Why is despondency considered a mortal sin in Christianity, although formally a person does not do anything bad to others? What priests and psychologists say about this, and how best to deal with this condition
Dejection in Christianity is considered the seventh deadly sin, and this causes genuine surprise among many believers. In the usual view, sin is causing harm to another person, for example, theft, murder, envy, betrayal. In the case of despondency, the situation is more complicated: the person does not cause any inconvenience to anyone, and suffers alone. Why is this condition considered sinful, what does psychology say about it, and how can you get rid of it?
Dejection is natural, so why is it a sin?
At any period of life, completely different people may experience irresistible melancholy, which gradually develops into despondency. This is completely natural, especially if you have to deal with traumatic situations. This could be the loss of a job, separation from loved ones, difficulty in achieving your goals. Why is despondency considered a sin? According to the holy fathers and theologians, this condition affects a certain type of people who are “sick” with another sin - pride. In a state of pride, a person believes that other people and circumstances are to blame for his problems and sorrows. It begins to seem to him that everything is going awry, and there is no way out of such situations. At the same time, he does not try to find the reason for failures in himself or his behavior. The danger, according to the priests, is that a person does not want to accept God’s will for what is happening and gradually turns away from it, becoming more and more mired in pride. In the end, a person, driven to despair by his own joyless thoughts, can commit another grave sin - suicide, which will forever close the sinner's path to Paradise.Dejection of the soul: psychology of the condition
What does psychology think about despondency of the soul? This condition is considered a harbinger of depression, and occurs as a result of unresolved internal conflicts or prolonged stress.
Internal conflicts are when expectations do not match reality. People with a melancholic character are susceptible to this, and the slightest trouble unsettles them for a long time. And if such events happen constantly, a person becomes despondent and stops trying to somehow influence the events taking place.
A person stops enjoying what recently made him happy, loses his life guidelines, and what is happening seems to him joyless and meaningless. Gradually, a once full life turns into a dull existence, when nothing pleases or encourages action. People very rarely come for a consultation with a psychologist, and only then when the patient may need the help of a psychotherapist to resolve the situation.
Can despondency be equated with boredom?
The question often arises: are despondency and boredom the same thing? Not really. Boredom is the first “step” to sliding into despondency, when a person begins to stop receiving satisfaction from his life. This condition, if detected early, can be corrected. For more successful work you can consult with a psychologist who will tell you the “sore spots” and help you correct them.In the case of despondency, work with a specialist will be long; in case of prolonged depression, it may be necessary to take antidepressants.
The cure for despondency - methods of salvation
The cures for despondency will be different for psychologists and priests.
Advice from psychologists:
- You should accept the fact that you will have to fight despondency on your own; with passive behavior, it will not go away, but will only intensify. Volitional coercion is extremely important here; without this it is impossible to get rid of this condition
- You can remember what hobbies and activities brought you joy before, and start doing them again, even if you don’t feel like it.
- Find joyful moments in the past, and also focus on the positive in the present.
- If a person feels that it is difficult for him to cope on his own, he should consult a psychologist. It will help you look at the situation from the outside, find “pain points” and make corrections
- In some cases, depression is not a psychological, but a physiological problem. This may occur due to disturbances in the functioning of the endocrine system, or, along with other symptoms, may be a harbinger of various diseases. Therefore, it would be useful to undergo a medical examination to identify possible hidden pathologies.
- Spend more time in nature, consume fresh vegetables and fruits to eliminate vitamin deficiency
- Exercising also helps increase serotonin, the “happy hormone,” and will help fight depression.
- Aromatherapy and massage are auxiliary means that have a beneficial effect on the state of mind
- Communicate with dear and loved ones so as not to feel loneliness and feel important to others
Important! It is worth mentioning that this way of getting rid of despondency is much more complex than the advice of psychologists, but ultimately much more effective.
Prayer for despondency and despair - just to be sure
In the fight against the sin of despondency and despair, prayer to such saints as Nicholas the Pleasant, the Mother of God, John of Kronstadt, and the Great Martyr Barbara will help.
In order for the prayer to bring peace to the soul, the following points should be taken into account:
- You need to pray in a quiet, secluded place, where nothing will distract your attention or interfere
- The text of the prayer should be read slowly and thoughtfully in order to understand every word
- You can pronounce words both out loud and silently
How to deal with despondency: video
Below you can watch a video that talks about how to better and more effectively deal with despondency:
At the dawn of Christianity, the Greek monk Evagrius of Pontius formulated a whole system of mortal sins, which at that time included pride, envy, laziness, malice, lust, greed and gluttony. There were seven of them in total. From childhood, Christians were taught that he must work from morning until late evening, since laziness is a mortal sin. Christians ate poorly because gluttony was also a mortal sin. They also could not be proud, envious, greedy, evil and lustful. But after some time, this list was made more humane, so to speak.
Dejection is a sin
People, despite the fear of ending up in eternal torment in hell, still did not want to deprive themselves of worldly entertainment and pleasures. How not to treat yourself to carnal pleasure or a feast with your friends? Thus, some prohibitions were edited and softened in the list of mortal sins. For example, Pope Gregory the Great removed from fornication, but laziness and gluttony were removed from him. Some sins have generally become human “weaknesses.”
However, something else is interesting: Pope Gregory the Great, allowing his flock to smooth out the sin of adultery through repentance and prayer, suddenly adds despondency to the list of mortal sins - a seemingly absolutely innocent property for the human soul. I would like to note that despondency remained on the list unchanged, and moreover, many theologians to this day consider it the most serious of all mortal sins.
Mortal sin - despondency
So why is despondency considered? The whole point is that when a person is overcome by despondency, he becomes good for little, he shows indifference to absolutely everything, and especially to people. He cannot do work with dignity and quality, he is not able to create, friendship and love also do not please him. Therefore, it was fair to classify despondency as mortal sins, but it was in vain that lust and fornication were removed from this list.
Melancholy, despondency, depression, sadness, sadness... Falling under the power of these, we do not even think about what negative and crushing power they have. Many believe that these are some subtleties of the state of the mysterious Russian soul, I think there is some truth in this. However, psychotherapists consider all this to be a very dangerous phenomenon, and that a long stay in this state leads to depression, and sometimes to the most irreparable thing - suicide. Therefore, the Church considers despondency a mortal sin.
Despondency or sadness?
Dejection is a mortal sin, which in Orthodox theology is interpreted as a separate sin, while in Catholicism sadness is among the mortal sins. Many cannot discern any particular difference between these emotional states. However, sadness is considered as some kind of temporary mental disorder associated with some unpleasant event or incident. But despondency can occur without any reason, when a person suffers and cannot explain his condition even with complete external well-being.
Despite all this, the Church believes that we must be able to accept all trials with a cheerful state of mind, real faith, hope and love. Otherwise, it turns out that a person does not recognize a single whole doctrine about God, about the world and about man. This type of unbelief leaves the soul to its own devices, thereby dooming a person to mental illness.
Sad means non-believer
Such a mortal sin (despondency) is called evil depravity; under the influence of this, a person begins to be lazy and cannot force himself to take the necessary saving actions, since nothing consoles him or pleases him, he does not believe in anything and does not even hope. Ultimately, all this directly affects the human soul, destroying it, and then his body. Dejection is an exhaustion of the mind, a relaxation of the soul and an accusation of God’s inhumanity and unmercifulness.
Symptoms of despondency
It is important to promptly identify symptoms that indicate that destructive processes have begun. These are sleep disturbances (drowsiness or insomnia), bowel dysfunction (constipation), changes in appetite (overeating or lack of appetite), decreased sexual activity, fatigue during mental and physical stress, as well as impotence, weakness, pain in the stomach, in muscles and heart.
Conflict with yourself and with God
The conflict, primarily with oneself, gradually begins to develop into an organic disease. Dejection is a bad mood and spirit, accompanied by Thus, sin grows into human nature and acquires a medical aspect. Orthodox Church in this case, it offers only one path to recovery - this is reconciliation with oneself and with God. And for this you need to engage in moral self-improvement and at the same time use spiritual and religious psychotherapeutic techniques and methods.
A person suffering from depression can be advised to find an experienced confessor from a monastery to help him get out of this terrible state. A conversation with him can last up to several hours until he figures out the source of such deep heartbreak, you may have to stay in a monastery for some time. And only then will it be possible to begin healing the soul. After all, despondency is a serious illness that can still be treated.
Orthodox medicine
A person who has decided to fight this kind of physical and spiritual illness will urgently need to change his lifestyle and begin active churching. For many people, it is a serious illness that leads them to understand their sinful life, so they begin to look for a way out on the gospel path. The main thing in Orthodox medicine is to help a sick person free himself from his own passions and thoughts that connect to overall process destruction of body and soul. At the same time, a believer, when faced with an illness, should not refuse professional medical care. After all, it is also from God, and to refuse it means to reproach the Creator.
Believers often appear to others as dull people who are forced to limit themselves in many ways. In fact, a Christian should be joyful - after all, having found the Lord in his soul, he places all his worries and sorrows on Him. The great saints were energetic and kind, attentive to others, and never spent their time idle.
Therefore, if someone who calls himself a believer is often sad, his soul is anxious, and he doesn’t want to do anything, he may have fallen into the sin of despondency. What is this, how to deal with adversity, what can it lead to if you don’t pay attention to this state of mind in time?
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It would seem that the name speaks for itself, a sad person is sad, lethargic, he doesn’t want anything. But is this the only way to exhaust the state of despondency? Wikipedia characterizes it as one of the mortal sins (threatening the soul with eternal torment) sins. Everyone has a bad mood; this is not the main sign of the sin of despondency. What is the difference between simple sadness and severe spiritual illness?
- A person does not want (sometimes cannot) fulfill his basic duties.
- He is constantly in apathy, nothing can interest him.
- He accuses the Lord of being too strict with him and complains about fate and those around him.
- Neglects his Christian duties - does not attend church, does not pray, does not read the Holy Scriptures.
In the Catholic tradition it is also considered a very dangerous condition that leads to many other sins. For example, to laziness, neglect of your body, love of entertainment, etc.
Sometimes this misfortune befalls the best of the best - it seems that just yesterday a member of the church community was eager to take on a new feat of prayer, but today he completely abandoned it. In such a situation, we must remember that The Lord specifically sends this temptation, so that a person fights with it and grows spiritually.
It happens that sadness and reluctance to get down to business indicate that the ascetic was previously very arrogant and proud. But a true Christian must carry humility in his soul. This means that everything good that is in the soul comes from God, therefore one must ask Him for help, without relying on one’s own strength.
The Holy Fathers knew firsthand about despondency. Life in monastic solitude reveals the most terrible vices and makes demons more actively attack ascetics.
Saint Theophan wrote that to be despondent means to be bored with any activity. This could be regular housework or a prayer rule. The monk wants to give up everything; he is no longer happy with either his stay in the temple or his work for the benefit of the monastery.
This condition can last for quite a long time. Having experienced a feeling of spiritual uplift several times after prayer, a person can become very sad when he feels only coldness and lack of faith inside.
To lose heart - what does this mean from the point of view of the holy fathers? There is a difference between ordinary sadness and... Sadness is a temporary phenomenon; it is a normal reaction to external events. However, the person does not lose his legal capacity. Time passes and the normal state returns. Sin can try to defeat a person at any moment. It seems that everything is fine, but a heaviness appears in the soul, doubts torment, and melancholy appears.
Spiritual illness has quite visible physical manifestations.
- The cycle of rest and wakefulness is disrupted - either insomnia overcomes or drowsiness sets in.
- Digestion is upset - constipation torments.
- A person overeats or, conversely, loses his appetite.
- Fatigue sets in quickly - weakness, pain in the heart area overcomes, muscles become sluggish.
Dejection is closely related to physical relaxation. That's why the monks called him "midday demon". Monks get up very early, so at noon it is time for lunch for them. And after eating, many people feel sleepy. This is where danger lurks for the careless.
Consequences, how to deal with them
Why should this sin be avoided at all costs? It would seem that there is no particular danger in a bad mood. But the holy fathers warn that this path leads to the abyss. A person, falling under the influence of a depressive state, slides deeper and deeper. Problems grow like a snowball, which can ultimately lead to an unwillingness to live. A suicide is the only sin that cannot be prayed away, because by doing it, a person turns away from God.
The worst thing is that despair makes yesterday's Christian lose faith in God. For him, the Lord is no longer omnipotent, good and unchanging. By falling into sinful murmuring, the unfortunate person thereby rejects the salvation that Christ brought to the world. Humility gives way to pride, faith to arrogance. This is how Satan captures many souls. In fact, despondency makes you torment already here, and beyond the boundaries of earthly existence these torments intensify many times over.
This is what ordinary self-pity can lead to, and yet it is very characteristic of people of our time. How to deal with manifestations of weakness? You can also read about this from the holy righteous:
- Attacks of laziness and relaxation are treated with the usual coercion. Without it, any endeavor will fail.
- You shouldn't indulge yourself in everything. For every “I don’t want” there is a “need”. Getting up early, going to church, reading prayers - willpower is developed through overcoming one's own weaknesses. The only way.
- If you make at least one small victory over laziness every day, over time you can get an impressive result. The secret of success is very simple - regularity, consistency, consistency.
Everything good in life comes in exchange for effort.. The salvation of the soul is also accomplished - through compulsion, “taken by force,” as they say in the Gospel. To do this, you don’t need to perform great feats somewhere on the edge of the earth, but simply work on yourself day after day.
You can imagine the soul as a field overgrown with thorns (these are sins). To sow useful plants, first you need to weed out the weeds. But at first, the work may seem simply impossible. And here you may want to give up. This is exactly what the monks warn about - you cannot lose heart and give up! Even if you cultivate a small area every day, over time the field can grow a good crop.
Spiritual Beacon
Very important in times of despair don't be alone, although it seems like a good idea. On the contrary, we need to ask for help from people more experienced in spiritual life. If a Christian has not yet joined the church, then it is better to quickly start the process. This will help you not to lose heart and get in good shape.
To combat despondency, the usual church sacraments are used:
- confession;
If your church needs help, you should do volunteer work. The priest will tell you what exactly needs to be done. For men there is always physical work on the territory, for women - obedience in the temple. Involvement in a common cause will have a very beneficial effect on both the psyche and spiritual state of the sufferer. Many people built a right relationship with God in this way, some even decided to follow the spiritual path.
A Christian should always remember that we need to ask the saints for help in prayers. It may seem different, but there is always a choice: to succumb to circumstances or turn to the Lord, pour out your sadness and get down to business.
Don't wallow in self-pity, this is a dangerous path. Some people like it when others express sympathy and pity. To prevent despondency from developing into despair, you need to be attentive to what is happening in the soul.
How not to lose faith in faith
The state in which the heart has frozen the word is well known to experienced confessors. It is one of the signs of despondency. And the reason is the love of entertainment, overeating, laziness. Or the Lord allows it as a test. A person who has grown cold begins to forget not only all the good things that happened in his life, but also pushes God into the background. It becomes not the meaning of life, but some kind of abstract idea.
A Christian loses interest in spiritual life and does not want to participate in prayers and sacraments. And these steps lead to complete spiritual degradation. To avoid it, you must carefully prepare for confession, accept the Holy Gifts (communion), and force yourself to go to church more often. Here are some more tips from experienced priests:
- Reading the Holy Scriptures and spiritual books is useful;
- Behind every ordinary thing we must try to see the providence of God, the mercy of the Creator;
- You need to find something to do for yourself that will benefit others. After all, it is easiest for a demon to get close to an idle person.
The most powerful weapon
Miraculously, Christ is able to revive a withered soul, restore to it the joy of life, the ability to once again perceive the life-giving grace of the Holy Spirit. A the remedy for healing is available to everyone, always and under any circumstances - this is. In a state of despondency, demons suggest that it is not worth starting and that it will not help. This is because holy words are the only thing that drives them away.
This remedy fights the very root of any sin, because prayerful groaning is directed towards God and demonstrates faith in Him. Even if the words have to be spoken forcefully, they break down the invisible wall erected by sin between the human heart and the Savior.
It is not necessary to immediately take on a large number of long prayers. A weakened soul may not be able to withstand this, and then the ascetic will slide into an even deeper abyss of despair. You should start with the shortest ones:
- "Lord have mercy!"
- “Virgin Mother of God” (read in dozens, starting with one, gradually increasing).
- "Thank God for everything!"
We must try to find the bright side in any event. Do not try to get rid of trials and tribulations, but endure them patiently, even with gratitude. After all, the Lord is already preparing an eternal reward for those who are faithful to the end. According to the testimony of the Church Fathers, it is incommensurably greater than any earthly suffering.
If we consider despondency based on the biblical canons, then at all times it has been classified as a mortal sin. For what reason is despondency a sin and if it is a sin, then how to overcome it? I became very interested in understanding this issue and I invite you to do it together.
Falling into a state of melancholy, sadness, despondency, sorrow - a person does not think about possible consequences which these negative, destructive emotions are fraught with.
Some even attribute to this state some subtlety of the mysterious Russian soul. But psychiatry experts say that when a person is in a depressed state for a long time, depression develops, which means a serious danger to his health and even life. Various researchers give the figure 20% - exactly the same number of people throughout To the globe suffer from depressed morale.
As for the Church, it has long added despondency to the list of major sins. Next we will figure out what caused this.
What is despondency in Orthodoxy
Let us turn to the statement of Victor Trostnikov, professor of the Russian Orthodox University John the Theologian, who says the following:
“Despondency is classified as a mortal sin exclusively in Orthodoxy. For comparison, Catholics included sadness in this list, but only Orthodoxy singles out despondency as a separate sin.
It is for this reason that in Orthodoxy there are only 8 mortal sins, and not 7. At first glance, it may seem that sadness and despondency are one and the same. If we look in more detail, we establish that sadness is a passing sensation related to some unpleasant incidents, but this feeling is temporary, passing in nature.
And if we are talking about despondency, we should note that it appears in the form of a protracted, chronic condition, and there are often no obvious factors for it. Dejection is precisely a state of mind; it is quite capable of visiting you even if outwardly everything looks quite well. At the same time, a person will not be able to give himself an intelligible answer to the question of what he really needs.
Be that as it may, the Church calls both sadness and despondency mortal sins. A layman must perceive all types of tests sent to him, having a complete soul, being filled with faith, hope and love in his soul. In the opposite case, he begins to renounce the whole, does not recognize this whole, and therefore condemns the teaching about God, the world and humanity. This is one of the variations of lack of faith. When the spirit is left to its own devices, and the individual is automatically doomed to various pathologies and suffering.”
All mortal sins have a destructive effect on the physical and spiritual shell of a person. It is not for nothing that despondency is known as “evil laziness.” When an individual begins to be influenced by this passion, he becomes lazy and finds it difficult to motivate himself to perform any actions. He also does not experience any joy or consolation, and loses faith and hope in the best.
It is not for nothing that there is a saying that “a dry spirit can dry up the bones.”
A sad spirit withers the bones
- sleep is disturbed (a person suffers from insomnia or excessive drowsiness);
- appetite changes (increases or loses);
- there are problems with the intestines (constipation);
- sexual potential is noticeably reduced;
- the general energy state decreases, the person begins to become more tired of the usual physical and mental stress;
- Various types of uncomfortable pain sensations arise in the torso.
As a result of such a conflict with oneself, even organic pathology can arise. Thus, sin begins to penetrate the physical body of a person.
IN modern medicine Methods of healing from depression are proposed, however, the famous specialist in this field, Polishchuk, who is a Doctor of Medical Sciences, also advises using spiritual and religious methods of psychotherapy.
He expresses the following opinion about treatment for despondency: “If someone who suffers from depression came to me and asked for a way out of this state, I would definitely recommend him not just to visit the temple of God, but to search for his personal spiritual mentor in one of the monasteries.
Of course, this option will be more difficult, since it requires effort to search, but as a result, they will not just listen to you for a couple of minutes, but will try to establish the true source of mental suffering. Conversations with spiritual mentors last for several hours, and sometimes the convert is offered to stay within the walls of the monastery for a certain time in order to endure fasting and begin to heal his soul.”
Father (Berestov), serving as hieromonk and head of the Soul-Guardian Orthodox center John of Kronstadt, and also a Doctor of Medical Sciences, I am confident that a person who dreams of healing this illness not only on a physical but also on a spiritual level must definitely turn to the Holy Church for help.
After all, it is Orthodox medicine that is called upon to save a person, to free him from internal sins that destroy body and soul.”
Although from another point of view, believers who have suffered from depressive conditions should not neglect official medicine, because according to St. Theophan the Recluse, “medicine and medicines were given to us by the Almighty, and to refuse them means to reproach the Creator.”
What can lead a person to the mortal sin of despondency?
It becomes clear that despondency can seriously harm both our physical body and cause damage to our immortal soul.
But why does this passion arise? The main factors that provoke despondency include the following:
- Loss of meaning in life.
- A condition when a person has no control over his life.
- Lost faith in yourself and in the Almighty.
- Laziness.
- Lack of responsibility.
- Loss of joy.
- Disappointment (in oneself, other people, ideals, life in general, and so on).
- Constant feeling of guilt.
- Reluctance to admit one's own mistakes.
Of course, perhaps the most important point of all listed is the meaning of life. Until a person has found the answer to the question of why he lives on Earth, what his true purpose is, all attempts to achieve happiness will fail.
As a result of this, internal blocks of consciousness begin to arise, manifesting themselves in the form of irresponsibility, lack of faith in one’s own strengths, self-hatred and a complete refusal to move forward, neglect of one’s capabilities.
For what reasons does the sin of despondency arise according to Orthodoxy?
The Orthodox Church names its specific factors for the emergence of this passion:
- tests sent to man by God so that he could improve spiritually;
- wounded pride;
- vanity;
- loss of faith;
- godlessness;
- little spiritual life.
Due to a disrupted lifestyle and unwillingness to observe morality, people find themselves in a state of spiritual crisis, from which getting out is already quite problematic.
Dejection provokes a vicious circle: the individual is in a depressed state, he has no desire to perform any actions, such idleness plunges him even more into a state of despondency, forces him to do even less, which ultimately is fraught with an even greater state of despondency.
The Holy Fathers claim that from time to time each of us may encounter a state of natural melancholy. Thanks to mental suffering, moral virtues are cultivated in the individual. And when a person copes with a state of despondency, he begins to improve himself spiritually and becomes closer to the Creator.
Therefore, we can consider the sin of despondency as a test sent from above that must be overcome.
How to deal with despondency
If you do not take any action, then a state of despondency can provoke deep depression. Doctors note that often getting out of depressive states is quite problematic (sometimes impossible) without outside help.
Modern psychology and medicine offers various methods and means that eliminate such conditions. But the church has always advised people who have experienced despondency to find a way out in prayers. But, as a rule, all prayers are said alone with oneself, which means that a person unconsciously withdraws even more from the world around him. Loneliness is also complemented by an internal feeling of guilt. The effect of such “therapy” will ultimately be very doubtful.
What do modern doctors advise people in the fight against despondency? Famous psychoanalysts, psychiatrists and psychologists strongly recommend improving your life through active activities - relaxation, acquaintances, entertainment. It is very easy to trace the effect of such a recommendation - you simply do not have enough time to be sad and yearning.
Of course, there are especially advanced situations when a person came to the doctor too late and already requires drug therapy. In the fight against despondency, one should not forget that it often leads to protracted depression, and it can end very badly.
Therefore, contact a specialist as soon as you notice the initial symptoms of this pathology in yourself or one of your family or friends.
How to protect yourself from despondency?
The most effective remedy for despondency is moderate exercise stress and maintaining an active lifestyle. When a person is exposed to stress, he gets rid of all the negativity accumulated in the body and becomes calm, plus more confident in himself and his abilities.
In addition, in the life of every athlete, no matter whether he is a professional or an amateur, there is always a goal. In some cases, it does not manifest itself as clearly as in others and is more of a struggle with oneself.
But even beginner athletes, when they leave the gym, think: “Today I managed to complete such and such a load. And tomorrow I will be able to accomplish even more (run faster, lift more weight, etc.). And this is the goal, which is the main salvation from the state of despondency. And it is completely unimportant what purpose is meant.
Also try to surround yourself with positivity in all its forms - let there be exclusively cheerful people, good movies and exciting events in your life. If life sends you little positivity, start attracting it yourself.
Interesting expert answers to questions about despondency
It is very interesting to receive information from smart people who understand the topic of the issue. We present informative discussions by Yuri Shcherbatykh, who is a professor of psychology at the Moscow Institute of Humanities and Economics, as well as a Doctor of Biological Sciences and the author of the monograph “The Seven Deadly Sins for Believers and Non-Believers.”
—Who is more often tempted than others by the sin of despondency?
— These are mostly melancholic people with low energy. For example, factors that lead to prolonged sadness and despondency in melancholic people will cause fits of rage in choleric people, and in sanguine people - only fleeting dissatisfaction.
Many famous personalities have experienced bouts of blues. Of the latter, we can name famous writers and poets - Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol, Nikolai Alekseevich Nekrasov and Guy de Maupassant.
— Besides temperament, what else influences the development of mental suffering?
— The main factor can be called the people around us, especially those close to us, who are capable of unjustifiably causing us offense, insulting, slandering, or simply being inattentive where we want to receive attention to our person. Speaking specifically about the last case, the real reason for despondency is a completely different sin of pride.
In addition, our physical well-being often leads to a state of hopeless melancholy: apathy, pathologies, regular lack of sleep. It also happens that a person falls into a depressive state when he begins to make increased demands on the Universe.
The passion of despondency often attacks people on the threshold of a certain age - at forty, fifty or sixty years. At such moments, a person suddenly feels that she has lived her life absolutely in vain and there are more failures than successes.
- What is the danger of despondency for physical health?
— The state of despondency becomes dangerous if it reaches a depressive disorder. Indeed, as a result of such a depressed state, different types biochemical disorders - first of all, the exchange of neurotransmitters (substances that affect indicators of mental activity) deteriorates.
It is noteworthy that very bright and characteristic symptoms depression is shown in the Bible by King David: “I am all bent and drooping, I mourn all day long. I am exhausted and lamented beyond all measure, I scream because my heart is constantly tormented. My heart begins to tremble, my strength has left me, I don’t even have light in my eyes.”
— Have doctors managed to cure depression?
— Yes, American researchers were able to identify serotonin, which is a biologically active substance that affects a person’s mood. And based on it, many medications have been invented to help fight depression.
- How to eliminate this pathological defect?
— Don’t forget that depression cannot be cured with antidepressants, alcohol or drugs; on the contrary, the condition will only worsen. Also remember that your enemies and competitors will easily take advantage of the world’s sorrow. Don’t be surprised if more cheerful colleagues easily leapfrog you on the career ladder, and the girl you love can’t stand the constant grumbling and complaints and finds herself a more cheerful and active guy. Therefore, try to live in such a way that your enemies become despondent, and you remain a complete optimist.
Z Hello, our dear visitors!
The sinful spirit of despondency, from time to time, covers (with rare exceptions) the soul of every person. Dejection, in the literal sense of the word, poisons life, sometimes giving rise to dangerous suicidal thoughts... With this terrible spirit you need to fight at the very beginning of its appearance.
One Orthodox woman asked the following questions:
E there is a desire to go to another world. How to get out of this state? Is it possible to mourn without losing heart? How to get rid of despondency?
Archimandrite Ambrose (Fontrier) answers:
"H For this desire to be salutary, you need to prepare your soul, because with a dirty soul you will only end up in hell. We still have to work hard here on earth to serve the Lord God. We must constantly improve spiritually... In the meantime, the state in which we are now does not correspond to the Kingdom of Heaven. Without correcting ourselves here, we will not correct ourselves there either, and nothing unclean enters the Kingdom of Heaven. As we are, we will remain so...
If you and I have achieved such perfection that we no longer have anger, irritation, resentment, or jealousy, and are in love for God and neighbor, then there is no reason for us to flee from this world. The time for peace has already come for our souls. Such a soul does not strive to move into that world; it is aware of its imperfection.
Sometimes it happens that a person lives a long life - 90-100 years. Already physical strength no, but he still doesn’t die. This is because, perhaps, there are unrepentant sins, the soul is not ready for heaven, but the Lord desires salvation for this soul. That is why there is no death for this soul. So don’t rush to leave this world.
- Is it possible to grieve without losing heart?
—Despondency is a mortal sin. Now, if your relative has died, it will be natural for you to grieve for him. But you cannot go far into this state, because after long, intense sorrow, despondency begins. Here, one of our mothers calls and says that she is in great sorrow - her sister has died. I told her: “Well, grieve a little, but you don’t need to become despondent. If it didn’t break – it didn’t break, then where would everything go? All people are born and die."
My mother died in my arms. I gave her communion, and an hour later she left, I sat next to her. Well, why should I cry? I know that she died with repentance, after communion - on the contrary, we should be glad that a person suffered and suffered here on earth. Some may think: “What a cruel heart he has!” Of course, there was grief, but I decided that it was better to rejoice at her good death than to cry.
- How to get rid of despondency?
— Usually, if a person does not have prayer, he is constantly depressed. Especially among the proud, those who love to judge their neighbor and pick him apart. You tell such a person that this cannot be done, he will be tormented by despondency, but he does not understand. He wants to be the boss, stick his nose into every hole, know everything, prove to everyone that he is right. Such a person places himself highly. And when he meets resistance, then scandals and insults occur - the grace of God leaves, and the person falls into despondency.
Especially often those who do not repent of their sins are depressed - their soul is not reconciled with God. Why does a person have no peace, quiet and joy? Because there is no repentance. Many will say: “ And I repent!“Repenting in words, in one tongue, is not enough. If you have repented that you condemned, thought bad things, then do not return to this again, just as in the words of the Apostle Peter: “The washed pig goes back to wallowing in the mud”(2 Pet.2:22).
Don’t return to this dirt, and then your soul will always be calm. Let's say a neighbor came up and insulted us. Well, endure his weaknesses. After all, you won’t lose weight or grow old from this. Of course, it’s bad for the person who has been pushing his worth for a long time, creating a high opinion of himself, and suddenly someone humbles him! He will definitely rebel, be dissatisfied, and be offended. Well, this is the way of a proud man. The humble person believes that if something is reprimanded to him, then it must be so...
Our Christian path is not to speak bad about anyone, not to outrage anyone, to tolerate everyone, to bring peace and tranquility to everyone. And constantly remain in prayer. And impose penance on your evil tongue, tell him: “You've been talking all your life - now that's enough! Get down to business - read the prayer. Do not want? I’ll force you!”
If despondency has just arrived, has just begun, open the Gospel and read until the demon leaves you. Let's say an alcoholic wants to drink - if he understands that a demon has attacked, let him open the Gospel, read a few chapters - and the demon will immediately go away. And so any passion that a person suffers from can be overcome.
We begin to read the Gospel, call on the Lord for help, and immediately the demons leave. As it happened with one monk. He was praying in his cell, and at that time the demons clearly approached him, grabbed him by the hands and dragged him out of the cell. He placed his hands on the doorposts and cried out: “Lord, how insolent the demons have become - they are already dragging them out of their cells by force!"The demons instantly disappeared, and the monk turned to God again: “Lord, why don’t you help?” And the Lord says to him: “And you don’t contact me. As soon as I contacted you, I immediately helped you.”.
Many do not see the mercy of God. There were different cases. One man kept grumbling that the Mother of God and the Lord were not helping him in anything. One day an Angel appeared to him and said: “Remember, when you were sailing on a boat with friends, the boat capsized and your friend drowned, but you remained alive. Then the Mother of God saved you; She heard and listened to your mother's prayers. Now remember when you were riding a chaise and the horse pulled to the side - the chaise overturned. A friend was sitting with you; he was killed, and you survived". And the Angel began to cite so many cases that happened to this man in his life. How many times was he threatened with death or trouble, and everything passed him by... We are simply blind and think that all this is accidental, and therefore we are ungrateful to the Lord for saving us from troubles.”
