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Depression: Where Does It Start?

Depression: Where Does It Start?

Where does depression come from- is it spiritual , mental, or emotional? Or a combination of all? How do you know if medication is necessary? And how does demonic oppression play into all of that?


Stats about Depression:

  • Depression is a physical illness of the most important organ in your body, your brain. In any given year 18-20 million adults in the U.S. will suffer from depression. Essentially every person, during their lifetime, will be affected by depression – either their own or someone else’s. Depression and its related disorders are on the rise with children and adolescents particularly hard hit.
  • Sadly, over half the population believes depression is a personal weakness and 80% of people with depression are not currently receiving any treatment. 15% of people with severe depression, if untreated, will die by suicide.
  • When people are depressed the body suffers. People with depression have higher rates of diabetes mellitus, heart disease, strokes, high cholesterol, immune problems, pain problems, bone density problems and die at a younger age than people without depression.
  • Depression interferes with the ability to effectively carry out ones life or goals and contributes to work problems, absenteeism, marital problems and parent child problems. Children reared in homes with depressed mothers have significantly higher incidence of mental health problems than children reared in homes with mothers whose depression was appropriately treated.

Symptoms of Depression:

Five or more of the following symptoms which persist on daily basis for more than two weeks and represent a change from normal level of functioning

  • Depressed mood.
  • Loss in interest, motivation or ability to experience joy or pleasure from activities.
  • Change in appetite either up or down.
  • Change in sleep either up or down.
  • Feelings of worthlessness or guilt.
  • Suicidal thinking or preoccupation with death.
  • Loss of energy, feeling fatigued.
  • Impairment in concentration.
  • Change in baseline motor activity.

Causes of Depression:

There are multiple contributing factors to depression but the final common pathway is a change in brain function with loss of brain tissue in critical brain regions resulting in the clinical syndrome recognized as Major Depression.

When a person is suffering from depression genes that make critical proteins that keep the brain healthy are turned off. Without these proteins neurons begin to wither and die. The glia, the white cells, which are the supporting cells to the neurons, are unhealthy in depression and don’t provide the nutrients the neurons need contributing to more loss of both white cells and neurons. During depression glucose metabolism of the brain is decreased, electrical activity is decreased and the part of the brain where we do our critical thinking, reasoning, planning is suppressed and not working well. Simultaneously, the part of the brain that causes fear, anxiety, worry, dread and guilt is hyperactive causing increasing sense of emotional distress and dysphoria, which results in increased release of stress hormones from the body and a cascade of physiological problems throughout the body.

Factors that increase the risk of developing depression can be broken into two general categories, those that affect the brain tissue directly and those that affect the mind, the thinking processes of the brain.

Contributing factors to depression that affect the brain tissue:

  • Medical illness.
    • Heart disease, cancer, AIDS, Diabetes Mellitus or any other chronic or terminal medical condition.
  • Nutritional deficiencies (folate, B vitamins, vitamin C, omega 3 fatty acids).
  • Limited physical activity.
  • Alcohol and drugs use.
  • Pregnancy.
  • Northern hemisphere with decrease sunlight in winter.
  • Infections.
    • HIV, Tertiary syphilis, prions, borna virus.
  • Toxins.
    • Mercury, arsenic, lead, bismuth, industrial solvents/chemicals.
  • Hormonal irregularities.
    • Thyroid, estrogen, progesterone, testosterone.
  • Brain injury/damage.
  • Sleep disorders.
  • Medications of various kinds.
  • Chronic pain states.
  • Brain diseases.
    • Parkinson’s disease.
    • Alzheimer’s dieases.
    • Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS).
    • Pick’s disease.
    • Lewy body dementia.

Contributing factors to depression that affect the mind, our thought processes, which include spiritual issues:

  • Disconnected from God.
  • Unhealthy worship.
  • Violations of God’s Law.
  • Isolation.
  • History of abuse.
  • Loss.
  • Unresolved guilt.
  • Unhealthy  relationships.
  • Unhealthy thought patterns.
  • Persistent immoral, illegal, unethical activity.
  • Forgiveness issues.
  • Unremitting stress, real or imagined.

Treatment:

Treatment starts with a thorough examination from a trained professional who is thinking not simply, is this person depressed, but, what are the contributing factors to depression. The treatment plan then involves addressing as many of the contributing factors as possible to remove, resolve or mitigate their impact. One of the ways antidepressant medications work is by turning the genes back on that make the critical proteins that keep the brain healthy with subsequent increase in brain tissue and neuron to neuron interconnections. The longer a person is depressed the more brain damage that occurs and the more difficult it is to resolve. The more quickly depression is treated and the more comprehensive the treatment plan, addressing as many of the contributing factors as possible, the better the long term outcome will be. If you or someone you know is suffering from depression first recognize it is a medical illness of the brain and not a moral weakness and second, get them to a professional for treatment as soon as possible.

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The Healing the Mind DVD set tarted me on a journey that has changed my relationship with our loving God more significantly than any other study, and brought me to your book and Bible study podcasts, which I now listen to daily, thanks to the availability of archived content on your site and on iTunes.

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I grew up in a prominent protestant church and had what I like to call religious anxiety. I’ve always had questions about God and Salvation that no one could seem to answer.  I didn’t know how to find resolution. During 2020, at the height of my anxiety, I fell to my knees and begged God to show me truth and light and to give me the hope that I’ve been longing for. Days later, I stumbled upon your online videos and it was like a veil was lifted and EVERYTHING made sense! For the first time in my almost 39 years of life, my religious/spiritual anxiety has lessened. I feel a sense of freedom and peace I’ve NEVER had before… and it’s all because my view of God has changed. Thank you!

Ashleighn C.

 

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Testimony 26

Your teachings about our heavenly Father have changed my life. Thank you sooooooo very very much! I know He’s doing some serious healing in my heart and life and I look forward to each new day to learn something new about Him and to just hear you speak about Him. Thank you, forever.

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I have been following your Bible study class for about a year now. I must say I am impressed with how your ministry has grown. I took it upon myself to listen to all your lesson podcasts from the past and they have both enriched me physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. I have learnt a lot from this class. I have also noticed how the class has grown in spiritual strength. One of the things that benefited me is that now I am not afraid of God. I use to be, but now it has melted away. The second thing is that you helped me to have a real life relationship with God. Now He is my friend that was always there and I love having him with me all the time. Thirdly, because of this class, it inspired me to take over and lead a class. I have called it “Let Us Reason Together,” adapting your inquisitive style and creating a class of free thinkers.

T. Banda, Malawi, Africa

 

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I have been sharing Come And Reason Ministries Bible study lessons with several folk. You have such a beautiful view of the plan of salvation. If we had this message preached when I was young, my generation would still all be in church.

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Testimony 21

I am absolutly on fire with the message at Come and Reason! I can’t get enough! I’ve read your book, blog, and articles. I’ve listened to your Bible study podcasts, your radio show, and your series – all excellent! It wasn’t until the past couple of years that I have I like I’m becoming “healthy,” with more to share with others than just beasts and commandments! I used to be a Bible worker and preached when the pastors were gone until I had had enough. I didnt realize at the time what the problem was, but i know now… the message wasn’t properly focused. Now my flame is rekindled. All of your little examples are so perfect in explaining something “complicated” and making it easily understood! Now I’m trying to shape it into a life changing evangelistic series! Thank you!

M.T., USA

 

Testimony 29

Thank you for all of your work to correct misconceptions about God’s character. So many people that my husband and I have talked to seem to be against the natural law construct and view it as “errant” and “dangerous.” Having learned more about it through your blogs and lessons, I don’t really understand why they view it that way, except that it means they have to relearn theology they have known for their entire lives. But I’m so excited to relearn this. For the past few years I have been questioning how I could trust a God who punishes arbitrarily and is full of wrath for those who don’t obey His commands. That view made me afraid to “mess up” or “not be good enough,” even within my relationship with God. I really appreciated the point you bring out about God not wanting us to serve Him because we are afraid, but because we love Him.

Melissa H., IN, USA

 

Testimony 55

I was born [into the church], then I left it for many years. 10 years ago, I came back, but I could not take the hypocrisy and the lack of answers to the missing pieces. I struggled, but I did not abandon my commitment to know the truth. God is leading me to the simple understanding of his relevance and I am relearning what the church taught me as a youth… that he loves me, that he has led me to a knowledge of him such as I have never known. He is using Dr. Jennings to connect the dots that are now so apparent and hiding in plain sight!

Dean P., Arlington, TX, USA

 

Testimony 57

You have helped make sense of thirty two years of confusion. The material you freely provide reorganized so much of my life into such a beautiful pattern that has always been hinted at from within, but misguided with my training and what I was experiencing externally. My filipno parents, who were converted from Catholicism to SDA, were sincere and did their best to raise me the right way and I have deep respect for them. However, being immigrants and not understanding the language made for a difficult transition as I was growing up, which also applied to my spiritual growth as I learned the patterns of religion. I have been listening to as many bible study classes and reading blog posts as my time in a work truck will allow, searching for the practical applications of where spirituality and reality meet, and I thank you for helping me find that. You have helped me reach a point in which I can truly say that I love God, that I believe He loves me, and, like David, I delight in His law. God bless.

Emmanuel V., Calgary, AB Canada

Testimony 16

Your seminars are still inspiring and changing our lives and we continue to share the principles we have learned from you. Your ministry has changed our lives!

E.W.

 

Testimony 37

Hearing Dr. Jennings’ presentations in person came at a pivotal moment in my spiritual journey that began about nine months ago, when the fault lines inherent in my belief system began to crack under questions that most reasonable people end up asking about God and His nature. These were questions I couldn’t find answers to, and they shook my faith. I was unable let it go any longer and be satisfied. My Christian experience became distant. I was afraid; the fear in me rose like thorns, pushing me away from Jesus. And then someone heard my questions and introduced me to this ministry, and my life has totally changed.

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Anthony L., CA, USA

 

Testimony 12

I have been really blessed reading your response to the various questions on your site.

K.C., OH, USA