An article in today’s Wall Street Journal – Antidepressant Use Rises – reports that the use of antidepressants is significantly on the rise. The article cites a study published in the journal of Health Affairs, authored by Mark Olfson, a professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia University.
Antidepressants were the second most widely prescribed class of medicine in the United States in 2010, after cholesterol-lowering statins, according to IMS health. “Over 10 percent of people over the age of 6 were receiving anti-depression medication. That strikes me as significant,” says Dr. Olfson. It appears that physicians may be prescribing antidepressants for more mild forms of mood and anxiety disorders, or for isolated psychiatric symptoms like sleep disturbance, nervousness or nonspecific pain, Doctor Olfson said.
In a similar vein, an article on the Psychology Today website reports that antidepressants are oversubscribed. Christopher Lane, Ph.D, indicates that in a reported study more than 70% of patients in the survey who were prescribed antidepressants presented no medical need for antidepressant treatment.
It sure seems that the trend is for people to turn to pills instead of God to relieve the results of the stress that they are experiencing in their lives associated with life events. On the one hand it sure seems like a simple and quick fix to go to your doctor’s office or to your counselor and ask for and receive a prescription for an antidepressant drug. Just pop one in your mouth every day and you’ll feel better. This is not God’s way of handling stress.
There are several scriptures in the Bible that remind us of God’s principles for how to handle the stressors that life brings us. Here are a few:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Proverbs 3:5-6
Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him! Fear the Lord, you his godly people, for those who fear him will have all they need. Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry, but those who trust in the Lord will lack no good thing. Psalm 34:8–10
LORD Almighty, blessed is the one who trusts in you. Psalm 84:12
The scriptures remind us to place our trust in God and to turn our anxieties and fears over Him. This is the way he designed us to live. Trust in God is just one of many spiritual exercises I’ve identified that are important for living an abundant and healthier life. It is certainly a more effective way to cope with the ups and downs life brings us than taking antidepressant medications.
Questions to Reflect On:
How are you handling the stressors of your life? Are you turning to pills or to God?
Do you trust in God? Imagine what it would be like if you were really able to trust in God amidst your most challenging trials and most stressful times of your life. Then those ‘stressful’ times would not stress you out because you would be at peace – at Shalom. It’s this type of complete trust in God that he wants us to have. Our challenge is to not only understand this intellectually in our heads, but to truly believe this in our hearts and to live it out.
Trust in God – Experience His Peace
Earlier this morning, I read a wonderful article titled In Search of Shalom from the December, 2011 edition of In Touch Magazine. The author, Chris Tiegreen, hits the nail on the head as he explores the topics of trust in God and experiencing his peace. He points out that it’s God’s will for us to experience true Shalom – wholeness, fullness, safety, wholeness and well-being. Instead of placing trust in our God, our Creator, Tiegreen reminds us how we so often try to manufacture our own peace through our substitute material possessions and dysfunctional and often addictive behaviors.
Trust in God – Worry, Anxiety and Your Health
Many health issues stem from a person’s chronic state of worry and anxiety. God did not design us to be able to live healthily when we are in a constant state of worry. When we can get to the point where we resolve the inner battle of whether we can really trust in God, we can stop striving in our own strength and abilities to gain the peace we are searching for. To find wholeness and peace amidst life’s challenges and stressors, we must choose to believe that God is what we need most and then rest in the resulting peace that he gives us.
Trust in God – A Resolution for 2011
Looking for a New Year’s Resolution, a behavior to change or a new attitude to adopt in 2001? Perhaps it could be to more completely trust in God so that you’ll experience greater peace.
“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27
Have a Happy New Year!
Trust in God – Related Scriptures
Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life. Psalm 143:8
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5
Therefore do not worry …… but seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:25-33
June 6-12 is National Headache Awareness Week as recognized by the National Headache Foundation. The page at the link I’ve provided has some excellent educational material on the topic. I certainly have not seen such complete medical documentation and reference material on headaches.
I imagine many of us have had a debilitating form of migraine headache over the years. I can remember when I was under some chronic and severe stress years ago and how I suffered from frequent cluster headaches. They were a pain! Among the materials provided on the above site is a guide to preventing and alleviating the pain associated with migraines. Many prevention methods are mentioned.
They report that the most common type of headache is a tension headache. Tension headaches are due to tight muscles in your shoulders, neck, scalp and jaw. They are often related to stress, depression or anxiety. Therapies to reduce stress that they mention are biofeedback, progressive muscle relaxation, yoga, deep breathing and creative visualization. At the end of the paragraph they say “techniques discussed use the mind’s own power to change the central nervous system in a manner that can stop a migraine attack before it progresses to the pain phase.” I find it interesting that the National Headache Foundation uses the term “alternative” treatments in describing these prevention and treatment techniques.
Sadly, there’s no mention of God’s primary therapy for the prevention of headaches. Do not worry. In Matthew 6:25-34, Jesus outlines his teaching on worry. He reminds us that God will provide for our most basic needs. Jesus further instructs us to make the Kingdom of God and his righteousness our primary concern.
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5
It’s our nature to worry about the things of life, but God reminds us in his guidelines for living, the Bible, to give our worries to him. To trust him fully. When we are able to do that we are able to give him our cares and concerns and trust that he is in control of our circumstances. This certainly seems to be the very best prevention method for headaches.
Questions About Stress and Worries to Reflect On
What do you frequently worry or have anxiety about?
When was the last time you quietly and expectantly asked God to take care of that issue?
How are you seeking God’s Kingdom on a regular basis?
Hummingbirds live on nectar from flowers and the sugars that are found in specialty feeders. I have two plants out back that have attracted Ruby Throated Hummingbirds for the past five years. One is an Autumn Sage. The other is a Black and Blue plant – which is what the hummingbird in this video is feeding on. The last few days, these tiny birds have been visiting these flowers frequently as they stock up on the needed fuel they will need for their migration South.
These little birds are amazing. Their average weight is 1/8 ounce. Their wings beat between 40 and 80 beats/second. They breathe approximately 250 times per minute . Their heart rate is an unbelievable 250 beats/min at rest and 1200 beats/min while feeding. Finally, in flight they reach up to 63 miles/hour. Most researchers seem to accept the fact that those who migrate to the Caribbean Islands and Mexico cross the Gulf and Atlantic Ocean waters during a non-stop flight taking 18-20 hours. No wonder they require a lot of food for energy and strength!
People Need God
I imagine most of you know the story of David and Goliath. When David came face to face with the giant, he relied on God’s presence for strength. Read 1 Samuel 17:1-51. David was clearly aware that God was with him. and that the battle was not his, but God’s.(verse 45)
During David’s battle, he focused on God’s presence, not his circumstance or problem. David’s knowledge of God’s presence prevented him from becoming discouraged or giving up.
If you focus on life’s challenges and your opposition in the battles you face, you are likely to lose hope and give up. When you stay in God’s presence and keep the focus on him, he will give you optimism and the strength you need.
Remember, with God, all things are possible. Matthew 19:26
Questions for Reflection
When you need extra strength to make it through a tough or challenging time or when you are facing “giants” in your life, where do you turn? What is your source of strength?
One daily devotional I use is In Touch Magazine, written by Charles Stanley. The verse for today’s devotional is Matthew 11:28-30, a verse I almost refer to when I speak on the topic of faith, stress and health. Because Stanley does such a wonderful job of addressing these verses, I thought I’d share today’s devotion with you. The following is today’s devotional.
Jesus - "Take my yoke upon you" Matthew 11:29
Jesus invites all burdened individuals to come to Him for rest, yet so often we misunderstand what He is offering. When stresses and problems weigh us down, the most natural response is to ask God for relief: “Lord, I can’t carry this anymore. I’m going to leave it here with you.” Having dumped the burden like a bag of garbage, we walk away but remained unchanged inside.
God doesn’t operate that way. Christ’s invitation is to join Him in the yoke so you can walk and work together. He doesn’t want just your burden; He wants you! The yoke of Christ is a symbol of discipleship, characterized by submission and obedience to Him. God’s goal isn’t simply to give relief by removing a weighty trial or affliction; He longs to draw you to Himself in a close and trusting relationship. Those who take Him up on His offer will be transformed and won’t ever return to their old ways. Read more of this article »
Over the last week I have enjoyed watching the Tour de France and Lance Armstrong’s return to the sport after a three year break. The competition has been terrific. One reason I enjoy watching the Tour is because of the beautiful mountainous locations of some of the daily rides or stages. This is a map of the route.
Today and the next few days, the riders will be traversing over the Swiss Alps, a gorgeous part of Europe. I was stationed in southern Germany for one of my Army assignments and we lived about 45 minutes north of Innsbruck in the foothills of the Austrian Alps. My last day of skiing in Europe was on a Swiss mountainside so I can appreciate that the scenery in that area of the world is breathtaking. It’s easily the prettiest place I have ever been. Read more of this article »
Researchers on Friday made public a large study with a finding that we should not find surprising: Losing your job may make you sick.
In a study by a Harvard School of Health researcher, workers who lost a job through no fault of their own, she found, were twice as likely to report developing a new ailment like high blood pressure, diabetes or heart disease over the next year and a half, compared to people who were continuously employed.
Only 6 percent of people with steady jobs developed a new health condition during each survey period of about a year and a half, compared with 10 percent of those who had lost a job during the same period.
David Williams, a professor at the Harvard School of Public Health who was not involved in the research, said the study is a reminder that job loss and other life stressors have a tremendous impact on both mental and physical health and contribute to the development of chronic conditions.
“We know that stress affects health,” said Dr. Williams, director of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission to Build a Healthier America. “It causes changes in physiological function in multiple ways, and it can lead to alterations in health behavior. People no longer exercise, they eat more, they drink more. People who smoke, smoke more on high stress days.”
If you’ve lost your job recently, how are you handling your stressful situation? Are you excluding God in your “battle” or distress? Are you attempting to manage on your own by falling back into an unhealthy habit or an addictive behavior to cope? Or, are you turning towards God by asking and relying on His help?
God wants us to choose Him as our source of strength when times are tough.
This morning I visited a friend who is in the hospital the day after his surgery to remove his prostate. Mike and I were involved in a Bible study a few years ago. He was aware of my bout with prostate cancer over the the last few years so he called me several weeks ago when he learned about his positive biopsy and decision to have a da Vinci Prostatectomy. As was the case with me, early detection made all the difference in the world ensuring that his cancer was caught early on and had not spread to other organs. See these American Cancer Society guidelines.
Mike is doing well post surgery – praise God! This morning, he and I talked about the road that he’ll have ahead of him over the next few months. My prayer is that his next PSA test will be zero – an indication that there is no more cancer of that type – and that he will be spared the side effects of incontinence and erectile dysfunction.
Although none of us wants to go through really tough times and health challenges in our life, the fact is that life will brings us those types of challenges. It’s neat to be able to come out the other side and to be able to support someone who is facing the same challenges that you’d experienced and weathered.
Over the year plus that I was in my battle, I posted many blog entries about prostate cancer so others might benefit. If you’ve got a friend or you yourself have learned that you’ve been diagnosed with cancer, perhaps what I shared here over that year may be of help. Mike told me today that reading my posts were helpful for him.
I thought I’d also share again a short article I wrote about how my faith was an anchor in my battle with the cancer in hopes it might be encouraging to some.
Our life on this earth is short. Live yours to the fullest in a God-honoring way!
The key to staying grounded during these economically difficult times is keeping your trust in God. After all, what are your alternatives – trusting in yourself, the banks, your employer?
As President Obama said in a speech on Monday, “This isn’t a “run-of-the-mill recession.”" That being the case, you will not be successful in resorting to “run-of-the-mill” solutions to managing your responses to the situation.
Financial Stressors Lead to Physical Problems
The less we trust in God, the more likely we’ll be affected emotionally. Our emotional responses, if left unchecked, will affect us physically. A USA Today article in September of 2008 stated, Read more of this article »
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds.” This is what James has to say in James 1:2.
Whether it be the current challenges you face in your own financial situation or trials in your health status, difficult times are opportunities for growth. Perhaps you are at the end of your rope in an area of your life. You’ve tried everything… and nothing has helped you to get out of the hole you’re in. You feel discouraged.
Don’t lose heart. It’s at times like this that we have an opportunity to turn towards God. It’s a golden opportunity to grow deeper in our faith, as James writes about in the Bible. I have found that during my trials of life, when I make a conscious decision to surrender more completely to God I have deeper peace. Through this, I gain a better understanding of who He is and how He works. And as a result, my faith grows more and more.
This time of economic turmoil is a potentially stressful time to many. None of us can be certain about what will happen to the financial markets and to our investments. But, it’s a time that we can grow in our faith as we place greater trust in God.
An article in today’s Wall Street Journal – Antidepressant Use Rises – reports that the use of antidepressants is significantly on the rise. The article cites a study published in the journal of Health Affairs, authored by Mark Olfson, a professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia University.
Do you trust in God? Imagine what it would be like if you were really able to trust in God amidst your most challenging trials and most stressful times of your life. Then those ‘stressful’ times would not stress you out because you would be at peace – at Shalom. It’s this type of complete trust in God that he wants us to have. Our challenge is to not only understand this intellectually in our heads, but to truly believe this in our hearts and to live it out.
Over the last week I have enjoyed watching the 
Researchers on Friday made public a large study with a finding that we should not find surprising: Losing your job may make you sick.
The key to staying grounded during these economically difficult times is keeping your trust in God. After all, what are your alternatives – trusting in yourself, the banks, your employer?
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds.” This is what James has to say in James 1:2.
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