08/15/2015
FACTS ON DEPRESSION
Depression is an adjustment disorder as result of going through a grieving process. The loss of a loved one, a status, a home, a job or money or going through a divorce. Depression is not being sad or sorrowful in a normal. It is a psychological disorder. It is a behavioral disorder that occurs as a result of prolonged grief. Depression is the most serious of all emotional disorders. Response Extinction refers to the gradual weakening of a conditioned response that results in the behavior decreasing or disappearing as related to Depression. Grief process takes about a year and within this period, the grief is supposed to wear off. An example is someone grieving because of a loss of loved one. As time goes on the stress from the loss begin to lose steam and a person start to recover. This is because grief has an adaptive function. Depression is sometimes called the _COMMON _COLD______ of emotional life. Depression is the most common emotional disorders. This is because many people suffer for this disease worldwide. It affects between 9-14 million per year in America and over 100million worldwide. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) estimates Depression costs $16billion a year.
REASONS
a) Loss of sense of community resources that should be available to help people in times of grief and stress: The society itself is fast-paced—everybody is more than busy and barely have time for each other—and there is lack of community support. This has led to increased depression. Also, fast-paced lifestyle makes depression easy.
b) Break-up of family through divorce: Break-up of family has caused a lot of depression and stress. Break up of family has led to single parent homes where children are not raised adequately and may turn out to be sources of depression to other family members. The responsibility of two parents becomes one for the single parent and it is overwhelming and stressful.
c) Loss of faith in institution, for example—government institutions, leaders and even in churches. It is estimated that five percent of church members suffer depression. Even church leaders suffer depression more than they would admit. Institutions that supposed to provide employment, medical care and other social services are failing, and this has resulted in stress that leads to depression
DIAGNOSIS
A person must have five or more of the symptoms of depression to be classified as suffering from major depression. The nine symptoms are as follows: Depressed mood, Decrease of interest in life, Decrease or increase in appetite, Su***de tendencies, Decrease in ability to concentrate, Decrease in energy, Insomnia or Hypersomnia—lack of sleep, Decrease in the sense of self worth and retardation.
Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness, is a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, and the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks. Symptoms of bipolar disorder are severe. They are different from the normal ups and downs that everyone goes through from time to time. Bipolar disorder symptoms can result in damaged relationships, poor job or school performance, and even su***de. But bipolar disorder can be treated, and people with this illness can lead full and productive lives.
The six of the twelve possible causes of depression are:
i. Temperament factor, e.g. death in the family, loss of job
ii. Demonic oppressions— Attacks and afflictions from the powers of darkness. We all need to be close to God to be protected by the armor of God (Ephesians 6:11-12)
iii. Sin factors—not all sin is a result of personal sin. Backsliding, moving away from God causes depression. Alcoholism causes depressions. Trials and tribulation in one’s life leads to depression (John 15:2, John 15:2)
iv. Biological factors—genetic and environmental factors affect brain function. If one’s family has a history of depression, then one will be susceptible to it.
v. Loneliness—withdrawal from fellowshipping with others for fear of rejection leads to depression. This is probably the main reason for depression. Isolating one’s self from things or people that can influence on one positively can cause depression.
vi. Interpersonal factors—Fifty percent of depression cases is related to marriage. Not being able to get along with one another after committing to each other for life.
Three Bible characters as example of depression in the Bible are; Elijah (1Kings 19:1-14), Jonah (Jonah 3:10; 4:1-11) and Jeremiah (Jer. 20:7-18). In Jonah 4:1, Jonah was not happy because God forgave the sins of the people of Nineveh. He became depressed to the point he asked God to take his life. God counseled Jonah so to speak by making him to see the whole picture. God prepared a gourd to shadow over Jonah`s head while grieving which made Jonah glad. Later the gourd withered. This made sun to beat Jonah head which resulted in him being angry even unto death-Jonah 4:9.
The six characteristics of the Strategic Pastoral Counseling Model are:
a) It must be short term i.e. it must be brief and time-limited. The counseling must be no more than five sessions. The counseling should be focused on a particular problem area and this must be communicated to the counselled at encounter stage.
b) The counseling must be biblio-therapeutic. In other words, it must involve reading books and writings, of which the Bible is the best. Selected passages must be targeted for the problem areas. The counseled must be encouraged to read the bible to study, meditate and make adjustments to behaviors. The counselee must be encouraged to read selected passages between two sessions.
c) It must be wholistic. In other words, biblical psychology involves the whole person—soul, body and spirit, thoughts and feelings, and behaviors.
d) It must be structured. That is, each counseling must have a clear focus. And each style will depend on the counselor
e) It must be spiritually focused.
f) It must be explicitly Christian. That is, counseling through prayers to reveal and do God’s will. John 10:4; Philippians 2:13.
It is the FOCUS that makes the counseling strategic.
The goal of strategic counseling model is to examine a particular problem or experience in the light of God’s will and attempt to facilitate growth through that person’s present life situations. It is meant to help Christians to become more Christ-like in behavior and enjoy the pleasures of His fellowship. To move to personal wholeness in spirit, body and spirit.
The first stage is the Encounter Stage, which is the initial stage. At the Encounter stage, you establish personal contact, joining and boundary setting. The Encounter stage establishes central concern and relevant history of the person. Also, a pastoral diagnosis is conducted. Since, as psychologists, we are not medical professionals, it is a presenting and definition of problems stage. A mutual focus for counseling is agreed upon at this stage. This stage should not take more than one session. It is essential that the counseling does not take more than five sessions so that the counselled does not become dependent .
To be continued
