Stress Center Peer Support

This is a crosspost from the Suggest a Website forum on this site and we posted Carolyn's message to all on it earlier today.
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Peanuts and all,

Carolyn Dickman, who has worked with StressCenter for Combatting Stress and Depression Program for over 22 years read your post this morning then PM'd a letter to me that she sent to another member last week. Because of time contraints on her today she asked me to post that letter/email here. This is about the identical subject you are referring to.

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“You asked about the website and all the religious/spiritual posts and wondered if you purchased a program based on that...No.

My advice: get off the computer and do the program. The website is open as a free extra to those that wish to use it.

You purchased a structured, self-directed course that teaches life management skills. Do the first 4 lesson, one week at a time. See the page headed, 'As you being.' in the first guidebook for the weekly structure. After doing those lessons you will clearly see what we are all about.

People on the website can be overly zealous at times. We don't have control over what others believe...we do know after 22 years...that the program (the program) works as you work it.

I wish you well and hope you will let me know how you are doing. Thanks for your candor, Carolyn”
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End of Email

And from the Admin's & Moderator's, if you read the title of a post that you think might offend you or disrupt your progress in the the program program DON'T CLICK ON IT.

For the religious people who post here, please limit your daily posts about God, religious beliefs, etc. Stay in one thread as often as possible. There is no need to have 15 different threads talking about the same thing.

Admin, thank you for that! no one has control over where our fingers "click" I have to take on the responsibility of what I choose to read. If there is something that I don't necessarily agree with, I won't continue reading it.
blessings,
Robin

Navy Mom,

I noticed you haven't posted any replies back. You probably ran away LOL. Anywho, as a Holy Spirit filled Christian of 30 years I will tell you this.

Of course depression is not of God. We all struggle. But try to focus on Him and His goodness. Do not give attention to the Enemy. Even Christians tend to overspiritualize. Once I found balance in meds. therapy, faith and council I saw improvement. we need practicals and spirituals.

There cannot be demons where Christ dwells. This is a fact according to the Word. Do not try to complicate an already overtired mind. God is simple and His solutions are simple. Rest. Try to rest in His timing and let Him fight the battle.

We control our thoughts. The responsibility is ours alone, but the Lord can certainly carry you through a dark time. Maybe you need someone really spiritually healthy to help you find balance. It makes me sad to see Christians beat themselves up and scare themselves.

Mainstaymama,

Plus, being a Christian myself, it is my understanding that Satan can only come into our lives IF and only IF we allow him to. HE HAS NO POWER OVER US UNLESS WE GIVE IT TO HIM. So even if you really believe the devil is causing your problems, the end result is still the same: It's YOU that's doing this to YOURSELF

This I believe is true, but some look at bouts with depression or anxiety as an attack by the Devil. Well, sure there are moments in time when we are tested, even Christ WAS tested, but like you said-ultimately it is up to us. Also, many mature Christian's will discern the difference. Anything having to do with spiritual warfare totally made me nervous before I was healed. God doesn't want His sick children to be afraid. Would we tell any of our children they were sick because Satan was kicking their ass. Ahhh...no.

So, now you tell me... how exactly has god helped you with your anxiety and depression?

Well, now maybe someone else could answer that question cause there is not enough time nor paper to answer that. Every single day He shows up somewhere. I have a very intimate relationship with the Lord so He's revealed Himself many ways through my life, some of the things I never understood until years later. He can work through anyone, anyplace, anytime, anyhow.

I always wondered why my healing took so long, but now I can see why. Everyone is different and His relationship with every Christian is different. The way He's helped me is not the way He may help you

Do yourself a favor and stay AWAY from strife. Stay in things that bring you peace.

No, I'm not dealing with anxiety and depression well. If I was, I certainly would have better things to do with my time than be here. And BECAUSE I'm not dealing with it well, reading EVERY DAY on here how the devil is responsible for my suffering and how god will heal me if I pray the right way, belong to the right religion, etc etc DOESN'T HELP!!! That's all. I KNOW I'm not the only one who feels this way. Many on the board do... they just choose not to speak up about how the christianity-down-your-throat posts have taken over the board.

Thank you for your response Mainstaymama. First of all, there is no such thing as praying the “right” way. Just as each of us has our own individiual personal relationship with God also means we have our own way of praying to Him. Prayer life is just has much of the journey as it is learning to cope with anxiety and depression. And God doesn’t just heal the believers; He also heals non- believers. Any other thinking is Toxic and major anxiety producing.

I am sorry that you are not dealing well. What is your stumbling block? How far are you in the program? Have you tried other things to help (new relaxation, new diet, and visual techniques (just to name a few)?

You (and others) have said that it is only our own self that causes our stress and anxiety. A lot of these titles to these posts are obvious about what they consist of and if you choose to read them, you also choose to get upset by them. I do understand about coming in the spiritual forum and it seems we have a choice between radical Christians or the radical non-Christians, and not knowing which one to go to because we don’t really belong to neither of them can be stressful. Have you tried to post a neutral ground post or a post about where your spirituality fits in with your anxiety or depression?

How as God helped me with my anxiety and depression?

Anxiety and Depression is caused by many things, in my case, the bottom line was not my lack of Faith, but my lack of Trust that God will provide when needed, whether it be finances, food, friendships, words of encouragement, strength, courage, the list goes on forever.

Thinking and accepting that depression is selfishness is a hard pill to swallow for most, but in my case that is exactly what it was. I wanted God to heal me now, take care of me now, change things now, me me me me me and not giving Him anything in return. I am here to serve Him, not the other way around.

Here is a fast and quick technique that I do that helps me.

Anxiety – Anx “I” ety. When I am anxious “I” am thinking of myself.

Suicidal – Suic “I” dal. I am thinking of myself and how bad I feel.

Depressed – De “pressed”. I am pressed down with my negative thinking.

Fatigue – “Fat” igue. I am in self destruction with my eating addiction due to my own selfishness.

When I feel these things, I simply take the focus off “me” and place it on Jesus.

Jesus – Jes “us”. He died for us. He loves us. He provides for us.
I put my Trust back in Him. I read the Bible, listen to uplifting music, help/chat with others, study, and pray. I change that rock bottom moment and count my blessings and enjoy the precious moment He has given.


Today I was in chat and having a bad day. I started feeling anxious and having suicidal thoughts. A good friend just typed (I, I , I), it put me back on track that simple that fast. The rest of my day has been good. Sounds corny, but I am a corny person. It works for me.