A Simple Inquiry

They are constantly forgetting that their bodies can effect their spirits....The patient is left wondering what sin has caused his faith to ebb, when a simple inquiry into what he's been eating and drinking for the last 24 hours would reveal the source of the problem.

--The Screwtape Letters

Disclaimer: As far as I know, all the people who will read this are not taking any of the medications I might mention below. But if you are, 1) it's none of my business and 2) I assume you have gotten the prescription legally, and so you and your doctor have determined you really need the medication--so don't take this blog as a recommendation you stop your meds or as a slam. My thoughts below are simply my thoughts on what I find an interesting topic.

Ok, on to the blog.

The quote above is from a passage where Screwtape, the Undersecretary of Hell, is describing in a letter to Wormwood, Junior Tempter, the dual nature of humans. We are, he says, weird amphibians, half spirit and half animal, and our animal nature can impact our spiritual nature and vice versa. Screwtape then goes on to turn the discussion toward sexual purity (or rather, since it's Screwtape, impurity), but the quote got me thinking the other day about depression.

There's something of a controversy in Christian circles over whether Christians can even get depressed. My take is, clearly, they can, unless Elijah, David, Paul, and numerous other people weren't really saved. There is also controversy over whether Christians should take antidepressant or mood-stabilizing medication. A few thoughts on that, though I believe they apply to non-Christians, too:

1. Studies have shown that a half hour of brisk walking in the sunshine every day for a month raises seretonin levels in the brain as much as Zoloft.

2. Studies have also shown that post-partum women suffering from "baby blues" or mild depression have improved their mood to normal by taking a fish oil supplement. There have been similar results with vitamin B-6.

3. Americans get less sleep and poorer-quality sleep now than most people in the developed world.

4. Some of the side effects of chronic dehydration are nagging headaches, difficulty thinking clearly, and depression.

So to me the question is not so much whether depression is necessarily a lack of faith, as it is whether depression is a symptom of physical neglect.

Now, can depression be a spiritual issue? Absolutely; it clearly was for Paul and Elijah; but David experienced highs and lows and impulsive behaviors that probably would have gotten him a diagnosis of being bipolar in this century and was never rebuked for the moods (though obviously the impulsiveness led to sin on some *ahem* occasions). So it seems to me that when facing a down mood, the first thing to do is "inquire into what you've been eating and drinking the last 24 hours".

I don't mean that if you eat nothing but twigs and leaves you'll have a perfect, elevated mood, but if you're subsisting on beer, chicken nuggets and Hohos, you're not giving your body anything to work with--except, ironically, the antioxidants in the beer. We tend to eat less vegetables than we need, less (also ironically) of good fat than we need, we don't like B-6-rich whole grains, and we don't drink enough water.

So my approach to depression would be this: fix the easy things first. Exercise. Get more sleep. Eat and drink better, take a fish oil supplement. If you still feel depressed, do the spiritual work (or do this at the same time and anyway, because you ought to be maintaining your walk with the Lord all the time)--examine your heart and repent of what needs repenting of, surrender where you need to surrender, forgive where you need to forgive--you know the work the Lord has for you. Immerse yourself in Scripture and get in the habit of praying every time your mind isn't occupied with something else. Especially pray if your mind gets occupied with depressing thoughts.

Then, if after doing both those things you still don't feel any better, maybe you need the antidepressant medication. This needn't be a long process; give each intervention a week to work. The antidepressant won't kick in for a month anyway, as it has to reach a certain concentration in your bloodstream. You will at least have a solid record of trying to present to your doctor, who will unfortunately likely be very ready to write you a prescription anyway (not being counselors or pastors, they like to write prescriptions because it's what they know how to do). But it's better to have tried and know that you're really taking necessary medication.

I'm not willing to say that nobody has the kinds of imbalances in their brains requiring meds, but on the other hand, if you CAN fix it without expensive medication that has side effects many people find troubling, why not?

And now to the idea that a Christian's joy is in the Lord and they shouldn't have to work on their mood at all, they should just be happy all the time: bull puckey, not to put it too finely. As I've mentioned, there are numerous examples in Scripture of godly people who got depressed, discouraged, and even despairing. For that matter, the Lord Himself got discouraged in Gethsemene. The point is, when you get depressed, to strengthen yourself in the Lord. As Tozer said, just be honest in prayer. You know you should tell the Lord, "You know my name, it's written on Your hands", but honestly you have to say, "Lord, I feel like You've forgotten me. I know You haven't, but that's how I feel. You'll have to adjust my emotions because I surely can't." I find honest prayer, while attempting to obey regardless of how I feel, is much more effective than a grin-and-pretend-to-have-the-joy-joy-joy-down-in-my-heart attitude.

Then there is also meditating on the warlike psalms, but that might only work for weirdos like me. :) ("Blessed be the Lord my Rock, who prepareth my hands for war" for some reason works wonders for me when facing the twenty-seventh dirty diaper of the day.)

There you have my thoughts on depression. Hope I haven't offended anyone--like I said in the disclaimer, if you're taking medication I assume you really need it. But maybe you'll appreciate some of the other coping strategies I've outlined. I've never met anyone on Zoloft who would turn down an extra bump for their mood.

May the joy of the Lord really shine on you today,

Breanna

P.S.
I'm 25 today--a quarter century and automatically a better driver, according to my insurance company. Or as I told Miss Boo this morning, Mama is an old, old lady. When you're 18 months old, 25 is very old indeed. :D