JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES OFFERING HELP TO COPE WITH DEPRESSION

[Guest Kurt]

13 NOV 2016

JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES WEBSITE HELPS UNDERSTAND AND DEAL WITH DEPRESSION.

Depression is one of the most common problems youth are dealing with today. Fast-paced lives, dependency on technology, and a world that is getting more and more virtual are all changing the traditional notions of family, love, friends and even life itself. Children who are brought up learning these traditional values are now exposed to a world that is very different from what they have always known. As such, the lack of enough support and resources to deal with these changes has led the modern youth to a sense of purposelessness, feeling unloved, and depression.

The onus to tackle this problem lies largely on families, who unfortunately are not always equipped to address these issues. Some religious institutions have come forward, trying to provide mental and moral support, drawing inspiration from scriptures. Jehovah’s Witnesses too have spelled out their own guidelines for the depressed, based on scriptural interpretations. If you visit the website of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, you will find a section that deals with helping victims of depression cope with their problems. The website attempts at giving practical information about what depression is, what the signs are, and what people can do when they themselves are going through depression or when someone they know is. Jehovah’s Witnesses have used biblical teachings and verses to spell out their guidelines for dealing with depression. JW.org introduces people to passages that give hope and courage to people who are falling into despair and fear. The website recognizes two factors as the cause for depression, physical factors and stress factors. Physical factors of depression are fluctuations of the neurotransmitters in the brain, hormonal imbalance, and erratic brain chemical activity, which together cause a breakdown in a person’s mental frame. As for stress factors, these can include all the day to day things that can hurt, upset and sadden a person. In today’s world of social media and technology, exposure to such emotional triggers is very easy, and poses a threat to the mental well-being of people. Youth have also been advised to seek mental health professionals while also seeking solace from the scriptures. The community believes depression can be best dealt with when spiritual and medical professional help are both sought.

RESOURCES

JW.org

All About Depression

Arkansas State University The Herald

source