I hate to swim upstream, but there isn't any solid scientific evidence that chemical imbalances are the reason for depression.
Since I didn't have time to write my own response, I adapted the following from the Biblical Counseling Foundation's book "Self-Confrontation, a manual for in-depth discipleship." However, they sum things up quite well. I can just see Jesus, Paul and Peter, encouraging people to get out of their discouragement by going to a Psychiatrist or Psychologist, for that matter.
Morevoer, man in his wisdom, has developed a vast number of philosophies and theories seeking to expalin one's thoughts, words, and actions. In doing so, man has pridefully sought to deny his own sinfulness and has confused any clear definition of God's standards of right and wrong (Proverbs 14:9a, 12, 16; 21:2, 24; 26:12; Isaiah 5:20-21; 1 Corinthians 3:19-20; 1 Timothy 1:5-7; 2 Timothy 3:1-5)
Since God's Word is the only authority for faith and conduct and is the sole, legitmate standard by which all aspects of living are evaluated, we are to rely on no other source. God's Word provides hope and gives direction for change in deeds (thoughts, speech, and actions) and is adequate to equip you for every good work (Psalm 19:7-11; Proverbs 30:5-6; Colossians 2:8; 2 timothy 3:16-17; Hebrews 4:12; 2 Peter 1:2-4).
Good points. I suspect there my be one other poster in this thread that owns a DSM IV. besides me. Major depression, recurrent depression are part of a group of mood disorders. The bible uses a lot of different language than does the DSM or lay people. Despondency is not a diagnosis but a descriptor.
bi polar disorder is sometimes more fairly represented to be episodic in nature.
just like religions and denominations, the behavioral field has groups. The Psychiatric was labelled by the behaviorists as behind the times and too deeply grounded in freudian /psychoanalytic psychology. That of course was reflected in shallower study coming even in nursing schools.It is fun for me to observe people unfarily apply reductionistic measures to fields other than their own and place limits on heir broader perspectives. some preachers rail in an absolute way against Psychiatry. I can name several. some do so against Psychology and counseling. I do see some truth in their claims.
Freud battled to use his own language and explain away the biblical concept of soul and the feeling of guilt.
Can any one address the following statement?
Quote:
Because there is no such thing as a psychiatric disease
Next question for 500 bonus points,. Name a patient that died from a psychiatric disease
I've had 2 clients over the last 6 years that are very well respected children's psychologists. Very well respected in our area and pretty well known. One was a from about 3 or 4 years ago and one presently.
. Our bodies are INCREDIBLE chemical factories. Our bodies are composed of and process Oxygen, Hydrogen, Calcium, Carbon, Sodium, Nitrogen, Potassium, Chlorine, Iron, etc. In God's perfect plan, we have glands and organs and brain matter that produce hormones to regulate the "balance" of these chemicals in the body.
Sometimes the "balance" gets out of whack (love that technical term). The regulatory system of the body can over or under stimulate the release of regulatory hormones and neurotransmitters. If you deny that this anomaly can exist in the human body, then you must also conclude that diabetes and muscular sclerosis are just figments of the imagination.
Just prove it, that's all!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dora
.Tell that to Mary Tyler Moore and Neil Cavuto...Maam, Sir! Your illness is just a "spiritual" problem. If you pray hard enough your symptoms will be relieved.
It is most definately a spiritual problem. It isn't merely about prayer. It could be a matter of unforgiveness, rebellion, bitterness, unrepentance heart, or a host of other spiritual factors that cause depression. I have known people to get out of depression by repenting of fear. I have known people to get out of depression because they began to pray and read their Bible daily (Principle Involved in this Case: In His presence is fullness of Joy). We know from Scriptures that Moses, Job, David, Elijah and others experienced depression. We also know that God took them out of it! The Bible is the best psychiatry book in the world - bar none! For a Christian to think otherwise means they have simply bought into the ungodly philsophies of the world!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dora
.I believe God is able to heal. I believe in miracles! I've seen miracles happen before my very eyes! But God also gave men and women the gift of healing through in-depth study of His creation.
The Healing of the Soul comes from only one place - right relationship with God! God has provided the ultimate text book on how to heal it!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dora
.I'm so thankful for medical professionals who conduct their practice with great skill and for the many who use their knowledge to help the suffering.
Ever heard of medical missionaries who go to third world countries and do surgery on children with cleft palates enabling them to eat and smile and speak for the first time in their little lives??? AMAZING ministry!
Yes! God can heal them and many times He chooses to use human beings to be His hands and feet in this world to minister healing to His people.
As long as they stick to biological healing, praise God. If they get into "soul healing", the Word is the final answer!
Denying that there is a medical cause for mental ailments is just plain ignorance.
Sister, please, you really need to consider the writings of Thomas Szasz.
Sister for there to be a chemical imbalance and for it to be an illness, you would first have to run medical tests. Take blood, measure the balance of the "brain chemical?" Sister, please explain the medical testing which proves the chemical imbalance within the brain.
Sister, psychiatry uses so called-diagnostic terms to stigmatize and control people. For instance, when black slaves wanted to run away, they called it drapetomania. That was a legitimate diagnosis years ago. It wasn't disease, those slaves weren't ill, but simply just wanted to get away from slavery.
Hysteria was a diagnosis years ago and was used for women who didn't want to be subjugated by their husbands. If a person is sick there must be some objective science to it, they should be able to take blood, and give medical tests to prove illness. Typhoid fever is a disease, spring fever is not.
__________________ "all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed."
~Declaration of Independence
Last edited by Evang.Benincasa; 08-08-2009 at 08:50 AM.
There is real mental illness and it can remedy a normal person helpless and with a real feeling of hopelessness. Get yourself some help, for God sake if you know someone at that point drag'em to a clinic and have them seen by a competent professional.
__________________ "all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed."
~Declaration of Independence
She said something very interesting about ignorance too:
“A theory that is wrong is considered preferable to admitting our ignorance.” – Elliot Vallenstein, Ph.D.
__________________ "all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed."
~Declaration of Independence
I think there saying there's a gene for alcoholism now. Point being we can attach an issue to something. Everything has a disorder now, you know a unruly/misbehaving child not can be diagnosed with ADD.
God has many promises regarding the mind. let's stand on that.
AMEN, there is none greather than GOD
He is THE PHYSICIAN of physicians, one of the many thing that
He is, goodness people believe such malarky and forget GOD, how
smart is that?
__________________ You can tell more about people
by what they say about others...than by what others
say about them.
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