I have struggled with anxiety and depression for most of my life and now over many years have struggled with insomnia, which makes life unbearable. I go through struggling with my faith when things get really bad because I can't understand why God would want me to not have peace and rest when he says he will provide those things to believers. I feel like most people go thorugh hard times and then come out of it and enjoy life again but that is not the case for me. Any suggestions on how to get through a lifetime of hardship without losing faith?
How do you handle a lifetime of struggle
- Thread starter suzzeeb
- Start date
-
Welcome to Christian Forums, a Christian Forum that recognizes that all Christians are a work in progress.
You will need to register to be able to join in fellowship with Christians all over the world.
We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!
God bless you, Suze. We have a couple of folk here who have struggled with depression (I'm one) who understand your helplessness. No one wants you to feel like that.
Have you been to a doctor? Sometimes these things are physical and bleed over to mental.
I'll pray for you. ♥
Have you been to a doctor? Sometimes these things are physical and bleed over to mental.
I'll pray for you. ♥
Thank you! I have been to doctors for many years. I don't tolerate the antidepressants at all. I have been to Christian counseling many, many times over the years. I feel like I have tried everything I can. I don't really think it will ever go away, and if anything the older I get the worse it gets. It is just so discouraging to pray and pray and pray for years on end with no help or relief for any length of time at all.
Can you remember when this first began @suzzeeb? Welcome to CyB by the way, I hope you will find good friends and support here xox
ScottA
Well-Known Member
Welcome suzzeeb,
Pray this prayer for seven days:
"Father, I surrender all, and receive your promise of peace in the name of Jesus. Amen."
BlessedPeace
Well-Known Member
Thyroid issues can play a tremendous role in both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism.
Consider giving this link a look.
www.verywellmind.com
Consider giving this link a look.
Can a Thyroid Imbalance Lead to Depression?
Thyroid imbalance can contribute to mental health symptoms such as depression. Learn more about the connection between thyroid problems and depression.
Aunty Jane
Well-Known Member
I was just checking where you live…..seems that medicinal cannabis is legal in your state…can I ask if you have tried it? It is a good medicine for anxiety and depression. Your tribal people have apparently used it for centuries….they can probably provide it for you….?
@suzzeeb
Welcome!
I have been dealing with a frequent cause of the symptoms you mentioned these last few months, which is complex PTSD. I knew that I had experienced abuses in my childhood, especially neglect, but had no idea that they had caused so many problems during my life (long life).
Shame and low self esteem are two of them but mostly the way one relates to people and tending to isolate oneself. I started to listen to the many videos on YouTube and already have noticed a big change, just by education myself with trauma experts.
One thing I found out is that counselling often makes it worse or at least does no help much. I have had some in the past and it did little to help. Actually it is hard to find really good trauma ones and even more so, ones that understand family dynamics where there is a narcissist in charge and the victim is scapegoated.
I was amazed to discover that any abuse long term in childhood causes actual brain damage and the good news is that one can recover from it with psychotherapies and body work. This is why just talking does not cure it.
Meanwhile I did find that b vitamins have always helped me, as they help brain function, especially b1 and b2 and eating a 'clean' diet has gone a long way in helping me cope.
I do pray for you that the Lord will bring you information that will show you what is causing your problems and put you on the journey of recovery. A chat with your doctor about this cause might get you help if indeed it is at the root of it.
If not. there is plenty of help out there to do some biohacking to find the cause which the medical establishment miss like b12 deficiency which does not always show in testing.
Also look at the Crappy Childhood Fairy (I know) who says she believes in God but may/may not be Christian but at least she has high moral standards.
God bless!
Welcome!
I have been dealing with a frequent cause of the symptoms you mentioned these last few months, which is complex PTSD. I knew that I had experienced abuses in my childhood, especially neglect, but had no idea that they had caused so many problems during my life (long life).
Shame and low self esteem are two of them but mostly the way one relates to people and tending to isolate oneself. I started to listen to the many videos on YouTube and already have noticed a big change, just by education myself with trauma experts.
One thing I found out is that counselling often makes it worse or at least does no help much. I have had some in the past and it did little to help. Actually it is hard to find really good trauma ones and even more so, ones that understand family dynamics where there is a narcissist in charge and the victim is scapegoated.
I was amazed to discover that any abuse long term in childhood causes actual brain damage and the good news is that one can recover from it with psychotherapies and body work. This is why just talking does not cure it.
Meanwhile I did find that b vitamins have always helped me, as they help brain function, especially b1 and b2 and eating a 'clean' diet has gone a long way in helping me cope.
I do pray for you that the Lord will bring you information that will show you what is causing your problems and put you on the journey of recovery. A chat with your doctor about this cause might get you help if indeed it is at the root of it.
If not. there is plenty of help out there to do some biohacking to find the cause which the medical establishment miss like b12 deficiency which does not always show in testing.
Also look at the Crappy Childhood Fairy (I know) who says she believes in God but may/may not be Christian but at least she has high moral standards.
God bless!
wordofsalvation
New Member
quietthinker
Well-Known Member
I have found Dr Gabor Maté an insightful and helpful man....check him out.
His web page is drgabormate.com
@quietthinker
Gabor is good, but I did not like how he kept bringing politics into his talks. He was affected by WW2 in Poland I think, when his mother had to give him away to a woman in the street. He had a rough childhood.
Gabor is good, but I did not like how he kept bringing politics into his talks. He was affected by WW2 in Poland I think, when his mother had to give him away to a woman in the street. He had a rough childhood.
quietthinker
Well-Known Member
I have had anxiety as far back as I can remember, even as a little kid as far as being afraid and overy shy and then really turned into an anxiety disorder in my teens I would say even though I didn't realize it then and it just seemed normal I guess to feel fear a lot of the time. Then in my 20s and 30s it got somewhat worse and in my late 30s went into some kind of anxious depression that lasted a couple years and that's when the insomnia started and pretty much continued. I had a second bout of that anxious depression a few years ago and not sure I have come all the way out of it because my sleep is terrible a lot of the time and I just have no enjoyment in life anymore really. Maybe a few good days or parts of days here and there but mostly just feel run down with no hope of feeling better. I pretty much isolate as far as having friends or anything because with my sleep issues I couldn't make plans to ever do anything and I would rather just be alone. I am married so we do a few things that I can handle and I enjoy being around my grandkids when I'm not too tired but that's pretty much it.
I do tend to isolate myself and have always had low self esteem. I grew up in a pretty neglectful home with alcoholic parents and no emotional support at all and my mother was a very anxious person, so probably a little bit of genetics and environment. My sister, however, has no issues with anxiety, but I guess we are all different and maybe it didn't affect her like it did me. I have done pretty much everything. I have been eating so much better than I ever have and have tried numerous supplements like magnesium but really I think I am getting enough nutrients through what I eat. I think it is a thinking problem that is so engrained that I can't get out of it, especially with my sleep. I'm not sure what the crappy childhood fairy is lol. Is that me? Anyway, thanks for all of the advice.
Thanks. I am fine with life getting heavy because I know everyone's life does at times. What I struggle with is when the heaviness doesn't go away, like dealing with something hard with no break and no end in sight and dealing with it for a lifetime.
Sweetheart,
No emotional support and alcoholic parents? You have been traumatized.
crappychildhoodfairy.com
No emotional support and alcoholic parents? You have been traumatized.
Home - The Crappy Childhood Fairy
Crappy Childhood Fairy. Learn practical strategies to heal Childhood CPTSD symptoms and transform your life.
crappychildhoodfairy.com
From everything that you've said, I can gather that you feel lonely. Trauma and things alike are easily cured with the right relationships. Love really is the answer to all. But, you still feel as if no one is there for you. Do you trust that God is there for you? It doesn't sound like it. Now you need to be honest with yourself. Maybe I'm projecting my feelings here, but sometimes we feel like God has abandoned us, or more specifically, that he isn't real, and we tell ourselves he hasn't left us, and that he is real, because we're afraid it means we'll lose our salvation. Or we're afraid that we've believed a lie this entire time, which is worse. We lie to ourselves and pretend to believe because we're afraid we don't really believe and that we've just been deceived this entire time. It's a deep emotional bias we have; the fear of being wrong about God's existence. We're not really afraid that God isn't real, we're afraid that we have believed, but have been fools the entire time. This is a very deep-rooted pride we have that makes us lie to ourselves. What you need to do is genuinely let go of this fear. And ask God for faith. Ask him for revelation and more proof of his existence. Tell him the truth, that you don't really believe, but you want to. Then seek him with all of your heart.
The truth is that God has not and will not abandon you. Look at the world around you. Where did it all come from? There must be a creator. Everything that begins to exist has a cause, and the universe began to exist, so the universe was caused to exist. Look at the love around you. Don't focus on yourself, but on the people near to you. Where does that all come from? Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” So what do you see in your grandchildren? Look at their innocence and purity. Let it remind you of Jesus. Then, remember what he did for you. Look at him on the cross and ask him "why would the God of the universe do this for me?". And you'll find that there is no reason, except for that he loves you.
Don't be afraid to allow him into your heart. And don't be afraid to let him change you. If God is not real, I suppose there's no reason to cling so desperately to our ego. And if God is real, it would definitely be foolish to hold onto it.
Might I also suggest Random Bible Verse as it has helped me a lot. Ask and ye shall receive.
The truth is that God has not and will not abandon you. Look at the world around you. Where did it all come from? There must be a creator. Everything that begins to exist has a cause, and the universe began to exist, so the universe was caused to exist. Look at the love around you. Don't focus on yourself, but on the people near to you. Where does that all come from? Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” So what do you see in your grandchildren? Look at their innocence and purity. Let it remind you of Jesus. Then, remember what he did for you. Look at him on the cross and ask him "why would the God of the universe do this for me?". And you'll find that there is no reason, except for that he loves you.
Don't be afraid to allow him into your heart. And don't be afraid to let him change you. If God is not real, I suppose there's no reason to cling so desperately to our ego. And if God is real, it would definitely be foolish to hold onto it.
Might I also suggest Random Bible Verse as it has helped me a lot. Ask and ye shall receive.
Similar threads
