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

Series – ‘Big questions from the Psalms’

Today

How should I respond when I feel discouraged?

Depression is no respecter of persons

Winston Churchill

William Cowper

Charles Spurgeon

Stephen Fry

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

Continually tearful

My tears have been my food day and night

Psalm 42:3a

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)

Why are you downcast, O my soul?

Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God