Depression
is 15-20% higher for the chronically ill
than for the average person
Rifkin,
A. "Depression in Physically Ill Patients,"
Postgraduate Medicine (9-92) 147-154.
However,
the significance of one's faith has
shown to lower one's risk of depressive
symptoms and aid one in better handling
a stressful medical event.
Pressman
P., Lyons J.S., Larson D.B., Strain, J.J.
"Religious belief, depression, and
ambulation status in elderly women with
broken hips." American Journal of
Psychiatry 1990; 147(6): 758-760.
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Those
who use their religious faith to cope
are significantly less depressed, even
when taking into account the severity
of their physical illness. In fact,
the clinical effects of religious coping
showed the strongest benefit among those
with severe physical disability. Some
87 patients hospitalized with serious
illness who also then suffered depression
were followed over time in another study.
The patients with a deep, internalized
faith recovered faster from the depression,
even when their physical condition wasn't
improving.
Kendler,
K.S., Gardner, C. O., and Prescott, C.A.
"Religion, Psychopathology, and Substance
Use and Abuse: A Multimeasure, Genetic-Epidemiologic
Study," American Journal of Psychiatry
1997; 154: 322-329. Koenig, Harold G.,
Larson, David B., and Weaver, Andrew J.
"Research on Religion and Serious
Mental Illness," in Spirituality
and Religion in Recovery from Mental Illness,
ed., Roger Fallott. New Directions for
Mental Health Services 1998; (80).
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Help
for the Hurting Christian
Verse-by-Verse Studies on Specific Help
Topics
Looking
for Answers
Small articles and Biblical references
from Billy Graham.
Hope
For Those Who Grieve
God's
Yellow Pages
Scriptures by topic.
Christians
in Pain
Because Christians hurt too.
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Professional
Counselors Available at Barnabus
A Christian counseling network that can
offer you professional assistance through
group, individual or journal forums for
a very reasonable cost.
You
may be able to find a Christian counselor
through one of these organizations:
American
Association of Christian Counselors
(AACC)
Christian
Association of Psychological Studies
(CAPS)
1
Stop Source for the Christian Counseling
Center Referral Network Helping you
find a local Christian mental health professional
or treatment/counseling center.
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Chronic
illness can have a significant impact
on how one feels about his or her self.
-
There
are 3 billion women who don't
look like supermodels and only
eight who do.
-
The
average woman weighs 144 lbs
and wears between a 12-14.
-
A
psychological study in 1995
found that three minutes spent
looking at a fashion magazine
caused 70% of women to feel
depressed, guilty, and shameful.
-
Models
twenty years ago weighed 8%
less than the average woman.
Today they weigh 23% less.
 The
beauty of a woman... is
not in:
The
clothes she wears, the figure she carries,
or the way she combs her hair.
The
beauty of a woman must be seen from her
eyes, because that is the doorway to her
heart--The place where love resides.
The
beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole,
but true beauty in a woman is reflected
in her soul.
It
is the caring that she lovingly gives,
the passion that she shows. The beauty
of a woman with passing years -- only
grows.
-author unknown
Christian
Ways to Reduce Stress
An
Angel says, "Never borrow from the
future. If you worry about
what may happen tomorrow and it doesn't
happen, you have worried in vain.
Even if it does happen, you have to worry
twice."
1.
Pray
2. Go to bed on time.
3. Get up on time so you can start the
day unrushed.
4. Say No to projects that won't fit into
your time schedule, or
that will compromise your mental health.
5. Delegate tasks to capable others.
6. Simplify and unclutter your life.
7. Less is more. (Although one is often
not enough, two are often
too many.)
8. Allow extra time to do things and to
get to places.
9. Pace yourself. Spread out big changes
and difficult projects
over time; don't lump the hard things
all together.
10. Take one day at a time.
11. Separate worries from concerns . If
a situation is a concern,
find out what God would have you do and
let go of the anxiety . If you
can't do anything about a situation, forget
it.
12. Live within your budget; don't use
credit cards for ordinary
purchases.
13. Have backups; an extra car key in
your wallet, an extra house
key buried in the garden, extra stamps,
etc.
14. K.M.S. (Keep Mouth Shut). This single
piece of advice can
prevent an enormous amount of trouble.
15. Do something for the Kid in You everyday.
16. Carry a Bible with you to read while
waiting in line.
17. Get enough rest.
18. Eat right.
19. Get organized so everything has its
place.
20. Listen to a tape while driving that
can help improve your
quality of life.
21. Write down thoughts and inspirations.
22. Every day, find time to be alone.
23. Having problems? Talk to God on the
spot. Try to nip small
problems in the bud. Don't wait until
it's time to go to bed to try and pray.
24. Make friends with Godly people.
25. Keep a folder of favorite scriptures
on hand.
26. Remember that the shortest bridge
between despair and hope is
often a good "Thank you Jesus."
27. Laugh.
28. Laugh some more!
29. Take your work seriously, but not
yourself at all. 30. Develop a forgiving
attitude (most people are doing the best
they can).
31. Be kind to unkind people (they probably
need it the most). 32. Sit on your ego.
33 Talk less; listen more.
34. Slow down.
35. Remind yourself that you are not the
general manager of the
universe.
36. Every night before bed, think of one
thing you're grateful for
that you've never been grateful for before.
GOD HAS A WAY OF TURNING THINGS
AROUND FOR YOU.
"If God is for us, who can be against
us?" (Romans 8:31)
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