BY GINNY BAXTER

Faith may help depression, whether it’s a mild case of the winter blues or something more serious. (Courtesy Pixaby / Abbat1)

Another day, another heavy gray sky, another cold rain…. Follow that dreary weather pattern with a huge (and thankfully rare) snowstorm. Then, add a Covid-19 quarantine and an eye infection to the nasty mix, and you might feel downright depressed. But faith helps the winter blues and much more.

I’m fortunate that my short-term doldrums are fading, but some people suffer from the winter blues or more serious forms of depression all winter. One source of help for Christians is God, who provides strength, hope and love.

The role of faith in helping people overcome the winter blues or worse emotional problems has gone back and forth for roughly two centuries, maybe longer.

In the early 19th century, some reformers concluded that faith could help people suffering from mental and emotional problems. Religious organizations began to play an important role in caring for those in need.

Then, the pendulum began to swing in the opposite direction as doctors such as Sigmund Freud started associating religion with neurosis and hysteria.

Only in recent years has the pendulum swung back to recognizing that faith helps the winter blues and other more serious forms of depression.

Hearing from the Experts

“A spiritual practice can often give people the strength and confidence to push through obstacles and make positive changes,” says marriage and family therapist Vanessa Villasenor.

In her online article, “How Focusing on Your Faith Can Help with Depression & Anxiety,” Villasenor writes that “a belief in a loving power greater than ourselves can help us feel hopeful, even in our darkest hours….

“Whether it’s through praying, meditating, or attending some sort of spiritual service or gathering, faith-filled people tend to experience positive changes in their attitudes and behaviors.”

Studies that look at the relationship between faith and mental health confirm that people who are “religiously engaged tend to experience fewer symptoms of depression and may recover more quickly… than those who are less religiously involved,” says the National Library of Medicine.

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/womantowoman/2024/02/how-faith-helps-the-winter-blues-much-more/