Unforgiveness Can Cause Depression

Today, we learn about the ninth, and final, obstacle to forgiveness: depression. This concept is part of my series, Removing the Roadblocks to Forgiveness.

What is depression?
From a clinical perspective, depression often occurs when the brain cannot hold onto serotonin, the feel-good chemical that our bodies naturally produce. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are drugs that were designed to block this 'leaking' of serotonin from our brains.

From an internal perspective, depression is a turning away from the outside world and closing down to everything other than self. I've suffered from depression, and I know how it feels to be so emotionally isolated that nothing seems worth doing anymore. There have been times when I didn't want to eat, sleep, play, or even breathe anymore. I saw myself as a worthless creature, taking up space on a planet where I had become obsolete.

Depression and anxiety surface when we suppress anger.
People who have been emotionally abused usually suffer from depression and anxiety long after they end unhealthy relationships. Many researchers believe that depression and anxiety surface as a result of suppressed anger toward our abusers.

Dr. Paul Meier wrote, "A majority of anxiety disorders involve fear of becoming aware of our unconscious repressed anger toward our abusers or toward ourselves."

Dr. Robert Puff says that depression results from offering quick or false forgiveness to our perpetrators. The result is worse than no forgiveness, because what surfaces is anger. And when we become angry, we feel guilty. To erase our anger and guilt, we engage in unhealthy behaviors aimed at making it all go away, such as: overworking, overeating, drinking, taking drugs, or engaging in other addictive activities.

Why is depression so difficult to overcome?
In many cases of abuse, we can see that depression is merely a cover-up for suppressed anger and guilt. When we are depressed, we dwell on negative thoughts about ourselves or our perpetrators. In turn, those negative thoughts cause further depression. It becomes a downward spiral which we often feel is uncontrollable.

Dr. Meier asserts that unforgiveness drains our brains of the serotonin that we need to feel happy. He claims that many of his patients have quickly overcome their depression through the use of short-term anti-depressant treatment combined with psychotherapy directed at learning to forgive.

I believe that there must be some truth in this assertion, because the depression that has consumed me for most of my life has been slowly dissipating over the past year. I am not taking anti-depressants, nor am I involved in regular psychotherapy sessions. However, I have been studying about and praying about forgiveness on a daily basis. The closer I come to forgiving, the happier I feel.

I would like to say that not all depression is caused by problems with forgiveness. However, I believe that unforgiveness can certainly play a role in preventing us from getting well.

Tomorrow we will learn how to use forgiveness to combat depression. For now, please bear in mind the words of God's prophet, Jeremiah, regarding our role and God's role in forgiveness. Jeremiah said, But you, LORD Almighty, who judge righteously and test the heart and mind, let me see your vengeance on them, for to you I have committed my cause. (Jeremiah 11:20 NIV)

Today's Challenge
Go to http://psychcentral.com/depquiz.htm. Take the quiz to determine whether or not you are suffering from depression. Tomorrow, we will learn how forgiving can help us to overcome the symptoms of depression.