HelenM

The thing is, my husband is an atheist and he doesn't like me doing anything except what the medical professionals say I need to do, to be as well as possible.

So it's not as if I'm free to do whatever I want.

I daresay he doesn't mind if I ask for prayer from my church. As long as it's not instead of professional help. I expect they've been praying for me for a while.

I am somewhat better at the moment but they don't let you go off meds if you're Bipolar so I might never know how much of that is due to the meds. I.e. even if God did heal me I would still have to take meds, probably because "Bipolar is a life-long illness".

So what's the point of praying for healing anyway, if it won't make any difference, because I'll still have to take meds, go see my psychiatrist, etc? Because if no-one around me believes I could get healed, they'll just think I'm going through a good time inbetween episodes...

love
Helen

Queen of Swords

Originally posted by St. Robert:
<strong>...have them lay hands on your head and pray for you. </strong>

Why do they have to lay their hands on her head? Will the prayer fail if they're not in contact with her hair? Helen, be sure not to wear a hat or anything, that might block the waves of power.

I wonder if they only touch the head in cases of mental conditions. If someone came in with a goiter, maybe they'd hold the person's throat. Ouch, any women with thrush in that church must have a really embarrassing healing.

Lizard

Depression is the result of a biochemical imbalance in the brain. It requires medication to restore something like a normal balance. Do Christians forgo taking insulin and hope their diabetes will be cured by prayer? Do people with toenail fungus shun medication and pray for the fungus to go away?

Not if they're smart. I believe some people have been relieved of symptoms of various diseases after people prayed for them or with them. What's not clear is whether the prayer or simply time cured the disease. Thirty percent of medical problems will clear up by themselves, given time.

However, depression does not cure itself. The biochemical balance becomes worse and worse if allowed to continue. Meds are necessary for people suffering from depression. Not just "the blues," i.e., a transitory feeling of sadness caused by external events.

HelenM

Lizard with all due respect, I believe that many people who were depressed at one time - clinically depressed - have gotten over it somehow and don't need meds now.

We don't fully understand depression. What bothers me is when people are made to feel it's 'wrong' or 'weak' to take meds.

But it also bothers me when people are told they will have to take them forever for depression; that doesn't alway seem to be the case.

I believe that perhaps it's more accurate to speak of people being 'predisposed' to mental health disorders; so some people are genuinely more likely to suffer from them. However perhaps some of them can find a way to live without 'triggering' the depression, as it were. I don't know; it's just an idea. I'd rather have that hope out there and I do believe there is evidence that some people who once were clinically depressed, seem to have found a permanent way out of it.

Perhaps others will disagree and in no way do I want to imply that that means everyone should be able to get off meds...it's just an idea of mine.

Anyway most experts agree that meds alone aren't enough; that meds PLUS therapy is most effective. So maybe the therapy can be so effective that some people get off meds one day. I also believe in managing one's lifestyle so as to minimize what is triggering and difficult - as far as possible...the way I look at it, depression is awful and of course people would want to try anything that would help. But it's not totally understood what helps and why.

love
Helen

HelenM

Originally posted by QueenofSwords:

Quote:

Originally posted by St. Robert: ...have them lay hands on your head and pray for you.

Why do they have to lay their hands on her head? Will the prayer fail if they're not in contact with her hair? Helen, be sure not to wear a hat or anything, that might block the waves of power.

Good thinking Thanks for the advice, QofS!

I wonder if they only touch the head in cases of mental conditions. If someone came in with a goiter, maybe they'd hold the person's throat. Ouch, any women with thrush in that church must have a really embarrassing healing.

I think laying hands on someone's head is the way it always is done - I don't think it's related to the condition being prayed for.

So I guess you're safe to go ask for prayer no matter what your condition is.

My church will get together the leaders and anoint you with oil and pray for you for healing if you ask them to (the oil part is because that's what it says in James 5). I never asked for that though. Maybe I just don't have enough faith . I have written prayer requests on the 'write your prayer requests' sheet and I know that these get given to the church leaders and they pray for them.

I guess I decided that'll have to suffice

My pastor has mentioned in sermons that the first time he prayed for someone's healing and anointed them with oil, that person was healed. But not everyone has been healed, that he's prayed for.

love
Helen

bonduca

St. Robert is qualified to both diagnose and suggest treatment for Helen over the internet?

Perhaps he can also help me with my stubborn laundry stains?



Actually, while a devout Christian, I suffered from severe depression. Faith did not heal my depression. Reason, however, did cure me of religion.

There is an old saying, "God helps those who help themselves." Not seeking good medical treatment for an illness, ANY illness, is just plain foolish.

Perhaps your God wishes to heal you by sending you to a qualified physician or therapist.

[ July 12, 2002: Message edited by: bonduca ]</p>

Bree

Pardon me for stepping in here, but is an online atheist forum really the best place for doling out diagnosis and treatment to someone you've never met? Especially if you are unqualified to do so?

I'm sure Helen has a good handle on both herself and her treatment. I am bipolar as well, and though I know no two people are alike, I think she's in good hands - her own.

[ July 12, 2002: Message edited by: Bree ]</p>

Radcliffe Emerson

It isn't that simple. For me, losing my Christian belief and realizing it's myth are what cured my depression.

HelenM

It's ok Bree - I'm very cautious about taking advice - the professionals have enough trouble with me over that when I'm ill

So I'm not going to do anything drastic simply based on something I read here.

Anyway, Bree, I didn't know you are Bipolar, too! Thanks for mentioning it. I had a good laugh with someone else Bipolar once (when we were not ill) about the weird things one thinks when one is manic. It's about all you can do really, isn't it? (Well, that's if you have the highs as well as the lows, of course...I know some people don't have much of the highs)

Anyway thanks for your concern...I do what I can. And hope it works!

love
Helen

Mediancat

Lizard wrote,

"However, depression does not cure itself. The biochemical balance becomes worse and worse if allowed to continue. Meds are necessary for people suffering from depression. Not just "the blues," i.e., a transitory feeling of sadness caused by external events."


-- except in my case, so far, it hasn't recurred in the least. About four years ago I suffered from what my psychologist told me was a mild clinical depression for a few months. I had all the symptoms, with the twist of becoming monomaniacal about a certain TV show. Watching the show, reading stories on the internet, talking about it, were all that interested me. This lasted from February until well into June . . . but I haven't had the symptoms since.

Which doesn't make it impossible that they couldn't recur . . . but so far, so good.

Rob aka Mediancat