Depressed? Give in God’s hands                

By Julia Fernandes

July 27, 2011

I am depressed. According to a recent World Health Organisation-sponsored study, depression affects 121 million people worldwide and is responsible for 850,000 deaths every year. That’s quite a figure! The report did depress me because it showed how vulnerable we have become to the tugs and pulls of our mind and bodies. None of us can truly escape depression. All of us at some point or the other in our lives will be affected by depression.

It is scary when you realize you can no longer control the way you feel. Sometimes, it becomes more than the occasional 'lows' and bouts of 'blues'. Our usual response to depression is to indulge in activities that alleviate our moods. However, those activities such as meeting up with friends, catching up on a movie, listening to music or reading will only temporarily lift up our spirits.

Life is ongoing and you can be sure that as long as you are living life will continue to challenge and stretch your patience in every way, physically, mentally, emotionally, etc. So, what do you do? The trick is in having a constant, stable and reliable support system that can absorb the stress and weather everything in your life. In my case, I found it in God.

The best way to deal with this mental monster is to monitor your thoughts on a daily basis. Examine your feelings daily. Since I pray a lot, I do my daily self-check with God. It makes my assessment easier. I am not a doctor neither am I a saint. I am just a human. So, when I unburden my thoughts, feelings, troubles to God, I feel light.

I know am not qualified to understand, rectify or change every single emotion and thought that runs through my mind. I can only feel it. But God can understand everything. So, I only tell Him how I feel and He does the rest. For only He knows exactly the precise hormone that is causing havoc with my mental or emotional makeup. I do my part and God does His.

It is important to recognize your own self as your best friend. Be kind and loving to yourself. Sometimes, life will be very tough. The trick lies not in fighting the toughness of it all but in softening our response towards all that happens with us. Life is already hard on us. Why should we be hard on ourselves by yielding to the demands of our life?

I know I can rise early but I cannot be sure if I will reach my office on time. I know I can reach the station on time but I cannot do anything if the trains are late or delayed. I know I can study but I cannot be sure whether I will pass or fail. I know I can fall in love but I am not sure if the person I love will reciprocate or not.

I know I can marry but I don’t know if my marriage will work out or not. I know I can have kids but I am not sure whether they will be a source of happiness or sorrow to me. I know I can work but am not sure whether I will be successful or not.

Depression sets in when we try to control and change the small and big things that are beyond our human abilities to do so. Recognize what you can handle and leave what you cannot handle to God. None of us are going to be around here forever. We all have a limited time span. So, stop dictating how things should be and live life cheerfully knowing that life is a never-ending cycle of tears, smiles, pain, joy, etc. And, if depression visits you, just gracefully give it to God for in His hands all depressed feelings self-destruct on its own.