[cedartree]

Do you believe the origin is biological (simply a chemical imbalance in the brain) or do some of you believe the origin is strictly spiritual, meaning an evil spirit is causing this phenomenon? I am truly interested in your honesty opinion here, an honest conversation (not a debate or arguement) Personally, I believe it can be both, and tend to believe my personal experience is more a chemical imbalance. I am a born again, Spirit filled believer, and several believers around me believe it is only spiritual. *Its a lonely feeling walkin' in my shoes sometimes* Thanks for listening and sharing

[Blue Poppy]

Hello Cedartree,

It is an interesting question that you pose and one that I have thought about a lot in my life. I grew up in the church with some rather fundamentalist ideas. I used to hear discussions about depression being a spiritual problem, even relating it to demons. The solution was prayer and "giving it to God".

Even though these were the beliefs I was exposed to when I was younger, I do not subscribe to them now. I don't harbour any ill will towards the church as I think the people had good intentions. I simply think that the members were misinformed.

I believe that depression is of biological origin. There is an impairment in the brain. Some people have a predisposition towards the illness based on their brain chemistry alone. That being said, I think that the environment mixed with brain chemistry has a lot to do with whether or not the disease shows itself.

I was encouraged last year when I met with a pastor to discuss my battle with depression. I was somewhat cynical about the meeting, but desperate enough to try and get better, so I went through with it. I was pleasantly surprised to find that there was understanding of the nature of the illness and its biological origins. It was the polar opposite experience of my upbringing. As such, I am more optimistic now that the church is recognizing mental illness for what it is.

i believe it's all to do with the brain,

nothing spiritual at all

[f.reliant]

I wish there was a simple answer. In my opinion, the cause is specific to each individual person. Clinical depression can be biological in origin, situational (traumatic events, abuse, grief and so forth) or in some instances, both. A good, experienced doctor can make that assessment. A lot of us, knowing our own history already know our origin of depression.

My faith is strong and so is my will and I might just take offense to those who put depression off as a spiritual deficiency or even evil, save for the fact that they are misinformed.

Stay strong in your faith and fience in your battle with depression. Hope this helps

Biological.
Lost my mother to suicide at her age of 49 y/o.
She has passed her gift of depression onto me, I am sure.

~ IN MEMORY - 1930-1980 ~

It's not spiritual. Google some studies on depression. If it was spiritual, anti-depressant drugs wouldn't exist. But they do exist, and work. They help raise serotonin levels. Also, for someone like me that also suffers from Seasonal Affective Disorder, I know that is purely biological. I'm very sensitive to levels of light and when the days get short and there is less light, my serotonin levels drop. A lot of people suffer from this as well.

[dg1983]

I think that biological and environmental factors play a part in the origins of depression. Some people are born more prone to having depression, however they may not encounter certain situations in their life that will activate it. Maybe depression seems to be more common now is because it is more openly talked about, or that people live in such distracting and stress inducing environments?
Furthermore, I was raised as a Roman Catholic. Having faith or spirituality gives some people a reason for living or being of service to others. Praying is a form of meditation as well. It is very strange too, that something troubling will be on my mind, and I could listen to a sermon and it would calm me down. So pretty much, I think having faith does reduce depression. Maybe I read a study about it somewhere. Spirituality could be an environmental factor as well...for example, my parents could have been atheist and raised me with no beliefs-it could have turned out I would feel even more lost than I do now? I am just rambling now. But I believe in more than one reason for depression.

[venusss]

I think it is spiritual... a lot. Not in "good/bad Christian" sense... it's not really a dichotomy... it's rather being removed from the source (nature... and not having enough time and chances to fulfill our spiritual needs). We are living in world for which we aren't fit. I think some more sensitive people can pick up on many bad things that are going on...

spirituality doesn't mean being the right kind of faith... to me it's being in synch with the nature, the world and most importantly yourself.

Nobody shown chemical imbalance on test... nobody shown there is a causation... not mere correlation (or that the said imbalance isn't caused by environmental factors or us being in depressed state).

[missbelle]

[quote=cedartree;2486567]Do you believe the origin is biological (simply a chemical imbalance in the brain) or do some of you believe the origin is strictly spiritual, meaning an evil spirit is causing this phenomenon?

It frighterns me that you could think it was anything evil. I am so sorry that somewhere you learned this, I feel like I want to wrap my arms around youand give you a big hug.In true clinical depression which I have, it is purely biological......no evil spirits......just a chemical imbalance...like having diabetes or cancer...its an illness only, and no evil spirirts live in the bodies of people with cancer, or diabetes etc, or in the person that has depression.

I am deeply sorry that somewhere you heard or learned that evil is rsponsible for an illness that is depression!

[jlmass]

chemical imbalance in the brain

[enjoythesilence1013]

I once read an article that said that depression evolved as a coping mechanism to isolate a member of the tribe from others in a time of great stress. With recent studies pointing to depression being hereditary, I think that goes a long way in saying why one would isolate themselves: in order to not pass on an undesirable trait of low coping mechanisms. However, today the population is so huge that depression is virtually everywhere. I definitely think it's biological and can be passed from generation to generation. I live in constant fear of getting in a relationship which might produce kids that also have the problems I and my family have, therefore I isolate. I don't really feel like it's spiritual or I'm "possessed," although depression has taken any spirituality I once had out of me completely.