Got Faith?

Mary Southerland

Today's Truth
"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil." (Psalm 23:4 NKJV)

Friend to Friend

The greenest grass is always found in the valley. Shepherds and sheep are well acquainted with the fact that both mountains and valleys are an inevitable part of life. Again, the shepherd is the one who has to figure out a way over the mountain and through the valley. If a sheep is injured, the shepherd must carry his sheep and tend to its wounds until they are healed and the sheep is ready to return to the fold. The shepherd's whole world revolves around the safety and comfort of his sheep, even in the deepest valley.

Valleys are a certainty of life. Your job is eliminated. Your husband is having an affair, or your teenage daughter is pregnant. Financial pressure suffocates dreams, or the betrayal of a trusted friend inflicts a wound so deep and painful that you long for that valley of death. Each day is thick with fear, and your heart is filled with disbelief. The valley may suddenly be before you in a time of loneliness or in the shock of a dire medical diagnosis.

God has a plan!

Do you ever feel that you are just floating along with no purpose or goal? Do you know that God has a specific plan for YOUR life?

JEREMIAH 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Postpartum's Gaping Black Hole

I had no idea what was happening to me. I only knew that the worst thing in the world was to be conscious.by Denise Blumberg

\My first struggle with Postpartum Depression occurred when I was still living in the United States, with my husband and three kids. I was 33 years old, and had for the previous six years been working on my Ph.D. A mere two weeks after submitting the final draft of my thesis, I gave birth to a healthy, eight-pound baby girl. She was born at home, by choice, and I was surrounded by friends and care-givers.

The period immediately following her birth was exhilarating. My Ph.D. came through during Sukkot, which added to an already festive Yom Tov. Life was normal and happy. I was busy with the kids, tending to my family's needs, the house, going back to aerobics classes – all the normal functions of daily living.

My Battle with Postpartum Depression

Even though I felt myself being sucked into an abyss of darkness, I refused to reach out for help.by Shoshana Kagan

Looking down at my 6-month-old daughter, Rivka, I am filled with immense gratitude for this sweet bundle of joy in my arms. I caress her warm soft skin and gaze gently into her sparkling eyes. Relishing in the simple joys of motherhood I relax in my chair as I feed my child, letting my mind flow.

Suddenly, I sit up with a start and my dreamy smile slowly evaporates. A far off memory has jolted me. In my mind’s eye, I see a younger version of myself holding another six month old little girl. I am catapulted a decade back in time. I’m 24 years old and I’m holding my second child Devorah who is screaming.

Finding Healing After Divorce

Living the Dream 

“You’re supposed to have Pine Sol here. Is that so hard?” Running a home seemed like a piece of cake. After all, many young girls dreamed of just that: a perfect husband, loving children, and a peaceful home to run — a happy every after fairy tale. 

Disappointment - A disguise for blessing

Disappointment is delayed appointment. Disappointment will strengthen but will never destroy. When disappointment travels towards you, you must be determined to meet it with courage. Never give in to disappointment, hopelessness or despair. 

When you overcome disappointment, you acquire the strength to change your disappointment and turn it into an appointment. 

Riches in Secret Places

I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord. Isaiah 45:3

My friend, Vicky, is one rich person. She’s got it all, yet she sits paralyzed in a wheelchair, having been shot in an attempted rape many years ago. At first, this tragedy plunged her into dark despair. Yet during her darkest hour, she discovered rich, spiritual treasure. She was able to mine precious insights hidden in secret places. Through her affliction, Vicky found the seven-fold riches of God.

In Ephesians 3:8 she discovered she was blessed with “the unsearchable riches of Christ.” 

In Romans 2:4, she found “the riches of goodness.” 

Crushed with a Purpose

When our life is hit by crushing circumstances, we may feel lost, hopeless, or be troubled by anger and despair. Scripture tells us that God not only allows suffering, but also provides a purpose for our trials.

Oh my, you should see the roses in my backyard!

Hi I'm Joni Eareckson Tada and this June, I have been picking and plucking my Double Delight roses; in fact, take a minute when you have the chance and go to my radio page at joniandfriends.org would you, because I’ve posted a photo of these incredibly beautiful roses. 

The Healer’s in Your House!

Kenneth W. Hagin

Here the prophet Malachi is looking down through time and describing what he sees. As he gazes into the future, he sees Jesus coming with healing in His hands. He sees Jesus ministering to the sick. He sees Jesus delivering those who are bound!

As we look at these truths, we must understand that when Jesus came to this earth, He did not come empty-handed. He came with healing. That means the day of healing has dawned.

If your body is racked with pain or if you’re facing a terrible diagnosis, the good news is, there’s an end to your darkness. There’s an end to your trouble—because Jesus Christ has risen with healing in His wings!

Jesus Has Come Into Your Dark Night
Have you ever suffered through a dark night? I’m talking about a night when the pain was so great that you could not sleep. As the hours ticked away, you wondered if the sun would ever appear on the horizon again. You asked yourself, over and over, Will morning ever come?

Maybe it’s not sickness that’s plaguing you today. Maybe it’s something else. You think, “If I can just make it through the darkness, if I can just make it through the night, there will be light in the morning.”

As we live our lives and walk on this earth, dark clouds of hopelessness and despair seem to hang over us at times. Satan does everything he can to keep us in the darkness and out of the light of the Word of God. And it seems that he uses sickness and disease to rob and steal from God’s people more than anything else.

Perhaps you’ve suffered for so long that your pain and misery seem to stretch into eternity. Maybe you’re like so many people whom the enemy has told, “This is your lot in life. You might as well get used to living this way.”

But I’m telling you, the devil is a liar! The Healer has already come. The Sun of Righteousness has risen with healing in His wings.

As you let the light of God shine into your life, you will rise from the darkness. You will rise from the pit of despair. And you will walk in joy and gladness instead of gloom and doom.

Jesus has risen that you might have life and have it more abundantly (John 10:10). The darkness, sickness, disease, and problems you face are only temporary if you will let the light of God shine in.

In John 8:12 Jesus said that He was the light of the world. And when the light comes, darkness is dispelled and gloom is gone. The Light of the World has risen upon you, and He’s risen with healing in His wings. As you lift up your eyes and look to Him, you can and will be delivered from the darkness!

Malachi 4:2 says when Jesus comes with His healing power, you will go free—leaping with joy, filled with life—like a calf let out to pasture.

You may never have been on a farm, but I remember my grandpa’s farm and other farms I visited as I was growing up. I would see the calves and colts that had been cooped up in the stall jumping, kicking, and running around in the pasture as soon as they were let out. They were rejoicing because they were free!

You may be cooped up in the devil’s stall of sickness and disease, but it’s time for you to go free. It’s time for you to go leaping and dancing and rejoicing, because your day of deliverance has dawned. The Sun of Righteousness has risen over your life with healing in His wings!

_____________

[Editor’s Note: This article was adapted from Kenneth W. Hagin’s new book, The Healer’s in Your House!]

http://www.rhema.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1786:the-healers-in-your-house&catid=170:2012-april&Itemid=564

Confidence In Difficult Times

When Paul’s father called a family meeting, he knew it must be about something important. As Paul learned about his father’s terrible disease, he wondered how he and his family would cope with the many implications. Over time they were able to come to a place where their family did not experience ultimate despair. Where does their confidence come from in the most difficult times?

Video provided by: TruthMedia films 

http://powertochange.com/discover/stories/confidence-in-difficult-times/

Related

Does God care about your pain and suffering?

http://powertochange.com/discover/stories/confidence-in-difficult-times/

Postpartum Depression A Personal Account

by Michal Finkelstein It was as if I were being buried alive, sinking in quicksand, unable to find my way out. That's how I felt after the birth of my sixth child. I was irritable; I cried; I was exhausted, yet had trouble sleeping. Getting through each day seemed nearly impossible. My own children avoided me; my husband tiptoed around me. I was convinced that my family and the world would be better off without me.

Depression: Illness or Spiritual failure?

Written by Cynthia Cavanaugh

Angry, frustrated and confused, I boarded a plane for Southern California. My dear friend and mother-in-law lay in a hospital bed with the shadow of death hovering. As I sat on the plane numb and expressionless. I cried, “Lord, where are you? Can’t you see my wounded heart?” I wanted to scream instead of cry, “LORD, I CAN’T DO THIS ANYMORE!” I felt as though his face was shrouded from me.

This was one of the few times in my journey with God where I truly felt that I had been abandoned by Him. So many traumatic events had happened. Just two weeks earlier we had buried my grandfather–the spiritual rock of our family. I had had the privilege of caring for him and walking with him through his last days and now, just weeks after his death, I was possibly facing another. I felt as though the foundation of my childhood was being bulldozed.

Trouble Ahead - God’s presence is a life preserver that keeps the soul from sinking in a sea of trouble.

by Joe Stowell

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Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn

Read: Numbers 13:25–14:9

Only do not rebel against the Lord, nor fear the people of the land; . . . the Lord is with us. Do not fear them. —Numbers 14:9

Bible in a Year:
Job 41-42; Acts 16:22-40

Inevitably, trouble will invade our lives: A bad report from a medical test, the betrayal of a trusted friend, a child who rejects us, or a spouse who leaves us. The list of possibilities is long, but there are only two options: forge ahead on our own, or turn to God.

Flying solo into the face of trouble is not a good idea. It can lead to bad behavior patterns, blaming God, and retreating into defeat. Like the Israelites, we may spin out of control and into despair (Num. 14:1-4).

When the majority of the spies brought a report of intimidating giants and dangers ahead, they used the pronoun “we” seven times with no reference to the Lord (13:31-33). The Israelites were on the cusp of the ultimate blessing that God promised to them. They were eyewitnesses to the miracles in Egypt and their feet had walked the dry bottom of the Red Sea in jaw-dropping victory. God’s faithfulness had been amazingly evident. What short memories! What disappointing faithlessness! Sadly, they turned their backs on God and left the blessing behind.

Caleb and Joshua, on the other hand, opted to turn to the Lord with this confidence: “The Lord is with us” (14:9). When your giants show up, what will you do?

In this world of sin and trouble 

Where so many ills are known, 

If I shun the ways of evil, 

I am kept by Him alone. — Smith 

  God’s presence is a life preserver that keeps the soul from sinking in a sea of trouble.

http://odb.org/2011/07/10/trouble-ahead/

Dealing with Despair: Dark Moments of the Soul

Written by Mike Woodard

I picked up the bottle of iodine, focusing on the skull and cross bones symbol. I did not have a cut that needed disinfecting. I was hurt on the inside. I had just returned to my room from a meeting. A long time friend had said something that cut deep. Holding the bottle, the thought that came to my mind was, “I could drink this!”

The thought was serious, but just for a moment. I was hurt, tired, and so discouraged that despair seemed to rush in. I’ve never forgotten that moment and have never told anyone until now. Maybe it is so vivid because my normal view of life is optimistic. I often tell people, “I don’t have problems, I have opportunities…”

Despair can have many sources and can be more profound combined with other factors. A friend’s 18 year old daughter attempted to take her life. The combination for her was the knee operation that took her out of her last year of high school sports, the friend who had criticized her harshly, a broken relationship, alcohol, and physical/emotional tiredness. Late one night, after everyone went to bed, she picked up her pain medication and downed the whole bottle. Fortunately for her and my friend, despair did not win. Others are not so fortunate.

Beginning Again: I turned my life around
Do you need a fresh start in life?: Talk to a mentor

Despair is dangerous and can be deadly. I remember reading once, “People can live weeks without food, days without water, minutes without oxygen, but not a moment without hope.” On a personal level I have found it helpful to identify factors that contribute to despair and also cling to the things that give me hope.

Some of these factors may seem insignificant. I have found when I’m hungry and tired I’m more prone to lose perspective. The best thing I can do is eat and sleep.

I know that when I have emotional highs from lots of people contact or events, this can result in my emotional bank account being over extended. When that happens I can expect an emotional low to follow. When I know and anticipate this cycle I find I’m much more able to deal with it. Despair is held at bay.

Another warning signal of emotional tiredness can be emotions being closer to the surface. This can show up through angry “blow ups” or tears. You might even think, “Wow! Where did that come from?” These all give despair a foothold.

Another fertile soil for despair to take root in is the words of trusted friends. Words of close friends can be so powerful either for good or bad. I don’t care much about what people say who do not know me, but the words of my trusted friends carry significant weight. This is why divorce can be so profound. The person who knows you the best has just said, “I do not value or want you.” Wow! That is painful! Despair is swift and can be suffocating.

Hope becomes an antidote to despair. A variety of things can bring hope. Perspective can bring hope. The following story illustrates this point…

On a foggy morning in July 1952, Florence Chadwick waded into the chilly waters off Catalina Island. Her goal was to swim the Channel to the coast of California. The numbing cold of the water hit her right away, and she could barely see the boat that accompanied her in the dense fog. Several times during her swim, a rifle was fired to keep sharks away. She swam for 15 hours before she asked to be taken out of the water. Her trainer encouraged her to keep going, saying she was very close to land. Florence was no stranger to long distance swimming. She had been the first women to swim the English Channel in both directions. But this day, as she neared the coast of California, all she could see was the fog. She was exhausted, and began to feel discouraged, thinking she was not going to be able to make it… Florence gave up, just a half mile from her goal! In the interview after the swim, she was quoted as saying, “I’m not excusing myself, but if I had only been able to see the land, I might have been able to make it.”

What was it that caused Florence to give up that day? Was it the cold water, exhaustion or fear? No, the reason she failed to reach her goal was the fog. Two months later, she swam that same Catalina channel and set a new speed record in the process.

I need fog clearing moments, times when I take stock of my life and circumstances. Sometimes this comes through stopping activity and taking stock or it might involve finding an objective listener who can help you clear the fog. This might mean a trip or two to a councilor or a wise, trusted friend.

Faith can bring hope, ultimate hope. King David once stated, “I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” Confidence that there is a God who loves me and has a good plan in the mist of pain, and hurt is a profound defense against despair. I was once removed from a position of leadership suddenly without warning. I was flooded with deep emotions at the unjustness of this decision. As my mind was reeling trying to make sense of this I remembered the words of a friend. In describing a similar set of circumstances she was buoyed by the understanding that God was not wringing his hands in heaven. He had a plan. Those words hit me. A significant sense of confidence settled in. Confidence that God loved me and even in this he had a plan for a way through. There was still pain, confusion and hurt but knowing God’s love and presence provided a foundation to handle the pain.

A person cannot live long with despair. Dealing with despair takes two forms, prevention and long term cure. Prevention is the strategy of dealing with conditions that lead to despair which can include simple things like enough rest or talking out discouragement with a trusted friend.

Prevention involves finding a foundation that gives hope; especially in the mist of circumstances that are despair producing. God can provide that foundation. His love can hold you in the midst of any storm. His wisdom can guide you through it and his strength can steady you as you move forward. Despair need not overtake you. Why not open the door of your despair and invite God into it. Ask him to walk with you. Don’t try to live independently from him. He invites you to share the journey with him. Why not choose God as your foundation today?

If you would like to invite God into that place of despair today why not pray this prayer right now:

Dear God,
My despair is overwhelming. I don’t know what to do. I need your strength to anchor me and your wisdom to guide me. I need you to give me a firm footing as I work through this. I invite you into my life right now. Forgive me for living independent from you. I need you. Come into my life and bring me hope today. Amen.

If you prayed this prayer let us know. A mentor can help you in this new journey of faith.

If you have a question first, click here.

gotquestions  http://powertochange.com/discover/life/dealingwithdespair/

Want to Be More Creative? Get Bored

By Martin Lindstrom | FAST Company

Quick: Survey your friends, your family, and colleagues and ask them when it is that they get their best and brightest ideas. How do they come to solve insurmountable challenges? And when despairing over the unsolvable, how does their breakthrough moment occur?

Don’t be surprised if many of those you ask say something like: "I sleep on it. Then as soon as I get in the shower in the morning… voila!"

For what it’s worth, the shower doesn’t do it for me--I’m a pool man. When my head is cluttered and I can’t think straight, I don my goggles and go for a swim. After the first couple of laps, the confusion begins to lift, and the answers start emerging. What the shower and the pool have in common is they’re both places where you’re rarely disturbed, allowing solitary contemplation. The warm water sure doesn't hurt, either.

This is all related to a phenomenon that’s been identified by Edward de Bono, the legendary creative thinker. He calls it the "creative pause." In de Bono’s book Serious Creativity, he asserts that even when things are going along, well, swimmingly, "some of the best results come when people stop to think about things that no one else has stopped to think about."

Although most people are unaware of the name for it, creative pauses are happening wherever people are solving problems. They occur among harassed CEOs, design directors, and small-business entrepreneurs. The creative pause allows the space for your mind to drift, to imagine and to shift, opening it up to new ways of seeing.

There’s just one small problem: The creative pause might soon become a thing of the past. When was the last time you remember being bored? Or even having a moment free from distractions?

I know it sounds strange, but I welcome boredom. It forces me to ponder. But to make sure we’re on the same page, when I speak of boredom, I’m not referring to killing time on your smartphone, your iPad, or your laptop. I’m not even talking about paging through a book. I mean bored as in doing absolutely nothing.

Because here’s the rub--when we’re at our most bored we’re forced to push our creative boundaries, and unearth the root of whatever problem we're working on. A quick glance around and you’ll notice that it’s almost impossible to be bored in our 21st-century environment. Every bar now has at least one television blaring. And just as night follows day, your eyes will be drawn to the moving pictures above, sapping whatever creative thoughts you could be having. Or take, for example, the last time you were alone at a restaurant waiting for a friend to join you. Chances are you reached for your phone and did something with it, anything to avoid appearing like the lonely loser in the corner.

If you’re still struggling to remember your last bored moment, consider the younger generation. When you were younger, perhaps you hung out on the street with other neighborhood kids. Or maybe you shot a few hoops or cycled down to the drugstore. There were no PlayStations, Xboxes, Wiis, or the latest game apps to play on or offline. Have you noticed how quiet suburban streets are these days?

Back in the 1990s, when Lego asked me to explore the consequences of digital play versus physical play, I discovered how many kids were preoccupied with the tactile aspects of play--how kids were already preoccupied with Tamagotchis, those handheld digital pets that need regular feeding, walking, and sleep. Tamagotchis hit the toy world like an out-of-control virus, making a huge dent in Lego’s Christmas figures. It seemed the more kids played with a screen, the greater their chances of losing their creative skills. Digitized pocket toys have a set sequence of steps to follow, and as soon as kids get the gist of the game, they fall into a passive-interactive mode.

This new development in the toy market was potentially disastrous for Lego, who, in principle, requires a user to bring their imagination to the connecting plastic bricks in order build the object of their fancy. However, as I was busily conducting experiments with interactive play, I accidentally stumbled upon a small realization. It began as an ordinary day. The children were involved in interactive play on a computer screen, and I was handing them the Lego bricks, asking them to create something. But then something extraordinary happened. The entire network broke down, and it took a long 20 minutes for the IT engineers to restore the system. Then it was back to business as usual. Except this time, when I handed over the bricks, the activity level increased. I began seeing Lego castles, trains, bridges, roller coasters, and monsters being built. Those 20 minutes of boredom gave rise to a remarkably productive output, and taught me the value of being bored.

Boredom, however, is becoming an endangered activity. Once lost, it’s not likely to return, because being entertained 24/7 is what kids have come to expect. In fact, by the time I began researching the power of word of mouth for my book Brandwashed, a frenzy of digital toys, apps, games, and screens had become endemic.

These days, I schedule a regular dose of boredom into my day. Furthermore, I don’t check messages if I’m waiting for a friend. I choose, instead, to watch people in bars, cafes, and restaurants. I don’t play games on my phone or my computer. I carry an old Nokia that no one would dream of stealing. More often than not, I hit the pool at the end of the day. As I power up and down the lanes, I rethink what I’ve learned. I now have the time and space to solve whatever problems have arisen. It’s an important meeting with myself, and I keep it religiously. Because the day I lose it, I’ve lost myself.

gotquestions  http://finance.yahoo.com/news/want-to-be-more-creative--get-bored.html;_ylt=AnExTy8o.2ghPD1H947xxfAX34dG;

Experiencing the Cross: A Glimpse of Hell

Julie Barrier

I had the most remarkable encounter with God today. I was meditating upon Jesus on the cross, and, after decades of being a Christian, God revealed to me an aspect of Jesus’ suffering that I never understood or even considered. What was it truly like for Jesus to experience “hell” on the cross?

Turn Your Losses Around

"But God's free gift is not at all to be compared to the trespass...For if many died through one man's falling away--his lapse, his offense--much more profusely did God's grace and the free gift [that comes] through...Jesus Christ, abound and overflow to and for [the benefit of] many." (Romans 5:15, The Amplified Bible)

If you ever need someone to tell you how to turn things around, go to God. He's an expert on the subject. He's suffered more losses than anyone who's ever lived.

Just think about it. He lost Lucifer, His top-ranked, most anointed angel. And He lost at least a third of His other angels as well when Lucifer fell. Then He lost the man and woman He had created; and because He'd given them dominion over the earth, when He lost them, He lost it too. Any way you figure it, that's a lot of real estate down the drain!

Yet, in spite of all that, God is no loser. He's the greatest winner of all time. Do you know why? Because He knows how to turn the losses around. He knows how to use the law of giving and receiving to transform losses into gains.

"Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over" (Luke 6:38).

Isn't that staggering? He had every option that exists to choose from to redeem the things He'd lost. He had all wisdom and all power available to Him. Out of all that, the law of giving is what He chose to use.

He gave the most irreplaceable thing He had: His only Son. Then He backed that gift with His own faith. And when the law of giving and receiving had done its work, the Almighty Father God received not only His first begotten Son, but millions of other sons as well.

Don't despair over your losses. Redeem them the same way God redeemed His. Give and put the most powerful principle in the universe to work for you.

Scripture quotations taken from the Amplified Bible.

Scripture Reading: John 3:12-21

http://www.kcm.org.sg/

Postpartum Depression : What is postpartum depression? Are the "baby blues" the same thing as postpartum depression?

Why do women get postpartum depression?Having a baby can be one of the biggest and happiest events in a woman's life. While life with a new baby can be thrilling and rewarding, it can also be hard and stressful at times. Many physical and emotional changes can happen to a woman when she is pregnant and after she gives birth. These changes can leave new mothers feeling sad, anxious, afraid, or confused. For many women, these feelings (called the baby blues) go away quickly. But when these feelings do not go away or get worse, a woman may have postpartum depression. This is a serious condition that requires quick treatment from a health care provider. 

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What is postpartum depression? Are the "baby blues" the same thing as postpartum depression?Postpartum depression (PPD) is a condition that describes a range of physical and emotional changes that many mothers can have after having a baby. PPD can be treated with medication and counseling. Talk with your health care provider right away if you think you have PPD.
There are three types of PPD women can have after giving birth:

Quotes on Suffering

"In seeking God's power, I discovered his person. He is not just omnipotent; he is also the God of all comfort. And taking us through suffering, not out of it, is one of the primary means that the Spirit uses today in bringing us to God."
------ Daniel Wallace, in *Christianity Today*, September 12 1994

"Don't look forward to the day you stop suffering, because when it comes you'll know you're dead."
------ Tennessee Williams, in the London *Observer*, 1958.

"Despair is suffering without meaning."
------ Viktor Frankl

"Loneliness and the feeling of being unwanted is the most terrible of poverty."
------ Mother Theresa

"I come from a situation that for good and bad had a heightened expectation for healing. Because of our anticipation, we witnessed many healings; but it also took us a long time to come to grips with the redemptive aspects of suffering. In the end, we realized that healing had a discernment aspect to it: before we began to pray we would seek God for HOW to pray in line with his purposes."
------ Todd Hunter, in the Off the Map

"They say of some temporal suffering, 'No future bliss can make up for it,' not knowing that Heaven, once attained, will work backwards and turn even that agony into a glory."
------ C.S. Lewis

"Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it."
------ Helen Keller, *Optimism*

"I do not ask You to take away my suffering;
I do not even want to know why I suffer;
but only this, my God --
do I suffer for Your sake?"
------ Levi Yitzhok of Berditchev

http://www.spirithome.com/suffering.html

Why Suicide Rates Increase in the Spring

Written by

Deborah Gray

2020

Mon, March 24, 2008

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We often hear that suicide rates are highest during the holidays. I even heard a character in a Christmas TV movie warn about the risk during the last holiday season. Seems to make sense, in a way. After all, the holiday season even has its own syndrome - the holiday blues. Many people are stressed out, and for anyone who's alone and depressed, the contrast between the ideal of the holidays and reality can be hard to take.

Here's the problem - the prevailing wisdom is wrong. In fact, we're not heading away from the most dangerous time of the year for suicide, we're heading towards it. Suicide rates are actually at their highest during late spring and early summer, and at their lowest around the holidays. There does appear to be a jump on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, which is thought to be due to the holiday season ending and harsh reality settling in.

So why, despite all the stress (even Jimmy Stewart tried to throw himself off of a bridge), does the holiday season seem to damp down suicide attempts? First, the increased socializing and contact with that many people do during the holidays may actually keep those suicidal thoughts at bay. The support of family and friends is one thing that keeps people from utter despair. Second, there are plenty of distractions. You're busy, busy, busy. This may be a source of stress, but it also can keep your mind from focusing on your depression. Also, even if someone's depressed, the beauty and joy of the holiday season can provide a temporary lift.

But why the heck does one of the most wonderful times of the year spur people to take their lives? Part of the reason is definitely that the contrast between a depressed person's inner world and the outer world is just too painful. In winter, the whole world, including nature, seems to match your dark mood.

Also, you begin to realize that if you don't feel good during this season, when the world is renewing itself, you're never going to. One of my lowest points, right at the time that I decided to try antidepressants, was in May. I remember sitting on the floor of my room on a lovely warm day. Spring had always been my favorite season, and I had the summer to look forward to, with weekends lying on the beach, one of my favorite things. But I felt like I could barely get through the next day. I had assumed that the winter had something to do with my depression, but when spring didn't cause my mood to lift, I knew it was time to get help.

In addition, there's a paradoxical response to the increase in sunshine that is thought to contribute to suicides in the spring. The sunshine can actually give people who have been feeling fatigued by the lack of sunlight during the winter enough energy to plan and carry out a suicide, yet not enough to give them an emotional lift. This is similar to the risk that can occur when someone starts on an antidepressant. In the beginning, the antidepressant may work enough to lift the fog that's been preventing them from accomplishing anything (like suicide) but not good enough (yet) to have hope.

For information on suicide prevention, please see the links below. I'll be writing a SharePost shortly about what to do if you think someone you know is depressed.

Links

True or False: Depression and Suicide Rates Rise During the Holiday Season?
Suicide: Holiday's Darkest Myth
Study finds suicide rates fall during holidays

Sunny May the Month for Suicides

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http://www.healthcentral.com/depression/c/18/22771/rates-spring