Depression - A Disability You Can Do Something About

DEPRESSION

Is There Any Real Hope of Victory?

Long-term victory over depression ultimately requires addressing the underlying causes, instead of merely treating the symptoms, such as what is commonly described as “chemical imbalance.” Even though we recognize that studies indicate a link between depression and certain neurochemicals (such as a surplus of noradrenaline, the presence of the stress hormone cortisol, or the depletion of serotonin), depression is still triggered by some traumatic or stressful event. Therefore, the underlying cause of depression is not a direct result of physiology or a genetic propensity to become depressed. Rather, the underlying cause of depression is a direct result of how we cope with the trauma or stressful event that carries with it the potential to trigger depression.

Simply stated, learned beliefs and behaviors play a more significant role in depression than does human physiology. One of the most important truths we must learn is that the stressful and traumatic events in our life do not cause depression. Rather, what we believe about those events determines how we emotionally cope and whether or not depression results.

I will illustrate. A man receives a phone call from his wife, who is frantically requesting that he leave work and immediately rush to the hospital emergency room, as their young daughter has just collapsed on the playground and remains unconscious. Nearly panic-stricken by the news, the husband rushes to the hospital with his mind being flooded with self-defeating thoughts; thoughts like, “why is this happening to me?; why does life have to be so hard?; why doesn’t God love me?; why is God treating me so unfairly?” As fear and confusion builds in his mind, depressing thoughts begin to capture him as he approaches the hospital. As he runs into the emergency room, his wife rushes toward him, weeping. His heart leaps in his chest, as he now anticipates the worst.

Now, let’s pause the scene. What this man didn’t realize, was that his wife’s tears were not tears of sadness or tragedy, but tears of joy! Why? Because his daughter’s collapse on the playground was the result of nothing more than a minor blood sugar imbalance. However, because of the tests conducted at the hospital, the physicians discovered that his little girl had an aneurism, that if left undetected and untreated, would have likely resulted in her death. What he thought to be a curse, was actually a blessing. What he felt to be an unfair event in his life, turned out to be God showing him favor!

We have to learn to think differently, and therefore react differently, during the stressful and traumatic events that happen in our life, if we are to have the victory over the vicious cycle of depression.
The truth is, it is not the events in our life that shapes our life. Rather, it is how we see those events. Some call it attitude.

We'll discuss this in greater depth in our next article.
Rev. Gary E. Williams, B.D.