I have suffered from depression through various periods of my life, unfortunately as it seems to run in my family, but most recently during my extensive bought of 1 1/2 years with insomnia. I was extremely tired, weary, lazy, and unmotivated. You would often find me lingering in bed in the morning after a pitiful nights rest and desirous of doing nothing else but staying in my jammies all day and watching movies. I felt a darkness hovering over my spirit. A sick feeling in my gut that did not want to let go. Depression went hand in hand with fear and worry about the inability to sleep. Where can we find deliverance and freedom from these feelings?
Cling to the Savior
During periods of depression, there is little to no desire to read the Word or prayer. We are just trying to cope and find little strength there. But we must be persistent. We must wait on the Lord. “But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” This what Isaiah 40:31 promises the faithful, the persistent. Don’t give up even though strength might seem miles away. Press on to know the Lord in your deepest periods of darkness.
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me (Psalms 23:4).” This is your true, enduring, and faithful life-line. You will see a light at the end of the tunnel. God does not give more than we can bear (1 Cor. 10:13).
And don’t forget to preach the gospel truth to your soul. Proclaim it from the housetops. Sing and worship with your voice. There is much refreshment and healing as we take our eyes of ourselves and focus on the beauty of our Lord. Read Romans 8:35-39 – no one can separate you from the love of Christ. I often clung to repeating out loud, “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.” (Psalms 43:5).
Cultivate Thankfulness
It is easy for our eyes to focus on the depressing thoughts and events that surround us and lose sight of the little blessings. Count your blessings. Record them. What gifts has the Lord bestowed on you today? Adopt the recording 1000 gifts challenge and see God transform your thoughts and understanding. It can be the hardest thing to start. But in cultivating gratefulness there is further grace. Colossians 3:15 states, “And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.”
“The greatest thing is to give thanks for everything. He who has learned this knows what it means to live..He has penetrated the whole mystery of life: giving thanks for everything.” - Albert Schweitzer
Do the Next Thing
The worst culprit I found for feeding depression was to linger in bed in the morning or sack out on the couch too frequently throughout my day. This is not to say you shouldn’t rest, but guard against extended periods. Keeping yourself busy is an effective preventative against allowing your mind to wander into depressing thoughts. In these moments when I am struggling with fear, or simply the motivation to keep going, I like to read this poem:
“Many a questioning, many a fear,
Many a doubt, hath its quieting here.
Moment my moment, let down from Heaven,
Time, opportunity, guidance, are given.
Fear not tomorrows, Child of the King,
Trust them with Jesus, ‘DO THE NEXT THING.’
Do it immediately; do it with prayer;
Do it reliantly, casting all care;
Do it with reverence, tracing His Hand
Who placed it before thee with earnest command.
Stayed on Omnipotence, safe ’neath His wing,
Leave all resultings, ‘DO THE NEXT THING.’”
–author unknown
The simple step: do the next thing. This may be just getting out of bed and taking a shower. Or refreshing your soul by reading the word for 5 minutes. Or simply getting off the couch and changing that diaper. God’s grace is sufficient if we are willing to get up, change our attitude, and do the next thing.
Be in Fellowship
The easiest thing for those who struggle with depression is to hide themselves and avoid the company of others. I discovered that there is such healing in being open and honest with your brothers and sisters in Christ. Don’t try to hide it. This will only feed it more. Seek prayer. Seek support. Let others love on you. Take time to laugh with others. I found on many occasions that by just opening up and sharing my personal struggles, that I experienced release and freedom from the weight of it. We need the body of Christ. We need the support and fellowship of the body. This is one extension of God’s grace to us.
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.” Colossians 3:16
Surrender
Ultimately, the place of deliverance and freedom for me has come from the place of surrender. I remembered Paul who graciously adopted his “thorn in the flesh” (2 Cor. 12:7) as the Lord’s means of purifying and maturing him in godliness. The Lord revealed to me that I had been striving for healing and restoration all in my own strength. Yes, I certainly had been crying out for mercy, and depending upon him daily for strength, but ultimately I was looking to the next natural remedy to give me sleep, to release me from depression. I tried every concoction and recommendation possible, offered through meaningful family, friends, herbalists, naturopaths and sleep specialists, and more often then not, they would simply get me more discouraged and depressed because of their uselessness.
I had to come to a place of surrender. If God wanted this to be my “thorn in the flesh” for the rest of my life, then I could choose to embrace that and walk in His joy and grace, or alternatively continue in this path of hopelessness. I knew that if I fully released my efforts, my striving for healing, and let go, there would be peace, whether I was restored or not. And I can testify to that amazing grace. God helped me experience freedom.
Natural Remedies
I have experienced various help from supplementing with these following remedies for helping keep my hormones and feelings in check. But ultimately, we cannot depend upon them for our hope. Our hope must be first and foremost in God alone.
Get Some Fresh Air
Try to get outside for some good exercise each day. Even if it’s just a quick 15 minute walk around the neighborhood while your little ones nap, you will find great refreshment for your soul. Get outside and enjoy the beauty of God’s creation.
Fish Oil
I have found supplementing my diet with cod liver oil or fish oil has been extremely helpful for balancing my hormones. I supplement with Nordic Naturals DHA oil and take two tablets daily. During pregnancy, I am taking Nordic Naturals Prenatal DHA because it has so many good benefits for healthy infant development in addition to mood and nerve support for mommy.
B Vitamins
B vitamins are essential for balancing your nervous system and stress levels. I take 1 tablet of Wild Harvest’s Stress Guard but any B multi-vitamin is very helpful for this. Dark green leafy vegetables are high in vitamin B as well. Green smoothies are an easy way of boosting these in your diet.
Flaxseeds
Flaxseeds are great hormone balancers with their high level of omega-3 fatty acids. Eat them raw, freshly ground in a coffee grinder, over oatmeal, yogurt, or various cereals, in smoothies, etc.
Develop a Peaceful Evening Routine
I have also found it helpful to establish a peaceful evening routine. I stopped getting on my computer or watching any possible intense movie (whether action packed or overly dramatic) that might get my mind going full speed or put my emotions in an upheaval. You just have to be guarded as to what you fill your mind with. Give yourself a good stretch of time to wind down from the day. Avoid staying up too late, as the best hours of sleep are between nine and midnight. Reading myself to sleep with a calm peaceful book, or simply the Psalms, has been most effective for cleaning out my mind and allowing it to rest from the days activities and get a better night’s rest.
Let me leave you with this quote:
“Therefore, depression, regardless of the causes, is a time to answer the deepest and most important of all questions: Whom will I trust? Whom will I worship?” - Ed Welch
Sometimes there will be no answer as to the reasons that you might be suffering from depression. Sometimes God doesn’t clearly define the why. Your struggles and solutions likely will be different from mine. But He does supply the grace to help us acknowledge where we can put our trust. And the only true and lasting foundation is the Lord Jesus. He is a solid rock upon which we can stand.
Additional Reading
For excellent spiritual encouragement on the topic of depression, I highly recommend Depression: A Spiritual Darkness by Ed Welch. For the life of me, I did not want to read this through my various bought of depression, but the Lord really convicted me again not to depend upon my own strength. I read it and found such encouragement!
Treating Depression Naturally by Keeper of the Home
Thanks for an informative blog. I’ve been searching for this type of information for quite a while now.
Yes, I’d have to agree that people who suffer from chronic depression need to get in to see a naturopath. There are many common conditions that cause chronic depression that are easily treatable–pyroluria, histadelia, vitamin deficiency, and hormone difficulties. Treatment is usually cheap and easy (compared to years of psychotherapy) and medication-free. Most treatments are safe for pregnancy and nursing too.
Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!!
I have been batteling some serious “stomach related” health problems ever since the birth of my second son, and have spent the past 7 mo obsessing over it, and trying to find a cure. Lately I have felt like it has become an idol in my life and I didn’t really know what to do. But now I know…. it is time to SURRENDER Maybe I am not supposed to “find a cure”
This was just what I needed to hear
Hello there, I discovered your blog via Google whilst looking for a similar subject, your web site got here up, it seems good. I have bookmarked it in my google bookmarks.
Thanks for this wonderful post on depression. I am 52 years old and sure wish I’d learned all this at your age! I’ve had 4 depressions in my life – age 12, one after each baby, and one at 49 years old. Each one lasted about one year. I believe all had a huge hormonal component, but God had to teach me many things through it. I went 8 months during this last one only sleeping 90 minutes to 4 hours a night and I lost 30 pounds – unable to eat. No one knows the suffering that hasn’t been through it – it is nothing remotely like “feeling blue”. I learned exactly the same things you have – gratitude, doing the next thing, not analyzing the cause, but accepting it, finally “giving in” and letting God bring my joy back. The first three depressions the Lord brought me out of without drugs, but this last one, I had to go on an antidepressant – something I said I would NEVER do and fought for 8 months. My doctor said because of my drastic weight loss and not sleeping, I was in danger. The drug helped me eat and sleep – after I could eat and sleep, THEN I could get busy dealing with my wrong thinking. I will never judge those on medicine again – don’t get me wrong, I don’t recommend this but for the VERY FEW who are not eating and not sleeping – I do not think this is a good idea otherwise. Just going through a crisis, or a death is not enough to warrant medicine – sorrow is an unavoidable part of life. For example, when my mother died when I was only 40, I was in deep sorrow, but I didn’t go into depression and didn’t need medicine. I knew time would heal my grief. Anyway, thanks for the post and sharing what God taught you – another great book is “Spiritual Depression” by Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones – he teaches you to preach the gospel to yourself rather than to listen to yourself.
Great post on this difficult subject. I have suffered off and on since my teens, and am now in my early thirties. I wholeheartedly agree that going outside is very helpful, as is mild exercise. It may seem like the hardest thing to do, but if you just force yourself and trust in God, it WILL help. Best of luck to all who are suffering; you are in my prayers.
I have been using TrueHope Empower Plus for my anxiety/depression. It has all the vitamins you need in it. It is an amazing product. It is a little pricey but it works! It is all natural, and I recommend it for sure!! http://www.truehope.com.
Thank you for this EXCELLENT post on this topic. I was blessed by it through and through. I was wondering if you have an opinion on Flaxseeds vs. Flax Seed Oil. I have a hard time incorporating flax seeds into my diet, but am very faithful to take supplements if I know they will really help me. If you think Flax Seed Oil is a good alternative to the real deal, I’d love to hear which brand you’d recommend as well.
I use flax seeds simply because they are far cheaper and more readily available. With both you need to store in fridge or freezer because they go rancid very quickly. Ground flax seeds are easy to add to oatmeal, smoothies, baked goods, and the like. I found it easier to incorporate ground flax seeds into my diet over the liquid form as well…but price was the most significant factor.
This is the most real web i have found so far. I am glad to know that i am normal, i have been struggling with insomnia and most of my friends don’t seem to understand….thank you for sharing, this is powerful! God Bless you big time….
Insomnia is SUPER common–especially among moms!!
I should also say that pyroluria may not affect people until they undergo a particularly stressful time in their life. I sometimes wonder if this is the true cause of postpartum depression, as it was in my case.
Thank you!
I also read an amazing book called How to Win Over Depression by Tim LaHaye.
very good!
I woke up last week feeling blue…i prayed a short prayer…gathering the kids togethor around my bed (they had already begun bickering). I prayed for them, that God would be with us and help us be more loving to one another. I prayed that God would use me for his purposes that day. I prayed and repeated the first scripture i memorized…psalms 143:8 let the morning bring me word of Your UNFailing Love for i have put my trust in YOU. Show me the way i should go for to you i lift up my soul !
The babies dispersed…i set my focus on washing dishes (least favorite duty). After a few series of soaking and washing, someone knocked on the door. A few people passing by needed help. I told them my hubby was on his way home and to have a seat under the porch. I made lemonade and served them outside. I asked if they would like some eggs and chorizo…their faces said it all. I felt so good…being useful. Just thought i would share.
that’s really inspiring! thank you for sharing! i’m curious…what do you mean by a few ppl passing by needed help? do you run some sort of clinic or other outreach? whatever it was… very beautiful “what so ever you do to the least of my people, that you do undo to Me.”
Thank you for this post. I needed to read it today. I have been fighting a great battle since I’ve had my son, often giving in to lack of motivation to read scriptures and an aversion to fellowship (because it makes me face my own sin). I tend to not “do the next thing,” but I desparately need to… A lingering darkness occasionally rears its ugly head in the back of my mind, even though I know I should be joyful…
Your scripture inclusions in this post have warmed my heart and reminded me of truth- my grounding for my soul in the gospel of Christ. He is my solid rock, my strong tower, my life, my sanctifier, and my peace. Thank you for stirring my soul to remember these truths today.
That being said, I need to go do that next thing… a load of laundry, in my case. Off I go!
Hi Lindsay, I know many others have contributed advice and thoughts, but I live in Portland too and can relate, so I wanted to share a couple of things that have helped me.
I am originally from the south east, but in the six(ish) years my husband and I have lived here, I have had a struggle with depression that got progressively worse each year. At first it was mainly in winter, but later it was year round, though typically worse in February or March. I had no idea it was actual depression until I went to Hawaii in February one year and felt like a different person in the sunshine. =) There is so much I could say (and I would love to get together and chat sometime if you’re interested) but mainly I want to say this – if you haven’t had your vitamin D and iron levels checked, do it asap!!
Up until about a year and a half ago, I thought I was having spiritual struggles that needed to be dealt with between me and God (and yes – there were definitely spiritual issues involved – and I absolutely agree with your points about CLINGING to God, recognizing your helplessness to change apart from Christ, and how absolutely crucial authentic, grace-drenched relationships are). I knew I needed help, but I had no idea how much of my trouble was physical.
Then, in God’s providence, I was referred to a naturopathic doctor (for unrelated reasons) who discovered my vitamin D was very low. Turns out low D is one of the leading causes of seasonal depression. Long story short, I recognized that this wasn’t just “in my head” and that I was struggling with actual depression. I began supplementing vitamin D in large doses (among other things) and I expect I will always need to be proactive about my health in this area in order to love and serve my family and be a good steward of the life God has given me. But now that I am feeling better, I realize how bad it had actually gotten. I am so thankful God showed me that I needed help physically, and that he provided it without a clinical diagnosis or drugs, though I no longer believe that they might not be helpful or even necessary in some cases.
Other things that helped – working out! This makes a daily difference – if I work out in the morning, I am better THAT day (this motivates me to exercise like nothing else!) Also, my sweet husband (who sees and can attest to the improvements more than anyone) bought me a full-spectrum “happy lamp” that helps too. I turn it on for 15-30 minutes in the morning and it feels so good – like walking into summer. =)
Hi Lindsay, I know many others have contributed advice and thoughts, but I live in Portland too and can relate, so I wanted to share a couple of things that have helped me.
I am originally from the south east, but in the six(ish) years my husband and I have lived here, I have had a struggle with depression that got progressively worse each year. At first it was mainly in winter, but later it was year round, though typically worse in February or March. I had no idea it was actual depression until I went to Hawaii in February one year and felt like a different person in the sunshine. =) There is so much I could say (and I would love to get together and chat sometime if you’re interested) but mainly I want to say this – if you haven’t had your vitamin D and iron levels checked, do it asap!!
Up until about a year and a half ago, I thought I was having spiritual struggles that needed to be dealt with between me and God (and yes – there were definitely spiritual issues involved – and I absolutely agree with your points about CLINGING to God, recognizing your helplessness to change apart from Christ, and how absolutely crucial authentic, grace-drenched relationships are). I knew I needed help, but I had no idea how much of my trouble was physical.
Then, in God’s providence, I was referred to a naturopathic doctor (for unrelated reasons) who discovered my vitamin D was very low. Turns out low D is one of the leading causes of seasonal depression. Long story short, I recognized that this wasn’t just “in my head” and that I was struggling with actual depression. I began supplementing vitamin D in large doses (among other things) and I expect I will always need to be proactive about my health in this area in order to love and serve my family and be a good steward of the life God has given me. But now that I am feeling better, I realize how bad it had actually gotten. I am so thankful God showed me that I needed help physically, and that he provided it without a clinical diagnosis or drugs, though I no longer believe that they might not be helpful or even necessary in some cases.
Other things that helped – working out! This makes a daily difference – if I work out in the morning, I am better THAT day (this motivates me to exercise like nothing else!) Also, my sweet husband (who sees and can attest to the improvements more than anyone) bought me a full-spectrum “happy lamp” that helps too. I turn it on for 15-30 minutes in the morning and it
feels so good – like walking into summer. =)
Thank you Lindsay for your honesty and openess in this area! Can I say it makes me feel better that I am not the only one who feels like watching movies all day! While I don’t suffer from insomnia on a regular basis like you do, I do feel at times like I just want the world to go away and be in my little shell doing my own thing (eating,movies,reading,computer). Thank you for being willing to be vulnerable and share your struggles with us! It brings me hope!
this is such a soul healing site. i have a very similar “thorn in my flesh” to bear and just knowing youre not alone means the world.
your writing is a real blessing.
Lindsay,
THANK YOU with ALL MY HEART for your website!!! I love my mom but when it comes to healthy and natural ways of ‘making a home’ she just doesn’t see eye-to-eye and so i have had no one to turn to for guidance and instruction. I’ve been married to the man-of-my-dreams for less than a year and with all the transitioning, i felt very alone in figuring things out: cooking, building routines, being a holy wife ‘in’ the world but not ‘of’ the world, etc. My husband is extremely healthy, loves weston price, and has lead me to develop a holier and healthier lifestyle for both of us. we really believe in whole holistic holiness!
…and we believe that you are one of the BEST examples of that! I have continued to thank God daily for your ministry with this site and the ways that it has encouraged me to seek what God wants for our bodies, minds, hearts, and souls! I’ve used your monthly menu planning, 3/4 of all your recipes, your organizing tools, and much more!
I could go on and on but i think you get the point!
Just thank you, and know that your work has profoundly blessed and improved my life, and it will continue to bless my husband and (future) children because i know i am becoming more of the woman God created me to be. THANK YOU!!! <3
I’ve had a long time problem with clinical depression (a little over 5 years) and spent much of that time determined that I could beat it without taking medication. Sometimes I did better than others, but overall I did not do well and it took a toll on my marriage and kids. We all suffered from my depression!
After 3 years of trying to manage through prayer, meditation on the Word, vitamin supplements and just psyching myself into trying to be happy again, I decided that I couldn’t do it anymore. I did what my husband had asked me to do for a few years and saw my doctor and was referred to a psychiatric nurse practitioner who wrote me a prescription. After a few weeks on medication I felt like a whole new person. I was able to function so much better and do the things that I couldn’t do on my own… even just the simple things like doing a load of dishes without feeling overwhelmed.
I got pregnant unexpectedly and had to drop two of the medications I was on and lower the dose on the main one but stayed on my antidepressant for the pregnancy and still now as we are breastfeeding at 11 months. My primary dr, OB and psychiatric nurse practitioner all approved. I was amazed at how well I did after the adjustment period and have been so proud that I’ve been able to stay on this very low dose but don’t think I could have avoided PPD (like I had with the last 3 births) without it. I pray that I can stay on this low dosage long-term!
Even with medication, I have some good days and some bad. On the harder days I pray harder, spend more time in the Word and turn the praise music a little louder. But I’ve found that all of the things that I tried to do to “fix” my depression are 100x more effective now that my brain chemistry is more in the range of where it needed to be!
God is the Great Physician and my Healer. I think that he also made my doctors really smart and gave them the abilities they had to help me when I needed it.
Lindsay,
Since you have difficulty sleeping, I was wondering if you have ever heard of an earthing pad. They sell them at radiantlifecatalog.com, and have a lot of information about them on their website. My husband and I have slept on one for months now, and it really helps us fall asleep faster, and sleep deeper. You may also be sensitive to EMF (electromagnetic frequency) pollution. You can get things to plug into an outlet to decrease the EMF in your home. Hope you feel better. I appreciate your website.
Adelheid
Depression isn’t merely a spiritual problem. It’s a medical one. During the ten years I lost to depression, I ate well, I exercised, I prayed. I tried vitamins, I sat in the sun, I read books, I went to church. NOTHING helped. Why? Because it was a malfunction in my brain. After four days of medication, I felt better than I had in my entire life. What could I have done with those ten years if I hadn’t been struggling and hurting and wanting to die?
The brain is an organ, just like the lungs, the heart, the kidney. No one tells a person with failing kidneys, “Get fresh air! Try some fish oil!” No one tells a person suffering from a heart attack to pop a few vitamins. The brain is an organ where things CAN and DO go very wrong- no one expects someone with a brain tumor to be healed SOLELY from prayer, and no one tells a stroke victim to pull themselves up by the bootstraps, that they could move the right side of their body if they tried harder or talk if they really wanted to. Mental illness is ILLNESS, just like any other, and quite often, just like any other illness, it requires medical help.
Please don’t further perpetuate the idea that people who suffer from mental illness can ‘pull themselves out of it’ with supplements (usually of questionable quality and content, since their manufacturing is not monitored or regulated; anything could be in those products) or prayer alone. While prayer obviously does have its place, God also blessed doctors, scientists, therapists and others in the medical profession to have the intelligence, grace, and desire to help other human beings, and ignoring their gifts is ignoring a gift from God and the possible answer to a prayer. It was definitely the answer to mine.
Said so much better than I did. Thank you so much and I agree 100%!
While I agree with everything you said, that sometimes for real clinical depression, natural remedies, faith and all the things you mentioned are just not enough. As a Christian who has struggled with depression for years and kept thinking that there was something wrong because my relationship with the Lord wasn’t enough to get me over the darkness I did turn to the help of modern day medicine and I’m so very, very thankful that I have the ability to do just that. So to say that those things will work are great, but sometimes even us Christian’s have to do other things. It’s not a sign of weakness. I know for me once the haze and cloud of depression was lifted from medication I was able to see the truth in God’s word and the faith that I have in Him.
Please don’t discount those of us who do need medication.
I also wanted to add that Niacin is supposed to help with depression, but it can–rarely–have side effects (a friend of mine experienced this) so be sure to read on those as well.
Also, from what I understand, eating whole flaxseeds isn’t very beneficial as your body can’t break down the husk and they can (if eaten in large quantities) cause digestive issues.
I struggle with these things myself. Thanks for your insights. Just thought I would share tow things that have been very helpful to me, which I didn’t see listed in the comments here.
The book, “Female Brain Gone Insane, An Emergency Guide for Women who feel like they are falling apart. I’ve found this to be REALLY helpful since my depression is hormone related. I just can’t tell you what a blessing the information in this book was. You can check out their web site here: http://www.femalebraingoneinsane.com/ (btw- I would ignore most of the information in the back on ways to de-stress, not from a biblicial world view if you ask me)
The other is yoga or some stretching and deep breathing. It helps me to realize where I am holding tension physically (up tight muscles)
the winters really get to me…so gray! so I’ve read quite a bit about natural remedies myself and have found light therapy, fish oil, Vitamin D3 and daily exercise or morning walks very helpful. (the walking only gets done when it’s warm enough.)
my mom swears by B12 shots and D3 supplements…says she went from zero energy to normal. I will definitely be asking the doc about these at my next physical.
Bless your journey to wellness.
Lindsay,
Thank you for this post- it is nice to see that I’m not the only one who struggles with this.. I think the natural supplements is something I will look into- and as always keep looking to the Lord.. Have you ever been so down and entrenched in your feelings that even opening your Bible seems hard to do?
This is so, so good, Lindsay.
I was never one to sympathize much with people who struggle with “depression”, since I had never faced it before. UNTIL last year. During my pregnancy with our fourth child, I struggled with a lot of health issues, including hormone imbalances, fear and depression.
After the birth of our son last summer, things grew more difficult. I was plagued with fear and anxiety over our baby’s health (we battled some issues with him the first few months). Looking back, I honestly believe I battled what is commonly called “post partum depression”, although I wasn’t willing to admit it at the time.
On the other side of that valley, I see God’s hand of mercy and strength through it all. It was so very difficult, but the Lord taught me many things during that dark time.
Every thing- EVERY THING- you mentioned in your post is so very on target.
When I was going through a three year bout of depression, every night I would do two things: I would recite and meditate on the Lord’s Prayer. But one thing was very helpful. I began to meditate on Psalm 23, especially the first phrase: the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. That promise become so significant to me and was a massive source of comfort… i shall not want.
I think it was CS Lewis who said that the key to success was to take a step… and then take another. Love you!
Depression is such a common problem in so many lives it seems. (my own included at times) Your suggestions are wonderful, and I think that sleep and nutrition are at the core of most coping abilities (for good or for bad). Poor sleep can be caused by many things, but one sign of poor sleep is adrenal fatigue (caused by many types of stresses). Using a good quality B-complex can do wonders (I like Natural Factors High Potency B-Complex) as well as something to calm for sleep. I’ve had good results with 5-HTP (although that can’t be used in pregnancy) so I’m now using CALM (http://www.calmnatural.com/) before bed. When I’m rested, the burdens are so much lighter and I happily jump out of bed (even when it’s still raining in WA in March!)
Another option for severe depression is called True Hope vitamin/mineral supplement. I’ve seen miraculous results with these in my own family members. They are able to get many people off of antidepressants with their formula. I would highly recommend calling their counselors, as they are specially trained to determine dosage based on your current medications and other factors. (http://www.truehope.com/default.aspx)
I was living in a cloud of exhaustion and pushing myself to function every day. A natural doctor ordered bloodwork through my regular doctor and discovered a great vitamin D deficiency (the regular doctor reacted strongly, too). Within a few days of supplementation I felt like a different being–alert, not resting on the couch every little bit, the brain fog clearing away more and more each day. Adrenal support has also been added and I am truly arriving at a new way of living.
There is abuse and neglect in my past which I can honestly say I’ve not struggled greatly with bitterness or anger about. I’ve always been so overwhelming grateful that God rescued me and protected me from even worse things (like marrying an abuser, alcholism, etc.). However, I have struggled with being angry over this…a small supplement righting so much….so senseless….impacting my family so…
All this to say, prayer and working to clinging to what is good and right each moment is what to is what led to searching for this type of doctor and testing. I don’t believe there is a hidden will of God we have to intuit but I do believe God whispers in our ear at times.
Putting our hand to the next thing was also so true, Lindsay. I remember not being able to think through or compile a to-do list but always knowing the dishwasher needed to be unloaded. It’s sad in retrospect, but it was what got me through the day. And it was good and right in the moment.
Thank you for this post – your blog has been recommended to me by a friend (Janet – blogs on Finding My Way Home) wanted to share my own poem with you:
http://inotherwordspoetry.wordpress.com/2010/11/09/belief/
Lindsay,
Thank you for being so open and honest with us. Thank you for reminding all of us that God is ultimately our healer. Sometimes He chooses to do that medications, remedies, and life-style changes. However, the healing comes from Him!
I have read you blog for a long time, but I don’t think I have ever commented. However, I just really wanted to let you know how much I appreciated this post. Your openness is very helpful and encouraging, thank you so much! I am almost hesitant to mention this because I too have been at the point where:I’ve tried almost everything and I just don’t want to try one more thing! But I wanted to share what has helped depression for me. It is called Bio-Identical Progesterone cream.I buy it from this website:(http://www.womenlivingnaturally.com/product.php?id=19), but I’m sure you can find it elsewhere too. I realize that this may be something that you have already tried and if so please forgive me for bothering you about it. I hope hope you have a wonderful day! Thank you so much for your blog it has been a real blessing!
HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND trying Brazil Nuts. These worked amazing for my husband. Brazil Nuts have the highest natural source of selenium, which is shown to greatly help depression. A handful of these (preferably raw organic) every other day or so has really helped. Cant say enough, please try it!
Thank you or writing this article. This is an ongoing struggle for me, and I want to deal with it naturally without taking the plethora of pills I have been prescribed.
Thank you for being brave enough to share your struggles! I, like so many other moms have “been there, done that.” Too often we think we’re the “only ones” struggling with a particular issue…it’s so easy to beat ourselves up. Opening up about depression and being honest about our weaknesses are major steps to healing for ourselves AND for others with whom we share. Bravo!
Looks like you’ve gotten a lot of responses with added ideas. Clearly this is not something you fight alone!! Just to add to the conversation, eating vegetables in the nightshade family can cause depression…..and they are hard veggies to resist! Tomatoes, potatoes, peppers and eggplant, and sometimes strawberries fall in this category too. The reason they are called the “nightshade” family is that they actually CREATE depression from some of their nutrients. So much so, that some countries call them “deadly”! I had to let go of nightshades 5 years ago, more so due to an allergy that created intense joint pain, but it was a grieving process nonetheless. Past sauce, pizza sauce, salsa, mashed potatoes, etc! But, giving them up gave me a whole new life….no pain at all! For anyone suffering from depression, looking at how often you consume these foods might be a key to your depression (I ate them daily, so it was a major change for me!)
Lindsay,
In what ways was/is Aaron a support/help to you in your battling depression? How does he help you spiritually? Practically?
Lindsay, have you ever heard or tried doing a “liver/gallbladder flush”? Sediment and stones can form in those organs, causing them to perform sluggishly. If you do a google search you can find a ton of info on it. Personally, and through reading about the experiences of others, I have found that when my liver and gallbladder are stagnant, I struggle with insomnia, depression, and anger a lot more than when these organs are clear and functioning. Once I’ve done a “flush,” I am totally renewed again. Maintenance usually involves moderating the amount of fatty foods consumed, and many times people recommend vegetarian diets to avoid too much saturated fat. Here’s where I’ve had to balance this perspective with my adherence to Nourishing Traditions, which fully promotes all the saturated fats you can get your hands on.
A good book on nutrition that is a good counterbalance to Fallon’s Nourishing Traditions, is Healing with Whole Foods, by Paul Pitchford. He still emphasizes the importance of soaking grains, eating plenty of vegetables, etc., but he talks much more in depth about how to gain maximum nutrition from non-animal sources, all the while addressing nutrition from a Traditional Chinese Medicine standpoint. It’s a good read and I refer to it all the time. Really helped me with my battle with depression. And really helped me understand how my diet can affect different organs in my body.
Hope it helps!
Dear Lindsay,
Thank you so much for this post. It was so encouraging! I battled depression (and all that goes with it: fear, doubt, anger, etc.) for about three and a half years but thanks be to God, the last year or so has been a step by step journey up out of the dark place. But I’m also so grateful for the time spent there because I know Him better and that truly makes it so worth it.
I’m so thankful for your testimony of God’s faithfulness and goodness and for your honesty. I know there are so many women who struggle with depression and this will give those who read it hope.
Thank you again!
“For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.”
I love that you specifically mentioned isolation. I can almost immediately sense a change within my spirit when I go too long with about being around people who provide me with deep gospel friendship.
Thank you so much for posting this. I am strugglng with a small bout of post-partum depression and now my husband is about to deploy to Afghanistan. I needed to read this. Thank you.
Thanks so much for writing on this topic. I cannot tell you how many times I have been in the midst of a depression battle, and have felt like less of a Christian because I couldn’t just “get over it”. I would force myself to sing His praises, read His word, and dwell in His presence. Making myself do those things is what pushed me through those times. Unfortunatly, I don’t have a group that I can really lean on in the church, but there are at least two people who I am able to share with. The last time I shared any of my depression struggles with a group (of women where I thought I was safe), they were blown out of proportion, and gossiped about. I even had someone make a joke publicly about how I must be on some kind of meds at any given moment. I know… sad… But, que sera, sera… right? I just wanted to encourage anyone who was going through depression, pain, or any other fight of that nature! You can get through this! You can feel better, and function, and be who God has called you to be. He loves you, and won’t ever love you less because you don’t meet some expectation that the world has put in place for you. AND if people in the church let you down, just let it go… and hold on tighter to the Father. They are only human, after all.
I’m deeply grateful just to know that other Christian women fight depression. It’s not just a figment of imagination (as I might have dismissively said before dealing with it myself). It’s real. But so is God’s goodness… as I have slowly been learning.
I know that the lack of sunlight has contributed to my depression over the fall and winter, and so have other physical factors. Yet, as you truthfully pointed out, there’s much more to it than that. Our soul is involved in this, not just our body… we can battle our fickle, mysterious emotions with the Word!
A book I found very helpful was Spiritual Depression by D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones. It helped to illuminate some of the spiritual aspects of my struggle. Lloyd-Jones writes so compassionately, yet firmly, and I needed that.
Great suggestions here, and it’s an excellent word that we are Christian moms need to create a space that allows each other to share these things, rather than judging each other subtly if we show our struggles. I just wanted to comment on how important it is to seek help for one’s depression, regardless of the combination of strategies. My mother struggled with depression that went untreated for the majority of my childhood, and it has resulted in a cloud of sadness over many of my childhood memories – God is still helping me work through this now that I am a mom and not wanting to continue that generational pattern. She viewed seeking counseling or taking medication for depression as a weakness and took pride in handling it on her own, but what I wouldn’t give now to have more memories of her being able to be more emotionally present with us as kids. I also wanted to just point out that using these great strategies you mention and relying on God does not have to be at the exclusion of seeking counseling or taking medication. God has created both counselors and medications as gifts and tools to us – we are not to idolize or rely on them instead of Him, but if we have the right view of who these gifts are from, and the God who lends them their power, then they can be additional options available to the Christian who seeks freedom from depression. Just some thoughts.
Susan,
So much of your story resonated with my own. I know well the experience of not knowing my mother without the depression and longing for her greater presence in my life. For a time I feared having children myself in repeating a similar childhood to them. However, there is one great distinction- a life founded in Jesus Christ. He is teaching me daily and is the greatest of comforts as I continue to work through things. I feel it is vital to not only have a support for those who are in the midst of the battle, but also for those alongside. First and foremost, we must lean on Jesus through it all. We must also be willing to seek help whether it be naturally or nutritionally, counseling or conventional medication. Thank you for sharing.
Isa 61:3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
I find this scripture so helpful – I put on a garment of praise – worship, sing, dance and cast out that spirit of heaviness! For His glory!
Thanks for the post Lindsay! Great words of encouragement & natural remedies. I am a Licensed Marital and Family Therapist and I have to say there is a place for everything. Natural remedies will work for some but they won’t work for everyone. Some people cannot neglect the need to seek counsel with their medical doctors and get on prescription antidepressants. Antidepressants work to replace the deficient serotonin (as mentioned in a previous post) and norephinephrine in the brain. There are other things that people can be deficient in as well for other diseases (consider diabetes or thyroid issues) and we don’t fail to take medications for those health issues. In addition, God is the ultimate healer but I would hate for anyone to feel that He was not healing them because they had a lack of faith in His power. God also gives knowledge and guidance to medical doctors, therefore I do not think it proves that you have a “lack of faith or trust” in Him if you seek additional help through medications.
Thank you for posting this comment. This coincides with my thoughts. There are excellent suggestions on this site and they make a lot of sense. Of course, prescription medicines are sometimes needed for the more severe cases. I am thankful that I haven’t struggled with depression, but have compassion for those that do.
thank you so much for this! Often times in Christian circles sharing about Depression causes people to be a little put off, and we tend to try and hide it all the while not realizing that there are more who experience this than we realize. Christians expect something unrealistic from their brothers and sisters, and that is, that once you have a Savior you should be able to experience any kind of valley with a joyful attitude, and that we should always be put together in attitude and not show any “Weakness”. This is all ridiculous, we need to be honest and have our brothers and sisters come along side us in prayer and encouragement!
Thank you for all of your suggestions on this topic, very helpful!
God Bless!
Hey Lindsay,
I know this might not be the only answer, but have you looked at the GAPS diet yet? I wonder if there might be some helpful information in there for you…Bless you!
Thank you, Lindsay for your inspiring website full of wisdom, support and comfort for the mother’s soul – you always seem to write about the very thing I am needing encouragement and insight with at the moment I need it – from Surrey in England – I thank you and wish you all the very best – keep up the wonderful work!
Thank you, Lindsay for your inspiring website full of wisdom, comfort and support for the mother’s soul – you always seem to write about the very thing I need encouragement with at that moment – all the way from Surrey, England – I thank you and wish the all the best and keep up the wonderful work!
Hi! I’m a new reader and have been enjoying some of your tips – especially for soaking grains! Right now some it seems like a lot of work, especially since I make everything from scratch already and I can’t stomach anymore planning ahead, but I’ve taken a few of your suggestions.
Just this afternoon I wrote down some of my thoughts on dealing with depressive tendencies; never diagnosed, but always wondered. Thanks for sharing with all of us.
Thank you for being so open and honest and putting this out there.
Very good info, thank you!
I am researching more on this topic myself. Just bought the book “Mood Cure” and started reading it this past week. Fascinating stuff about how the brain needs certain nutrients just to do what comes naturally, and how deficits trigger different moods. The first mood imbalance they talk about is the depression/anxiety component related to serotonin and they call it “lifting the dark cloud,” which I thought was a perfect description.
Another item I want to read is Amanda Rose’s “Rebuild from Depression”. Both of these sources look to have loads of information.
Thanks again for sharing your insight!
My husband and I have had such a relief from using some of the supplements in the book “Mood Cure” it has really been a lifesaver for us! Between my husband being unemployed which was contributing to his depression and feeling worthless and then I started having panic attacks because I didn’t know how to help him or what kind of mood he would be in (never violent but just depressed, hopeless and what degree that would be). He went on some of them first and within 24 hours was a completely new man! Then a couple weeks later I thought, what the heck, I’ll see if it can help with the panic attacks too and I haven’t had one since (I haven’t really been taking any of them for 3 months or so either).
Depression can be such a debilitating time. Prayers go out to all of you that God will lead you to your answers soon, both the physical and spiritual components.
I was in tears reading your post. I was diagnosed with depression a year and a half ago, and it runs in my family too. I was also diagnosed with fibromyalgia and insomnia. I was prescribed medications for all three and the pharmaceuticals only pushed me further over the edge, made me feel delirious and out of my own body, and made it so I was so deep asleep I couldn’t hear my kids at night (which my husband obviously hated!!) I stopped taking them and dealt with it spiritually by changing my habits, drawing closer to the Lord, and in turn He drew closer to me. I am a different person now. The song “You Are More” by Tenth Avenue North really pulled me through, God used it to speak straight to me one night when I’d hit the end of my rope. Life is hard, and God is good, as John Piper likes to say. Thank you for this beautiful post, it meant so much to my heart. This is why I started blogging – to help others who have gone through what I went through, and prove that you CAN turn your life into something beautiful if you really trust in the Lord to meet all your needs. He did it for me, He did it for you, He will do it for others who call on His name…
Be blessed, sister.
xo
Great post, as always. Thank you.
My biggest struggle is that I seem to have a delayed sleep phase disorder, meaning that my body likes to be up late and sleep in late. Even if I get up really early, I still stay up late. So I try to “reset” my bio clock, but it’s very hard. Anyone else have this problem? I try to get out and get sunshine, but it doesn’t always work. Maybe I just need to trust God more, that He will help me reset it. Maybe I am fearful, and think I’m unfixable, but maybe I’m just not trusting Him enough.
I fluctuate between looking for that magic pill (melatonin? B vitamins? Theanine?) and just giving up and letting nature and God fix the problem for me (destressing, etc). I can’t seem to find the right balance, or let go enough, to be able to just go to bed at 9, 10, or 11 PM. Sigh.
You could try buying yellow-light light bulbs or sunglasses, which help the body feel drowsy. Alternatively, you could also try blue light, which wakes the body (the key, apparently, is not to expose yourself to it until you’ve been awake for two hours or so). Here’s an article that explains how to used it (http://www.sciencedaily.com/videos/2006/0201-waking_up_teens.htm). It’s written as help for teens, but it would help others, as well. I hope this helps!
YES, that’s exactly what I have!! Even if I get up at 6am, I am still wide awake that night at 2am, 3am, 4am… Staring at the clock, deliriously tired, wondering why on earth I can’t fall asleep… Once I’m out though, I could sleep for 12 hours if I didn’t have kids to take care of. My husband used to let me sleep in on the weekends but it just kept us from doing family stuff, so I stopped doing that. I’ve found that not eating after supper and drinking lots of herbal (caffein-free) tea is helping in the evenings, and sitting in the hot tub or taking a very, very hot shower then climbing straight into bed helps. Plus the white noise app on my ipod realllllllly helps… Just some suggestions that helped me. My doctor gave me something for insomnia but I don’t think that’s what I have and I don’t take it anymore because I CAN sleep, and sleep deeply once I’m out, it’s just falling asleep that’s the hard part.
Great post. I tried everything to battle the blahs and the blues, only to find that I believed in the magic pill, and that’s the only thing that was working. Placebo effect all the way. Then, when the medicine officially kicked in around the two week mark, I felt like a zombie. Pills just never worked for me. I agree wholeheartedly with everything in this post.
Thank you so much for sharing this. I think if more believers were vulnerable enough to admit these stuggles, we would be able to help each other more. I have had my own battle with anxiety off and on since my last pregnancy (my baby is four now!). It’s been oh so hard, but I know the Lord has used it in my life.
Thank you for sharing this…my struggle is so similar to yours and I have been presently going through a terrible period. Sleep disturbances are a major issue with me and when my quality of sleep starts to deteriorate so too does everything else. I too have, and at times still do, look for solutions in natural supplements, exercise, etc…since I do believe they have a place in supporting the body, of which the mind is a part…but only when I completely stop trying to find a solution and give up fighting it, do I start to turn the corner. It is not instant restoration. I am constantly brought to a place where I realise “Other refuge have I none, Hangs my helpless soul on Thee.” I have rarely spoken to others about my struggles, because more often than not they cannot begin to understand my anguish, and generally I end up feeling more defeated when I am reminded of my need “to be more positive”.
Thank you so much for sharing this. I have to admit, as a frequent reader of your blog, it was hard for me to imagine that you struggle with depression…you look like you have it all together at all times…but I guess no one really is without their struggles. I have suffered through depression too, most recently as well with a miscarriage around Christmas and some other very trying times in the past few months, along with the dark, gloomy days of winter. I am just starting to come out of it now after weeks of some meds, walks out in the sunlight, and…like you said, just “doing the next thing”. Thank you so much for your honesty. You are an inspiration.
Oh my, thank you for this timely message, as I have been battling this wave of depression that comes over me on and off lately (including today).
Thank you for taking the time and searching your heart in the preparation of this article. I am a pastor’s wife. I, almost weekly, have a woman confide in me concerning depression and medication. I feel similarly to you about helps for depression. Reading your peice was refreshing and encouraging me to remain stedfast in assisting my sisters in Christ to rely on God and the life-giving hope only He provides. Blessings to you!
A hearty Amen all over the above. My mother passed away Dec 26, and weeks later my grandmother passed. It was probably the worst time of my life. And even leading up to my mom’s death.. I battled w/depression.
My strength first and foremost came from the Lord, then the bestest Pastor I know, and then my friends and family.
I LOVE this song by CeCe Winans It’s called We Thirst for You:
We thirst for You
We search for You
In a dry and barren land
W’re longing for Your hand
To guide us to
A place where You
Can cleanse us with Your rain…
Baptize us once again
We thirst for You
Oh Lord we are waiting
Let Your river flow
Come flood our hearts again
Quench our thirsty souls
My dr also suggested Vit D and Calcium supplements. She said that 99,9% of the population are deficient in Vit D, Spring is around the corner.. I cant wait to get out and get some sunshine!
thank you SO much for this, Lindsay! one of the pastors at our church talks about our “inner iPod”…and learning to change what it says to us, relying on the truth of His Gospel in our lives and playing THAT over and over to our souls. taking our soul and saying “Why are you so downcast oh my soul? Put your hope in God!”