How can I be virtuous when I feel terrible?

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dizzy_dave

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I suffer from anxiety, depression and a host of other ills, I started taking my faith seriously a few years ago, I’ve done so much damage to my soul and to others relationship-wise. How do I be virtous when I contantly feel like garbage, I don’t feel good most of the time. Is it a sin to be perpetually depressed and in anxiety? I can’t afford treatment or medication, so is that a sin? Thank you and God bless.
 
Depression & anxiety or illnesses. Feeling down, sad, even suicidal is not sinful when we have little control over these emotions. There are drugs administered by well trained professional psychiatrist that help restore balance to the neurotransmitters that are not functioning properly and return patients to a state of euthymia…giving people their lives back. If you cannot afford treatment, there are clinics that treat indigent people. Further, virtually evey pharmaceutical company has programs that give medicine away to those who cannot afford it; one just needs to fill out paperwork showing their need.

Sin is a conscious act of defiance of God. Those whose actions are governed by mental illness are not quite in control of their actions. Never-the-less, they should go to Reconciliation frequently, repenting of the sins they find themselves doing. Also, they should pray to God to help them.

What I am saying does not give anyone the freedom to say…“Oh, its okay, I’m sick, therefore I am free to do whatever without consequences.” No! I would never risk my soul in such a way and neither should anyone!

Love & peace,
Bob
 
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dizzy_dave:
I suffer from anxiety, depression and a host of other ills, I started taking my faith seriously a few years ago, I’ve done so much damage to my soul and to others relationship-wise. How do I be virtous when I contantly feel like garbage, I don’t feel good most of the time. Is it a sin to be perpetually depressed and in anxiety? I can’t afford treatment or medication, so is that a sin? Thank you and God bless.
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Hi dizzy_dave…I too have a mental illness, Bipolar Disorder, which is the second of the two major mental illnesses - the first is schizophrenia. Be in Peace…Peace be to you…over and above all others The Lord knows your soul and is A L L M E R C Y! …well He Knows how you wor ry yourself over sin or not sin and a sign of your love for Him …perhpas, perhaps only those who suffer mental illness can know of the depths the darkness can declare when we are depressed and anxious…only perhaps those who suffer it and The Lord. No it is not at all sinful to be depressed and anxious…no way! Nor is it your fault if you do not have sufficient money for treatment or medication. No way! Be in Peace with The Lord! … I go regula rly to Confession and always prefix my Confession with: “Father I have a mental illness” and then I relate with simplicity where I think I may have sinned without worrying my soul as to whether I am right or not!!! Be in Peace! and may Peace be with you always!
Perhaps it is the strongest souls that God asks most of…who can know! … certainly He asks much of sufferers of mental illness…but there are far heavier crosses!

How can you be virtuous when you feel like garba ge all t he t ime. How could Jesus have felt virtuous abandoned on the cross to physical pain and to depression “My God why have You abandoned me?”…how could he…I dont think he did feel virtuous and yet on that Cross he achieved the highest state of virtue…f eeling decidedly lousy!

Regards Barb
Bethany South Australia
Friday 1.7.05 9.32pm
 
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BarbaraTherese:
Hi dizzy_dave…I too have a mental illness, Bipolar Disorder, which is the second of the two major mental illnesses - the first is schizophrenia. Be in Peace…Peace be to you…over and above all others The Lord knows your soul and is A L L M E R C Y! …well He Knows how you wor ry yourself over sin or not sin and a sign of your love for Him …perhpas, perhaps only those who suffer mental illness can know of the depths the darkness can declare when we are depressed and anxious…only perhaps those who suffer it and The Lord. No it is not at all sinful to be depressed and anxious…no way! Nor is it your fault if you do not have sufficient money for treatment or medication. No way! Be in Peace with The Lord! … I go regula rly to Confession and always prefix my Confession with: “Father I have a mental illness” and then I relate with simplicity where I think I may have sinned without worrying my soul as to whether I am right or not!!! Be in Peace! and may Peace be with you always!
Perhaps it is the strongest souls that God asks most of…who can know! … certainly He asks much of sufferers of mental illness…but there are far heavier crosses!

How can you be virtuous when you feel like garba ge all t he t ime. How could Jesus have felt virtuous abandoned on the cross to physical pain and to depression “My God why have You abandoned me?”…how could he…I dont think he did feel virtuous and yet on that Cross he achieved the highest state of virtue…f eeling decidedly lousy!

Regards Barb
Bethany South Australia
Friday 1.7.05 9.32pm
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Just as a PS…most of us with mental illnes know the feeling of tearing our own souls down and our relationships…of the guilt that torments us and of people lost to us t hrough misunderstanding and confusions … please dont feel alone in this… your fellow sufferers insight something of what you feel and empathize and indeed sympathize with you! … as would mental health workers who have not given themselves to apathy sadly!!!

Regards Barb
Mother of Mercies guide and protect!!!
 
Part of growing closer to God involves realizing how utterly good He is and how far we are from His goodness. This usually makes us feel unworthy, and it can lead to discouragement very easily, especially if we already struggle with things like depression and anxiety. I don’t have much advice to offer, but try to see this discouragement as a sign that you are growing closer to God. After all, the saints all proclaimed their unworthiness, so if you feel unworthy, you’re in very good company.
 
Ask your doctor about free medications from pharmaceutical companies through their patient assistance programs! You need medication if you are seriously depressed! It is a real disease with psysical causes.
 
Being a good christian is more difficult when you are suffering. We need to turn to Christ in our suffering and offer it up, endeavoring to treat all others as Christ would treat them, that is with kindness, courtesy and love. We cannot let our hurts bring us down to acting against the way of God. We must love even more as we suffer.
 
by just continuing on in doing Go’ds will. pray, pray, pray! we’re praying for you, dizzy_dave!
 
Grace and Glory:
Part of growing closer to God involves realizing how utterly good He is and how far we are from His goodness. This usually makes us feel unworthy, and it can lead to discouragement very easily, especially if we already struggle with things like depression and anxiety. I don’t have much advice to offer, but try to see this discouragement as a sign that you are growing closer to God. After all, the saints all proclaimed their unworthiness, so if you feel unworthy, you’re in very good company.
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Hi there Grace and Glory… I think we may have met elsewhere on CAF or I have been reading your Posts… how true that a part of growing closer to God involves realizing his incredible goodness and our own sinfulness (this can indeed lead to a dreadful state of depression!..and yes! as Trailblazer has said excellent medications are available to give the impetus to be lifted out of that state if it becomes overburdensome to us. God has given medicine skills that are indeed miracles!!!) … Jesus has told us that the righteous have no need of a physician, that He has come for sinners. And that even the good man falls 70 times 7 in a day…which in t he Bible was the number for infinity… i.e. endless!

It is doubly painful, unbearable, if we insight God’s Goodness and our own sinfulness but fail to see (as it were) the incredible light of God’s Loving Mercy…I think Psalm 103 could very comforting for those who suffer thus.

Barb
 
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trailblazer:
Depression & anxiety or illnesses. Feeling down, sad, even suicidal is not sinful when we have little control over these emotions. There are drugs administered by well trained professional psychiatrist that help restore balance to the neurotransmitters that are not functioning properly and return patients to a state of euthymia…giving people their lives back. If you cannot afford treatment, there are clinics that treat indigent people. Further, virtually evey pharmaceutical company has programs that give medicine away to those who cannot afford it; one just needs to fill out paperwork showing their need.

Sin is a conscious act of defiance of God. Those whose actions are governed by mental illness are not quite in control of their actions. Never-the-less, they should go to Reconciliation frequently, repenting of the sins they find themselves doing. Also, they should pray to God to help them.

What I am saying does not give anyone the freedom to say…“Oh, its okay, I’m sick, therefore I am free to do whatever without consequences.” No! I would never risk my soul in such a way and neither should anyone!

Love & peace,
Bob
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Hello there Trailblazer…good to catch up with you again. Something in your Post tho I thought it a good one kept jarring me and I have returned to it several times…I have found THE JAR!!! … as it were:

Quote: "Sin is a conscious act of defiance of God. Those whose actions are governed by mental illness are not quite in control of their actions. Never-the-less, they should go to Reconciliation frequently, repenting of the sins they find themselves doing. Also, they should pray to God to help them."Unquote

People who suffer mental illness are not always not quite in control of their actions. I think possibly that you realize this … altho with mental illness diagnosed and present…such can be (but not always) difficult for the person to discern. And yes … best to go along to Reconciliation rather than torment oneself about Yay or Nay I am in the state of sin or not…and simply tell Father one has a mental illness and “I think Father I have sinned by…(mentioning the sin or sins)…” that is how I deal with such dilemmas! Usually Father just says a few words of comfort prior to penance given and absolution … for in probability were Father to question one further even he could not quite discern without any doubts at all.

Barb
 
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