Help with Depression.

I got a call today from a close college friend. After the small talk, I asked him how he was doing. He said that he had crashed. I asked him what he meant by that and he said that he was falling into this pit of serious depression where he can’t sleep at night and his whole body aches.

A little background. He is in his mid 40s and is happily married and has two great kids. Last year, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer and his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer just a few months later. Both of them have gone into remission after a hellish year. I think that he is just now having time to think about the whole situation that happened where he’s coming out of survivor mode and into reflection.

He said that he went to his pastor and was given a book to read. Some help that was. He also made an appointment with a psychologist to work things out. What I told him to do was get back into a workout routine where he lifts weights and does some kind of aerobic activity each day; which I hope will help with the sleep. I also told him to get into a small group of cancer survivors or those going through cancer where he can meet with people that are in the same place he’s in.

From what I’ve read of Dr. Cloud’s books, there is a direct correlation between depression and connection with other people. I know that he probably kept stuff inside for the last couple of years where he didn’t acknowledge any of the fears of losing his wife or his own life to cancer, so all of those feelings that he probably stuffed are just now coming to the surface.

If you have anymore ideas I can pass along, let me know.

Explore posts in the same categories: Christianity, Marriage, Relationships

Tags: Cancer, Christianity, Depression, Family, Love, Marriage, Relationships, Religion

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