Not urgent, but still...

[QtheQreater]

Nothing I hate worse than putting my minor problems up on a prayer concerns board when there's so many others that are...well, actually worth a lot more prayer. I've avoided it for a while now....but I think I need your help again...

I've been pretty much diagnosed (by my counselor) with a sort of mood disorder...it messes with my head alot. This is a biological thing, it wasn't all teenage moodiness and my fault, apparently. It causes repetitive bad thoughts (depressing, sarcastic, self defeating, and most repeating certain words or phrases rapidly and continuously for no reason)...these I can only stop with a massive amount of effort and the same amount of luck, because the smallest drop in vigilance can set them off again. I'm fine for a little more than two weeks out of a given month, usually, but then the feeling comes. I can tell when I'm going to start experiencing this ahead of time because of the feeling, but can't do much to prevent the problems. If it were just thoughts...but thought leads to action, and I have always been known to have a bit of a temper (I start getting, shall we say, incredibly touchy about...well, everything). My last bout with this came during Christmas, and just about ruined it for me. I don't think I can just "grin and bear" this forever.

The prayer request is about seeing an actual psychiatrist. I'm highly skeptical about it, and am wondering if seeing a regular doctor might be a better idea. Either way, the prospect scares me. Also, prayers for my Christian walk would be highly coveted, as my "temper" during these times has not always been confined to outbursts against things in creation...

So yeah...now that I read back over that I'm not sure if it's as bad as it sounds, but I know I need prayer...

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

Sounds like you may how mild depression (the symptoms sound pretty familiar to me - not that I'm a doctor, I have it). I also have problems with controlling my temper (not physically but certainly verbally. I know that it's really hard and doesn't seem to be getting anywhere but just keep trusting God mate! He is the one true friend you can always depend on. If the situation is getting heated, just walk away (if you can). I find this is the best remedy. I'll be praying for you mate.

[Syreth]

I'm not a doctor, nor do I know the degree of your problem, but I do know that you can have victory over some of these things by self-discipline. I'm not saying that medicine and psychology mean nothing, but it's untrue to say that nothing can be done about it. Someone close to me has asperger's syndrome and he has broken through and grown out of many of those habits and behaviors by discipline and accountability. Don't sell yourself short when it comes to how you might be able to change yourself.

Moreover, since you are a Christian, God is the one working change in you:

Philippians 2:13
for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

Forgive me if I've seemed presumptuous in this post, but I figured sharing these things might possibly help you. I will pray for you, of course.

[Tenshi no Ai]

Hmmm.... not exactly sure what mood disorder that would even qualify to be *shrugs* But it is totally true that this CAN be overcome, no matter how hard or impossible it may seem... I'll be praying for you...

[QtheQreater]

I'm not a doctor, nor do I know the degree of your problem, but I do know that you can have victory over some of these things by self-discipline. I'm not saying that medicine and psychology mean nothing, but it's untrue to say that nothing can be done about it. Someone close to me has asperger's syndrome and he has broken through and grown out of many of those habits and behaviors by discipline and accountability. Don't sell yourself short when it comes to how you might be able to change yourself.

The thing is, I've improved so much in the last year...before now I had a whole lot more trouble. I've been in counseling (Christian counseling) for the past semester and a lot of the issues I had have been resolved. These things, though, show up at the most inappropriate and bizarre times. With most of my "issues", I can find the root cause after a bit of reflection and slowly work to change it. These are different. They don't have an explanation. I'm not dissing my own ability to change, or anybody else's. From someone else's perspective, I suppose it would sound like I'm just giving up and blaming it on things that are out of my control. But it's not the case. I have no idea how to really explain what I know about my problem to you, but rest assured I've not given up trying...it's just that the medical possibility is one that probably shouldn't be ignored in this case.

Moreover, since you are a Christian, God is the one working change in you:

Philippians 2:13
for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

Exactly. And that is why I ask for prayer. For me, prayer isn't a last resort, but a continuing intercession...again, I haven't given up, but I do need prayer.

Forgive me if I've seemed presumptuous in this post, but I figured sharing these things might possibly help you. I will pray for you, of course.

Hey, you don't really know me so it's what I expect. Heck, if I were you that's probably what I'd say, too. I really do appreciate your prayers.

[USSRGirl]

I'll keep ya in my prayers, Q. Before you go to a doctor, I would strongly suggest not taking any kind of depression medication to help you manage it. I don't know how bad it is so I'm not trying to assume its easy to get control over, but I've heard a whole lot of scary stuff about depression medication. It can mess your brain chemistry up a lot more, so definitely think about this before taking something for it.

I think maybe counseling, praying, reading scripture, getting exercise, are better alternatives. Studies show prayer and exercise can actually decrease depression. Also, try drinking green tea. Seriously, it calms your nerves apparently. Other than that, hang in there, and don't beat yourself up over stuff you can't really control.

[Nate]

I find it odd and bizarre how Christians seem to discredit and discourage any type of professional help when it comes to psychological conditions, when even the Bible says if we are sick we should go to the doctor. Yes, we should pray as well, but we shouldn't pray and do nothing, we should pray and take opportunities to heal ourselves.

Medication is, as always, a last resort, any doctor worth his degree will tell you that. Further, any doctor who knows anything about medicine knows medication alone will not cure or help any condition, but counseling and other similar treatments, even without medication, are extremely efficient.

Sorry about hijacking your prayer thread, Q, but I just wanted to put it out there that doctors are here to help people, not harm them, and there is no reason for Christians to avoid them. At any rate, I'm certainly praying for you.

[USSRGirl]

Geez, Nat, I wasn't saying faith healing or anything!!!! I'm not Benny Hinn. I never said going to the doctor wasn't a good idea, but from my own experience a LARGE majority of doctors propose meds as a FIRST resort just to get your money. T__T If it's that bad, then yes of course you should take medication. I'm just saying, see if you can manage it first without the medication.

[Angel37]

I'll be praying hun. *huggles*

[Syreth]

Hey, you don't really know me so it's what I expect. Heck, if I were you that's probably what I'd say, too. I really do appreciate your prayers.

I really appreciate your understanding. From what you've said, it seems like you're taking the measures necessary to do what you can about whatever your situation might be. I'm glad for that and hope that things continue to get better for you.

[SP1]

Well, if you eventually don't want to go with anti-depressants (or other prescribed medication), there's always the homeopathic approach: a friend of mine used St. John's Wort for mood swings. I hear Flax Oil is good for that, too. Not that I've used either one.

[Yumie]

If you go to a doctor, it might be a good idea for you to check around and see if there are any Christian doctors near you. I say this just because from experience with friends of mine I've seen that lots of doctors are ready to make every imperfection a person has into a disorder and then try to medicate it. I think a lot of the time they do this because, from their secular perspective, they can't see a spiritual problem when it hits them in the face with a clue-by-four. They automatically just assume that every problem is physical and must have a physical cure. Now, I'm by no means saying your problem isn't physical-- after all, there are so many ways that off-balance hormones can seriously mess with a person's emotions, a physical problem that is often easily remedied. The way I reckon, there are probably both spiritual [I]and[I] physical problems in the mix with what's going on with you. I'm just saying that maybe if you go to a Christian doctor, they might be more sensitive to sorting out the spiritual from the physical and medicating you accordingly, rather than over-medicating you to try to fix something that can't be fixed with medicine.

Hope that made some sense. . . I'm writing this at 1:00 in the morning and am having trouble communicating this exactly as I'd like to. . .

[Ryupower]

praying, for you. and Worrior4Jesus

[kyoto]

I to have mental problems but I wont go into it. I'll pray for you becouse I've delt with psychriatrist and they will mess with you.

Love in Christ,
Kyoto

[freerock1]

If you go to a doctor, it might be a good idea for you to check around and see if there are any Christian doctors near you. I say this just because from experience with friends of mine I've seen that lots of doctors are ready to make every imperfection a person has into a disorder and then try to medicate it. I think a lot of the time they do this because, from their secular perspective, they can't see a spiritual problem when it hits them in the face with a clue-by-four. They automatically just assume that every problem is physical and must have a physical cure. Now, I'm by no means saying your problem isn't physical-- after all, there are so many ways that off-balance hormones can seriously mess with a person's emotions, a physical problem that is often easily remedied. The way I reckon, there are probably both spiritual [I]and[I] physical problems in the mix with what's going on with you. I'm just saying that maybe if you go to a Christian doctor, they might be more sensitive to sorting out the spiritual from the physical and medicating you accordingly, rather than over-medicating you to try to fix something that can't be fixed with medicine.

I would add to this also that I knew a person who had a non-Christian doctor basically tell him, from what I understand, that he'd be better off abandoning his faith. I'm not saying that all non-Christian doctors are like this, but you do need to be careful about getting advice like this from someone who is not spiritually sensitive, especially where it comes to things of the mind.

Lifting you up, and as much as you feel comfortable, please keep us posted on how things are going.

[QtheQreater]

While I think some sort of medication might be a good thing (low dose, not the heavy antidepressant stuff, just so I can cope better), I've decided to cancel the appointment I'd made with a local psychologist. He had been recommended to me by the school counselor, but I was still uncomfortable with the idea. My father has been on antidepressants for awhile(this problem sort of runs in the family, you see), and they are not good to him. He can't stop taking them without extreme withdrawal symptoms. That's why I don't like the idea of going on those...and like most of you have said...the doctor generally does just try to medicate you. That's not stereotypical, it's true with every experience my father has had.

So prayers are still muchly appreciated. I still need to make a choice about whether to try an alternative which I've heard about. That's also an iffy thing.

[Althaia]

i hope you will get through this hard time q i pray that you can find what you are looking for

[fantasygeek]

Ill be praying for ya!

[K. Ayato]

Sounds like you have bipolar disorder. I'll be praying. There are other treatments to help you sort out what you're going through; use medication as a last resort.