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I say “again” because it was often dicussed in the old Anglican forum. I’m not sure why, but it is often mentioned in relation to clergy. Probably only because , like politicians, they are in the public spotlight.
  I bring it up again because to my way of thinking recent developments are as sensational as landing on the moon.
    Quote ” Faulty Circuits” Scientific American April 2010—” Because mental disorders such as depression display no conspicuous brain damage,they were long thought to stem from purely psychological processes.
        Neural imaging is revealing that abnormal activity along a circuit of brain structures involved in mental processing underlies many mental disorders, making the phyical dysfunction—-visable for the first time”
      ” The goal of treatment might be akin to “rebooting ” a computer that has frozen”
Treatment would involve cell culture, electrical pulses and various drugs together or alone.

  Just think- if Jesus returns in the near future He would not have to rely on the heavenly Father to expel demons—just give a referal to the nearest Neural Imaging clinic. Now that’s progress.

This link http://www.depression.com.au/ may help to inform.

Depression, with anxiety, crying, feeling tired, not coping and poor concentration is a secret but very common illness, which will affect 20% of Australians . As a sufferer or as a supporter of someone with this illness, you are not alone. We understand and want to help.

It is like diabetes or asthma, an illness, due to a build up of pressures, which can happen to anyone. Many famous and successful Australians have this illness. Mild illnesses settle quickly with your own efforts, but more severe illness is something you have little or no ability to fight without professional help and medication. So don’t feel worthless, guilty etc, and get help from your GP before it digs in.

Stress can lead to anxiety / worrying and to depression. It is not a sign of weakness.

Stress, viruses and childbirth can trigger this illness in people who never had it previously. If you have trouble with concentration when you are reading or watching TV, are crying easily, or feel very tired, you may have depression. We provide lots of information, and the psychologists on this site can assist you with assessment, counselling and choosing the best therapy.

NOTE FROM CLINICAL A/PROF DAVID HORGAN:
Please believe me, after many years of experience, that depression can be totally wiped out! You are not weak, you are not worthless, you are not a permanent burden, you are not any of the other negatives that the illness tries to tell you…you have a very common illness which WILL pass. And you are not alone, just ask for help.

http://www.sydneyanglicans.net/life/books/is_depression_a_disease/#16899 was put on the Sydney Anglicans website this week.

As someone who has experienced mild depression, I was disappointed to see some noob comments leaning against any sort of medication even for the worse cases.

I have seen medication really help to put people I know back on their feet.  Of course there needs to be an integrated solution of friend support, spiritual support through the application of verses and prayer (verses that come to mind are Psalms 34:4, Joshua 1, Romans 8:28,37-39 and Phillipians 4:11-13), talk therapy, and medication if need be.

I would recommend ‘Now That You Are Back’ for easy further reading.  It raises the integrated solution that I summarised here.

” The goal of treatment might be akin to “rebooting ” a computer that has frozen”
Treatment would involve cell culture, electrical pulses and various drugs together or alone.

I have friends who had mild electro-shock therapy and it helped ‘reboot’ the brain, and if that really is what is occurring and really helps, then that’s fantastic! We are after all mind/body/spirit all affecting each other.

Just as the brain can be affected by too much stress, the wrong hormones, or in my case a few years back, the WRONG anti-depressants (which was a REALLY major experience in my life!), I’d also like to see how often it works the other way around. Can positive meditation on biblical verses and concepts eventually re-wire the brain? If Christians read the bible and really took time out to focus on how God loves you, thinks you are significant, has a purpose for you, thinks you can make a meaningful contribution to the world, has forgiven your sins in Jesus death, and gives you hope and meaning beyond the grave: would it make a difference over time?

Or even secular versions? Cognitive therapy involving interrupting unnecessarily harsh self-talk patterns. Would imaging before therapy and then maybe after 6 months or a year of therapy show a difference?

I know many, many people that have had good experiences with medication, and am not at all suggesting avoiding it. It just didn’t work for me. Sometimes it can be a hit-and-miss thing. Some studies have even suggested that a good half-hour walk each day is just as powerful as medication. I have found that to be the case.

Harry’s illness and my own bad reaction to medication were 6 years ago now. I try to walk, eat right, and spend time with a few good close friends. I try to get to church and bible study, and not stress too much about stuff. The walk REALLY helps.

And now I’m sleeping, and laughing at funny movies, and pretty much enjoying life. And even though now and then I get a bit cranky about how bad the whole peak oil thing might get (especially when I bump into ‘greenie denialists’) I try to stay my normal adorable self, and not get too cranky, don’t I Kevin? ;-)

That is, I’m not as obsessed by it as I was. It is more of an engrossing hobby, not a 24/7 obsession. Sometimes I won’t check peak oil or energy websites for a week or 2! Imagine that hey!?

OK, sometimes I’m just a grumpy old 42 year old. But that’s not depression. That’s politics. ;-)

I agree - the book that was reviewed and some of the comments were a real step backwards in understanding depression, and very unedifying.  I was pleased to see Nicky Lock and one or two other professionals stepped in.

Depression or Cool Bipolar is on Four Corners tonight.

Some of the problems with anti-depressants are; the side effects are hideous; they often fail to work; and they often make the problem worse. Critics of medication often complain that those who report they are being made better by drug therapy are often being made better by some sort of placebo effect rather then action of the drug, and they would cite double blind studies. They also would complain as you cannot define whether or not someone is suffering from depression because of some chemical aberration in their head; that is you cannot measure the level of those chemicals such as serotonin so you cannot define if someone’s depression comes from a lack of serotonin, or too many bad days in one go and it is beyond their coping skills. It is the same with the “breakthough above,” they may have identified abnormalities, but the question is; are those differences really abnormal, and do they really cause depression anyway?

However you cannot really say this because it is politically incorrect. Especially in Christian circles for some very strange reason. Christians often self flagellate about suffering from depression because it is easier to say, I have depression; I have a mental illness; it is not my fault; then I am a sinner; the depression I am suffering from is a result of my sin; my sin contributing to the breakdown in relationships with other people and working to rectify a lifetime of bad habits; praying or that other super spiritual stuff which I don’t like writing about.

However this is not to say that treatment for mental illness is not totally unrequired. However often those who really need it don’t get, because they can’t afford it. The only relief for them is often late night down the pub; or other forms of self medication. Often those who are victims of severe trauma, cannot get the counselling they need because it is too expensive; doesn’t allow them to have the counselling for as long as they require, or they are told to get over the problem they have; or they are stuck in the problem they have. Instead of a listening ear; they are told to depend on pills to get them through the day.

However this is not to say that treatment for mental illness is not totally unrequired.

It certainly sounds like it from your previous few paragraphs?

However often those who really need it don’t get, because they can’t afford it.

A month of anti-depressants is much cheaper than a month of drinking down at the pub by several orders of magnitude.

If poor, there are ways of obtaining counselling fairly cheaply.

And while I had a bad experience, many swear by their medication!

Catalyst had an interesting piece on how half an hour of meditation a day can re-wire the brain to do away with the need for medication. This was a special kind of relaxation, I don’t think there was anything ‘religious’ about the meditation.

Anyway, the courses for the meditation were far, far more expensive than medication. And not everyone has the self discipline to set aside half an hour or an hour a day for meditation.

I believe your statement “If poor, there are ways of obtaining counselling fairly cheaply” is quite naive. It is kind of like saying that if someone has been stabbed in the stomach and they can’t afford the surgeons bills then they can go to the bulk billing GP clinic down the road.

The problem with such programs is that they don’t provide enough free or subisidised sesssions. They are available in public hospitals where waiting lists and staff turnover are an issue; considering one of the things that has to happen is the patient needs to be able to connect with the counsellor. Also, those with severely psychotic depression and bipolar disorder or other severe mental illnesses will need to meet with a psychiatrist on a regular basis as they will need someone to prescribe medication.

Not sure about meditation; whenever I think of that word, I think Shirley Gilroy sitting under the triangle in A Country Practise. I can’t even think of meditation; without a big smirk coming out on my face. I have to work really hard not to be disrespectful if someone mentions meditation on the Bible in church.

However; those who really need counselling really need counselling and proper treatment. There are many mildly depressives who are getting the full range of biological treatments and many severe depressives who need that stuff; who are enduring colour therapy and meditation, and are often down at the bar trying to drown their mental torment in whatever.

Dave Lankshear - 19 August 2010 11:58 AM

However this is not to say that treatment for mental illness is not totally unrequired.

It certainly sounds like it from your previous few paragraphs?

However often those who really need it don’t get, because they can’t afford it.

A month of anti-depressants is much cheaper than a month of drinking down at the pub by several orders of magnitude.

If poor, there are ways of obtaining counselling fairly cheaply.

And while I had a bad experience, many swear by their medication!

Catalyst had an interesting piece on how half an hour of meditation a day can re-wire the brain to do away with the need for medication. This was a special kind of relaxation, I don’t think there was anything ‘religious’ about the meditation.

Anyway, the courses for the meditation were far, far more expensive than medication. And not everyone has the self discipline to set aside half an hour or an hour a day for meditation.

I was as surprised as you are! I’m a greenie, but I’m not the weed-smoking dreadlocks wearing, and “meditating with the universe, maaan”, kind of hippie. Not yet anyway, but if Kevin Goddard keeps pushing me I might just make it there one day! ;-)

Check out the latest science. Watch it online!

http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/2954785.htm

I was as surprised as you are! I’m a greenie, but I’m not the weed-smoking dreadlocks wearing, and “meditating with the universe, maaan”, kind of hippie. Not yet anyway, but if Kevin Goddard keeps pushing me I might just make it there one day! ;-)

Now, now Dave - settle down. Surely you’ve picked up on my zero tolerance of drugs policy ;)

It’s like, the Catalyst of the universe maaaan!

http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/2954785.htm