All About Mormons

An Apostle of Jesus Christ speaks about depression

Reactive Depression

Reactive depression is a normal response to a heartbreaking event. It’s normal to feel sad when tragic events like the death of a loved one occur. The Church can do a lot to help those who suffer from this kind of temporary, reactive depression. The Church…

• teaches that God loves us, even when life is hard,
• teaches that we’ll see our deceased loved ones again one day, giving hope for the future,
• helps us find forgiveness through Christ’s atoning sacrifice, helping alleviate personal guilt, and  
• provides a supportive community.

Endogenous Depression

Endogenous depression is a second, more serious kind of depression. This kind of depression is a biological, organic disease like diabetes, osteoporosis, and arthritis. Endogenous depression usually arises from a neurochemical imbalance in the brain. Multiple genetic factors are responsible for this complex condition, including a well-characterized mutation in the 5-HTT gene. Depression is highly heritable, meaning its genetic causes can be passed down from parents to children. The effects of these genes can be triggered by social, psychological, and developmental factors.

A number of criteria are used to diagnose endogenous depression (major depressive disorder). Here are some of the symptoms:

1. Sadness or loss of interest in previously enjoyable activities, for more than two weeks
2. At least two weeks of five or more of the following symptoms:
   • Sadness in adults, or anger, irritability, and acting out in children and young teens
   • Loss of interest in previously enjoyable activities
   • Weight changes (gain or loss)
   • Sleeping problems (too much or too little)
   • Agitated or slowed behavior 
   • Fatigue
   • Thoughts of worthlessness or extreme guilt
   • Reduced ability to think, concentrate, and make decisions
   • Frequent thoughts of death or suicide
3. The diagnosis also requires the absence of great distress or difficulty, drug use, intermediate episodes of hyperactivity, and reactive depression lasting less than two months.

Endogenous depression requires two kinds of treatment, both medical/psychological and spiritual.

Medical/Psychological Treatment

Priesthood blessings can offer some comfort, but endogenous depression usually requires medical and psychological intervention. There are a number of medicines that can correct the biological, neurochemical imbalance in the brain, including sertraline, escitalopram, fluoxetine, paroxetine, citalopram, venlafaxine, and bupropion. A good psychiatrist with a medical degree can prescribe these medications. Additionally, psychological treatments like psychotherapy, together with medicine, are critical for many patients as well. Depression is only a chronic problem in 15% of all depressed patients; most patients recover from depression.

Spiritual Treatment

Satan does not cause depression; depression has a biological cause that is influenced by social, psychological, and developmental factors. However, Satan does sometimes take advantage of those who are depressed. He tells them terrible lies. Satan tells the depressed that they are worthless, that they don’t deserve God’s love. Because Satan tries to exploit human weaknesses, many who suffer from depression need spiritual healing as well as medical and psychological healing.

The Church can be such a blessing for those who suffer from depression. Satan tells the depressed that they are worthless, but the Church teaches that we are all children of God. Satan tells the depressed that they don’t deserve God’s love, but the Church teaches that God loves all His children. Satan tells the depressed that no one cares about them, but the Church provides a supportive community. Jesus Christ can heal the spiritual consequences of Satan’s assault on the depressed. Together with medical and psychological treatment, those with endogenous depression can be made whole. You can recover!

Suicide

Depression can be a deadly disease. In the United States, 3.4% of people with endogenous depression commit suicide, and up to 60% of all people who commit suicide have depression. If you are contemplating suicide, get medical, psychological, and spiritual help immediately! There is no reason to suffer alone. You are a valued child of God with a treatable disease. Talk to your doctor. Talk to your bishop or branch president. Call the suicide hotline for help at 1-800-SUICIDE if you need to. God loves you; He wants to see you whole.

You can learn more about depression on The Mormon Therapist Blog.