger shifts to hopelessness.

You can make a recovery from a missed flight. But what about the deep goals of life? What if those goals are blocked? What if your goal is to be called your father's beloved child? Direct quote: "Out of the longing to hear that creates a drivenness that causes some to come to China."

Maybe your goal is "I want my dad to approve." Or "I want to do something big for God." Or "I want to be a hero." Sometimes in the middle of a heroic journey, you realize you've gotten something you didn't sign up for. First you get angry and try harder, and then you begin to get depressed.

How you help a person in the midst of depression?
You help them walk backwards from depression >> anger >> disappointment >> the goal that's not being met. Help them look for their wrong strategies along the way, and be curious about the unattainable goals in their life. Rarely do we examine what our goals really are. There is a difference between a goal and a desire.
"I want people to like me." This is a natural desire, but an unhealthy goal.

I'll break this up into 2 parts... Depression II tomorrow... is this depressing? :)