Here are 20 simple things we can remember when interacting with those that may be having a fight with depression. Any one of these points will not only help with the stigma surrounding depression, but may even help the individual dealing with depression.
Read… 20 Things to Remember If You Love A Person With Depression.
Let Them Choose Life – Prayer for Others
Lord, there are many who are giving up right now with some even thinking of ending their lives. Please help me to be a light, to be a hand outstretched, and to be an intercessor for those who can no longer hear their spirits crying, “Choose life! Choose life!” Help me speak life to the souls of those who do not yet know that Jesus is calling them to choose life!
Give me opportunities to share your love with them. Help me share your plans of hope and a prosperous future with these souls—believers and not-yet-believers alike. Help me to speak words that will penetrate their discouragement so that they will want to hear more words of life. Holy Spirit, encourage them to know that you can lead them out of the barren and howling wasteland they are in even now. Those who have lost their hope, their courage, and their faith—as well as those who have no awareness of faith yet—please shield them, care for them, and guard them. Those whose heads are bowed with pain, steady them until they turn to you. I bind their confused minds to the mind of Christ so that they can hear His thoughts instead of the dark thoughts of their own heart/souls.
I bind their battered and negative emotions to your comfort and balance, Holy Spirit. I bind every heart/soul that is filled with hopelessness—believers and yet-to-be believers alike—to an awareness of your blood, Jesus, that you shed for them that they could be free to live the abundant life you have planned for them.
Help me to help them want to live. Bind up these brokenhearted souls and teach them your ways, O LORD; give them focused and undivided hearts that will strain to get to you instead of always trying to shrink back into the darkness. I loose, smash, crush, and destroy every effect and influence of all wrong agreements ever made about each one of them, over them, as well as the wrong agreements they made themselves. Shower them with your love as you strengthen them to CHOOSE LIFE!
You know right where they are, and you know the ones who are the most desperate and wanting to give up. I loose the deception and denial that their heart/souls keep trying to shroud their minds with. I agree with you as you speak these words to them: CHOOSE LIFE AND LIVE! Help them come out of the valley of despair they are in so they can choose to walk on the high places with you. Thank you for doing this for them. Amen
Source: Binding and Loosing Prayer Manual by Liberty Savard
Like millions today, I’ve faced the demon of depression for much of my life. In fact, I’ve battled severe depression ever since I was in the 7th grade, when I would cry my way through a long day of classes with a book held up in front of my face to hide my tears. My parents didn’t know what to do with my incessant sadness, and a brief mental breakdown during my high school years raised everyone’s awareness – especially my own – that something was not right inside. Even as a leader in the worlds of faith and the arts for over 25 years, the battle has never left – but a few silver bullets have made the clouds lift more often than not.
image courtesy of anna siran photography
Are You Battling Depression Right Now?
Read…
http://www.danwilt.com/4-silver-bullets-for-battling-depression-in-your-life/
Merri Ellen 🙂
If you suffer from depression or another mental illness, may this encourage you to see that you’re not alone, nor is your life over…
Click Here to Read the Full Post over at Huffington Post… These Wildly Successful People Will Prompt You To Rethink What It Means To Have A Mental Illness.
Eat less refined sugar. Your body craves sugar when you are depressed but in the long run it actually makes you more depressed. Cut it out from your life as much as possible.
If you listen to music, put aside the sad and depressing ones and listen to music that makes you feel happy. Music can actually lift your mood. This can touch your soul and give an immediate cure to most of the problems. Choose music with lyrics that are uplifting and not discouraging. What you put into your mind will come out in your mood and action too, so choose music that motivates. You are worth it!
Spend time with nature everyday. Gardening, walking or just sitting and breathing in the fresh air early in the morning will make you feel thankful to be a part of such an incredible creation of life. On days when I’m feeling blah, and a bit like depression may be trying to sneak back in, I am grateful that my husband will encourage me to go out for a walk in our nearby park. I grew up a competitive athlete and so physical activity for me was always intense. I have learned to enjoy slowing down and walking in nature. It is calming, uplifting and awesome when you pay attention to the natural beauty all around you.
Today, get outside. Go explore and pay attention. The fresh air will do you so much good!
There is hope. You are worth it.
Merri Ellen 🙂
If you can’t fall asleep within 15-20 minutes, get out of bed and do not go back until you are sleepy not just tired. Anxiety is a normal part of life, but also one of the strongest factors that influences sleep. If you find that worries are preventing you from sleeping, it can be helpful to keep a “worry log” – get out of bed, write down your concerns and ask yourself three key questions…
Read… I can’t sleep – should I get up or stay in bed? – The Globe and Mail.
“Cold words freeze people, and hot words scorch them, and bitter words make them bitter, and wrathful words make them wrathful. Kind words also produce their image on men’s souls; and a beautiful image it is. They smooth, and quiet, and comfort the hearer.” – Blaise Pascal
The most damaging thoughts we entertain are lies about ourselves and our world. If we put garbage into our minds, we will get garbage out. We must take every thought captive.
Cure Your Depression Research 