According to studies conducted and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association,
* Recent statistics suggest roughly seven of every one hundred people suffer depression after age 18 at some point in their lives.
* As many as one in 33 children and one in eight adolescents have clinical depression. Suicide is the third leading cause of death for ages 10 to 24.
* Most people diagnosed with major depression receive a diagnosis between their late twenties to mid-thirties.
* About six million people are affected by late life depression, but only 10% ever receive treatment.
* For every one man that develops depression, two women will, regardless of racial or ethnic background or economic status.
* More than half of all people caring for an older relative show clinically significant depressive symptoms.
* By the year 2020, depression will be the 2nd most common health problem in the world.
These statistics seem pretty depressing, that is because they are. Many blame society and how individuals are treated. It may even seem reasonable to assume that Green house gas emissions are causing depression. Perhaps it is like M. Night Shyamalan's movie the Happening where something in the air was causing people to become darkly depressed and commit suicide, but the only thing depressing about the movie was that I paid $10 to go see it.
I am one who believes that such as beauty is in the eye of the beholder so depression is a choice. As a choice depression can lead to an intoxicating effect. Sadness involves you into deep thought and in deep thought endorphins are released some of which are the same endorphins released when you are happy.
What are these endorphins and how did they get into my brain? Let us look at the word endorphins, it sounds like one is saying en-dolphins. So you have these little things swimming around your brain and they are doing flips and eating pickled haring and making some sort of wierd alien sound. Okay that one doesn't work for you lets try IN-DOOR-FINS, which probbaly have nothing to do with what we are talking about, but it sounds funny.
Depression is a disease but one that can be controlled by the individual. One thing works for those who are depressed that is to find a friend. Any one even if it is a person you see once or twice a week, and pretend they are stalking you if you see them in public somewhere say to them, "are you following me?" This will cause them to do one of two things they will smile and laugh, or they will talk into their sleeve and say, "I think they're on to us." and then run away. Either way you have to admit it is a funny situation.
Funny is an operative word and it denotes that you are having a good time. If you are in a crowd where someone is cracking jokes, while you are listening in and quietly judging, and thinking how can these people be laughing at this irritating guy? Well you have to look at the situation and be glad that same guy is who persuades so many to laugh is not invoking them to beat up the grumpy person who isn't laughing. Consider yourself fortunate and laugh.
The Bible tells us in Proverbs 17:22 A merry heart doeth good like a medicine.
All throughout the new testament there were people getting healed and what did they do when Jesus told them not to tell anyone, they told anyone who asked. Why because they were clinically depressed because that Jesus had healed them now they could go to work, get married, have a life, and have everything that healthy people have...NO they were dancing in the streets, taking up their beds,running home to see their servants, eating crumbs like little dogs, and the list goes on. Why did they have such joy, because there is joy in the power of God and if you have recieved,used,or have just seen it firsthand you know that Depression cannot get you. If you do become depressed then maybe you aught to realize who you belong to and what He has done for you.
I cannot offer you a quick fix but what I can offer you is this. If you become depressed then go and rent as many funny movies as you can find and watch them until you begin to laugh. After this Go to Jesus for answers...
