I suffer from depression and anxiety. What is the position of the church on antidepressants and anxiety drugs like paxil or prozac, or benzodiazepines like klonopin and xanax? These medications are taken legally and prescribed by a psychiatrist. Would something like this keep me from being temple worthy?
2 Responses to “I suffer from depression and anxiety. What is the position o…”
Richard
2009-08-01 13:46:25
No if you have a true and real medical problem, like I have, you can take prescribed from a Dr. medication and still get and go through the temple.
It sounds however that you may feel as it it's not ok. Take dr. prescibed medication and don't abuse the drugs that are prescribed, and don't seek to be taking more medication then you trully need. Your body and conscience will tell you if you are over-doing something. The prophet Alma councels to "counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day." That is good advice for anyone. In your situation, if I may add counsel to Alma's counsel from personal experience, seek a priesthood blessing from authorized servants of God, follow their councel and God will bless you by and through his servants words. As dictated from heaven from Christ's own lips (testified John Taylor) "What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same." Best of luck and remember we walk in faith in Christ one painful step at a time allowing him to make up what we are lacking.
Pamela Dean
2009-08-01 14:46:10
Dear Robert,
First of all, know that you are loved and prayed for, and that your Heavenly Father loves you. It can be very difficult when suffering from depression and anxiety to keep that in mind, but it is true. You may want to submit your name to the temple for prayers in order to have people praying for you on a frequent basis. At most temples you can just call and request that your name be placed on the prayer roll. You don't have to identify yourself, just say "I would like to add Robert [last name] to the prayer roll."
Second, the church maintains a disabilities resources section of their website, including a section on mental health. There are also useful articles in the LDS family services websites about anxiety and depression. Other useful information can be found in Shanna Ghaznavi, "Rising Above the Blues," New Era, Apr 2002, 30. In addition, David G. Weight, said in "Why is my Wife (or Husband) Depressed?" (Ensign, Mar 1990, 27), "Depression can be helped.... However, because so many causes exist, a variety of treatments are often necessary as well. Your spouse will probably require medical treatment, psychological counseling, or a combination of the two." I cannot see the church publishing helpful medical advice to its members that would result in the loss of temple worthiness.
Third, research into several talks and other resources at lds.org using the search words "prescription drugs" leads to several talks, all of which indicate that it is the *misuse* of prescription drugs that leads to problems of worthiness. This means that if you were using *any* prescription medication in a responsible manner according to medical professionals, there would be no issue with temple worthiness if all the other conditions of temple worthiness were met. Remember, too, that many church leaders are medical doctors, including Russell M. Nelson, and they certainly prescribe medication as part of their practice.
Fourth, if you are not already doing so, I would suggest that you speak to your bishop to arrange counselling through LDS family services. This can not only help you to be assured that you are doing all you can do to remain temple worthy, but your counsellor can help your bishop to understand your condition. Your counsellor can also help you to find ways to overcome or handle your depression and anxiety in ways that may reduce or alleviate your need for prescription medication. The advantage of seeing a counsellor through LDS family services instead of a non-member counsellor or psychiatrist is that you can rest assured that the assistance they give you will be based on gospel principles.
Fifth, you are not alone. There are others who are undergoing similar things. I myself underwent a long period of severe depression and anxiety after my first marriage ended and my ex-husband was excommunicated. It was a long and often lonely road, despite the attempts of others to help. I found that seeing LDS Family Services helped me to be assured that I was doing everything I needed to do to remain temple worthy.
Sixth, I also found that service helped, but I had to be very specific in the types of service that I performed. Structured volunteerism is the most useful type for those suffering from anxiety, as there are no decisions that need to be made and the expectations are clearly indicated. For me, volunteering at the bishop's storehouse every week helped me to lose myself in the service of others in a very structured way. Throughout this period, I continued to hold a temple recommend, and attended the temple sometimes on a daily basis as another form of structured service. It was the one place where I did not think about myself, and could lose myself in serving the dead, learning lessons found in temple worship, and spending long hours praying and sitting in the celestial room. As Russell M. Nelson said in "With God Nothing shall be Impossible" (Ensign, May 1988, p. 35), "With celestial sight, trials impossible to change become possible to endure."
Sixth, remember that you knew before you were born what you would endure in your mortal life and you chose to accept that. Expressing gratitude to Heavenly Father for the lessons you have the opportunity to learn and for the opportunity to help others learn compassion, patience and service through helping you may give you some comfort. Robert D. Hales said in "Gratitude for the Goodness of God" (Ensign, May 1992, 63) that "Gratitude expressed to our Heavenly Father in prayer for what we have brings a calming peaceĀa peace which allows us to not canker our souls for what we don't have. Gratitude brings a peace that helps us overcome the pain of adversity and failure. Gratitude on a daily basis means we express appreciation for what we have now without qualification for what we had in the past or desire in the future. A recognition of and appreciation for our gifts and talents which have been given also allows us to acknowledge the need for help and assistance from the gifts and talents possessed by others." And Dallin H. Oaks said in "Give Thanks in All Things" (Ensign, May 2003, 95) "When we give thanks in all things, we see hardships and adversities in the context of the purpose of life... We are meant to learn and grow through opposition, through meeting our challenges, and through teaching others to do the same... The Lord will not only consecrate our afflictions for our gain, but he will use them to bless the lives of countless others."
Above all, "be patient in affliction" (Doctrine and Covenants Section 66:9) for we know from Heavenly Father's words to the prophet Joseph when he was in despair in Liberty jail that despite all trials and tribulations we may go through, Christ has descended below them all, and "God shall be with [us] forever and ever" Doctrine and Covenants Section 122:9). Blessings and prayers to you.
It sounds however that you may feel as it it's not ok. Take dr. prescibed medication and don't abuse the drugs that are prescribed, and don't seek to be taking more medication then you trully need. Your body and conscience will tell you if you are over-doing something. The prophet Alma councels to "counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day." That is good advice for anyone. In your situation, if I may add counsel to Alma's counsel from personal experience, seek a priesthood blessing from authorized servants of God, follow their councel and God will bless you by and through his servants words. As dictated from heaven from Christ's own lips (testified John Taylor) "What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same." Best of luck and remember we walk in faith in Christ one painful step at a time allowing him to make up what we are lacking.
First of all, know that you are loved and prayed for, and that your Heavenly Father loves you. It can be very difficult when suffering from depression and anxiety to keep that in mind, but it is true. You may want to submit your name to the temple for prayers in order to have people praying for you on a frequent basis. At most temples you can just call and request that your name be placed on the prayer roll. You don't have to identify yourself, just say "I would like to add Robert [last name] to the prayer roll."
Second, the church maintains a disabilities resources section of their website, including a section on mental health. There are also useful articles in the LDS family services websites about anxiety and depression. Other useful information can be found in Shanna Ghaznavi, "Rising Above the Blues," New Era, Apr 2002, 30. In addition, David G. Weight, said in "Why is my Wife (or Husband) Depressed?" (Ensign, Mar 1990, 27), "Depression can be helped.... However, because so many causes exist, a variety of treatments are often necessary as well. Your spouse will probably require medical treatment, psychological counseling, or a combination of the two." I cannot see the church publishing helpful medical advice to its members that would result in the loss of temple worthiness.
Third, research into several talks and other resources at lds.org using the search words "prescription drugs" leads to several talks, all of which indicate that it is the *misuse* of prescription drugs that leads to problems of worthiness. This means that if you were using *any* prescription medication in a responsible manner according to medical professionals, there would be no issue with temple worthiness if all the other conditions of temple worthiness were met. Remember, too, that many church leaders are medical doctors, including Russell M. Nelson, and they certainly prescribe medication as part of their practice.
Fourth, if you are not already doing so, I would suggest that you speak to your bishop to arrange counselling through LDS family services. This can not only help you to be assured that you are doing all you can do to remain temple worthy, but your counsellor can help your bishop to understand your condition. Your counsellor can also help you to find ways to overcome or handle your depression and anxiety in ways that may reduce or alleviate your need for prescription medication. The advantage of seeing a counsellor through LDS family services instead of a non-member counsellor or psychiatrist is that you can rest assured that the assistance they give you will be based on gospel principles.
Fifth, you are not alone. There are others who are undergoing similar things. I myself underwent a long period of severe depression and anxiety after my first marriage ended and my ex-husband was excommunicated. It was a long and often lonely road, despite the attempts of others to help. I found that seeing LDS Family Services helped me to be assured that I was doing everything I needed to do to remain temple worthy.
Sixth, I also found that service helped, but I had to be very specific in the types of service that I performed. Structured volunteerism is the most useful type for those suffering from anxiety, as there are no decisions that need to be made and the expectations are clearly indicated. For me, volunteering at the bishop's storehouse every week helped me to lose myself in the service of others in a very structured way. Throughout this period, I continued to hold a temple recommend, and attended the temple sometimes on a daily basis as another form of structured service. It was the one place where I did not think about myself, and could lose myself in serving the dead, learning lessons found in temple worship, and spending long hours praying and sitting in the celestial room. As Russell M. Nelson said in "With God Nothing shall be Impossible" (Ensign, May 1988, p. 35), "With celestial sight, trials impossible to change become possible to endure."
Sixth, remember that you knew before you were born what you would endure in your mortal life and you chose to accept that. Expressing gratitude to Heavenly Father for the lessons you have the opportunity to learn and for the opportunity to help others learn compassion, patience and service through helping you may give you some comfort. Robert D. Hales said in "Gratitude for the Goodness of God" (Ensign, May 1992, 63) that "Gratitude expressed to our Heavenly Father in prayer for what we have brings a calming peaceĀa peace which allows us to not canker our souls for what we don't have. Gratitude brings a peace that helps us overcome the pain of adversity and failure. Gratitude on a daily basis means we express appreciation for what we have now without qualification for what we had in the past or desire in the future. A recognition of and appreciation for our gifts and talents which have been given also allows us to acknowledge the need for help and assistance from the gifts and talents possessed by others." And Dallin H. Oaks said in "Give Thanks in All Things" (Ensign, May 2003, 95) "When we give thanks in all things, we see hardships and adversities in the context of the purpose of life... We are meant to learn and grow through opposition, through meeting our challenges, and through teaching others to do the same... The Lord will not only consecrate our afflictions for our gain, but he will use them to bless the lives of countless others."
Above all, "be patient in affliction" (Doctrine and Covenants Section 66:9) for we know from Heavenly Father's words to the prophet Joseph when he was in despair in Liberty jail that despite all trials and tribulations we may go through, Christ has descended below them all, and "God shall be with [us] forever and ever" Doctrine and Covenants Section 122:9). Blessings and prayers to you.