Why do I sin when I'm depressed?

[chipeto]

I am in a really screwed up living situation/relationship (long story, but I’m working to end it). I am also trying to turn my life around, with God at the center. Throughout any given day, I will vacillate between having a sense of peace and joy, and feeling depressed and lonely.

When I am down, I find it so very hard to resist temptation, like I have no strength at all. I guess I crave that transient joy, but afterwards I feel so much worse because I have willfully rejected God by sinning. I hate this bondage, and it doesn’t seem to be getting any better.

Thoughts? Advice?

 

[dordeego]

I believe that the devil uses depression to make us feel isolated from God’s love and healing. That is not your fault but it I do think that doing your best to live a holy life, esp. through the Sacraments, will give you the strength of God’s grace. Get to Confession- experience the joy of God’s forgiveness and love. The more you do of something good (like prayer and the Sacraments), the more you will crave the ‘high’ of God’s grace and crave sin less. At least that has been my experience. You are not alone. Jesus is with you, every step of the way. He’s saddened by sin but he is ready to forgive you and will walk your journey with you. God Bless.

 

[Monica4316]

the devil can tempt us more during that time… make sure to try to stay joyful and trusting in God whatever happens. Our faith helps us to have joy in difficult times, not just when it is easy but when we have to carry crosses. Pray to God for strength, and keep your eyes on Him. God bless!

(maybe this video could encourage you youtube.com/watch?v=Y7pTd_SQW5Q )

 

[Bohm_Bawerk]

I’m going to take a guess because your description aptly describes me during the time I was a Catholic. The problem you could be facing is that you’re angry at God for the things you’re going through, and so you commit certain sins when you’re depressed as a way of “getting back” at him. Interestingly enough, some heterodox historians speculate Stalin was angry at Christianity because of a bad experience he had at the seminary (yes, Stalin once wanted to become a priest!). Unfortunately, Christians didn’t fare too well during his time in power…

I can’t give a solution since that’s beyond my scope, but hopefully you have a correct diagnosis.

 

[crenfro]

:hug3: :hug3:

Hello.

Please feel free to PM me if you’d like. I’ve been depressed most of my life yet I do know, though don’t always feel, that there’s light at the end of the tunnel.

Lately I’ve been feeling similar to what you described in your initial post.

Please pray for me.

 

[chipeto]

I believe that the devil uses depression to make us feel isolated from God’s love and healing. That is not your fault but it I do think that doing your best to live a holy life, esp. through the Sacraments, will give you the strength of God’s grace. Get to Confession- experience the joy of God’s forgiveness and love. The more you do of something good (like prayer and the Sacraments), the more you will crave the ‘high’ of God’s grace and crave sin less. At least that has been my experience. You are not alone. Jesus is with you, every step of the way. He’s saddened by sin but he is ready to forgive you and will walk your journey with you. God Bless.

Unfortunately, I am not yet Catholic and cannot receive the sacraments. But I am on the way; my first RCIA class is tonight.

the devil can tempt us more during that time… make sure to try to stay joyful and trusting in God whatever happens. Our faith helps us to have joy in difficult times, not just when it is easy but when we have to carry crosses. Pray to God for strength, and keep your eyes on Him. God bless!

(maybe this video could encourage you youtube.com/watch?v=Y7pTd_SQW5Q )

The video is beautiful, and really spoke to me. Thank you, I have a feeling I’ll be watching it often!

I’m going to take a guess because your description aptly describes me during the time I was a Catholic. The problem you could be facing is that you’re angry at God for the things you’re going through, and so you commit certain sins when you’re depressed as a way of “getting back” at him.

No, I really have no anger at all. I did have a lot of anger and resentment (which, at the time, I perceived as righteous indignation) at the world, and at people, until a few months ago, when I had a very intense and traumatic spiritual awakening. Since then, not a shred of anger has remained, but it has been replaced by sorrow.

As painful as it has been, I’m immensely grateful to God for the experience, because it has set my feet on the path to Life, and has cast a harsh and revealing light on my shortcomings, failures, and hypocrisies. It’s just so disappointing that I keep falling.

Lately I’ve been feeling similar to what you described in your initial post.

Please pray for me.

I will pray for you right now, my friend.

Thank you all for your kind replies.

 

[fhansen]

I am in a really screwed up living situation/relationship (long story, but I’m working to end it). I am also trying to turn my life around, with God at the center. Throughout any given day, I will vacillate between having a sense of peace and joy, and feeling depressed and lonely.

When I am down, I find it so very hard to resist temptation, like I have no strength at all. I guess I crave that transient joy, but afterwards I feel so much worse because I have willfully rejected God by sinning. I hate this bondage, and it doesn’t seem to be getting any better.

Thoughts? Advice?

“We fall down and we get up, we fall down and we get up.”
This is a famous quote from a 6th century monk. We’re human. When I’m down or stressed I tend to fall more easily. In any case the flesh is weak, as St Paul explains in Rom 7, and our answer is still Jesus Christ, who promises to help us rise. It’s a battle against sin, apparently until we die, we just have to persevere in getting back up, that’s part of the process, and we can get better and better at it- with His help.

 

[josephback]

I’m just gonna mark a space so I can come back.

In my experience, Bohm-Bawerk has likely hit the nail on the head. In general I get angry that God holds us accountable(will judge us), and then despair at the chances of heaven. In such a state of mind, resisting sin seems pointless