Depressed, feeling there's no hope

[nahbios]

I sympathize with you because I also have a mental illness which can at times cause severe physical and mental depression. The reason I just joined this website was to ask for some advice, and now I find I’m giving it instead.

Stop having anything to do with SSPX. No Catholic needs to have anything to do with that group anyway until they resolve their disordered status in relation to the True Church. Why even tempt yourself to get off track when you have the real thing (be it Novus Ordo or Extraordinary form, but WITHIN the Church).

Second, don’t read Padre Pio. There are thousands of saints to choose from and a variety of good, contemporary Catholic writers as well. When depressed is not a good time to get into “negative” things as those of us with mental illness will tend to distort and exaggerate it even worse.

Try watching EWTN, it’s more uplifting. You might like some of Fulton Sheen’s works, such as “Life is Worth Living”. If you need a mental break, and sounds like you do, try a healthy novel, perhaps G.K. Chesterton’s Father Brown mysteries or something by Muriel Spark.

Remember, the irony of depression is it pulls us towards what is dark. People without this illness find it strange that we don’t automatically seek something fun or joyous. But many things feel “flat” and at least the weird stuff (like SSPX) matches our weird mood. Don’t fall for that. Don’t let your illness push you to a bad spiritual direction. If something is depressing you, for Heaven’s sake, don’t read it! Don’t fall for that compulsion that you have to explore or that this is the “Dark Night of the Soul”. It is not. Depression is not mysticism, it is a medical condition we need to work around.

I wish I could suggest some other saints for you to read but can’t think of any at the moment. You might also try throughout the day, when you think of it, say the quick short prayer, “Jesus Mercy, Mary Help.”

Well said, Flannery. I’ve been in much the same position as The Catholic and you (and still get OCD lapses based heavily on frightening descriptions of Judgement, hell, and even simply the End Times). I couldn’t put your advice better.

Welcome to CAF! I hope to see you around and please do feel free to PM me if you’ve got a question…I’d be more than happy to mull over things.

And to The Catholic, I’m glad you’re feeling better. Remember that Christ told His disciples that the gates hell would never prevail against His Church. Flannery has some very sound advice. Keep away from SSPX sites… I was falling into that trap for a brief period last year. There is a line between them and other “Traditional” Roman Catholics who are still in communion with the Church, but who prefer to live a more traditional spiritual life. But you don’t have to worry about that now. Take heart from the example of Pope JP the Great - he was both an innovator (founder of World Youth Day) and a conservative (remaining firm on traditional positions on contraception, female priests, and celibacy in the priesthood)!

God bless. :hug1:

 

[John_Russell_Jr]

I’ve been reading some material from Padre Pio on a SSPX site, and it’s depressing me. First of all, reading much on Padre Pio makes me feel utterly hopeless, completely hopeless. I already suffer from a mental illness, so perhaps that makes it worse? I don’t know. What I do know is that I feel like there is no hope for salvation in me, none, and that I will never be able to stop sins, and will never be with God. Padre Pio causes me to feel that the sins which I have confessed, especially today, are not forgiven, that I am in mortal sin as I speak, and that God will not forgive me, for it seems . . . impossible and mercy seems a thousand miles away and sin and dispair are creeping up easier now.

Also, the SSPX are causing dissension in my spirit, especially how they claim the great Padre Pio was on their side, strictly against V2 and the Novus Ordo. So yeah, I feel distressed, it’s been a stressful weekend altogether, and my head is spinnig with questions.

Over all, SSPX and Padre Pio have caused me to feel like there is no hope for souls, and that agnosticism is creeping within the shadows of me, so, I’m frightened and scared.

My dear friend

The best thing you can do aside from what you must is to act on that inclination towards your Blessed Mother and try and pray the rosary each day. Give it a shot. God bless you:thumbsup:

 

[The_Catholic]

I sympathize with you because I also have a mental illness which can at times cause severe physical and mental depression. The reason I just joined this website was to ask for some advice, and now I find I’m giving it instead.

Stop having anything to do with SSPX. No Catholic needs to have anything to do with that group anyway until they resolve their disordered status in relation to the True Church. Why even tempt yourself to get off track when you have the real thing (be it Novus Ordo or Extraordinary form, but WITHIN the Church).

Second, don’t read Padre Pio. There are thousands of saints to choose from and a variety of good, contemporary Catholic writers as well. When depressed is not a good time to get into “negative” things as those of us with mental illness will tend to distort and exaggerate it even worse.

Try watching EWTN, it’s more uplifting. You might like some of Fulton Sheen’s works, such as “Life is Worth Living”. If you need a mental break, and sounds like you do, try a healthy novel, perhaps G.K. Chesterton’s Father Brown mysteries or something by Muriel Spark.

Remember, the irony of depression is it pulls us towards what is dark. People without this illness find it strange that we don’t automatically seek something fun or joyous. But many things feel “flat” and at least the weird stuff (like SSPX) matches our weird mood. Don’t fall for that. Don’t let your illness push you to a bad spiritual direction. If something is depressing you, for Heaven’s sake, don’t read it! Don’t fall for that compulsion that you have to explore or that this is the “Dark Night of the Soul”. It is not. Depression is not mysticism, it is a medical condition we need to work around.

I wish I could suggest some other saints for you to read but can’t think of any at the moment. You might also try throughout the day, when you think of it, say the quick short prayer, “Jesus Mercy, Mary Help.”

Two Saints have really, REALLY helped me alot. St. Mary, our most Holy Mother and Queen , and St, Francis of Asissi. Both the story of Mary in the Holy Scriptures and her approved apparitions, as well as St. Francis’ life has so helped wonders for me in the past.

Thanks for the encouraging words dear friend and brother (or sister)