Navigating the Murky Waters of Depression
For the month of November, the Pope’s monthly intention is for those who suffer from depression. This topic is very familiar to me given my line of work. I would love to be able to say that depression is not a problem in our culture; sadly, I cannot. I would love to say that depression has not increased since March of 2020; sadly, I cannot. I would love to say that suicide rates are at an all-time low; sadly, I cannot. The truth, my brothers and sisters, is that mental illness as a whole has been steadily increasing since the pandemic hit last year. I will not bore you with statistics but I will tell you that I earned my highest income in 2020. This reality is not a bragging right but rather a telltale sign of the enormous negative impact the pandemic and lockdowns are having on our mental health. This is a much-needed conversation. I am grateful Pope Francis sees it as well, thus this monthly intention.
Over the last 15 years as a private practice practitioner, I have counseled countless people. Many of my clients have been and are Christians. In the beginning, I never thought much about this, but roughly five years ago it hit me: why do so many Christians struggle with fear, anxiety, and depression almost as much if not equal to non-Christians? If we truly believe we are made in God’s image and that we are wonderfully made, why then do we struggle much like non-believers? The answer is obvious; the common thread woven among Christians and non-Christians is the fact that we are all human beings. Fallen, sinful, broken human beings desiring happiness and joy yet falling short of it because of our humanness. It becomes a bit of a paradox. We know in our hearts that the answer to our problems is God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, yet we allow our humanness to get in the way. We allow ourselves to seek happiness and joy anywhere and everywhere but God. We tell ourselves we are not worthy of Christ which allows us to fall deeper into our despair. Fear not, brothers and sisters, there is absolute hope.
If you are currently in the beginnings or the depths of depression, I encourage you to choose one of the seven following options. Whichever you choose, commit to doing it daily, and then as your new habit forms, add another and then another:
1. Five to fifteen minutes of prayer. Use this prayer time to have a conversation with Jesus, read scripture, read a devotional, and/or journal your thoughts and feelings. For me, a daily prayer life is the lifeline for my mental health. In time, increase your prayer time. (Philippians 4:6)
2. Three to ten minutes of stillness and silence. This is different from prayer because it is an intentional time to quiet your mind, completely unplug (that means NO phone near you), be alone, take slow intentional breaths, listen to the sounds of nature (if you are outside) and just be. (Ps. 46:10)
3. Move your body. Many people sit for a living, such as myself. It is vital that you intentionally move your body each day: go to the gym, walk or run outside, do floor stretches, take the stairs at work, park further away from the store entrance, etc. Living a sedentary life will exacerbate depression. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
4. Be around people, especially those you love. I totally understand that sadly, people frown upon this because of COVID, but I still encourage you to do so. God did not create us to be islands; He created us to connect with one another in person. Perhaps you have a yard visit or a car chat in a parking lot. I do not care how you choose to be with others, I care only that you do so in a manner that feels safe for you. Isolation is detrimental to your mental health. (1 Corinthians 12:27)
5. Meditate. Did you know that the rosary is a moving meditation? I often recommend to my Catholic clients to pray either a full rosary or one decade. In addition, Hallow is a wonderful Catholic app that has many forms of meditations. When you meditate, you force your mind to focus on something other than your problems or the problems in the world. This shift in focus is a must to help reduce your depression. (Ps. 119:15)
6. Journal. I recommend one of two options: write down your thoughts and feelings daily or weekly in an actual journal or regular notebook or write it all out on paper and then discard through shredding or burning. (Job 19:23-25)
7. Eat real food. Whether you realize it or not, what you eat directly affects your mental health. If you fill your body with processed foods, high sugar, loads of unhealthy fats, and unhealthy carbs you are exacerbating your depression and anxiety. Before you eat anything ask yourself this, “Did God make this or man?” (Genesis 1:29)
BONUS: Cultivate Gratitude! Every day, no matter your day, thank God for at least three things. Learn to be grateful now. Do not wait for the pandemic to end or for COVID to go away. Thank Him in the mess, in the awful, in the terrible, in all things.
Choose God. Always. For everything.
