What is your biblical stance/opinion on Christians taking depression and anxiety medicine for mental illnesses?
Discussion
46 comments
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Mental Illness is a clinical disease, so yes. And some mental illnesses does not need medications, But there is nothing impossible for Jesus. His Joy abounds!
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Do they have a medical reasons? I mean do you put a band aid over a small cut
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Take the medicine! But also exercise, eat well, keep hydrated, find something to be productive, meditate and pray.
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At the end of the day the human brain is as much an organ of the body as the heart, lungs or kidneys and as such is just as subject to illness as any other organ of the body, so seeking medical help when things begin to go wrong with the way the brain is working is both acceptable and safe from a Christian point of view, and can and often does help genuine believers who are suffering in this way to maintain a God glorifying life as they seek to follow the Lord.
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This is like saying “I have a broken hand, what is your biblical stance/opinion on Christians getting surgery?” Or “I have an infection, what is the Bible’s stance on medications?” If you’re sick, take steps to get well. Don’t forget to pray though!!
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Prayerfully consult a physician. More pastors need training in the detection of these things and make referrals. They need more professional training in counseling in general.
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Never underestimate the Lord working through other people to bless you. While mental illness can be rooted on something you need to spiritually address (this, you have to pray about), acknowledge too that it in itself can and must be addressed by professionals as deemed necessary. Doctors are there to help.
In all things, just keep the Lord at the center. 🙂
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The fact that this is a very legitimate question is sad! It shouldn’t even be an issue LOL
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I’m a nurse…..I’d say if they help you then take them. If they help you very little, then don’t. It doesn’t matter what your Dr tells you. It’s your body and your mind. Take ownership of your medication
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If you have angina you will take meds to stabilize your heart. Without the meds you will die. People with severe depression have an imbalance in the brain chemistry and has fatal consequences when not treated.
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The Lord gives wisdom. You should pray and seek God as well as take the necessary steps to move towards recovery
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God may send a ship or a boat or a strong waves or a fish or anything anytime anywhere to save a praying drowning soul. God may even allow the person to swim all by himself or some may even perish in the sea of life. Taking care of our own mental or spiritual or physical health in ways we are happy… why not. But never stop praying
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They can be good tools, but sometimes they ignore the spiritual reality. Like Ecclesiastes says “to every time there is a season.” The serenity prayer speaks to it as well.
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Matthew 17:21 My first reaction is to pray immediately.
Meds don’t work all the time and they have consequences.
We live in an instant gratification society where we don’ t want to feel pain. The pharmacuetical co. Know that and thats why they’re worth billions.
Pain helps you grow.Mental illness could be hereditary through demon possesion or drug influenced which comes down to demonic spirits.
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Well, as a skeptic, I think Christians having mental illness falsifies another biblical promise:
KJV 2 Timothy 1:7 – ‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.’
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It’s ok, that’s the way things are, pray and believe f or healing and come off slowly
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if you get diagnosed with heart disease you pray and take medicine, if you get diagnosed with mental illness you should do the same.
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If its needed and prescribed by a medical staff, why not?
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It’s not like you are misusing them, you are literally using them to help you mentally. If you were misusing them, then I would say to stop. (Although that isn’t always easy). But if you are legit only using them for mental health reasons, it is fine! Pray and talk to God about it. I also struggled with deep depression for a few years, and God brought me out of it. Of course you will have triggers, but they won’t be as bad. I also struggle with anxiety still, and I don’t use medication, but I find peace in worship music or reading my bible sometimes. God can heal, trust Him and keep praying! Trust His timing. God is neither late nor early but perfectly on time! I will also pray for you!
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There are folks who need to be on all different kinds of medications for various reasons, mental and physical. Every situation is different so to make a blanket statement would be ignorant.
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I have a bunch of mental illness including depression anxiety and bi polar. I take meds for all of them. Nothing unbiblical about it. If you need help, God works through people and these drugs are here to help people.
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If needed take.
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God created the man who created these medications. All the more glory to Him.
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God’s provisions.
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God gives us a lot of tools in our toolbox His healing is not limited in how this is accomplished
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I am a Bi Polar depressant. I have Panic Anxiety disorder. When I turned back to God, I asked Him to heal me. Simple right? I read His word every day. Pray. I have been med free for 5 months. I still have sad days, I still get anxiety every now and then but nothing like I was suffering from before God entered back into my life. Just my testimony. If you cannot get a grasp.on your mental stability, then meds maybe your answer. But never underestimate the power of God and what He can do for you. Stay in prayer and His word.
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I think each persons situation is different. I have ADHD and I could take medication from a doctor but I’ve decided to use holistic medicine because I don’t like what it does to me. However, I used wisdom to decide this. If I get to a point where I should look into getting a prescription I’ll do it.
Each person needs to go to prayer and consult their doctors. Perhaps even their Pastor. All of this should be done when making a choice for heavy mental medication and issues. God wants us to be healthy. That includes mental health.
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The word of God rewires the brain. You must focus all of your thoughts on what the word says and not yourself, others, or circumstances. The psyche industry and their drugs cannot rewire your brain/renew your mind.
The chemicals in the brain affect the physical body. They are guided by emotional responses. Put your emotions under the authority of God’s word and eventually the chemical responses of the physical brain will begin to change.
However, in the interim, while these changes are still happening, there is a big question mark. If you take drugs it might impede progress. If you don’t take the drugs you might have some serious problems. Wish I had an answer for that part of it.
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I honestly don’t know, medicine is a mercy from God, but when we don’t look at the cause but just prescribe tablets to mask the symptoms Im not so sure
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Sorcery
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Depression is always spiritual but sometimes also hormonal, chemical and physical. I see nothing wrong with taking medicine as you would for any other ailment as long as you’re not abusing it and seeking Jesus and Biblical help through a counselor, Pastor etc to aid your spiritual depression as well.
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Wow, the word of God is like medicine to our bones. The more we consecrate ourselves and yield to the word, true manifestation of change begins to take effect.
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The Israelites didnt need protection or had sick people because God gave them the commandments they lived by them (as far as they could) and they didnt need medication or police or a dentist or a psychologist,. But when you live in a democracy or as i like to call it satanocracy, you will be a slave and get sick and obey rules that are selfish Man made.
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I am a Bible believing Christian and a licensed therapist. There can be a certain possibility for learned helplessness with it. But also I believe it can be a valuable tool for coping but preferably for a season. No one should be made to seem like they are less than spiritual because of using it.
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You can’t treat soul issues (mental illness) with carnal means (medication)
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take your pills
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If it is severe enough to where it has to be controlled with medication then yes it is ok. If it can be tamed or controlled then prayer should be the main focus.
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Take medication.
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I work with trauma survivors, addicts and people with Mental health problems. I believe medication can be used as tool to help overcome and stabilise my clients. Short term use can be very beneficial, however being reliant on medication is just another form of addiction.
Being addicted to medication as a way to cope is a sin, because we should be relying on our Lord Jesus Christ.
In saying that there are people who have severe brain trauma for example who will have no quality of life without medication. -
Anti-depressants seem fine, in addition to talk therapy to help a person recover from the deeper wounds that cause depression.
However, supplements are way more effective at fixing chemical imbalances and have less side effects (See also: “The Mood Cure” book).
But – for believers OR anyone else – thinking of taking anti-anxiety medications can be very very physically dangerous. “Benzos” are the usual type, and they will wreck you.
Hundreds of people who got off Benzos later (by tapering) found that they suffered physical withdrawal symptoms for years and years. Full pain and completely debilitating. They ALL attest that their anxiety was still a much, much better burden than the long-lasting crippling effects of the Benzo medications.
So – don’t let anyone talk you into getting onto Benzodiazepines.
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Depression is a real infirmity. Not taking a medicine to aid you through it would be equivalent to you not taking blood pressure medicine to aid you through a heart issue. Being a Christian does not exempt you from the infirmities of this life. It gives you the Grace to persevere through them and still glorify our Master.
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You haven’t yet know God in person. Jesus himself should be your personal Saviour. If your religious, its hard to understand God’s provisions for you.
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There is mental disorders that need drugs for treatment and their is disorders that don’t.
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I have no stand on what other Christians do for their mental health
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Even some of the strongest believers deal with tremendous pressure as Romans 7 becomes very alive to them. Many believers who understand Romans 7 have an extremely difficult time reconciling that the flesh STILL has so much control since we STILL live in the flesh even though our heart and spirit is God’s. This in and of itself can lead to depression. Christians are not immune to depression at all and I respectfully disagree with those who assert otherwise. My OPINION is that doctors are in place for a reason and there are medications provided for a reason that, when not abused, do provide a medical necessity for what could be a deadly/fatal condition. Those people who INSIST that Christians will never experience depression OR that any believers who DO experience depression were never really in God’s hand to begin with really need to re-evaluate their position. Again, JMHO.
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This website has a lot of good articles & personal experiences of Christians & how they’ve handled mental illness with God & with modern medicine– a gift from God!
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/get-help/mental-health
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