Depending on Pharmaceuticals

[aspen]

What about antidepressants?

Beats the alternative for many.

Not sure why some people make a distinction between psychiatric medications and other meds.

Not saying you are doing this, Victory

 

[pia]

I know persons which chronic pain. They could not face life withought pain medication.

Instead of trying to be brave and be sick, I believe we should take the meds we need.
God won't mind and it'll make the enemy angry!

What a lovely sensible and caring attitude.... That is something which DOES please our Father, Mercy !

 

[VictoryinJesus]

Beats the alternative for many.

Not sure why some people make a distinction between psychiatric medications and other meds.

Not saying you are doing this, Victory

I have been on an antidepressant for over twenty-years. I can't say it has fixed anything. Or made me happier. I've always wondered if my depression when I first went on a pill was God putting pressure on me to come to Him. As it is, I am just now approaching things I should have faced then; twenty years ago. Do they inhibit movement toward God by making a person numb? I am not saying in every case...but if something tramatic needs to be addressed; is it better to bury it.

 

[pia]

Beats the alternative for many.

Not sure why some people make a distinction between psychiatric medications and other meds.

Not saying you are doing this, Victory

We must not forget that pills, alcohol or whatever goes into the mouth and is excreted by the body, it does NOT touch your spirit, which is what God is saving.....

 

[aspen]

I have been on an antidepressant for over twenty-years. I can't say it has fixed anything. Or made me happier. I've always wondered if my depression when I first went on a pill was God putting pressure on me to come to Him. As it is, I am just now approaching things I should have faced then; twenty years ago. Do they inhibit movement toward God by making a person numb? I am not saying in every case...but if something emotional needs to be addressed; is it better to bury it.

Sounds like you are in a healthier emotional place in your life, maybe you might consider lowering the dose and eventually not taking it anymore. Don't quit suddenly - it can be dangerous. I tend to think that depression impacts relationships with everyone more than an antidepressant.

 

[Job]

What about antidepressants?

150 mg. of Venlafaxine twice a day.

It keeps my head above water...

o

 

[aspen]

150 mg. of Venlafaxine twice a day.

It keeps my head above water...

o

Wow - my blood pressure is going up just thinking about it - ha.

I am having to go down from 150 to 90

 

[Job]

Wow - my blood pressure is going up just thinking about it - ha.

I am having to go down from 150 to 90

Tried that....didn't work.

o

 

[aspen]

Tried that....didn't work.

o

Yeah, it is the most effective antidepressant I've been on - hopefully, it will still work and lower my blood pressure

 

[bbyrd009]

We must not forget that pills, alcohol or whatever goes into the mouth and is excreted by the body, it does NOT touch your spirit, which is what God is saving.....

i would not be so cavalier with pharmacopea myself, but i guess it is a personal decision

 

[bbyrd009]

Wow - my blood pressure is going up just thinking about it - ha.

I am having to go down from 150 to 90

150 mg. of Venlafaxine twice a day.

It keeps my head above water...

o

man, go sit in a cave for about a week, without eating, and recall everything you have to be thankful for. imo. A month would be better. Stay until you are not in a hurry to leave imo

 

[Job]

man, go sit in a cave for about a week, without eating, and recall everything you have to be thankful for. imo.

Why? What would that accomplish?

o

 

[bbyrd009]

Why? What would that accomplish?

o

well, you are essentially asking me what fasting accomplishes; it is about finding contentment with little, having experienced joy with nothing, and gratitude for what one does have, stuff like that. Plus you would be more literally following Christ, which you would think literalists would be all over that part, right, but who does this in the West lol. Almost no one

 

[Job]

well, you are essentially asking me what fasting accomplishes; it is about finding contentment with little, having experienced joy with nothing, and gratitude for what one does have, stuff like that. Plus you would be more literally following Christ, which you would think literalists would be all over that part, right, but who does this in the West lol. Almost no one

What does any of this have to do my taking of Venlafaxine? You quoted my post and then told me to go sit in cave.

Why?

o

 

[VictoryinJesus]

I don't want to disrespect anyone because I get it. I get that no one can judge or decide for another when they have no idea what a person goes through daily. So, my questions are just that, questions I ask pertaining to me; not meant to force it on another. My life has been "manageable" through an antidepressant. I get by. But it has been no life. Yet He promises life in abundance. Joy. Peace. Health to bones.

Why am I so miserable that I must turn to a pill to get through a single day? It is a legitimate question. I have experienced panic attacks for the twenty years I have been on an antidepressant which was supposed to be corrected by the medicine. Sometimes it work. Sometimes not. Panic attacks caused by a chemical imbalance in my brain were still a part of me. The panic attacks are completely gone now. And I know how: my internal monologue changed. It went from "you have everything to fear" to "you have nothing to fear, because He is in control." He promises if I continued in His word the truth would set me free. He promised things would change with a renewed mind.

Lately, God has been telling me I don't need a pill to hope for joy and peace. His word says: "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." (Php. 4:8) Virtue is strength. Virtue is what went out of Jesus when He was touched by someone in need of healing. His virtue. His strength. Are we not supposed to have it? "For the joy of the Lord is your strength"

We now have autoimmune diseases that doctors can not even understand why they happen. So many illnesses. We blame it on diet and pesticides. But what if a large part of our sicknesses is from being... sad. A large part of the world is sad, and on antidepressants. Show me a teenager on heavy meds for their "cutting" themselves...and you will see someone miserable and in torment. Like Legion. There is a heavy sadness in the world that, I look around and I don't really see anyone experiencing joy of any kind. Depression seems to be a commonality. But we are called to be the light? If I can't walk in joy and peace; in praise that I am free...how can I model it to those without the gate, without the city? It is a fact that endorphins and dopamine play a key part in health and ward off stress. Without joy; our body becomes susceptible to cancer, disease, and autoimmune. When our dopamine is out of wack...we search for all sorts of ways to receive a "pick me up". But what if the enemy has us seeking the wrong cure. What if it is "His joy" which arms us? What if the enemy wants us numb and juggling doses to feel half-way normal...to keep us from seeing there is more freedom for those that are His, than living "manageable".

I realize sin brings suffering. Yet shall not the crooked path be made straight, and the rough ways smooth...

 

[DPMartin]

VictoryinJesus

that's true that what you are thinking has everything to do with emotional situations like panic. if one is careful they would observe just what they are thinking at the time such things happen. panic depression so one and so forth, one is not required to entertain anything that comes to mind.

chemical properties of the flesh can be one way or the other. one can get a sense of worry from stomach conditions just as stomach conditions can suffer from worry.


ether way the Lord provides. a friend of mine had a work accident that jammed his spine the doc's fed him opiates for 10 yr's constantly because he was in constant pain, but he decided enough was enough and went cold turkey, while he researched a alternative. needless to say the Lord got him through it. note through it. consider just how the Lord looks at it, when He went to the Cross allowing Himself to be put into the hands of man. He survived it. technically He's still standing. and those who crucified Him are in the ground He would walk on. hence under His feet. though deliverance, is a option in God's arsenal of Mercy, most of the time He walks with you through it, showing you, you have nothing to fear when He is with you. which is the case when we all pass on.


anyway, sometimes one should learn to let go of all expectations, in and of this life, and place any if not all expectations in the Life of Christ. then one comes to peace with daily life, and lives in contentment. mind you sure there are things one should have some expectation of in this life, but we are not entitled anything. the only thing entitled is the fulfillment of God's Word according to His will.

 

[lforrest]

The peace that surpasses all understanding. Why does it surpass understanding? Is it because his peace does not follow the situation? Have you ever been very depressed about something but still have Joy? What for most would be a contradiction of emotions, but thanks to the Holy Spirit it is possible.

 

[tabletalk]

I don't want to disrespect anyone because I get it. I get that no one can judge or decide for another when they have no idea what a person goes through daily. So, my questions are just that, questions I ask pertaining to me; not meant to force it on another. My life has been "manageable" through an antidepressant. I get by. But it has been no life. Yet He promises life in abundance. Joy. Peace. Health to bones.

Why am I so miserable that I must turn to a pill to get through a single day? It is a legitimate question. I have experienced panic attacks for the twenty years I have been on an antidepressant which was supposed to be corrected by the medicine. Sometimes it work. Sometimes not. Panic attacks caused by a chemical imbalance in my brain were still a part of me. The panic attacks are completely gone now. And I know how: my internal monologue changed. It went from "you have everything to fear" to "you have nothing to fear, because He is in control." He promises if I continued in His word the truth would set me free. He promised things would change with a renewed mind.

Lately, God has been telling me I don't need a pill to hope for joy and peace. His word says: "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." (Php. 4:8) Virtue is strength. Virtue is what went out of Jesus when He was touched by someone in need of healing. His virtue. His strength. Are we not supposed to have it? "For the joy of the Lord is your strength"

We now have autoimmune diseases that doctors can not even understand why they happen. So many illnesses. We blame it on diet and pesticides. But what if a large part of our sicknesses is from being... sad. A large part of the world is sad, and on antidepressants. Show me a teenager on heavy meds for their "cutting" themselves...and you will see someone miserable and in torment. Like Legion. There is a heavy sadness in the world that, I look around and I don't really see anyone experiencing joy of any kind. Depression seems to be a commonality. But we are called to be the light? If I can't walk in joy and peace; in praise that I am free...how can I model it to those without the gate, without the city? It is a fact that endorphins and dopamine play a key part in health and ward off stress. Without joy; our body becomes susceptible to cancer, disease, and autoimmune. When our dopamine is out of wack...we search for all sorts of ways to receive a "pick me up". But what if the enemy has us seeking the wrong cure. What if it is "His joy" which arms us? What if the enemy wants us numb and juggling doses to feel half-way normal...to keep us from seeing there is more freedom for those that are His, than living "manageable". I realize sin brings suffering. Yet shall not the crooked path be made straight, and the rough ways smooth...

"But what if the enemy has us seeking the wrong cure."

Really good questions you ask.
Instead of wanting to die when things are overwhelming, I attempt to focus on this verse in 1Peter:

13. "Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;.."

 

[Helen]

The peace that surpasses all understanding. Why does it surpass understanding? Is it because his peace does not follow the situation? Have you ever been very depressed about something but still have Joy? What for most would be a contradiction of emotions, but thanks to the Holy Spirit it is possible.

Yes I agree. One time I was SOOooo sick...it was terrible. But I had just had enough.
So every time the physical attack came...I would audibly thank and praise God for the victory of Jesus, ...even though I felt no better, even though I was wracked with it...I just thought. " Well I may be very sick, but be darned if the devil is going attack my body AND my soul, or get my soul down also where the body is." So the sicker I got, the more I praised. We used to sing a little song- "Be lifted up my soul be lifted up, into heavenly places in Christ Jesus.." So I also hummed that while in much distress. I had to go right through the sickness, no miracle this time....but my victory was, I came out the other side knowing that the 'inner life' had not suffered one bit. I guess that is the message...'Praise God anyway, and praise God every time.' We are a spiritual nation, lugging along this body of flesh!!

As for panic attacks.... @VictoryinJesus I used to get them all the time. For 'me' the victory came when I saw it was all the devil. They would come upon me like a thick black cloud. Once on me, I couldn't fight it, but I'd shake and not be able to break through, not even with praise.
So the victory for me was to go on the offensive at the beginning as soon as I felt the 'cloud' descending ( which I am totally aware was a demon spirit of fear)..I would say to the thing "Oh no you don't, not this time..." And I would claim the protection of the Blood of Jesus. Just like Israel did with the blood on the door posts in Egypt.
We know demons hate the mention of the Blood.
I remember in a deliverance session once, the demon (through the bound person) would shouted, "No, no, not the blood , not the blood, it burns, not the blood."
I think sometimes we forget the power that Jesus has given us over darkness.
@VictoryinJesus I am sure you already know this, but winning the battle against feeling the depressing feeling that we "should" as God children be overcomers and beat it is...the victory over that comes when we remember that while in that haze of darkness , we say to ourself..." Praise God, this is NOT ME...the real me is on the inside...untouchable..." Praise brings down many of the enemy's prison walls. The knowledge that "we" on the inside are untouchable...clean, whole.
I am now praying for you and with you. ✟ I agree, our promise is 'life more abundantly', not life, just about make it!

 

[bbyrd009]

What does any of this have to do my taking of Venlafaxine? You quoted my post and then told me to go sit in cave.

Why?

o

actually that was prolly for someone else, if not for you i guess