Overcoming Depression

Causes

When people are feeling depressed, I’ve noticed there are basically three causes: thoughts, circumstances, and physical / mental imbalance. Consider what is the cause, or what are the causes, so you can begin working toward a solution.

1. Thoughts

Do any of these thoughts sound like yours?

“I feel like a failure.”

“My job is boring.”

“I’m frustrated and stuck.”

“No one cares.”

“That won’t help.” (when someone offers advice)

“I regret my past.”

Be honest with yourself and look for any thoughts you need to change. Watch for passivity and lack of motivation; it might feel easier to stay in the negative rut, but overall it makes life extremely difficult.

Solutions:

• Meditating on God’s Word
• Journaling
• Positive influences

2. Circumstances

Loneliness, marriage problems, loss of loved ones, traumatic memories, and other negative experiences can make it feel impossible to move forward, but through Christ we are “more than conquerors.” He offers you joy and peace, and will never leave you, if you belong to Him. (See “Am I Saved?”)

Paul described himself as “sorrowful, yet always rejoicing” (2 Corinthians 6:10). While there is suffering in life, we can find joy through God’s Word and His Spirit.

What you can do:

Look into therapies (as I share in this post on trauma)

Meditate on Romans 8:28–39 and remind yourself:

1- God is working all things for my good.

2- He is making me more like Jesus.

3- Nothing can separate me from His love.

4- I am eternally secure because God is taking me to heaven forever.

3. Physical

When you have a good life and feel like depression is “out of the blue,” it could very likely be physical. Of the people I talk with, this is probably 5% of the time, but it’s worth looking into.

Balance your brain chemicals

SSRIs are the typical anti-depressants doctors prescribe, and help you maintain a healthy level of serotonin. However, they don’t always work and sometimes come with side effects, so you might benefit from other ways of boosting serotonin.

These are scientific (a bit technical, but helpful!) ways you can overcome depression:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-U5OX3sbA8

https://www.brainmdhealth.com/blog/4-ways-to-boost-your-serotonin/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2077351/

There are other chemical causes of depression besides low serotonin; high serotonin, low dopamine, estrogen dominance, and hormonal fluctuations in general can also be causes.

Talk to your doctor and do your own research about other treatments. Keep in mind, there are more options than medications.

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You might have to work on multiple root issues, if you are dealing with difficult circumstances, you recognize some negative thought patterns, and you have reasons to believe there is an underlying physical imbalance.

Most of all, seek Jesus with your whole heart and focus on the hope He offers as an anchor of your soul (Hebrews 6:19).