Depression

It feels like a heavy, dark cold and death-like old cloak that weighs you down and makes you walk bent over. It’s as life was sucked out of everything around you and from yourself!

Sometimes the weight of it is so heavy, the world so dark and there seem to be absolutely NO prospects for a future that it feels as if your life has stopped and you’re stuck in that horrible dark hole forever. Everything stops and you feel stripped from the capacity to change anything about the situation. You feel helpless and hopeless. You have no mental nor physical energy to get out of it and hopelessness and resignation can become strong chains that keep you on the ground. Your mind is glued to the pain of hopelessness and there is nothing that can pull you out of it. Your thoughts are so negative and your body just wants to stay curled up in bed all day crying… you don’t feel like doing anything, let alone take care of yourself. It sounds very dramatic but believe me… this is exactly how it went for me.

Sometimes, we would like for our life to end here and this could seem like a means of escape to find relief, but … IT’S A LIE! Because, what we often fail to realize in these moments is that depression and all its destructive thoughts and feelings are lies! These moments make you believe that life is finished because of whatever, but it’s not true at all! Once you get out of it, you will realize this truth and feel grateful that you chose to persevere. I think that depression is undealt-with pain that has differed its healing process. Bitterness, despair, mental hell, emotional and physical pain are all consequences of an intense, lingering and out of control depression.

In some cases, the depression can be so strong that medication can be of help. Don’t feel guilty if this happens. Just go through the process as best as you can. But do try not to stay on it for too long, either ;)

I know that in those moments, I seriously needed people around me to carry me through the dark tunnel. I needed so much love, so much patience, so much care, so many words of comfort and encouragement, so much validation, so much empathy…

Depression is a very demanding problem for the people who go through it, but also for the people who are close to a person going through it. It’s okay.

Seek help in both cases and try not to carry this on your own when it starts to become really invasive and starts interfering with your normal everyday functioning.

[Possible origins]

There are a lot of things that can create this problem in our lives and it depends on each person as well. 2 people may experience the same thing but only 1 will sink into depression. Or sometimes, it could also be linked to a “chemical” imbalance in our body.

Personally, the main issues that caused depression in my life were already spoken of in the video. But to highlight the main ones, the first major one is linked to the sickness and feeling so physically miserable all the time. This can still happen at times today.

A second major reason is hope differed. This is when you’ve been waiting for so long on something specific that just never seems to arrive. In this case, if I don’t guard my heart and my head, comparison sneaks in and creates jealousy, resentment, bitterness, desperation and feelings of helplessness… giving up could be the outcome of it all. This is (sadly) one form of the victim mentality as well. I think that a mourning process in this case is important to access healing. Confronting the thoughts that pull you down into this sink-hole is another key to starting a healing process.

A third reason is pain linked to loss, to betrayal, hopelessness or to any potential thing that was out of your control and brings tremendous pain to your soul. I could illustrate this with one example from one of my hardest battles linked to the fact that “Mel is healthy, but the sicknesses attacking her body feel like a total prison that makes life so complicated at times”. This might sound a bit “light” comparing (AHHA, comparison again…!! ;)) it to a loss or something else. But for me, it hurt bad because I’m a free and wild spirit.

[A Few ideas of things that helped me through and out of depression]

1. The first one and only one I mention in the video is the fact of Talking to God about everything and asking Him for help. Depression, just like fear could be a spirit that needs to be cast out of us so prayer is very important in the healing journey. Conversing with God and trusted people is very important in the process too, which leads me to the second important point:

2. Mourn. Mourn the pain, what happened or what didn’t happen. This can take some time because we need to process a painful loss and change your vision for the futur. Just take you time to walk through it.

3. Another important element is that at one point, I had to decide that I wanted to go through and get out of this phase. Making that decision triggered something.

4. Another important factor is: Don’t isolate yourself. When our soul is in so much pain it costs us to be around people. I know … spend time alone. It’s extremely important in the healing process but don’t cut yourself away completely from the people who love you. Dare to not be okay around them and dare to cry in their presence… it’s okay. You won’t always be in this place and they know it =0)

5. Some practical ideas that did me so much good as well was the fact of going outside and exposing myself to the light of day. Our 4 walls can become pretty oppressive too sometimes in these moments. So go out and catch some rays and fresh air!! ;0)

6. Finding a rhythm again. This one might be a bit surprising but I remember having no rhythm at all while depressed, but as soon as I started getting one back, it’s like my inner engine got started again, and it helps.

7. Physical exercise. Yes yes yes!! Moving, whatever it may be is soooooo underrated in helping us kick depression out of our lives!

8. And obviously for me, Painting and singing (worship!!!) were key ;)

I’d like to finish this subject with these amazing Bible verses that fill me with so much hope and comfort!! I hope they will do the same for you!

And, if you’ve been moved by this video, or any other video, you can contact me personally. I would love to talk with you and encourage you if you need some Hope ;0)

Be blessed,

Mel

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Romans 8 v.1 (TPT)

So now the case is closed. There remains no accusing voice of condemnation against those who are joined in life-union with Jesus, the Anointed One.

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Matthew 11:28-30 (TPT)

Jesus speaks:

28/ “Are you weary, carrying a heavy burden? Come to me. I will refresh your life, for I am your oasis.

29/ Simply join your life with mine. Learn my ways and you’ll discover that I’m gentle, humble, easy to please. You will find refreshment and rest in me.

30/ For all that I require of you will be pleasant and easy to bear.”

Psalm 23 (TPT)

The Good Shepherd

David’s poetic praise to God

1/ Yahweh is my best friend and my shepherd.

I always have more than enough.

2/ He offers a resting place for me in his luxurious love.

His tracks take me to an oasis of peace near the quiet brook of bliss.

3/ That’s where he restores and revives my life.

He opens before me the right path

and leads me along in his footsteps of righteousness

so that I can bring honor to his name.

4/ Even when your path takes me through

the valley of deepest darkness,

fear will never conquer me, for you already have!

Your authority is my strength and my peace.

The comfort of your love takes away my fear.

I’ll never be lonely, for you are near.

5/ You become my delicious feast

even when my enemies dare to fight.

You anoint me with the fragrance of your Holy Spirit;

you give me all I can drink of you until my cup overflows.

6/ So why would I fear the future?

Only goodness and tender love pursue me all the days of my life.

Then afterward, when my life is through,

I’ll return to your glorious presence to be forever with you!