People suffering from depression often become isolated from others, from God and from their faith community. They may feel their once-vibrant faith is now dead, leading to further despair. Many have felt a sense of God's absence, a fear of losing the anchoring points of one's life, or a sense of sadness about one's persisting sinfulness or failures. These experiences, if not accompanied by the awareness of God's graceful awareness, can lead to clinical depression. While it may be difficult to endure, depression can be an occasion for greater understanding and reliance upon God.
Depression can be a condition where one's life is blocked.
In such cases, it may be a signal that begs one to make some changes in life. In some cases, depression is like the wilderness journey and the need for support, guidance, and hope is prominent. The presence of a caring, loving congregation can be life-giving. Providing pastoral care as well as support services to other family members can not only lighten the load of depression, but can bring a tangible sign of hope into the midst of despair. If you are concerned about being in a clinical depression, call one of the PCC centers to make an initial appointment to assess your needs.