As my son returns to college I am fighting tears and happy at the same time. It is such a big adjustment to be away from him for several weeks at a time. I am sitting here thinking about the big impact of life transitions. We all experience them.

It is common knowledge that loss of a loved one and tragedies can increase risk of depression.

Moving, marriage, child moving out, job loss, retirement, and functional changes can increase risk of depression.

Diagnosis with a chronic illness can increase risk of depression.

As age increases, these life transitions can become more frequent.

When not recognized and addressed, depression can make you feel tired with too little energy, make it hard to concentrate and cause you to lose interest in things that you used to enjoy. It can also lead to you feeling sad and hopeless.

Depression is NOT a normal part of aging.

You do NOT have to just tolerate it and think this is your new normal.

Depression does NOT mean you have done something wrong.

There is help, and there is hope! Effective depression treatment usually requires support from people and medications. Medications that treat depression take about 8 weeks to work, so please be patient and take them every day until they work.

To further complicate things, depression is common in someone experiencing memory decline. As stated above, depression makes it harder to concentrate and remember. Cognitive or memory decline often leads to depression as the decline is recognized. Professional diagnosis and treatment is imperative to sort through what is causing what symptoms and the best course of action.

Remember, you do not have to live with depression.

If you’re interested in a depression screening, contact www.medsmash.com.

Biblical Application

If you are depressed, are you a bad person? NO!

Are you a weak Christian? NO!

Have you done something wrong? NO!

Throughout the Bible there are stories of people dealing with difficult situations, life transitions, illnesses, chronic problems. These include David and Paul and Joseph. You are not alone.

Also found throughout the Bible are messages about joy and hope. You have an eternal source of this joy and hope.

I believe part of God’s design for helping you through these difficult times is medical and psychological treatment. God gave these abilities and resources to your treatment team for your benefit.

Psalm 28:7 (NLT)

The Lord is my strength and shield.

I trust him with all my heart.

He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy.

I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.

Hebrews 6:19 (CEV)

This hope is like a firm and steady anchor for our souls. In fact, hope reaches behind the curtain and into the most holy place.

Romans 12:12 (NLT)

Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.

I’ll be praying you find the eternal joy that is yours in Christ. And I encourage you to seek God’s blessing through treatment by your healthcare providers.

Blessings,

Michelle