Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 800-826-2950ย Grief Recovery Helpline 800-445-4808 Information Referrals & Crisis Helpline 800-233-4357 National Depressive and Manic-Depressive Association 800-826-DMDA (3632) National Foundation for Depressive Illness (NAFDI) 800-248-4381 National Institute of Mental Health Information, Resources and Inquiries Branch 800-64PANIC (72642); provides information on panic disorders. National Mental Health Association 800-969-NMHA (6642) National…
Author: nowwhat
I Am Bipolar
Meeting God in the pit of depression. by Nancy Hagerman ย The door swung shut behind me, and the automatic lock clicked on. Shoes and socks, watch, purse, and even my wedding ring were confiscated at the front desk. The uniform — sweat pants and t-shirt — was doled out, and I changed under the…
I Almost Committed Suicide
What would Jesus and others think? by Kathy Collard Miller ย As the train rumbled past the East Coast countryside, taking my daughter and me to New York City for a vacation, my thoughts were as piercing as the train’s screeching wheels. Why did Greg take his own life? Greg was a distant relative I…
God Gave Me a Sound Mind
From hate to wholeness. by Gayle Threlkeld as told to Muriel Larson ย “Gayle, your husband called me,” my gynecologist said over the phone, “and he seems very worried about you.” “About what?” I asked, well aware of what the answer might be. During our last big battle, I completely lost control and attacked my…
What to Do If You’re Depressed
If you think you’re depressed, be sure to get help: See your doctor. He can test for illnesses that can cause depression, such as low thyroid, mononucleosis, anemia, diabetes, and hepatitis. He can also prescribe antidepressant medication. ย Talk to a pastor. The most effective treatment for depression is a combination of medication and psychotherapy….
God and the Blues
by Bonnie Doran ย “It’s organic, and there’s nothing you can do about it.” My shoulders sagged as I absorbed my doctor’s statement. My problem was not burnout, PMS, or low thyroid; my problem was chronic depression. I had suffered from mild depression for years. At times I denied the problem and fought it like…
Is Depression Sin?
The Bible never says it is a sin to be depressed. Several strong men in the Bible who followed God became depressed: the prophet Elijah (1 Kings 19); David, who wrote many of the psalms (Psalms 42, 43, and others); even the perfect Jesus (Matthew 26:38).ย So to be depressed is not the same as…
Facts about Depression
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, more than 17 million Americans suffer from depressive illness each year. About twice as many women are affected as men. Although medication and psychotherapy can help 80 to 90 percent of depressed people, only one third of them will seek treatment.ย Depression is likely present when a…
Getting My Life Back
The sickness and redemption of a paranoid schizophrenic. by Michael Mulvihill as told to David Kidd ย I sat in a corner of the mental hospital, my legs shaking up and down. Diagnosed with alcoholic’s psychosis, I was considered clinically insane. I thought the nurses were trying to poison me. I had hallucinations of the…
Choosing a Therapist
Early in my career, a concerned 22-year-old mother named Karen approached me and asked if her daughter’s imaginary friend was an early sign of “insanity.” There was a history of mental illness in the family, and she was extremely distressed by her daughter’s sudden insistence that an extra place be set at the dinner table…