Depression
You may be living with depression, a physically and emotionally debilitating illness. Depression is serious condition. It is a chronic, recuring disorder: up to 80 percent of clinically-depressed patients relapse.
Sadly, if untreated, depression will get worse. It can ruin relationships and careers, and can cause you to despair of life, or even take your own life. But it is treatable. And you can take back your life.
Check out my three YouTube video lectures on recovering and rebuilding from depression and anxiety:
Click on this link: Depression and Anxiety by Jim Stout
Scroll down the page or click a link below to find out more.
Overview | Resources | Encouragement | Get Help
Overview
If you’re struggling with clinical depression, you’re in good company— with thousands of others of all backgrounds, ages and accomplishments. I, too, have lived with depression. Fortunately, I’ve spent my whole adult life studying and teaching on how to live a full life, even when battling the effects of depression that’s treatment resistant. I’ve sorted through and offer to you some of the best resources that have helped me and countless others.
Here is some helpful info, specifically for those who (like me) are living with depression. I have created a resource of encouragement, including inspirational messages, Bible verses, and music. I’ve also put together a list of books that I’ve found specifically helpful in handling depression. Lastly, I’ve written numerous articles specifically on living well with major depression, including how to engage in successful relationships.
Here is a list of common symptoms of depression:
Inner numbness, feelings of sadness, tearfulness, or hopelessness
Irritability, frustration, or angry outbursts, even over small Loss of interest or pleasure in most or all normal activities, such as sex, hobbies or sports
Sleep disturbances, including insomnia or sleeping too much
Tiredness and lack of energy, so even small tasks take extra effort
Reduced appetite and weight loss, or increased cravings for food and weight gain
Increased anxiety
Feelings of worthlessness or guilt, fixating on past failures or self-blame
Trouble thinking, concentrating, making decisions and remembering things
Unexplained physical problems, such as gastrointestinal upsets, back pain, or headaches
Frequent or recurrent thoughts of death, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, or suicide
Helpful Articles
Recommended Books
For Those Living With Depression
Living Well with Depression and Bipolar Disorder by John McManamy — Excellent. Filled with hope and realistic tips.
The Depression Workbook by Mary Ellen Copeland, Ph. D. — Loaded with hands-on tips and strategies
Resilience: Rebounding When Life’s Upsets Knock You Down by Norman Wright, Ph. D. — Helpful book for fighting depression
Unmasking Male Depression by Archibald Hart, Ph.D. — Deals with causes and cures for Men’s depressions
Winter Blues: Everything You Need to Know to Beat Seasonal Affective Disorder by Norman Rosenthal, M.D —Helpful approaches and treatments
Getting It Done When You’re Depressed by Julie A. Fast and John D. Preston, Psy.D. — 50 strategies for keeping your life on track
For Family and Friends of Depressed Persons
When Someone you Know Has Depression: Words to Say and Things To Do by Susan Noonan, M.D. — Positive steps to take
How You Can Survive When They’re Depressed by Anne Sheffield — Helpful ways to help and yet keep your own life in balance
Does Your Man Have the Blues? by David Hawkins, Ph. D. — Understanding male depression and how it affects your relationship
For Suicide Prevention
Keeping Hope Alive by Lewis Smedes, Ph.D. — Offers realistic coping ways
How I Stayed Alive When My Brain Was Trying to Kill Me by Susan Blauner — Very helpful with concrete tools for dealing with worsening depression.
Preventing Suicide: A Handbook for Pastors, Chaplains and Pastoral Counselors by Karen Mason — Good info on causes and strategies.
Writings of Pain, Writings of Hope: Inside the Mind of a Suicidal Christian Leader and How He Survived by Dr. Jim Stout — Candid writings and practical tips for enduring the pull of suicidal action coming from a bad depression.
Night Falls Fast by Kay Redfield Jamison — Helpful examples and case studies in suicidal thinking and planning, especially those with mental health issues.
Useful Websites
Mental Health Recovery — Excellent practical self-help resources for adults and teens on topics such as depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, PTSD, and trauma like sexual abuse and others. One of the recovery movement’s nationally-known leaders, Mary Ellen Copeland, PhD, is their founder.
National Institute for Mental Health — Self-help info and studies.
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) — Varied self-help services: support groups, family and parent help, meetings, conferences for all mental illnesses.
National Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance — Varied self-help services: support groups, family and parent help, meetings, conferences for all depression and bipolar disorder.
The Balanced Mind Foundation — Helpful info for parents of children & adolescents with depression, bipolar disorder, ADHD, etc.
Man Therapy — Helpful for men struggling with depression but concerned that others will think getting professional help implies he’s weak or unmanly. Also good site for wives to share with their husbands—to encourage them to get help.
NAMI Faithnet — Nationally-based and provides spiritual programs and resources for all kinds of faith communities. Provides resources (books, articles, programs, videos, etc.) for individuals and faith communities. Offers practical help for anxiety, addiction, mental illnesses suicide, support groups, stigma, and related topics.
Mental Health Ministries (a program of Pathways to Promise) — A national, spiritually-based organization that provides resources (books, articles, programs, videos, etc.) for individuals and faith communities. Founder and coordinator is Rev. Susan Gregg-Shroeder, a nationally-known speaker on mental illness themes.
Encouragement
Don’t worry, there’s hope! The Bible is filled with examples heroes who were angry, hurt, depressed, skeptical, doubtful of God, and/or suicidal. Check out these statementsof hope.
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
—Jeremiah 29:11When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.
—Isaiah 43:2
How to Get help
If you are in an emergency, click the emergency hotline button below. If you are looking for long-term help, numerous mental health professionals, clergy, organizations, and support groups offer comfort and guidance on boundary-related problems.
The possibility of a suicide of a loved one is something we'd like to ignore or forget. Some of us deny it. Others can't say the word. It's frightening to contemplate. We think it can't happen to us.