“Can a virus cause depression?”

Build a firewall in your mind against the depression virus.

Perhaps you are already aware of how our negative thoughts can lead to depression. (Read our free report for more info). Recently I read a fabulous article about how our thought patterns can be damaged by a virus. It wonderfully painted the picture of how powerful our thoughts are. For example, consider your computer. When it works, it’s a fabulous thing to own. When it doesn’t, it is an absolute pain!

Now, consider a computer virus. Bright people who live a darkened life have created computer viruses – such a tragedy – such a waste of a good mind! They do this to make other people miserable. The tragedy for you is, when you read your email, you innocently may open up a virus to damage your computer! You lose all your hard work and personal information.

"Our negative thoughts resemble a computer virus."

They can destroy our minds and bring us into depression. We must build a firewall to combat such negative thoughts. We must “bring every thought captive” as the writer of the famous Corinthian letters wrote. Those words were penned thousands of years ago and still stand with such rich value today.

If we let darkness into our lives we open up ourselves to become damaged and depressed because of negative influences in our culture. We let down our guard and our firewall breaks down. We need to guard our thoughts just like we do our wallet as the article writer Haddon Robinson shared. How do we do that?

By practicing compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience we defeat the negative influences that can lead to depression. We must bear with each other and forgive each other. You may scoff when you hear this...

"How can we forgive someone who has severely wronged us – perhaps abused us?"

The problem is, by not forgiving, we let that person continue to destroy us - emotionally and mentally not just physically. Will you let them do that to you? Be the victor rather than the victim! Rise above their wrong against you and defeat them by forgiving them. You will gain back the most important thing – your mental and emotional health! Depression won’t be knocking at your door. (You will get to hear Marg's story below - from abuse to forgiveness to freedom!)

"It has only been in the last ten years that the mental health community has conducted research on forgiveness, and the results seem clear. Forgiveness mitigates depression and anxiety, increases self-esteem, and improves physical health and emotional well-being. It releases people from living in bondage and allows them to live in freedom. Forgiveness heals the soul." - Jerry Sittser, Author of "Discovering God's Will"

Dr. Paul Meier of Meier Clinics once reported that approximately 15,000 Americans come in one week to the Minirth Meier Clinics for insight-oriented therapy. Of all the depression cases, he finds that 95% are depressed due to repressed anger toward an abuser or toward oneself.

"A majority of anxiety disorders involve fear of becoming aware of our unconscious repressed anger toward our abusers or toward ourselves."

Without hesitation, he reports that a majority of the mental health problems we face can be avoided by becoming skilled in learning how to use forgiveness to deal with daily anger that we are bound to feel from the effects of what he calls ‘jerk abuse’.

Dr. Paul Meier, writes…

"Helping a patient learn to forgive and rid himself of repressed anger is a process that usually takes several months. During that time we keep the patient on an antidepressant to be sure he has had enough time to resolve his anger through counselling and other therapeutic processes.

When the patient gets proper therapy and truly forgives, his brain is able to hold on to the serotonin that his body produces naturally from a chemical called tryptophan (found in foods like bananas, milk, fruit, and whole grains). A patient can be depressed for many years, then forgive the one who caused his repressed anger and totally recover from the depression, because his serotonin has been restored naturally and the brain is able to work correctly."

“Does forgiveness mean forgetting?”

Merely ignoring our terrible memory of a hurtful act isn't forgiveness, it's only suppression of anger. Suppression of anger leads to depression but genuine forgiveness, clearly sees the offense and then forgives it by withdrawing the penalty. It's natural to deal with our anger by suppressing our negative memories, but it's supernatural to remember them clearly and renounce our right to revenge. Revenge must be left in the hands of the only One who is always objective and just.

"Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." – Apostle Paul to the Romans, A.D. 57

Therefore, our negative thoughts and emotions such as bitterness and anger can be like a virus to our mental health. Forgiveness is like a firewall on negative thoughts which if left to infect, can so easily lead to depression.

“Can a virus cause depression?”

Build a firewall in your mind against the depression virus.

"Our negative thoughts resemble a computer virus."

"How can we forgive someone who has severely wronged us – perhaps abused us?"

“Does forgiveness mean forgetting?”

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