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Exposing Psychology, Exalting Christ |
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| Q&A - What do you think about Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD?Answer:
The DSM defines
"Seasonal Pattern Specifier"--the official name for Seasonal Affective
Disorder, or SAD--as experiencing major depressive episodes during a
particular time of year (e.g. fall or winter) and a relief of this
depression during another particular time of year (e.g. spring). This has to
happen at least 2 times in a 2-year period, and has to occur more often over
a lifetime than the type of depression that is not seasonal in nature.
As you can see,
the DSM has a characteristically subjective definition of this disorder.
We believe there
could be many reasons for someone getting depressed around a certain time of
year, first and foremost because of the lack of sun during the fall and
winter months. Frequent doses of sunlight are very helpful for our mental
and physical health.
A certain time
of the year could also trigger a difficult past memory or event. Or that
time could remind that person that they are getting older, and perhaps they
have regrets, or perhaps they realize their need for God and their need for
change in their lives. Or, it could be as simple as that time--if it's a
time of transition to bad weather--could make someone sad because they don't
like that type of weather. Rain does this to people.
But to make
seasonal depression a scientific-sounding mental disorder, implying some
sort of medical condition and the need for psychotherapy or even psychiatric
drugs to treat it, is ludicrous--characteristic of an industry that has made
billions from labeling common life experiences as abnormal for the purpose
of pedaling pills for profit.
The solution for
seasonal depression is the same as the solution for regular depression,
which can vary depending on the cause. We go into this more in our book,
CDs/MP3s and newsletters.
For example,
from our newsletters:
And from our
presentations on CD & MP3:
Depressive disorder
Psychiatric diagnosis and treatment: take a drug for
your chemical imbalance. You have a disease.
Biblical
diagnosis and treatment
Depression can either be sin, or a normal part
of human experience. Either way, depression becomes
an accountable and correctible behavior, not an uncontrollable
disease.
For
whatever is not from faith is
sin.
Rom. 14:23
Many
Psalms describe King Davids tears and cries to the Lord.
Depressive disorder
Start
with the physical
Some
behaviors could be a direct result of a physical problem
consult a true medical doctor who runs objective medical
tests.
Then
the practical
Diet,
Exercise, Sleep, Stress, Isolation
Then the spiritual
Praise, prayer and thanksgiving
Rejoice always,
pray without ceasing, in everything give
thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ
Jesus for you. 1 Thess. 5:16-18
Psalm 32
Hope this helps!
Ryan and Lisa
Bazler
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