1. 8-12% of the population
experience depression in any year
Depression affects 1 in 5 older people
living in the community and 2 in 5 living
in care homes
Source Mental Health Foundation

2. Suicide remains the most common cause
of death in men under the age of 35
UK has one of highest rates of self-harm
in Europe, at 400/100,000 population

3. Series – ‘Big questions from the Psalms’
Today
How should I respond when
I feel discouraged?

4. Depression is no respecter of persons
Winston
Churchill
William
Cowper
Charles
Spurgeon
Stephen
Fry

5. Depression
A state of morbidly
excessive melancholy, mood
of hopelessness & feelings
of inadequacy, often with
physical symptoms

6. Some signs of depression
• Inertia
• Loss of energy
• Insomnia
• Feelings of pessimism, hopelessness and
worthlessness
• Loss of interest in usual activities,
• Inability to enjoy even pleasurable events

7. Some causes of depression
• Physical
• Physiological - e.g PND
• Bereavement
• Guilt
• Repressed anger

9. 10 ‘Why?’ questions from Psalms 42 & 43
Why are you so downcast O my soul? – 42:5a, 11a, 43:5
Why so disturbed within me? – 42:5a, 42:11a, 43:5
Why have you forgotten me? – 42:9a
Why must I go about mourning? – 42:9b, 43:2b
Why have you rejected me? – 43:2

10. The Psalmist’s experiences
Facing oppression from non-believers
… people say to me all day long, ‘Where is your God?’
Psalm 42:3b
My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me,
saying to me all day long, ‘Where is your God?’
Psalm 42:10

11. The Psalmist’s experiences
Continually tearful
My tears have been my food day and night
Psalm 42:3a

12. The Psalmist’s experiences
Prevented from worshipping God
These things I remember as I pour out my soul:
how I used to go to the house of God under the
protection of the Mighty One with shouts of joy
and praise among the festive throng
Psalm 42:4

13. The Psalmist’s experiences
Feels as if he’s drowning
all your waves and breakers have swept over me
Psalm 42:7

14. How does he respond?
He asks himself questions
Why are you so downcast O my soul?
Psalms 42:5a, 42:11a, 43:5
Why so disturbed within me?
Psalms 42:5a, 42:11a, 43:5

15. “I always seem to fail at everything I do”
“Everything and everyone is against me”
“Because something happened to me when I was
younger, I can never escape the past”
“God doesn’t love me. Nobody appreciates or loves me”
“I am of no value.
This world would be better off without me”

16. ‘10 Cs of self-defeat’ by Richard L Mason
1. Never make mistakes
2. Upset yourself when things go wrong
3. Blame your neighbour as yourself
4. Neither love, nor forgive, nor accept yourself
5. Always expect things to be different from way they are
You shall …

17. ‘10 Cs of self-defeat’ by Richard L Mason
6. Seek the love and approval of everyone for everything
that you do
7. Avoid facing life’s difficulties, remembering that you
cannot change because you are trapped by the past
8. Be totally preoccupied with whatever bothers you
You shall …

18. ‘10 Cs of self-defeat’ by Richard L Mason
9. Wait passively for happiness to come to you
10. Be dependent mostly on others for your happiness
You shall …

19. How does he respond?
He looks inward but then upwards
Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him,
my Saviour and my God
Psalms 42:5b, 42:11b, 43:5b

20. How does he respond?
He affirms that …
He has a personal relationship with God
42:5b, 11b, 43:5b
He is loved by God
42:8a
God can dispel the darkness
43:3a-4

21. How does he respond?
He thirsts for God
As the deer pants for streams of
water, so my soul pants for you,
my God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the
living God
Psalm 42:1-2a

22. Hope for the disappointed
Then you will know that
I am the LORD; those
who hope in me will not
be disappointed
Isaiah 49:23

23. Hope for those who are tossed about
We have this hope as
an anchor for the
soul, firm & secure
Heb 6:19

24. Suggestions for helping others
• Never view depression lightly
• Don’t overlook physical in
search of the spiritual
• Gently encourage talk - be ready to listen

25. Suggestions for helping others
• Encourage person to think about
being involved in doing
something for others
• Gently share Scriptures but don’t preach

26. “Whoever thinks s/he has the ways of God
conveniently tabulated, analysed and correlated with
convenient glib answers to ease every question from
aching hearts hasn’t been far in this maze of mystery
we call life and death … At this time of writing, I never
knew less how to explain the ways of God, but I never
had more confidence in my God”
(Though I walk through the valley – Vance Havner)

27. Why are you
downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed
within me?
Put your hope in God