Despondency is a great sin. Prayer from despondency and despair - to be sure. e) Praise and thanksgiving to God attract God's grace to us

What is the sin of the despondent?

My heart is disgusting
And I live without joy.
V. S. VYSOTSKY.

1. Church about the sin of despondency.

1.1. The place of the sin of despondency in the church classification of sins.
1.2. Religious recipes for the sin of despondency.
1.3. Approach to the sin of despondency in modern Orthodoxy.

2. Depression is synonymous with despondency.

2.1. The medical meaning of the term depression.
2.2. Depression is a disease of millions.
2.3. Main symptoms of depression.
2.4. Mechanisms of depression.
2.5. Depression is not a life sentence, it is treatable.
2.6. Modern ideas about depression (briefly).

3. Three consequences.

3.1. The dogma of the sin of despondency is dangerous to the health of believers.
3.2. Theological inconsistency of the sin of despondency.
3.3. The sin of despondency is a worthless moral criterion of good and evil in society.

1-

When the melancholy finds, do not forget to reproach yourself: remember how much you are guilty before the Lord and before yourself, and realize that you are not worthy of anything better, and you will immediately feel relief. It is said: "many sorrows are for the righteous," and "many wounds are for sinners." Such is our life here - all sorrows and sorrows; and it is through them that the Kingdom of Heaven is attained.

Rev. Ambrose of Optina. (1812-1891).

With a special effect of absent-mindedness, sadness, despondency, laziness, it is very useful to perform the Jesus Prayer publicly: in response to the public Jesus Prayer, the soul is gradually awakened from a heavy moral sleep, into which sadness and despondency usually plunge it.

Saint Ignatius Brianchaninov. (1807-1867).

When you are overcome by despondency, melancholy, then force yourself to mentally say: “Glory to You God, Glory to You God! heart and after a while you will feel relief in your heart, peace and tranquility, firmness and patience.

Hegumen Nikon (Vorobiev). (1894-1963).

Emotional manifestations

• melancholy, suffering, oppressed, depressed mood, despair
• anxiety, feeling of inner tension, expectation of trouble
• irritability
• guilt, frequent self-blame
• dissatisfaction with oneself, decreased self-confidence, decreased self-esteem
• a decrease or loss of the ability to experience pleasure from previously pleasurable activities
• decreased interest in the environment
• loss of the ability to experience any feelings (in cases of deep depression)
• depression is often combined with anxiety about the health and fate of loved ones, as well as with the fear of appearing incompetent in public places

Physiological manifestations

• sleep disorders (insomnia, drowsiness)
• changes in appetite (loss or overeating)
• bowel dysfunction (constipation)
• decreased sexual desires
• decreased energy, increased fatigue during normal physical and intellectual stress, weakness
• pain and various discomforts in the body (for example, in the heart, in the stomach, in the muscles)

Behavioral manifestations

• passivity, difficulty engaging in purposeful activity
• avoidance of contact (tendency to solitude, loss of interest in other people)
• giving up entertainment
• alcoholism and substance abuse providing temporary relief

Thought Manifestations

• difficulty concentrating, concentrating
• decision making difficulties
• the predominance of gloomy, negative thoughts about yourself, about your life, about the world as a whole
• a gloomy, pessimistic vision of the future with no perspective, thoughts about the meaninglessness of life
• thoughts of suicide (in severe cases of depression)
• the presence of thoughts about one's own uselessness, insignificance, helplessness
• slow thinking

To be diagnosed with depression, some of these symptoms must persist for at least two weeks.

2.4. The level of development of modern science and technology makes it possible to determine the true causes of depression. Various manifestations of external symptoms (2.3) are caused by internal restructuring of the organism. This is confirmed by biochemical analyses. Thus, a number of substances have been discovered that are produced in the body and directly affect the mood of a person. It has been established that a decrease in the concentration of these substances, disturbances in their synthesis and metabolism lead to depression ( despondency). In some cases, these changes may be genetically determined. For example, researchers have been able to isolate and study serotonin, which directly controls a person's mood. Its concentration in the body does not depend on confessional affiliation or religious experience. The disorder of physiological functions in the body of a depressed person is accompanied by a decrease in the level of serotonin, which leads to despondency. The action of many antidepressant drugs is to normalize disturbed neurochemical processes in the production and metabolism of serotonin.

2.5. Depression is treatable. Based on scientific data on depression and its mechanisms, a number of antidepressants have been developed, tested and successfully used to help combat the disease. The drugs can achieve both a significant reduction and a complete cure for depression in patients. These pharmacological agents bring real relief of suffering, not imaginary. You can read more about this on numerous specialized medical websites.

2.6. Summing up what has been said (2.1-2.5), it can be noted that modern medicine quite rightly considers depression (despondency) not just a protracted bad mood, but a clearly diagnosed disease that requires the intervention of specialists and is quite treatable. Even the mildest depression (despondency), which believers naively believe will pass by itself or with God's help, can go very far with such a careless attitude. Even less conducive to recovery are numerous church-mystical writings on the topic of getting rid of despondency. Everyone knows about the harm and perniciousness of self-medication, which is the Orthodox approach to the issue. It should be remembered that the earlier the correct diagnosis is made and the correct treatment is started, the greater the chances for a quick recovery, that depression ( despondency) will not be repeated again and will not take a severe form, accompanied by an obsessive desire of the believer to commit suicide!

Trust in God, but don't make a mistake yourself!
Proverb.

3.1. Believers faced with despondency At the instigation of the Church, they begin to inadequately explain the reasons for the poor state of their own health, and take actions opposite to those required. The reasons for this behavior become clear if you read the background. So, even in ancient times, John Cassian (360 - 435) outlined in the book "ABOUT THE EIGHT MAIN PASSIONS" following views on despondency:

":There are eight main passions: gluttony, fornication, avarice, anger, sadness, despondency, vanity and pride: these eight passions, although they have different origins and different effects, however, the first six, i.e. gluttony, fornication, love of money, anger, sadness, despondency, are connected with each other by some kind of affinity or connection, so that the excess of the first passion gives rise to the next. For from the excess of gluttony necessarily comes fornication, from fornication the love of money, from the love of money anger, from anger sadness, from sadness despondency; and therefore it is necessary to fight against them in the same way, in the same order, and in the struggle we must always pass from the previous to the next. ...so to win despondency, you must first suppress sadness; to drive away sadness, anger must first be suppressed; to extinguish anger, it is necessary to trample on the love of money; in order to expel the love of money, it is necessary to tame the prodigal lust; in order to suppress prodigal lust, one should curb the passion of gluttony: So, all passions, both from the strengthening of the previous ones, are born, so they are suppressed by their decrease ... Therefore, we should fight these passions in such a way that everyone, experiencing any passion, especially against it and directed weapons, using every effort and care of the spirit to watch her and suppress her, directing spears of daily fasts against her, every minute throwing arrows of heartfelt groans and sighs at her, constantly shedding tears in prayer to God, constantly asking the Lord to stop his struggle.

This point of view of Cassian on the causes of despondency and ways to curb it - more than a thousand years. Such reasoning can testify to anything but a claim to truth. Modern science has gone far ahead, such naive statements can cause nothing but a smile. However, even today, on the official website of the Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra, they continue to develop the church tradition and, in all seriousness, write about despondency, as if about demonic temptations:

For reference (sanatorium "Barvikha", December 2002) - the total duration of the tour is 24 days. The cost of a full-time stay is: Single Suite - 132000 rub. One-room double suite - 120000 rub. (from each). The cost of the ticket includes most of the services of the sanatorium. There are a number of additional paid services.

Words of Jesus "Do you have and the hairs on the head are all numbered" (Mt. 10.30) relate primarily to those who carry God's word to people - the priests. The main church hierarch - Alexy II clearly showed how much he trusts the biblical promises of the savior. For the sake of maintaining his own health, he did not spare any money or time for quality medical care, and in between medical procedures, he was happy to talk to journalists about singing with a guitar and the work of such writers as L. Tolstoy, M. Bulgakov and A. Solzhenitsyn. It is clear that in order to pray for one’s health, worship miraculous (healing) relics and other zeal in serving the Lord, it is not at all necessary to stay in expensive luxury hospital and sanatorium wards, and the baptized person (according to church teaching) needs to think in a slightly different direction - not about secular writers and worldly entertainment. Ordinary Orthodox do not interfere with parting with illusions about biblical miracles of healing and following their spiritual leader - to be treated not by prayers at the icons, but in the offices of doctors who really heal. This is undoubtedly required in the case of depression (despondency).

Guilty is the one whose words or deeds are obviously false,
and not the one who honestly and sincerely believed in this lie.
Chesterfield.

3.2. Secondly, the concept the sin of despondency so internally contradictory that its religious comprehension becomes impossible, leads to logical dead ends.

Above (2.1-2.6) it was found that depression (despondency) is a disease. Diseases in the biblical interpretation are sent to believers for the sake of punishment for previously committed sins:

14. But if you do not listen to Me, and do not keep all these commandments,

15. And if you despise My statutes, and if your soul abhors My laws, so that you will not keep all My commandments, breaking My covenant,

16. Then I will also do this to you: I will send on you terror, stunting and fever, from which the eyes are weary and the soul is tormented, and you will sow your seeds in vain, and your enemies will eat them up;

15. But if you do not listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do not try to do all His commandments and His ordinances, which I command you today, then all these curses will come upon you and overtake you.

21. The Lord will send a pestilence on you until he destroys you from the land where you are going to possess it.

22. The Lord will strike you with sickness, fever, fever, inflammation, drought, scorching wind and rust, and they will persecute you until you perish.

27. The Lord will strike you with the leprosy of Egypt, weeping, scabies and itching, from which you will not be able to be healed;

28. The Lord will strike you with madness, blindness, and stupefaction of the heart.

35. The Lord will strike you with an evil leprosy on your knees and legs, from which you will not be able to be healed, from the sole of your foot to the very crown of your head.

59. Then the Lord will strike you and your offspring with unusual plagues, great and constant plagues, and evil and constant diseases;

60. And he will bring upon you all the plagues of Egypt, which you feared, and they will cling to you;

61. And every disease, and every plague, not written in the book of this law, the Lord will bring on you until you are destroyed;

It is absurd when, as punishment for past, already committed sins, a new, 100% inevitable sin is awarded, for which punishment will again be required. This is exactly what happens when depression occurs ( despondency). In principle, nothing prevents God from punishing a particular believer for sins every time with the same depressive disease. God works in mysterious ways! As a result of church verbiage about the sin of despondency, the image of the eternal sinner is born. By the will of God, such a believer will never get out of the vicious circle in which the old sin is punished by the forced commission of the next sin. All sense of religion disappears, because mortal sin of despondency(see above) means spiritual death. Salvation of the soul for unstoppable sinners becomes an unattainable peak. In addition, being forced to continuously sin, a person will change daily, not for the better, but for the worse.

Despondency arises from distrust of God, so we can say that it is the fruit of lack of faith.

But what, in turn, is distrust of God and lack of faith? It does not arise by itself, out of nowhere. It is a consequence of the fact that a person trusts himself too much, because he thinks too high of himself. And the more a person trusts himself, the less he trusts God. And trusting yourself more than God is the clearest sign of pride.

The first root of despondency is pride

Therefore, in the words of St. Anatoly of Optina, “despair is a product of pride. If you expect everything bad from yourself, you will never despair, but you will only humble yourself and peacefully repent.” “Despair is a denouncer of unbelief and selfishness in the heart: he who believes in himself and trusts in himself will not rise from sin with repentance” (St. Theophan the Recluse).

As soon as something happens in the life of a proud man that exposes his impotence and unfounded confidence in himself, he immediately becomes discouraged and despairs.

And this can happen from a variety of reasons: from offended pride or from what is not being done in our own way; also from vanity, when a person sees that his equals use b about greater advantages than he; or from the restrictive circumstances of life, as St. Ambrose of Optina testifies to this.

A humble person who believes in God knows that these unpleasant circumstances test and strengthen his faith, just as the muscles of an athlete in training are strengthened; he knows that God is near and that He will not put more trials than he can bear. Such a person, who trusts in God, never loses heart even in difficult circumstances.

The proud man, relying on himself, as soon as he finds himself in difficult circumstances that he himself cannot change, immediately falls into despondency, thinking that if he cannot correct what happened, then no one can correct it; moreover, at the same time, he is sad and annoyed because these circumstances have shown him his own weakness, which the proud cannot endure calmly.

Precisely because despondency and despair are a consequence and, in a certain sense, a demonstration of disbelief in God, one of the saints said: “In a moment of despair, know that it is not the Lord who leaves you, but you the Lord!”

So, pride and lack of faith are some of the main causes of despondency and despair, but still far from the only ones.

St. John of the Ladder speaks of two main types of despair, arising from different causes: “There is despair that comes from a multitude of sins and a burden of conscience and unbearable sorrow, when the soul, due to the multitude of these ulcers, sinks and drowns in the depths of hopelessness from their severity. But there is despair of another kind, which comes from pride and haughtiness, when the fallen think that they did not deserve their fall ... From the first, abstinence and good faith heal; and from the latter - humility and not judging anyone.

The second root of despondency is the dissatisfaction of passions

So, with regard to the second kind of despair, which comes from pride, we have already shown what its mechanism is. And what is meant by the first kind, "proceeding from a multitude of sins"?

This kind of despondency, according to the holy fathers, comes when some passion has not found satisfaction. As St. John Cassian writes, despondency "is born from the dissatisfaction of the desire for some kind of self-interest, when someone sees that he has lost the hope born in the mind to receive some things."

For example, a glutton who suffers from a peptic ulcer or diabetes will be discouraged because he cannot enjoy the desired amount of food or the variety of its taste; a stingy person - because he cannot avoid spending money, and so on. Despondency is accompanied by almost any unsatisfied sinful desires, if a person does not refuse them for one reason or another.

Therefore, St. Nilus of Sinai says: “He who is bound by sorrow is overcome by passions, because sorrow is the result of failure in carnal desire, and desire is associated with every passion. He who conquered passions does not possess sadness. Just as a sick person is seen by the complexion, so sadness reveals the passionate. Whoever loves the world will grieve a lot. And whoever neglects what is in the world will always be glad.”

As despondency grows in a person, specific desires lose their significance, and a state of mind remains that seeks precisely those desires that cannot be fulfilled - already to fuel the despondency itself.

Then, according to the testimony of the Monk John Cassian, “we are subjected to such grief that we cannot receive even kind faces and our relatives with usual friendliness, and whatever they say in a decent conversation, everything seems to us untimely and superfluous, and we do not give a pleasant answer to them, when all the curves of our hearts are filled with bile bitterness.

Therefore, despondency is like a swamp: the longer a person plunges into it, the harder it is for him to get out of it.

Other roots of sadness

The causes that excite despondency in unbelievers and in people of little faith have been described above. However, despondency attacks, albeit less successfully, believers. But for other reasons. St. Innokenty of Kherson writes in detail about these reasons:

“There are many sources of despondency - both external and internal.

First, in the souls of the pure and close to perfection, despondency can come from leaving them for a while by the grace of God. The state of grace is the most blessed. But lest he who is in this state imagine that it comes from his own perfections, grace sometimes withdraws, leaving his favorite to himself. Then the same thing happens to the holy soul, as if midnight had come in the middle of the day: darkness, coldness, deadness, and at the same time despondency appear in the soul.

Secondly, despondency, as people experienced in the spiritual life testify, comes from the action of the spirit of darkness. Unable to deceive the soul on the way to heaven with the blessings and pleasures of the world, the enemy of salvation turns to an opposite means and brings despondency to it. In such a state, the soul is like a traveler, suddenly caught in darkness and fog: it sees neither what is ahead nor what is behind; doesn't know what to do; loses courage, falls into indecision.

The third source of despondency is our fallen, impure, weakened nature, dead from sin. As long as we act out of self-love, filled with the spirit of the world and passions, until then this nature in us is cheerful and alive. But change the direction of life, go from the wide path of the world to the narrow path of Christian self-denial, set about repentance and self-correction - immediately a void will open inside you, spiritual impotence will be revealed, heart deadness will be felt. As long as the soul does not have time to be filled with a new spirit of love for God and neighbor, until then the spirit of despondency, to a greater or lesser extent, is inevitable for it. This kind of despondency is most experienced by sinners after their conversion.

The fourth, the usual source of spiritual despondency, is a lack, much less a cessation of activity. Having ceased to use its strengths and abilities, the soul loses its liveliness and vigor, becomes lethargic; the former occupations themselves oppose her: discontent and boredom appear.

Despondency can also occur from various sad events in life, such as: the death of relatives and loved ones, loss of honor, property and other unfortunate adventures. All this, according to the law of our nature, is accompanied by unpleasantness and sorrow for us; but, according to the law of nature itself, this sadness should decrease with time and disappear when a person does not indulge in sadness. Otherwise, a spirit of despondency is formed.

Despondency can also occur from certain thoughts, especially gloomy and heavy ones, when the soul indulges too much in such a thought and looks at objects not in the light of faith and the Gospel. So, for example, a person can easily fall into despondency from frequent reflection on the iniquity that prevails in the world, about how the righteous here mourn and suffer, while the wicked are exalted and blissful.

Finally, various morbid conditions of the body, especially some of its members, can be the source of spiritual despondency.

How to deal with despondency and its creations

The great Russian saint, Rev. Seraphim of Sarov said: “You need to remove despondency from yourself and try to have a joyful spirit, and not a sad one. According to Sirach, “sorrow has killed many, but there is no benefit in it (Sir. 31: 25).”

But how exactly can you remove despondency from yourself?

Let us recall the unfortunate young businessman mentioned at the beginning of the article, who for many years can do nothing with the despondency that gripped him. He was convinced from his own experience of the truth of the words of St. Ignatius (Bryanchaninov): “Earthly entertainments only drown out sorrow, but do not exterminate it: they fell silent, and again sorrow, rested and, as it were, strengthened by rest, begins to act with greater force.”

Now it's time to tell in more detail about that special circumstance in the life of this businessman, which we mentioned earlier.

His wife is a deeply religious person, and she is free from that gloomy, impenetrable longing that shrouded her husband's life. He knows that she is a believer, that she goes to church and reads Orthodox books, as well as that she does not have "depression". But for all the years that they have been together, it has never occurred to him to connect these facts together and try to go to the temple himself, read the Gospel ... He still regularly visits a psychologist, receiving short-term relief, but not healing.

How many people are exhausted from this mental illness, not wanting to believe that healing is just around the corner. And this businessman, unfortunately, is one of them. We would like to write that one day he became interested in faith, which gives his wife the strength not to succumb to despondency and keep the pure joy of life. But, alas, so far this has not happened. And until then, he will remain among those unfortunates, about whom St. Demetrius of Rostov said: “There is no sorrow for the righteous that would not turn into joy, just as there is no joy for sinners that would not turn into sorrow.”

But if suddenly this businessman turned to the treasury of the Orthodox faith, what would he find out about his condition and what methods of healing would he receive?

He would have learned, among other things, that there is a spiritual reality in the world and that spiritual beings are active: the good ones are angels and the evil ones are demons. The latter, out of their malice, seek to cause as much harm as possible to the human soul, turning him away from God and from the path to salvation. These are enemies seeking to kill a person both spiritually and bodily. For their purposes, they use different methods, among them the most common is suggesting certain thoughts and feelings to people. Including thoughts of despondency and despair.

The trick is that demons try to convince a person that these are his own thoughts. A person who does not believe or has little faith is completely unprepared for such a temptation and does not know how to relate to such thoughts, he really takes them for his own. And, following them, he comes closer to death - in the same way, a traveler in the desert, mistaking a mirage for a true vision, begins to chase him and goes further and further into the depths of a lifeless desert.

A believer and spiritually experienced person knows about the existence of the enemy and about his tricks, knows how to recognize his thoughts and cut them off, thereby successfully opposing demons and defeating them.

A despondent person is not one who experiences thoughts of despondency at times, but one who is defeated by them and does not fight. And vice versa, it is not the one who has never experienced such thoughts that is free from despondency - there are no such people on earth, but the one who fights with them and defeats them.

St. John Chrysostom said: “Excessive despondency is more harmful than any demonic action, because demons, if they rule in someone, then rule through despondency.”

But if a person was deeply struck by the spirit of despondency, if the demons received such power in him, then it means that the person himself did something that gave them such power over him.

It has already been said above that one of the reasons for despondency among unbelievers is the lack of faith in God and, accordingly, the lack of a living connection with Him, the source of all joy and good. But the lack of faith is rarely something innate for a person.

Faith in a person is killed by unrepentant sin. If a person sins and does not want to repent and renounce sin, then sooner or later he inevitably loses faith.

Conversely, faith is resurrected in sincere repentance and confession of sins.

Unbelievers themselves deprive themselves of two of the most effective ways to deal with depression - repentance and prayer. “The destruction of despondency is served by prayer and unceasing meditation on God,” writes St. Ephraim the Syrian.

It is worth giving a list of the main means of combating despondency that a Christian has at his disposal. Saint Innocent of Kherson speaks of them:

“No matter what despondency comes from, prayer is always the first and last remedy against it. In prayer, a person stands directly in the face of God: but if, standing against the sun, it is impossible not to be illumined with light and not to feel warmth, all the more so, spiritual light and warmth are the immediate consequences of prayer. In addition, prayer attracts grace and help from above, from the Holy Spirit, and where the Spirit is the Comforter, there is no place for despondency, there sorrow itself will be sweet.

Reading or listening to the word of God, especially the New Testament, is also a powerful remedy for discouragement. It was not in vain that the Savior called to Himself all those who labor and are burdened, promising them peace and joy. He did not take this joy with Him to heaven, but left it entirely in the Gospel for all those who grieve and are despondent in spirit. Whoever is imbued with the spirit of the Gospel ceases to mourn joylessly: for the spirit of the Gospel is the spirit of peace, comfort and joy.

Divine services, and especially the holy sacraments of the Church, are also great medicine against the spirit of despondency, for in the church, as the house of God, there is no place for it; the sacraments are all directed against the spirit of darkness and the weaknesses of our nature, especially the sacrament of confession and communion. Laying off the burden of sins through confession, the soul feels lightness and vigor, and receiving the body and blood of the Lord in the Eucharist, it feels revival and joy.

Conversations with people rich in Christian spirit are also a remedy for despondency. In conversation, we generally come out more or less from the gloomy inner depths into which the soul plunges from despondency; besides this, through the exchange of thoughts and feelings in the conversation, we will borrow from those who are talking to us a certain strength and vitality, which is so necessary in a state of despondency.

Reflection on comforting objects. For a thought in a dull state either does not act at all, or circles around sad things. To get rid of despondency, one must force oneself to think otherwise.

Occupation of oneself with bodily labor also drives away despondency. Let him begin to work, even reluctantly; let him continue the work, although without success: from the movement the body comes to life, and then the spirit, and cheerfulness is felt; Thought in the midst of labor will inconspicuously turn away from objects that bring melancholy, and this already means a lot in a state of despondency.

Prayer

Why is prayer the most effective remedy for discouragement? For many reasons.

First, when we pray during despondency, we thereby fight against the demon that is trying to plunge us into this despondency. He does this so that we despair and move away from God, this is his plan; when we turn to God in prayer, we destroy the enemy’s tricks, showing that we did not fall into his trap, did not surrender to him, but on the contrary, we use his intrigues as an excuse to strengthen the connection with God that the demon tried to break .

Secondly, since despondency in most cases is a consequence of our pride, prayer helps to heal from this passion, that is, it pulls out the very root of despondency from the earth. After all, every humble prayer asking God for help - even such a short one as “Lord, have mercy!” - means that we recognize our weakness and limitations and begin to trust God more than ourselves. Therefore, each such prayer, even uttered through force, is a blow to pride, similar to the blow of a huge weight that crushes the walls of dilapidated houses.

And finally, thirdly, and most importantly: prayer helps because it is an appeal to God, Who alone can really help in any, even the most hopeless situation; the only one who is strong enough to give true consolation and joy and freedom from despondency. "
In sorrows and temptations the Lord helps us. He does not free us from them, but gives us the strength to endure them easily, not even noticing them.
If we are with Christ and in Christ, then no sorrow will confuse us, and joy will fill our hearts so that we will rejoice both during sorrows and during temptations” (St. Nikon of Optina).

Some advise praying to the guardian angel, who is always invisibly next to us, ready to support us. Others advise reading the Akathist to the Sweetest Jesus. There is also advice to read the prayer “Our Lady of the Virgin, rejoice” many times in a row, with the hope that the Lord will certainly give peace to our souls for the sake of the prayers of the Mother of God.

But the advice of St. Ignatius (Bryanchaninov) deserves special attention, who recommended during times of despondency to repeat such words and prayers as often as possible.

"Thank God for everything".

"God! I surrender to Your Holy Will! Be with me Thy Will."

"God! I thank You for everything You are pleased to send to me.”

“I accept what is worthy according to my deeds; remember me, Lord, in your kingdom."

The Holy Fathers noted that it is especially difficult for a person to pray in despondency. Therefore, not everyone will be able to fulfill the large prayer rules at once, but everyone can say those short prayers that St. Ignatius indicated, this is not difficult.

As for the unwillingness to pray in despondency and despair, you need to understand that this is not our feeling, but the demon instilled in us specifically for the purpose of depriving us of the weapon with which we can defeat him.

St. Tikhon of Zadonsk speaks of this unwillingness to pray in despondency: “I advise you the following: convince yourself and force yourself to prayer and to every good deed, although you don’t feel like it. Just as people drive a lazy horse with a whip so that it walks or runs, so we need to force ourselves to do everything, and especially to prayer. Seeing such work and diligence, the Lord will give desire and diligence.

Of the four phrases proposed by St. Ignatius, two are phrases of gratitude. About why they are given, he himself explains: when such thoughts invade, thanksgiving is pronounced in simple words, with attention and often - until peace is brought to the heart. There is no sense in mournful thoughts: they do not relieve grief, they do not bring any help, they only upset the soul and body. This means that they are from demons and it is necessary to drive them away from oneself ... Thanksgiving first calms the heart, then brings consolation to it, and subsequently brings heavenly joy - a guarantee, a foretaste of eternal joy.

During despair, demons inspire a person with the idea that there is no salvation for him and his sins cannot be forgiven. This is the greatest demonic lie!

“Let no one say: “I have sinned a lot, there is no forgiveness for me.” Whoever speaks like this forgets about the One who came to earth for the sake of those who suffer and said: “...there is joy among the angels of God and over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10) and also: “I came to call not the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:32),” teaches St. Ephraim the Syrian. As long as a person is alive, it is really possible for him to repent and receive forgiveness of sins, no matter how serious they may be, and, having received forgiveness, transform his life, fill it with joy and light. And demons are trying to deprive a person of this very opportunity, instilling in him thoughts of despair and suicide, because after death it is already impossible to repent.

So “none of the people, even having reached the extreme degree of evil, should not despair, even if he has acquired the skill and entered into the nature of evil itself” (St. John Chrysostom).

St. Tikhon of Zadonsk explains that being tested by despondency and despair makes a Christian more cautious and experienced in spiritual life. And "the longer" such a temptation continues, "the more benefit it will bring to the soul."

The Orthodox Christian knows that the more severe the sorrow of all other temptations, the greater the reward will be received by those who endure sorrow with patience. And in the fight against despondency, the greatest crown is bestowed. Therefore, “let us not lose heart when afflictions and sorrows befall us, but, on the contrary, we will become more glad that we are walking the path of the saints,” advises St. Ephraim the Syrian.

God is always near each of us, and He does not allow demons to afflict a person with despondency as much as they would like. He gave us freedom, and He also makes sure that no one takes this gift from us. So at any moment a person can turn to God for help and repent.

If a person does not do this, this is his choice, the demons themselves are not able to force him to do so.

In conclusion, I would like to quote a prayer composed by St. Demetrius of Rostov just for people suffering from despondency:

God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Father of bounty and God of all comfort, comforting us in all our sorrow! Comfort every one who is grieving, saddened, in despair, overwhelmed by the spirit of despondency. After all, every person was created by Your hands, wise in wisdom, exalted by Your right hand, glorified by Your goodness ... But now we are visited by Your Fatherly punishment, short-term sorrows! - You compassionately punish those whom you love, and you have mercy generously and look at their tears! So, having punished, have mercy and quench our sorrow; turn sorrow into joy and dissolve our sorrow with joy; surprise us with Thy mercy, wonderful in the advice of the Lord, incomprehensible in the destinies of the Lord and blessed in Thy deeds forever, amen.

Despondency is interpreted in Orthodoxy as a mortal sin. Under the influence of adverse factors, a person often falls into despondency or a mournful state. Despondency breeds despair, boredom, sadness, sadness, melancholy and blues. And modern medicine calls this condition depression.

Why is depression considered a sin?

From the point of view of Orthodoxy, despondency refers to the 8th deadly sin, that is, such a sin that directly destroys the human soul, and, accordingly, the body. "Evil corruption" - this is how the priest Oleg Molenko calls this state. When subjected to despondency, a person becomes lazy, it is hard for him to force himself to even the slightest saving deed. A despondent person rejoices in nothing, consoles himself with nothing, hopes for nothing, and believes in nothing. There is an apt saying - "a dull spirit dries the bones."

Despondency, like, indeed, any sin, does not originate from the Creator, the roots of this negative feeling are in the underworld. Any person can be affected by despondency for a while, and some are simply possessed by this spirit. Such people tend to be overly sorry for themselves, they are characterized by increased vulnerability, resentment, concentration solely on their personality, and high self-esteem. It's very hard to deal with them. They literally see a catch in everything, a desire to offend or humiliate others. The face of such people often bears the seal of the sinfulness of despondency, and their spiritual world is also distorted. After all, no one has canceled the truth: what you think about in your heart is what you are.

In general, biblical references to the heart should be understood as the spirit of a person. Sensitive students of the Holy Scriptures note three components that make up the spirit. This is intuition, conscience, the ability to perceive the voice of God. Also, the soul has 3 components - will, feelings, mind. Spirit and soul are enclosed in the body. Therefore, from this point of view, a person can be considered as a spirit that has contained a soul and is in a body.

The Orthodox explain why despondency is considered a sin by the fact that this feeling is able to penetrate the soul, take root in it, and then, like a virus, infect the human spirit, destroying it both spiritually and physically.

How to resist discouragement?

According to Proverbs 17:22, “A cheerful heart is like good medicine, but a despondent spirit dries up the bones.” Our bones contain marrow. It is in it that the processes of maturation of blood cells and the immune system take place, which are extremely important for the proper functioning of all body systems. With a shortage of this substance, severe diseases occur. A person who is in constant despondency is also distinguished by a characteristic lethargic gait, an indifferent manner of communication, and apathy.

The Holy Fathers advise not to lose heart even in the most desperate situation, but to rely on the Savior in everything. At the same time, you should not ignore the mental problem, but try to understand the reasons that caused it. And even more often praise God. His love will find a way out of the most impasse. Control our thoughts so that negative emotions do not dominate us. If you can’t cope on your own, prayerfully ask for spiritual support.

However, it would be useful to turn to qualified medical assistance. Doctors have accumulated a lot of experience in the treatment of depression. And traditional medicine recommends occupational therapy as a proven remedy, especially in the fresh air.

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Despondency is a state of a person when nothing pleases him, does not give him pleasure. Also in this case, there is complete apathy and depression. Usually such emotional experiences are reflected in health. Religious literature describes this state of the human soul, clerics refer it to mortal sins. Therefore, falling into despondency is considered a bad act. Why not dwell on the negative? Consider the topic both from a religious point of view and from a psychological one.

Negative influence

What dangers for a person hides despondency?

1. The main thing is that longing extends to both the mental and physical state of a person. He does not want to do anything, meet with anyone, talk and so on.
2. As a rule, people of an egoistic temperament are subject to this state, since most of their time they are busy with their person. They think about themselves, engage in soul-searching, and so on.
3. The danger is that if you do not try to get out of this state, you can fall into complete despair.
4. One of the symptoms of sadness is depression. This condition is considered a disease in some countries. It should be treated under the supervision of specialists.
5. If you can not get out of such a state as despondency, this can lead to thoughts of suicide.
6. In a depressed state, a person's thoughts can come to the conclusion that he is nothing and that life has no meaning.
7. This condition leads to a decrease in work capacity. It also brings a lot of trouble to people around. Communicating with a person who is in a state of despondency is quite difficult. Not everyone is able to patiently treat a person with such an attitude.

What are the signs that a person is sad?

Despondency is a state that can be identified both by external and internal signs. There are two main gradations. They can also determine the presence of despondency. The first includes emotional features that are inherent in this state. The second is the physical manifestations.

What is the emotional state of a person when depressed?

1. Feelings of pity and resentment for oneself.
2. The impossibility of expecting something good. A person who is experiencing despondency is doing poorly.
3. Anxious mood.
4. Bad feeling.
5. Underestimation of oneself. A person thinks that there is no happiness in life.
6. What used to bring positive emotions, in a state of despondency, does not bring any joy.
7. There is an indifferent attitude to everything that happens.

What are the physical characteristics of depression?

1. There are problems with sleep.
2. A person begins to eat a lot or, on the contrary, his appetite decreases.
3. There is rapid fatigue.

Behavior change

What behaviors are present in a person in a state of despondency?

1. Passive life position.
2. Unwillingness to communicate with family and friends.
3. Alcohol or drug abuse may begin. This is done in order to escape from reality.

Changes in thoughts

What changes in consciousness can occur in a person who is depressed?

1. It becomes difficult to concentrate on anything.
2. A person cannot make informed decisions, hesitates. Even after the choice made, he doubts whether he did the right thing.
3. Pessimistic attitude, there is no happiness in life.
4. There is a slowdown in thought processes.

We defeat the disease

How can despair be overcome? This can be done through three main practices that can help a person cope with this condition.

1. The help of a specialist, namely a psychologist. If a person is depressed, the doctor may prescribe special drugs. They will help you get out of this situation.
2. Religion and faith in God help people reassess their values ​​and look at life differently.
3. Spiritual support through sports activities. You need to exercise and lead a healthy lifestyle.

Despondency is a state in which a person feels depressed and useless. At the first manifestations, an effort should be made to get out of apathy. You can’t give in to despondency, you need to force yourself to switch to other activities and stop introspection.

Despondency in modern society

Unfortunately, today it is not uncommon that for all the outward well-being of a person, he does not experience a sense of joy. There are cases when a citizen is financially secure, he has a family, he goes to expensive resorts, but nothing gives a feeling of satisfaction. Moreover, people who have more money, despondency and depression are observed more often than those who experience any material difficulties. There are also situations when a person is always dissatisfied with something. For example, it seems to him that he has a bad wife, or that if he had a car, he would be happy, and so on. But in fact, it turns out that the change of residence, the purchase of a car and the appearance of a new wife still do not bring satisfaction.

From the point of view of psychology, this state of a person is called depression. Today it is considered the most common mental disorder. There are psychological services for people. If despondency is at the initial stage, a psychologist will help a person find a way out of his condition. But it happens that psychological support can only have a temporary effect. Therefore, after some time, everything returns to the person again. If we talk about religion, then despondency is considered a mortal sin. In this regard, there are certain explanations for the reasons for its appearance and how to deal with it.

Despondency is a sin. Religious point of view

There are two kinds of sadness. The first type includes a state that completely absorbs a person, there is a decline in spirit. And the second kind of despondency is associated with anger and irritability. Regardless of the type, discouragement is a sin.

A person who is in this state may begin to blame other people for his misfortunes. The more he dives into himself, the more he blames others. Also, the number of people who are considered the culprits is increasing. A person develops anger and hatred towards all the people with whom he contacts in one way or another.

It should be understood that everything that happens to us is the result of our actions. If someone finds himself in a situation that makes him uncomfortable, then he himself created it. In order to get out of it, you need to start acting differently.

You also need to remember that the more you get angry at circumstances or an unfavorable situation, the worse it will be. And if you accept everything humbly, the situation will resolve itself. There is no need to drive yourself to despair. It can lead to thoughts of suicide.

External signs

A person who is depressed can be recognized by outward signs. He has a sad face that expresses sadness. Also, such a person will have lowered shoulders. He will have low blood pressure, lethargy. If he sees another person in a good mood, this may cause him bewilderment.

Reasons for the appearance

What could be the causes of depression?

1. Pride. If a person painfully perceives any failures or statements in his direction, he can easily become discouraged. It hurts his self-esteem. But if a person does not take everything to heart, then he will not fall into despair. Then he calmly relates to what is happening around him.
2. Dissatisfaction of desires can also lead some people into a state of despondency. Moreover, the more a person succumbs to it, the more desires themselves lose their meaning.
3. In addition to the above reasons for despondency, there are also those that can appear in people who are strong in spirit. These include the absence of grace, the cessation of a person of any activity. Boredom may set in. Also, sad events can cause despondency. For example, the departure of a loved one or the loss of something. And even in this case, one should not fall into sad thoughts about the injustice of the world. Death is the natural end of life, and we all lose something or someone in life.
4. Despondency can arise due to diseases that accompany a person.

What are the ways to deal with this condition?

The main cure for despondency is faith in God and work. Even if a person does not have the strength, it is necessary to start doing something, to act. Over time, the desire to live on will come, sadness will go away.

What is the danger of discouragement?

First of all, you should know that a person in despondency cannot realize his potential. This is due to the fact that he does not see what horizons life opens up before him. Since all a person’s thoughts are associated with depressive experiences, he sees only negative aspects in everything and is sad. A person with his attitude deprives himself of the opportunity to lead a full life and enjoy the simplest things.

How to overcome such a state?

How to overcome despondency? Now the tricks will be listed:

1. First of all, it is necessary to understand that negative thoughts can be "transformed" into positive ones. It does not matter, as a result of which a person began to think that everything is bad. Perhaps someone inspired him, or thoughts revolve around childhood experiences. It is necessary to find out what causes despondency and depression. To do this, you need to ask yourself: "What thoughts bring me into a state of sadness and longing?" The answer to this question should be written down. Next, you need to read what was written. After that, you should convince yourself that this list is limited by your perception. In fact, the world is much wider. You should not think only about the clouds in the sky, it is better to remember that there is the sun, blue sky and white air clouds. Then you need to cross out the bad thought and replace it with a good one, which is filled with positive and joy. Next, you should repeat positive statements until you believe in them. If this is difficult to do, you can tell yourself that this is a game, and you will imagine that you believe in these thoughts. You need to convince yourself and set yourself up for positive thinking.
2. You should learn to understand that if hopeless sadness sets in, it is only due to your narrow perception of reality at the moment. In fact, everything is not so bad. As soon as sadness sets in, it is recommended to think that this is a temporary phenomenon, and it will soon pass. You also need to take care and take care of yourself, pamper yourself with something that can distract from a sad mood. Water treatments help a lot. They will help to relax physically and distract from sad thoughts. You can also take a walk in the forest, take a quick step in the fresh air.
3. Despondency, melancholy - these are quite bad states. You should not fall into them, even if it seems to you that something was done wrong in the past. The past is our experience, a lesson. Positive conclusions should be drawn from it. We need a positive attitude about the past. There are lessons to be learned from everything. For example, a person thinks about some episode in his life that he broke or knocked him down. Such a conclusion is fundamentally wrong. You need to change your mindset. You should think about any incident from such positions: "it made me stronger, I gained experience thanks to which I can overcome such situations with ease."
4. You should learn to enjoy every moment. Probably, many have heard that in old age people talk about how quickly life has passed, and remember the positive moments. This means that you do not need to waste yourself on depressing thoughts that lead to self-destruction. Everything should be treated with joy and a smile. Then there will be no time for melancholy and sadness. It must be remembered that thoughts about the past or plans for the future do not allow you to enjoy the present. First of all, you should relax and live in the present time. It is necessary to give yourself such an attitude: it doesn’t matter what happened in the past and you don’t have to be afraid of the future or live in anxious expectation of something. You need to live the present moment with a sense of joy and gratitude, enjoy every moment.

A small conclusion

Now you know what depression is. As you can see, this is a bad state. It negatively affects a person, his psychological and physical health. In our article, we have given good tips to help you get rid of discouragement. Thanks to them, you will be able to cope with this condition. And remember that the best way to deal with sadness is work. Therefore, spare no effort, work for the good of yourself and people. We wish you good luck and positive mood.

If we consider despondency, based on the biblical canons, then at all times it was ranked among the category of mortal sins. For what reason is despondency a sin, and if it is a sin, then how to overcome it? It became very interesting for me to understand this issue and I invite you to do it together.

Falling into a state of melancholy, sadness, despondency, sadness - a person does not think at all about the possible consequences that these negative, destructive emotions are fraught with.

Some even attribute to this state some subtlety of the mysterious Russian soul. But experts in psychiatry say that when a person is depressed for a long time, depression develops, which means a serious danger to his health and even life. Different researchers call the figure 20% - exactly how many people around the globe suffer from a depressed morale.

As for the Church, it has long since added despondency to the list of major sins. Next, we will understand what caused this.

What is despondency in Orthodoxy

Let us turn to the statement of the professor of the Russian Orthodox University, John the Theologian Viktor Trostnikov, who says the following:

“Despondency is included in the category of mortal sins exclusively in Orthodoxy. For comparison, Catholics included sadness in this list, but only in Orthodoxy is despondency singled out as a single sin.

It is for this reason that in Orthodoxy there are only 8 deadly 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 feeling related to some unpleasant incidents, but this feeling is temporary, passing.

And if we are talking about despondency, then we should note that it acts as a protracted, chronic condition, and for it there are often no obvious factors. Despondency is precisely a state of mind, it is quite capable of visiting you even if outwardly everything looks quite safe. At the same time, a person himself will not be able to give 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 the types of trials sent to him, having a whole 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 doctrine of God, the world and humanity. This is one of the variations of the lack of faith. When the spirit is left to itself, and the individual is automatically doomed to various pathologies and suffering.

All mortal sins have a destructive effect on the physical and spiritual shells of a person. It is not in vain that despondency is known as "evil debauchery." When this passion begins to influence an individual, he becomes lazy, it is difficult for him to motivate himself to perform any actions. Also, he does not experience any joy and consolation, loses faith and hope for the best.

It is not in vain that there is a saying that "a dry spirit can dry up bones."

A despondent spirit dries up the bones

• sleep is disturbed (a person suffers from insomnia or increased drowsiness);
• appetite changes (increases or is lost);
• bowel problems (constipation);
• markedly reduced sexual potential;
• the general energy state decreases, the person begins to tire more of the usual physical and mental stress;
• there are various uncomfortable pain types of sensations in the trunk.

As a result of such a conflict with oneself, even organic pathology can arise. Thus, sin begins to penetrate into the physical body of a person.

In modern medicine, methods of healing from depression are offered, 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 the treatment of despondency: “If someone who suffers from depression turned to me and asked for a way out of this state, I would definitely recommend him not only 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, as it requires efforts 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 applicant is offered to stay within the walls of the monastery for a certain time in order to endure the fast and begin to heal his soul.

Father (Berestov), ​​acting as a hieromonk and head of the Orthodox Counseling Center of John of Kronstadt, as well as a doctor of medical sciences, is sure that a person who dreams of healing this ailment not only on a bodily, but also on a spiritual level, must definitely seek help from Holy Church.

After all, it is Orthodox medicine that is called upon to save a person, to free him from internal sins that destroy the body with the soul.”

Although, from a different position, 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? Among the main factors that provoke despondency, the following can be distinguished:

1. Loss of the meaning of life.
2. A state where a person is not in control of his life.
3. Lost faith in yourself and in God.
4. Laziness.
5. Lack of responsibility.
6. Loss of joy.
7. Disappointment (in oneself, other people, ideals, life in general, and so on).
8. Constant guilt.
9. Unwillingness to admit their own mistakes.

Of course, perhaps the most important point of all of these is the meaning of life. Until a person has found the answer to the question why he lives on Earth, what is his true destiny, all attempts to achieve happiness will fail.

As a result of this, internal blocks of consciousness begin to appear, manifested in the form of irresponsibility, disbelief in one's own strengths, hatred of oneself 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 appearance of this passion:

• trials sent to man by God so that he can improve spiritually;
• self-loathing;
• vanity;
• loss of faith;
• godlessness;
• little spiritual life.

Due to a disturbed way of life and unwillingness to observe moral morality, people find themselves in a state of spiritual crisis, getting out of which is already quite problematic.

Despondency 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, makes him do even less something, which, as a result, is fraught with an even greater state of despondency.

The Holy Fathers say that from time to time each of us may encounter a state of natural longing. Due to mental suffering, moral benefactors are cultivated in a person. And when a person copes with the 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, which must be dealt with.

How to deal with discouragement

If you do not take any action, then the state of despondency can provoke a deep depression. Doctors note that it is often quite problematic (sometimes impossible) to get out of depressive states 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 undergone despondency to find a way out in prayers. But after all, as a rule, all prayers are said alone, which means that a person unconsciously closes himself even more from the outside world. Loneliness is complemented by an inner sense of guilt. The effect of such "therapy" will be very doubtful as a result.

What do modern doctors advise people in the fight against despondency? Famous psychoanalysts, psychiatrists and psychologists strongly recommend improving your life with active activities - rest, dating, entertainment. It is very easy to trace the effect of such a recommendation - you simply do not have enough time to be sad and yearn.

Of course, there are especially neglected situations when a person came to the doctor too late and drug therapy is already required. In the fight against despondency, one should not forget that it often reaches a protracted depression, and it can end very badly.

Therefore, contact a specialist as soon as you notice in yourself or one of your relatives and friends the initial symptoms of this pathology.

How to protect yourself from discouragement?

The most effective remedy for despondency is moderate exercise and maintaining an active lifestyle. When a person is subjected 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 has more of the character of a struggle with oneself.

But even novice athletes, when they leave the gym, think: “Today I managed to perform such and such a load. And tomorrow I can do even more (run faster, lift more weight, and so on). And this is the goal, which is the main salvation from the state of despondency. And it doesn't really matter what the goal is.

Also try to surround yourself with positive in all its signs - let there be exceptionally cheerful people, good kind films and exciting incidents in your life. If life sends you little positive, 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. Here is the cognitive reasoning of Yuri Shcherbatykh, who is a professor of psychology at the Moscow Humanitarian and Economic Institute, as well as a doctor of biological sciences and the author of the monograph "The Seven Deadly Sins for Believers and Unbelievers."

— Who is tempted more often than others by the sin of despondency?

- Basically, these are melancholic people with reduced energy. For example, factors that lead to long-term sadness and despondency in melancholic people will cause fits of rage in choleric people, and only fleeting dissatisfaction in sanguine people.

Many famous personalities have been subjected to bouts of blues. Of the latter, famous writers and poets can be named - Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol, Nekrasov Nikolai Alekseevich 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 can unjustifiably hurt us, insult, slander, or simply be inattentive where we want to get attention to our person. Speaking specifically of the latter case, the real cause of discouragement is a completely different sin of pride.

In addition, our physical well-being often leads to a state of hopeless longing: 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.

Another passion of despondency often attacks people on the eve of a certain age limit - at forty, fifty or sixty years. At such moments, a person suddenly feels that she has lived her life absolutely in vain and in her failures exceeded successes.

- What is the danger of despondency for physical health?

- The state of despondency becomes dangerous if it reaches a depressive disorder. After all, as a result of such a depressed state, various types of biochemical disorders begin to appear in the central nervous system - first of all, the exchange of neurotransmitters (substances that affect mental performance) worsens.

It is noteworthy that very vivid and characteristic symptoms of depression are shown in the Bible by King David: “I am all bowed and drooping, I complain all day long. I am exhausted and lament beyond all measure, I scream, as my heart is constantly tormented. My heart begins to tremble, my strength has left me, I do not even have light in my eyes.

Have doctors managed to cure depression?

- Yes, American researchers were able to establish serotonin, which is a biologically active substance that affects a person's mood. And on its basis, many drugs have been invented to help fight depression.

- How to eliminate this pathological defect?

- Do not 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 world sorrow. Do not be surprised if more cheerful colleagues easily “jump” you up the career ladder, and your beloved girl cannot 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 lose heart, and you be a complete optimist.

Make changes in your lifestyle - instead of the usual sedentary work, find yourself something more interesting and mobile, stop drinking alcohol and spending time on the couch, actively expand your social circle. And, of course, let there be a maximum of sports and walks in nature in your life.

Set a life motto for yourself: "Less self-pity and as many smiles as possible!".

And at the end of the topic, watch an interesting video: