FORGET NONE OF HIS BENEFITS, volume 7, number 43, October 23, 2008

The word concerning Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. . .he began eating grass like cattle, and his body was drenched with dew... until his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws, Daniel 4:33.

Anti-Depressant Medication

I realize this is a very sensitive topic but it needs to be addressed. More prescriptions were written last year for anti-depressant medication than for any other reason, including high blood pressure. The number of prescriptions for anti-depressant medication has tripled in the U.S. since 1993. Should Christians take such medication? Is it sinful to do so? Is there proof of chemical imbalances in the brain and does medication help?

We don’t really know what Nebuchadnezzar was going through in Daniel 4. Maybe it was a nervous or mental breakdown, but we do know that the root problem was spiritual. He had boasted of his accomplishments and the Lord God purposed to humble him, to remind him who he was and who God is. At the root of all our psychological and emotional problems is a heart out of sorts with God.

First, there are neuro-anatomical abnormalities in certain situations. A child deprived of oxygen at birth, an adult with serious head trauma with a consequent comatose state for an extended period of time, dementia, and Alzheimer’s all show up on brain scans. There is such a thing as brain damage. Second, there are certain things which are not related to brain activity. There is no indication that one’s brain makes him a homosexual, sex addict, drug addict, or alcoholic. But what about depression, Attention Deficit Disorder, Manic-Depressive Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder? What is the root cause of such things? From a biblical perspective we need to remember that psychological and emotional problems at their root are spiritual in nature. I have consistently made this point in earlier writings. I am not saying the physical cannot enter into these matters, for surely depression can yield physical effects like sleep loss and weight loss. It is important however to understand that neuro-anatomical abnormalities do not exist in diagnoses of depression or any of the above mentioned disorders. Psychiatrists do not use brain scans or blood work to diagnose depression. From what I have read thus far there is no measurable, verifiable chemical imbalance in the brain which causes depression. I would not be at all surprised to read one day that chemical imbalances are indeed verifiable and measurable. That’s because we are not merely a brain or body. We are intricately created with a mind, body, and soul and these all impact each other. A bigger question, however, is this- is a supposed chemical imbalance the cause or result of depression? Since the heart is the center of all our behavior, the very essence of our being, the place from which our idols and affections play themselves out in our speech, actions, and thoughts we should say that chemical imbalances, if they in fact exist, are the result of depression, not the cause of it.

So what about anti-depressant medication? Should Christians take it? Is it sin to do so? First, I cannot say from Scripture that it is patently sinful to take such medication. However, would you not agree that we are an over medicated society? Many doctors, both Christian and otherwise, are increasingly concerned with our penchant to medicate for happiness or wholeness. Before taking such medication, should you not consider the short term side effects of anti-depressant medication? Just listen to the disclaimers on television commercials concerning them. This is enough to give me pause. Weight loss, weight gain, anxiety attacks, insomnia, agitation, violent outbursts, and suicidal tendencies are all short term side effects. There is talk of legislation requiring pharmaceutical companies to place warning labels for teens on such medication. And what of the long term side effects which have not yet surfaced? But do they work? The short answer is, “Yes, sometimes with some people.” I read a British medical report which observed that anti-depressant medication seems to work best on severely depressed people; but it went on to say that placebos seem to work as well. Contrary to popular belief, no anti-depressant medication isolates a specific area of the brain. These don’t work as a rifle but as a shot gun, broadly affecting the brain and sometimes providing help.

A bigger problem with anti-depressant medications is the false belief that they solve our problems. They cannot do that. Instead they merely mask them. Depression, if ultimately rooted in spiritual problems, needs to address the idols of the heart. A woman who is anxious because her husband is foolishly handling their money and who takes a prescription her psychiatrist suggests, may feel more at peace, but the threat of financial ruin does not dissipate. A woman whose husband recently died and who is depressed will not be helped by simply taking medication. She needs to deal with her loneliness from a Biblical perspective. Suffering is always difficult but it always works sanctification in God’s people.

So, before taking anti-depressant medication, think twice. Consider the side effects. Consider what the root causes may be. Give your Christian friends an opportunity to minister to you, to pray with and for you, to encourage you, to point you to Christ.
And if you are taking anti-depressant medication, I urge you to reconsider your practice. I am not telling you to take yourself off the medication cold turkey. That could be very dangerous for you. I am suggesting, however, that you consult your internist, telling him you wish to be weaned off the medication.

Just as those diagnosed with cancer, increasingly people are considering alternative treatments for depression. Is taking a pill the only thing one can do? And the greatest remedy for depression continues to be the Scriptures and the total sufficiency of Christ. Talk to yourself, “Why are you in despair, O my soul, and why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God for He is the help of my presence.” Meditate on the riches of Christ. Remind yourself of all you have in Him. Ask people to pray for you. Take your weekly church bulletin and go through the order of worship, praising God in private times with Him. And if you still think you need anti-depressant medication, take it for a specified time period. It ought not to be viewed as the solution. It cannot address your sin and the idols of your heart. No pill can do that. Medication may stabilize you briefly but you still need to deal with your problems through Christ. He gives you the grace to do so.

FORGET NONE OF HIS BENEFITS is a weekly devotional by Reverend Al Baker, pastor of Christ Community Presbyterian Church in West Hartford, Connecticut.

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