antidepressants and god

[jojomonster]

Has anyone on here felt that antidepressants were blocking their ability to have a relationship with god?

 

[RJ]

Has anyone on here felt that antidepressants were blocking their ability to have a relationship with god?

Any man made stimulant will deminise the ability of one to have a true relationship with God. A natural stimulant from the Holy Spirit is the only way.

 

[dannibear]

I don't quite know for sure. I took them for a few months.
It made me feel happy but that was an easy way out.
I shouldn't depend on people, things, pharmaceutical drugs
to give me peace. I need to learn to hand all my problems
to God and not worry about them. I should know God won't
give me what I can't handle. That He will help me carry the
load.

 

[Rev T.S.Perkins]

we are to quick to medicate the problems in our lives....its easier than dealing with it ..God wants us to live in health Mental and Physical ,,,PROSPER AS YOUR VERY SOUL PROSPERS...i know for a fact if i hadnt seen a christian counseler after mwy wife left in 1996 i would not be here now ..the only drug she put me on was Gods word..somthing my system was already adjusted to.... meds may be needed somtimes but its not the cure all....GODS WORD IS !!

 

[Donnie Ducati]

Any man made stimulant will deminise the ability of one to have a true relationship with God. A natural stimulant from the Holy Spirit is the only way.

Thats a pretty shallow and blanketed statement. I'm guessing you haven't lived very long and experienced to much of life. You couldn't be more wrong not to mention insensitive.

Has anyone on here felt that antidepressants were blocking their ability to have a relationship with god?

My wife has been on Cymbalta for a few years. She is a Christian and loves Jesus and losing herself in Worship. Her Doctor put her on it for pains she has suffered as a result of 3 orthopedic surgeries and bad PMS / periods. She is also an RN and fully understands the importance of being as natural as you can be (drug free) , but there is such a thing as hormone imbalance , chemical imbalance , thyroid imbalance etc. etc. She is currently in menopause (pray for her) and dealing with all these things and any "man made" drug that can help is God sent. This will pass as will the drugs , but in the mean time it helps...and isn't hindering her relationship with God , actually she's drawing closer knowing that she needs his touch more than ever.

Until ya live it, don't judge it.

 

[Follow The Lion]

God tells us to have no idols. Therefore, it is a sin to depend on anything other than God, unless it is necessary. For example, a diabetic must depend on insulin, but that is because he has no choice. But a drug addict does not require the drugs to function properly, and someone suffering depression should seek the Lord for comfort. Man-made stimulants will not bring the user eternal happiness, and could even lead to idol worship if he relies solely on the drug.

 

[gdemoss]

I can only speak from my personal experience and relate that to the truth as I have learned in the Word of God. As a child, I was told that I was bi-polar manic depressive. I believed the diagnosis. I never took anything for it. As I grew older, I had some behavioral episodes that needed to be addressed and I sought after counselling and they always asked me the same things. Have you ever been diagnosed with such n such. I was without hope in the world and decided to try their medications. I had read the reviews of how they had worked for others and was told they could work for me. I had nothing to loose. I put my faith in the medications as a last hope. They worked. I stopped experiencing the symptoms associated with poor behavior. I always did counselling with medication and they would work to teach me coping skills etc. At some point in time, things in life would become to much for me to deny that they were horrible that the medications would quit working. I'd seek some other cure such as philosophy.

The last time I had an attack was the worst ever. I had always been told that it would get worse without medication. I believed them. It got worse. The thing that I didn't understand was that if I were a Christian following Jesus, then why was I having these problems. The truth of the matter was that I was a very young Christian who had very little faith placed in the proper place. I was relying on Christ for forgiveness alone. My faith for all other needs was sourced in the world.

I haven't been on medication for a long time now. My faith has grown. I understand a lot more than I did. The hole medication thing can be like the whole what food can I eat issue. When you meet a brother who is weak in the faith, accept him. Not unto doubtful disputing, but for the purpose of loving him. He might believe he can only eat herbs. We may know that that isn't true but to him it is so he is damned if he eat a steak. Same with medications, if I notice my brother to have his faith in a medication instead of the very God who can heal every problem we have with only a word, I want to accept him and love him. I will pray the Father that he will help as only he knows how, to aid the brother in their physical and mental issues.

May the Love of God be a cure for all ailments, are any sick? Take them to the elders of the church who will anoint them with oil and pray over them. The prayer of faith shall save the sick and if he has committed any sins they will be forgiven him. This doesn't work without faith though. There must be faith mixed in with the hearers.

Gary

 

[RJ]

Has anyone on here felt that antidepressants were blocking their ability to have a relationship with god?

Any man made stimulant will deminise the ability of one to have a true relationship with God. A natural stimulant from the Holy Spirit is the only way.

Jojomonster.

I appologize for a typo above. The word deminise was not on purpose, I meant to say deminish.
What I meant to say was:

I feel any man made stimulant or in your case,anti-depressant can effect or deminish the ability to have a relationship with God as you asked.

But, being depressed is usually worse.
The key is to get off any medication eventually and should be your goal.

I meant you no disrespect and in fact, I have had my own personal demons and have used anti-depressants before.
For me the cure was worse than the desease and I was finally cured of both.


Being in a depressive state, I know it is very difficult in feeling sprititual or close to God, so two things here:

• Don't ever fall in Satan's trap thinking that God has caused your depression.
• If on anti-depressants and you still feel disconnected from God, ask your doctor to maybe lower your dosage a bit and see if that helps, maybe you are being over medicated.

The ultimate goal is to stay in the word of God and realize your depression is not from him; all he wants is for you to be healed and the hope of a Utopia where we all will be free from all pain. Your goal should be to overcome your fear by ever so slightly lowering your dosages and being more positive, staying in the word and relying on him more. I did and eventually got off of drugs, when I realized my depression was of my own creation and living in untruth was simply not living in his truth!

No offense but, from my own experience, I personally think you should steer away from anything negative in your life and change your TJ name to something more positive; I really think that would be a fresh and positive step for you.

Again, I am sorry you had to read my original thread with the wrong word deminise which looked too much like demonize , for which, I meant to use neither!

 

[megs56]

Antidepressants

Jojomonster - Hello my love, greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. What a great question you've asked. It is a sensitive issue - Jehovah Witnesses believe that it is a sin to have a blood transfusion, seeing it as "ingesting" blood which is certainly a sin. Who knows the rightness or wrongness of that belief? The Lord said "Physician, heal thyself" (Luke 4:23) and we can argue semantics until we are blue in the face over the correct meaning of that verse, or how far to take it. If we take it on face value - it is saying "If it is in your power to deal with your illness, then take appropriate measures in the knowledge that what you do will benefit you". Scholars state that the meaning of this verse is basically to correct your own defects rather than criticise others.

Like gdemoss, (really enjoyed your post, Gary) I have battled personality issues (not understanding that Jesus loves and cares for weirdos like me!!) for many years and many tears, sinning terribly just to "fit in". Then my mother died and I took care of her and found the Lord because of it. I didn't take antidepressants until about 15 years ago and then found it much easier to cope with life.

I would say that it depends upon your situation. The Lord is up for anything, He will be right bedside you all the way. The only thing for you to do is to take them and see!! You can then draw your own conclusions. I now believe that I become complacent and wrapped in a fuzzy bubble when I am on them, so I am trying to let go and let God. It's not easy - but I would rather ten minutes of God's presence than a lifetime of feeling "good" on medication. Praying for you and thinking of you.

 

[Trishann]

I don't know if this is just a question or a personal question that you are dealing with right now. But if it is a personal question I pray that God will help you and bring peace within. I pray that God will show you what is right for you and give you the strength and ability to do it without guilt.

If it is just a question I pray that no one would make a person feel guilty for getting help. We all have something that God is working inside us to make us more like Christ.