Depression and Anxiety Part 1

Depression and Anxiety

Part 1

By Dr. George T. Crabb

Depression is a global problem. One in six people around the world will suffer from major depression at some point during their lives. It has been estimated that by the year 2020 depression will be the greatest disability worldwide.

If you feel depressed at this very moment, you don't have to stay depressed! I would like to give you, over the next several weeks, some positive natural and spiritual steps to help you overcome depression, sadness, anxiety and worry. You can start this very minute to move from the "pit of pain" to the plain of stability, wholeness and peace of mind.

It is normal for people to feel "down" or to have the "blues" when they experience a sad circumstance such as death of a loved one or friend, the loss of a job, a divorce, separation or some significant loss. However, anyone who experiences continued sadness without any recognizable cause should know that this may be a warning sign of depression. This series of blogs will help you replace depression and sadness with God's joy.

The good news is that you can overcome depression. God has provided you with resources in both the natural and spiritual realms to defeat depression and anxiety. As you take these positive steps outlined in these blogs, hope should begin to replace depression and inner peace will overcome anxiety, Philippians 4:6-7.

Depression is very misunderstood, perhaps because it can affect all three parts of our being - body, soul and spirit. Any truly effective treatment for depression must address all three areas. Most of the time depression begins in our soul or spirit. Then it begins to affect our physical bodies. At times, the problem actually begins in the body because of chemical imbalance or some other natural cause, which we will discuss later. In any case, God has very real answers for the problem.

Depression often begins in the early middle age years; it is fairly common among the elderly. Almost half of the cases of depression among the elderly are misdiagnosed by the patient's primary care doctor.

Depression among children and adolescents has also increased dramatically in the last fifty years. Children are becoming depressed at an earlier age. During adolescence, almost twice as many boys as girls are depressed. And over half of youth diagnosed have a recurrence within seven years.

Depression also can occur because of physical rather than soulical and spiritual factors. Anyone experiencing depression should be tested to have organic factors ruled out. These include: drug reactions, anemia, alcohol, diabetes, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, low adrenal function, low thyroid function, nutritional deficiencies (like Vitamin D, Folic Acid, Vitamin B1, B6 & B12) illegal drug use, chronic pain, heart disease and sleep disturbances.

In studying the Bible and medicine for many years, I find four main reasons for depression. I will briefly describe each one. But for a more in-depth look at these reasons please see my book, "A Hole With No Hope" published by RUI. This can be purchased through the book store on the RU website, www.reformu.com.

The four causes of depression are:

#1 Circumstantial Depression - This form of depression depends on the circumstances surrounding us. This has to do with expectations.

#2 Conceptual Depression - This type of depression transpires when we see things differently than what they are. This is a matter of seeing things through our vision instead of through God's vision. This also has to do with expectations.

#3 Concealed Sin Depression - This depression is caused by concealing our sin before a holy and righteous God. Living in sin causes the "whole heart" to faint.

#4 Clinical Depression - This is a small category of people with depression. This depression stems purely from a biological or organic source.

All types of depression have a common spiritual thread - the lack of God's joy in our lives. God promises to make our joy full, John 15:11. One certain antidepressant in your life is God's Word. Trust His promise and seek His overflowing joy through:

#1 Reading the Bible so that you may study it and memorize it, so that you may meditate upon what it says. This is building that personal relationship with our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

#2 Asking God to fill you with His joy.

#3 Telling others about the promise of His joy.

Do not be discouraged. You are already making great strides in being filled with His joy and freed from the spirit of depression and sadness. If you follow God's prescription for treating depression you will be less depressed than you were when you were not following God's plan.

In our next blog, we will deal with "anxiety".

Illicit Drug Use Among Older Adults

Illicit Drug Use Among Older Adults

by Dr. George T. Crabb

Illicit drug use generally declines as individuals move through young adulthood into middle adulthood and maturity, but research has shown that the baby-boom generation (persons born between 1946 and 1964) has relatively higher drug use rates than previous generations. It has been predicted that, as the baby boom generation ages, past year marijuana use will almost triple between 1999/2001 and 2020 among persons aged 50 or older. Nonmedical use of prescription-type drugs also has been identified as a concern for this population. Although use of illicit drugs is problematic for individuals of all ages, it may be of particular concern for older adults because they experience physiological, psychological, and social changes that place them at greater risk of harm from illicit drug use. The increasing prevalence and effects of illicit drug use among older adults suggest the need both to better understand illicit drug use among this population and to plan to minister to them in the RU program. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) asks persons aged 12 or older to report their use of illicit drugs in the past year. NSDUH defines illicit drugs to include marijuana/hashish, cocaine (including crack), inhalants, hallucinogens, heroin, or prescription-type drugs used non-medically. This issue of The NSDUH Report presents estimates of past year use of illicit drugs among persons aged 50 or older. Findings in the report are annual averages based on combined 2007 to 2009 NSDUH data. Types of Illicit Drugs Used among Older Adults An estimated 4.8 million adults aged 50 or older, or 5.2 persent of adults in that age range, had used an illicit drug in the past year. The most common illicit drug among older adults was marijuana (3.2 percent or or 3.0 million users), followed by nonmedical use of prescription-type drugs (2.3 percent or 2.1 million users). About 0.8 percent (761,000 users) of older adults reported use of an illicit drug other than marijuana or nonmedical use of prescription-type drugs, including 0.6 percent for cocaine, 0.1 percent for heroin, 0.1 percent for hallucinogens, and 0.1 percent for inhalants. Differences by Age Group Among older adults, the prevalence rates of any illicit drug use, marijuana use, and nonmedical use of prescription-type drugs were higher for adults aged 50 to 59 than for those aged 60 or older. Comparing the types of substances used in the past year, marijuana use was more common than nonmedical use of prescription-type drugs among adults aged 50 to 59. Among adults aged 60 or older, the rate of nonmedical use of prescription-type drugs was similar to the rate of marijuana use (1.2 and 1.1 percent, respectively). Differences by Gender Among adults aged 50 or older, the prevalence rates of any illicit drug use and marijuana use in the past year were higher among males than females. These patterns were generally consistent across age groups. For example, 8.0 percent of males aged 50 to 59 used marijuana compared with 3.9 percent of same-aged females. Males and females, however, had similar rates of nonmedical use of prescription-type drugs overall and within both age groups. Comparing the types of substances used in the past year, marijuana use was more common than nonmedical use of prescription-type drugs among all males aged 50 or older (4.7 vs. 2.5 percent) and among males aged 50 to 59 (8.0 vs. 3.9 percent). Among all females aged 50 or older, the rates of marijuana use and nonmedical use of prescription-type drugs were similar (1.9 and 2.1 percent, respectively), but the rate of marijuana use was lower than the rate nonmedical use of prescription-type drugs among females aged 60 or older (0.5 vs. 1.1 percent). Types of Drugs Used among Drug Users Among adults aged 50 or older who used illicit drugs in the past year, 45.2 percent used only marijuana, 31.5 percent used only prescription-type drugs non-medically, and 5.6 percent used only other illicit drugs (including cocaine, heroin, hallucinogens, or inhalants) with the remainder using other combinations of illicit drugs. Although some prescription-type drug users initiated their nonmedical use of these drugs late in life, most used for the first time more than 10 years ago. Nearly all of the marijuana users initiated marijuana use more than 10 years ago. Differences were seen between males and females. For example, the percentage using marijuana only was higher among males than females (49.2 vs 38.8 percent), while the percentage reporting nonmedical use of prescription-type drugs only was higher among females than males (44.4 vs 23.4 percent). Discussion Despite the perception that illicit drug use is a spiritual issue only for adolescents and young adults, it is also a serious and growing health concern for older adults. Research shows that illicit drug use is more common among the baby-boom generation than previous cohorts, leading researchers to estimate that the number of older adults with a substance use disorder will double by 2020. This report shows that nearly 4.8 million adults aged 50 or older used an illicit drug in the past year and that patterns of use vary by gender and age group. Together, these data highlight the importance of RU programs reaching out to older adults. Like younger age groups, effective ministry for older adults begins with accurate reaching out to the older population. However, addressing the needs of older adults in our RU programs presents different challenges than younger age groups. For example, use of marijuana may be a decades-long experience for some older adults. Finally, treatment of older adults must be the same spiritual counseling and walk with God but we must take into account for the life stage of the individual and the aging process. Also, ministering approaches that include adult children and friends of substance-abusing older adults may be critical to help the elderly recover.

Quotes for the Week

Quotes for the Week

He who created us without our help will not save us without our consent.
Saint Augustine

You can't preach it like it is if you don't believe it like it was.
Vance Havner

This a day when we are so busy doing everything that we have no time to be anything. Even religiously we are so occupied with activities that we have no time to know God. 

Vance Havner

"Let the thoughts of a crucified Christ," said one, "be never out of your mind. Let them be meat and drink unto you. Let them be your sweetness and consolation, your honey and your desire, your reading and your meditation, your life, death, and resurrection."

Puritan, Thomas Brooks.

Success is when I add value to myself. Significance is when I add value to others. — Author Unknown

"It is not so much the greatness of our troubles, as the littleness of our spirit, which makes us complain." —J. Taylor

Sympathy is no substitute for action. — David Livingstone

Trying to do the Lord's work in your own strength is the most confusing, exhausting, and tedious of all work. But when you are filled with the Holy Spirit, then the ministry of Jesus just flows out of you.”
― Corrie ten Boom

Energy Drinks

This is an article written by Dr. Crabb for RU. 



Energy Drinks

by

Dr. George T. Crabb

The number of emergency room (ER) visits associated with nonalcoholic energy drinks is surging. In 2005 there were 1,128 such visits and in 2009 there were 13,114, with the highest number occurring in 2008 at 16,055 ER visits.

In 44% of ER visits involving energy drinks, the drinks were taken together with other substances, such as alcohol, pain killers, sedatives, and illicit drugs. This combination of energy drinks and other substances of abuse was greatest in young adults 18 to 25 years of age (52%). The vast majority (77%) of these were made by people 18 to 39 years of age, and 64% were made by males.

Energy drinks used in excess or in combination with alcohol or drugs can pose a serious health risk. Adverse reactions that can occur with the ingesting of energy drinks include but are not limited to the following:
Arrhythmias - abnormal beating of the heart
Hypertension - high blood pressure
Dehydration - decreased fluid in the body
The above can lead to significant bodily damage (stroke, heart attack) and even death. Combining energy drinks with substances of abuse raises the risk for serious, even life threatening, injury and for the likelihood of engaging in risky behaviors, such as driving under the influence.

I define energy drinks as flavored beverages containing high amounts of stimulants such as caffeine. The drinks are marketed to youth and are consumed by up to 50% of children, adolescents, and young adults.

My friends, quick-fix energy drinks are not a solution and carry great risks, especially in combination with other substances of abuse. Instead of turning to energy drinks to help us through the day why don't we take proper care of ourselves (appropriate diet, exercise and rest) and look to the Lord Jesus Christ to give us the grace to accomplish our daily tasks. "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind" (II Timothy 1:7.)

Quotes for the Week

Quotes for the Week

To win the battle with SIN, we have to control what is going on withIN.  Steve Curington

Without the annointing of the Holy Spirit the preacher may storm, the teacher may strive, the Christian worker may sweat, but all to no avil.  Vance Havner

Hold eveything in your hands lightly, otherwise it hurts when God pries your fingers open.  Corrie ten Boom

Whom the Spirit cannot fill He cannot make holy.  Whom He cannot make holy He cannot make Happy.  AW Tozer

Past failures often furnishes good material from which to build future success.

When we look around we feel distressed, when we look to Jesus we find rest.



The Fool (Part 8)

The Fool

Proverbs 10:1 (KJV) ¹ The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.

The behavior of children affects the mood of parents.  The foolish son is one who lives as if there is no God and his foolishness brings heaviness to the heart of his mother.  Heaviness is defined as sorrow, depression. In other words the child not living according to the principles and commandments of God and His Word can cause sorrow and depression in the heart of their parents, especially their mother.
Solomon wrote Proverbs with his own son in mind.  Solomon desired his son, Rehoboam, to live wisely. The Bible records the extent to which Solomon succeeded and the extent to which he failed.  However, he tried and it is not known whether or not Rehoboam paid any attention to the proverbs. 
Many a parent has allowed the ungodly behavior of their children to hurt their relationship with Jesus Christ.  I have seen spirit-filled parents lose the fruit of the spirit because of the sorrow caused by a wayward child.  This should not be.  I know the responsibility parent’s bare in raising their children and I know the verses of Scripture such as Proverbs 22:6 and its teaching.  However, one must keep in mind that many good and godly people who sincerely raised their children in the nurture and admonishment of the Lord have seen their children rebel and live foolishly.
Have you considered the Bible characters that had wayward children?  Certainly as we read Scripture we see examples of godly parents who had rebellious children.  Parents such as David, Samuel, Eli, Solomon and the list could go on.  The first parents in the Bible, Adam and Eve, had a child that rebelled.  It could be said that God’s children, the nation of Israel, rebelled as well. 
All parents make mistakes and in hindsight wish they had done some things differently.  Where you have failed, ask forgiveness and go on living for Jesus.  As for your rebellious child, pray.   God is able to bring a wondering child back to Him.  Do you remember the story of the Prodigal Son? 

Addiction: It's Many Faces - Part II

Addiction It's Many Faces - Part II by Dr. George T. Crabb Introducing the Human Brain The human brain is the most complex organ in the body. This three-pound mass of gray and white matter sits at the center of all human activity-you need it to drive a car, to enjoy a meal, to breathe, to create an artistic masterpiece, and to enjoy everyday activities. In brief, the brain regulates your basic body functions; enables you to interpret and respond to everything you experience; and shapes your thoughts, emotions, and behavior. The brain is made up of many parts that all work together as a team. Different parts of the brain are responsible for coordinating and performing specific functions. Drugs can alter important brain areas that are necessary for life-sustaining functions and can facilitate the compulsive drug desires that make an individual continue to seek drugs. Even though the brain tissue craves the continued use of the drugs it is still the choice of the individual whether they will or will not take the drug. Brain areas affected by drug abuse- The brain stem controls basic functions critical to life, such as heart rate, breathing, and sleeping. The limbic system contains the brain's reward circuit-it links together a number of brain structures that control and regulate our ability to feel pleasure. In addition, the limbic system is responsible for our perception of other emotions, both positive and negative, which explains the mood-altering properties of many drugs. The cerebral cortex is divided into areas that control specific functions. Different areas process information from our senses, enabling us to see, feel, hear, and taste. The front part of the cortex, the frontal cortex or forebrain, is the thinking center of the brain; it powers our ability to think, plan, solve problems, and make decisions. How Does the Brain Communicate? The brain is a communication center consisting of billions of neurons, or nerve cells. Networks of neurons pass messages back and forth to different structures within the brain, the spinal column, and the peripheral nervous system. These nerve networks coordinate and regulate everything we feel, think, and do. Neuron to Neuron Each nerve cell in the brain sends and receives messages in the form of electrical impulses. Once a cell receives and processes a message, it sends it on to other neurons. Neurotransmitters-The Brain's Chemical Messengers The messages are carried between neurons by chemicals called neurotransmitters. (They transmit messages between neurons.) Some of the neurotransmitters are: dopamine, serotonin, epinephrine and nor-epinepherine amongst others. Receptors-The Brain's Chemical Receivers The neurotransmitter attaches to a specialized site on the receiving cell called a receptor. A neurotransmitter and its receptor operate like a "key and lock," an exquisitely specific mechanism that ensures that each receptor will forward the appropriate message only after interacting with the right kind of neurotransmitter. Transporters-The Brain's Chemical Recyclers Located on the cell that releases the neurotransmitter, transporters recycle these neurotransmitters (i.e., bring them back into the cell that released them), thereby shutting off the signal between neurons. How Do Drugs Work in the Brain? Drugs and alcohol are chemicals. They work in the brain by tapping into the brain's communication system and interfering with the way nerve cells normally send, receive, and process information. Some drugs, such as marijuana and heroin, can activate neurons because their chemical structure mimics that of a natural neurotransmitter. This similarity in structure "fools" receptors and allows the drugs to lock onto and activate the nerve cells. Although these drugs mimic brain chemicals, they don't activate nerve cells in the same way as a natural neurotransmitter, and they lead to abnormal messages being transmitted through the network. Other drugs, such as amphetamine or cocaine, can cause the nerve cells to release abnormally large amounts of natural neurotransmitters or prevent the normal recycling of these brain chemicals. This disruption produces a greatly amplified message, ultimately disrupting communication channels. The difference in effect can be described as the difference between someone whispering into your ear and someone shouting into a microphone. How Do Drugs Work in the Brain to Produce Pleasure? All drugs of abuse directly or indirectly target the brain's reward system by flooding the circuit with dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter present in regions of the brain that regulate movement, emotion, cognition, motivation, and feelings of pleasure. The overstimulation of this system, which rewards our natural behaviors, produces the euphoric effects sought by people who abuse drugs and urges them to repeat the behavior. Why Are Drugs More Addictive than Natural Rewards? When some drugs of abuse are taken, they can release 2 to 10 times the amount of dopamine that natural rewards do. In some cases, this occurs almost immediately (as when drugs are smoked, snorted or injected), and the effects can last much longer than those produced by natural rewards. The resulting effects on the brain's pleasure circuit dwarfs those produced by naturally rewarding behaviors such as eating and sex. The effect of such a powerful reward strongly motivates people to take drugs again and again. This is why drug abuse is something we learn to do very, very well by making continuously bad choices. What Happens to Your Brain if You Keep Taking Drugs? Just as we turn down the volume on a radio that is too loud, the brain adjusts to the overwhelming surges in dopamine (and other neurotransmitters) by producing less dopamine or by reducing the number of receptors that can receive and transmit signal. As a result, dopamine's impact on the reward circuit of a drug abuser's brain can become abnormally low, and the ability to experience any pleasure is reduced. This is why the abuser eventually feels flat, lifeless, and depressed, and is unable to enjoy things that previously brought them pleasure. Now, they need to take drugs just to bring their dopamine function back up to normal. And, they must take larger amounts of the drug than they first did to create the dopamine high-an effect known as tolerance. How Does Long-Term Drug Taking Affect Brain Circuits? We know that the same sort of mechanisms involved in the development of tolerance can eventually lead to profound changes in neurons and brain circuits, with the potential to severely compromise the long-term health of the brain. For example, glutamate is another neurotransmitter that influences the reward circuit and the ability to learn. When the optimal concentration of glutamate is altered by drug abuse, the brain attempts to compensate for this change, which can cause impairment in cognitive function. Similarly, long-term drug abuse can trigger adaptations in habit or non-conscious memory systems. What Are The Medical Consequences Of Drug Addiction? Individuals who suffer from addiction often have one or more accompanying medical issues, including lung and cardiovascular disease, stroke, cancer, and mental disorders. Imaging scans, chest x-rays, and blood tests show the damaging effects of drug abuse throughout the body. For example, tests show that tobacco smoke causes cancer of the mouth, throat, larynx, blood, lungs, stomach, pancreas, kidney, bladder, and cervix. In addition, some drugs of abuse, such as inhalants, are toxic to nerve cells and may damage or destroy them either in the brain or the peripheral nervous system. What Is The Answer? The answer to this very complicated issue is simply a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. We can help the addicted physically by proper medical care and intervention but the foundation to the recovery is accepting Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour and then daily developing a dynamic personal relationship with Him. All other programs fall short of true freedom for only in Jesus can an individual be "made free."

Quotes for the Week

Quotes for the Week

“Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.”
― Corrie ten Boom

“If you look at the world, you'll be distressed. If you look within, you'll be depressed. If you look at God you'll be at rest.”
― Corrie ten Boom

A New Life in Christ leads to a New Love for Christ

--John Phillips

Let's look back with forgiveness, forward with faith, down with compassion, and up with gratitude.

Say no to self, and yes to Jesus every time. 

--William Borden of Yale

"You plus God equals enough" 

--Zig Ziglar

Some want to live within the sound of a church or chapel bell, I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell.

--C.T. Studd

Sin is bad in the eye, worse in the tongue, worse still in the heart, but worst of all in the life.

--Thomas Brooks

It's time we stopped groaning over our adversaries and started glorying in our allies. The battle is the Lord's. The victory is already won. Our Waterloo is behind us.

--Vance Havner

Every man is my teacher, because every man knows something I don't know.
--Jack Hyles