First, note that I was primarily replying to "presently no name," but also to one of your posts to him/her on 95 and 104. In this issue, you may be a physician or an over-reaching layman, but you are not attaching any warnings to your advice on chemical approaches to depression. Neither did wardaddy. And Scripture is exactly pertinent to this issue, which I was laying it out to "presently no screen name" and you. And, somehow, you are missing the point that you are missing the point.
I believe in doctors. I am one, a theoretical one, granted before PhDs became cheap. I go to one as my personal physician. In 2010, a (I presume Hindu) jolly, very capable neurosurgeon removed a meningioma about the size of a small lemon from my cranium, which was crowding out my brain. Last July, I became dehydrated and almost died, but was at the last moment 911 brought me an ambulance, medical technicians, and attention by several doctors at the hospital. Later on in the year, a urologist (undoubtedly a Muslim) addressed an unpassable kidney stone with lithitripsy, involving yet more specialists. And I have been walking around now with a bad right foot poorly set by another Muslim orthopedic surgeon when I broke both feet in an accidental fall.
Did I trust in these special people? Yes. Were they always correct in their disciplines? Mostly, not always. Were they my spiritual advisors? No, and I could be a good advisor in this matter to any of them. Were any proficient in training of prescriptive antidepressants and/or benzodiazepine/antianxiety drugs? No, although each could prescribe any of them that he wished.
And I would never have allowed any of them to give me advice in this area in this day. Why? Because once in the early 70s I rendered myself to one psychiatrist/clinical psychologist team, with tricyclic antidepressants. The upside? The drugs did not help, though they made me feel wooden. The downside? If they worked. Antidepressants do not make you feel happy, they just rob you of passion, IMHO.
The second time was in the early 80s, when I again tried that approach, and it didn't work in the same way.
My dear granny, until you have suffered through your Christian son's messy divorce with no basis of infidelity on his part, but having to deal with a wife strung out 10 years on an alphabet soup of antidepressants and benzodiazepines, as well as antipsychotics; and having to raise five children who effectively had no mother by her decision; you haven't lived in that world.
Until you've sat with and shepherded a solidly Scripturally mature Christian friend who became addicted to benzodiazepines through the "kind" ministries and prescriptions from the VA (Ativan/lorazepam, Klonopin/Chlorazepam, Valium/diazepam, and Adderall/methamphetamine) you haven't prayed it through with the horrible year or more titration withdrawal effects it brings. For these, a cold turkey stop will bring on suicides of those who have lost all hope (in their imagination) when recommended by the VA doctors.
Do you not know that the Army Medical Command has withdrawn most of the benzodiazepines and some antipsychotics (Seroqil, Risperidone) from the Centcom formulary in treating at-risk Iraq and Afghanistan soldiers and vet returnees?
If you haven't read Robert Whittaker's "Anatomy of an Epidemic: Magic Bullets, Psychiatric Drugs, and the Astonishing Rise of Mental Illness in America," you need to before making a layman's recommendation to sad people. I have.
Is it getting through that depression is a spiritual disease, and those who only describe it as being a "mental disease" susceptible to cureall chemical magic bullet-in-a-pill tactic, never available before the 70s to enrich the coffers of big pharma and its stock-owners (including doctors who prescribe and boost them) may literally be sending their gullible adherents to Hell and later the Lake of Fire.
So, giving spiritual advice through correct application of Biblical passages addressing the issue are not irrelevant. Spiritual bullets are effective, for they penetrate right down to the cause, be it diabetes, alcoholism, futile love objects, or other chemical imbalances subject to the power of positive praying and company. For you, particularly, is why I put you as an addressee.
You don't seem to think that ones faith figures into this. Why not? Where are you in the faith?
"Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?" (2 Cor. 13:5)
Concernedly and humbly offered --
It is good when proud people offer themselves meekly at the feet of Christ, Lord of All -- is it not?
Now your’s is an experience speaking post. Hopefully, some will learn from it. Life is too short to learn only from our own experiences and/or lack of. So thank you for sharing it.
Some rather be adamant while their lack of knowledge is evident.
So Well stated!
"For the Word of God is ALIVE and ACTIVE. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." Heb 4:12