How to overcome despondency and despair. Mortal sin - despondency

Dejection is a state of a person when nothing pleases him or gives him pleasure. Also in this case, complete apathy and depression are observed. Usually such emotional experiences affect health. Religious literature describes this state of the human soul; clergy classify it as a mortal sin. Therefore, becoming despondent is considered a bad action. Why shouldn't you dwell on the negative? Let's consider the topic both from a religious point of view and from a psychological one.

Negative influence

What dangers does despondency hide for a person?

The main one is that melancholy extends to both the mental and physical state of a person. He doesn’t want to do anything, meet anyone, talk, etc.
As a rule, people of an egoistic nature are susceptible to this condition, since most of their time they are busy with themselves. They think about themselves, engage in soul-searching, and so on.
The danger is that if you don’t try to get out of this state, you can fall into complete despair.
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.
If you cannot get out of such a state as despondency, this can lead to thoughts of suicide.
In a depressed state, a person’s thoughts may come to the conclusion that he is worthless and life has no meaning.
This condition leads to decreased ability to work. It also causes a lot of trouble for the people around you. Communicating with a person who is in a state of despondency is quite difficult. Not everyone is able to be patient with a person with such an attitude.

What signs can be used to determine that a person is sad?

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

What is the emotional state of a person when he is depressed?

Feelings of pity and resentment for oneself.
The impossibility of expecting anything good. A person who experiences despondency is in bad shape.
Anxious mood.
Bad feelings.
Low self-esteem. A person thinks that there is no happiness in life.
What previously brought positive emotions does not bring any joy in a state of despondency.
An indifferent attitude towards everything that happens appears.

What physical features appear when you are depressed?

There are problems with sleep.
A person begins to eat a lot or, on the contrary, his appetite decreases.
Fatigue appears quickly.

Behavior change

What behavioral characteristics are present in a person in a state of despondency?

Passive life position.
Reluctance to communicate with family and friends.
Alcohol or drug abuse may begin. This is done in order to escape reality.

Changes in thoughts

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

It becomes difficult to concentrate on anything.
A person cannot make informed decisions and hesitates. Even after making a choice, he doubts whether he made the right choice.
Pessimistic attitude, there is no happiness in life.
Retardation appears in thought processes.

Conquering the disease

How can you overcome despondency? This can be done through three basic practices that can help a person cope with this condition.

Help from a specialist, namely a psychologist. If a person is depressed, the doctor may prescribe special medications. They will help you get out of this situation.
Religion and faith in God help people reassess values and look at life differently.
Supporting the spirit through sports activities. It is necessary to exercise and lead a healthy lifestyle.

Dejection is a state in which a person feels depressed and unwanted. 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 self-searching.

Dejection in modern society

Unfortunately, today it is not uncommon that, despite all the external well-being of a person, he does not experience a feeling of joy. There are cases when a citizen is financially secure, he has a family, he goes to expensive resorts, but nothing gives him a feeling of satisfaction. Moreover, people who have more money experience despondency and depression more often than those who experience any financial 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 changing your place of residence, buying a car and getting a new wife still does not bring satisfaction.

From a psychological point of view, this human condition 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 the 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, 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.

Dejection is a sin. Religious point of view

There are two types of despondency. The first type is a state that completely consumes a person and causes loss of spirit. And the second type of despondency is associated with anger and irritability. Regardless of the type, despondency is a sin.

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

You should understand: everything that happens to us is a consequence of our actions. If someone finds himself in a situation that makes him uncomfortable, then he created it himself. In order to get out of it, you need to start acting differently.

You also need to remember that the more angry you are 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 external signs. He has a sad face that expresses sadness. Also, such a person will have drooping shoulders. He will have low blood pressure and lethargy. If he sees another person in a good mood, it may cause him confusion.

Reasons for appearance

What could be the reasons for despondency?

Pride. If a person is sensitive to any failures or statements made in his direction, he can easily become despondent. This hurts his self-esteem. But if a person does not take everything to heart, then he will not fall into despair. Then he is calm about what is happening around him.
Failure to satisfy desires can also make some people depressed. Moreover, the more a person succumbs to it, the more the desires themselves lose their meaning.
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 any activity by a person. 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.
Dejection can arise due to illnesses that accompany a person.

What ways are there to cope 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, the sadness will go away.

What is the danger of despondency?

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 to him. Since all a person’s thoughts are associated with depressive experiences, he sees only negative aspects in everything and becomes sad. With his attitude, a person deprives himself of the opportunity to lead a full life and enjoy the simplest things.

How to overcome this condition?

How to overcome despondency? The methods will now be listed:

First of all, you need to understand that negative thoughts can be “remade” into positive ones. It doesn’t matter why a person began to think that everything was bad. Perhaps someone inspired him, or his thoughts revolve around childhood experiences. You should find out what causes despondency and depression. To do this, you need to ask yourself: “What thoughts lead me into a state of sadness and melancholy?” The answer to this question needs to be written down. Next you need to read what was written down. Then you should convince yourself that this list is limited by your perception. In fact, the world is much wider. You shouldn’t think only about the clouds in the sky, it’s better to remember that there is the sun, blue sky and white airy clouds. Then you need to cross out the bad thought and replace it with a good one, which is filled with positivity 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 yourself believing these thoughts. You need to convince yourself and set yourself up for positive thinking.
You must learn to understand that if hopeless sadness sets in, it is only due to your narrow perception of reality at the moment. It's actually not that bad. As soon as sadness sets in, it is recommended to think that this is a temporary phenomenon and will soon pass. You also need to take care and protect yourself, pamper yourself with something that can distract you from your sad mood. Water procedures help very well. They will help you relax physically and take your mind off sad thoughts. You can also take a walk in the forest, walk briskly in the fresh air.
Dejection and melancholy 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. A positive attitude about the past is necessary. There are lessons to be learned from everything. For example, about some episode in life a person thinks that he broke or crippled him. This conclusion is fundamentally incorrect. You need to change your thought form. You should think about any incident from the following perspective: “it made me stronger, I gained experience, thanks to which I can overcome such situations with ease.”
You should learn to enjoy every moment. Many people have probably heard that in old age people talk about how quickly life has passed and remember the positive moments. This means that you don’t need to waste yourself on depressing thoughts that lead to self-destruction. You should approach everything with joy and a smile. Then there will be no time left for melancholy and sadness. You need to remember 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. You need to give yourself the following 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 anticipation of something. You need to live the present moment with a feeling of joy and gratitude, enjoy every moment.

A little conclusion

Now you know what despondency is. As you can see, this is a bad condition. It negatively affects a person, his psychological and physical health. In our article we have given good tips that will help you get rid of despondency. 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 benefit of yourself and people. We wish you good luck and a positive mood.

I'm tired of life: everything is so bad. Why doesn't God hear me?

The Lord loves us, and He is constantly waiting for us to pray and turn to His Father. Once a man came to the priest and said: “Father, my soul is so restless, so heavy...” - “And you try to devote at least one minute to God in 24 hours.” - “How is this?” - “Stand in front of the icons or at the window, or on the street and say: “Lord, how beautiful the world is, so great that the human mind cannot comprehend it. What are you like, Lord? And how wisely you arranged everything! There are so many people, all with different faces and characters, and all unique. Even everyone's fingerprints are different! How many animals, birds, insects, flowers, plants... And all this is unique... Nothing is permanent, everything changes, grows, wears out, ages, dies, is born... How great is Your wisdom, Lord! You gave us not only flesh, you also gave us soul! We have so many feelings: reason, free will, love, fear, and for many, faith. Here I stand before You and do not recognize You as the Creator. You are everything to me, and I am everything to myself. Lord, forgive me, for I am worse than any ungrateful beast. Any animal fulfills the commandment given to it by God. Nobody says anything to the dog, but he knows his job: he sits at the booth, guards the house, even the geese give a sign when strangers come into the yard... Everyone serves their master... But man - a rational being - does not recognize his Creator, went wild, left, got lost... Lord! Give me strong, reasonable faith, give me repentance, sight of my sins, grant me wisdom, if You want me to glorify Your Holy Name all the days of my life.”

There is a desire to go to another world. How to get out of this state?

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 there... If you and I have achieved such perfection that we no longer have anger, irritation, resentment, or jealousy, we are in love for God and neighbor, then we have no reason to flee from of 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. He has no physical strength, 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 mourn without losing heart?

Dejection 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 fall into despondency. If 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 he 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. Particularly often in despondency is one who does not repent of sins - his soul is not reconciled with God. Why does a person have no peace, quiet and joy? Because there is no repentance. Many will say: “But I repent!” Repenting in words, in one language, is not enough. If you have repented of condemning and thinking bad things, then do not return to this again, just as, in the words of the Apostle Peter, “a pig that has been washed goes back to wallowing in the mud” (2 Peter 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 chatting all your life - now that’s enough! Get down to business - read a prayer. Don’t feel like it? I’ll make 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 - 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 rested 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 aren’t You helping?” And the Lord said to him: “But you don’t turn to me. As soon as you turned, 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. The Mother of God saved you then; She heard and listened to the prayers of your mother. Now remember, "When you were riding in a chaise and the horse pulled to the side, the chaise overturned. A friend was sitting with you; he was killed, but you remained alive." 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.

What should I do: my son becomes depressed and says that he feels bad at heart. He is 13 years old...

The mother, father and everyone around us need to repent of their sins. This boy also needs to confess, he also has sins.

Recently I was in the village of Talitsy, there are several colonies where people who have broken the law are kept. About 25 of us confessed there and after arriving from there we began to receive letters. They write that after the meeting they did not leave for a long time, everyone said that a lot had changed in their lives. One writes: “I felt so good after confession! All the millionaires in the world can envy me. But I am a prisoner, and they are free.” Another writes: “For three years I did not receive letters from my relatives. After confession, I received letters from everyone at once. I looked at the envelopes - the date of departure on the letters was the same - the day of my repentance.” The soul of a person was reconciled with God, the souls of relatives felt this and turned to their neighbors. This man's despondency went away. So is this boy. When everyone repents, it will become easier for him too. Repentance works wonders.

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?

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, you first 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.

What is despondency? What to do if you are discouraged? Should I give up or can I overcome this terrible condition? Hegumen Nektary (Morozov) shares his experience.

One of the most common sins of our time is. The very thing that plunges a person into some kind of hopeless melancholy, constricts his heart, and presents life as gray and boring. One that weakens the will, deprives one of strength, and leads to a state resembling paralysis. Convinces that there is no point in anything, nothing will work out, no matter what you do, and therefore there is no need to do it. And it’s as if he puts some terrible stamp of despair and hopelessness on you: “You can’t be saved...”.

And I’m not surprised when over and over again I hear the confession: “Father, I don’t know what to do. I’m getting discouraged again!” And not only because I’m already used to it. But also because I can often answer completely honestly: “Me too.” True, with one small but significant difference: I know what to do, how to cope with this condition. And that means, if I want, I can cope again - with God’s help, of course. And I want…

Why does it come at all - despondency? Sometimes it is the very confluence of circumstances that plunges you into it - difficult, depressing, “fatal”. Often a chain of constant failures leads to it (however, even a single, and not particularly serious, failure can drive someone into despondency). Sometimes it is a consequence of severe fatigue, both physical and mental.

But if we talk about us, people of faith, then we, in addition to all the above reasons, often become discouraged not so much from something external, but... from ourselves. We are discouraged because we are so weak and lacking in faith, because we are so willing to sin, we fall so often, we so often come to confession with the same thing - as if we were writing it as a carbon copy. We are discouraged because year after year we change very little for the better. Although the reason we hardly change is because we become discouraged...

We really lack spiritual courage, true Christian courage, the feeling of being not an unhappy victim persecuted by the enemy and adversity, but a warrior of Christ - even if he sometimes suffers defeat, suffers from wounds and even often turns back, but is still a warrior. Moreover, you can see how conveniently this weakness of ours dresses up in the clothes of “repentance”, “crying for oneself”, “godly sadness”.

True, “repentance” does not lead to correction, but to some kind of terrible fixation on sins, a turning towards them, which does not help to part with them, but, on the contrary, seems to reconcile with them, convinces that one cannot get rid of them. But crying does not cleanse the soul, does not make it brighter and softer, but, on the contrary, it exhausts, weakens, and deprives it of the ability to rejoice. And sadness is not at all similar to God-pleasing, since it does not bring one closer to God and does not add zeal for salvation. And it would be wonderful to expect good fruits from what is itself the fruit of despondency.

I often remember (I try to remember), when a cloud of despondency comes over my heart, capable of turning into a gloomy, black cloud in an instant, of the Reverend Abba Apollos. The Paterikon tells about him that when he noticed one of his brethren embarrassed or despondent, he never left it just like that, but immediately asked him about the reason for the confusion and exposed his heartfelt secrets to everyone.

He said: “He who is destined to receive the Kingdom of Heaven should not be sad. Let the Greeks be confused! let the Jews cry! let sinners weep! but let the righteous rejoice!” And this memory always consoles me, makes me happy, helps me free myself from the “cloud”.

Yes, there are no words, it’s difficult to count yourself among the righteous, it’s impossible! But can we even renounce our destiny and be convinced that it is unattainable for us? If so, then what Christian remains in us? Where then is the hope for God’s mercy, where is the faith in His love?

Another episode from the Patericon often comes to mind - then most of all, when the soul is completely uneasy. About another reverend father, to whom an old soldier once came, having done all sorts of things during his long and terrible life, probably. And what did the holy elder say, how did he strengthen his heart? A simple, but so eloquent comparison...

After all, you don’t throw away your old cloak, no matter how chopped and tattered it is, but you mend it, mend it, put it on again, because it is dear to you. So why do you think that the Lord will reject you, even if you were full of holes and wounds of sin?

...It’s so gratifying to feel like this shabby, torn, but again mended cloak. And be sure that you will not be thrown out, rejected, rejected. Why are we confident - yes, only because our unfaithfulness does not abolish God’s faithfulness. He is always faithful. Always loves, never leaves, never takes away hope.

And another thing helps to cope with despondency - not paterikal at all. Understanding is helped by this simple fact - you can spend your whole life in this smoldering, despondent state and therefore see neither life nor the white light of God. And this thought makes me so annoyed, such anger appears at the despondency that it runs away somewhere.

It also happens, of course, that it somehow comes so hard, so fiercely, that you feel: a little more and it will crush you, and you have no strength to resist. And here, too, it’s not something like a patericon that helps: those who attacked you have no pity, they don’t get tired, they are consistent and diligent. And your lamentations that you have no strength, that you “can’t do anything” will only provoke and inspire them. And the choice is simple in essence: either find strength or an abyss. So choose!

...This, of course, is all our own, human means. And only the Sun of Truth, Lord, disperses clouds and clouds. But when? Only when you reach out to Him - from those very forces that seem to be the last.

It takes over us unnoticed. A stupid feeling of longing for the departed. This is not banal nostalgia that goes away like a runny nose. No, this is the destructive, destructive influence of past memories, events and people. How to get rid of melancholy, sadness, the past?

Negative emotions such as constant depression, sadness and deep sadness, melancholy in the soul cause a person to feel hopelessness and incredible self-pity. I want to constantly shed tears, complain about my unhappy fate and evoke sympathy.

Today, many people know for themselves what it means to fall into depression and feel aching sadness and melancholy in their souls. Persistent depression is a serious mental disorder, although many perceive it as a fact of modern life and are treated with special antidepressants. But these negative emotions cannot be cured with pills; their presence indicates serious problems and a person’s internal breakdown.

In a state of depression, a person, as a rule, feels very depressed, he is overcome by sadness and melancholy and sad thoughts, a person tends to feel sorry for himself, he feels complete loneliness and his lack of understanding by others, he does not even want to move. A person suppressed by melancholy and sadness can eat sweets (or drink alcohol) in order to somehow brighten up the joyless state. He may be tormented by joyless thoughts about how bad everything is, sometimes leading to thoughts of suicide.

A person can fall into deep sadness and a depressive state for various reasons: if an accident happened to him or someone close to him, problems at work, due to gloomy and cloudy weather, after watching a sad movie or just like that - it will hit the soul yearning.

Depression and eternal melancholy are dangerous for a person; they not only reduce his vital activity and spoil his mood, but constant depression and sadness also threaten the emergence of serious health problems. In addition to gastrointestinal disorders from constant dissatisfaction with oneself and life, heart problems from tormenting experiences and melancholy, insomnia from heavy thoughts, problems with the musculoskeletal system from reluctance and fear to develop and move forward in life, constant depression also contributes to addiction to drugs. any means of avoiding problems (alcohol, drug addiction, food). Also, in the most extreme case, it leads to a complete reluctance to live, a feeling that a person is dying of melancholy.

Why is there sadness in my soul?

Of course, you should not blame external circumstances for the occurrence of your depression and deep sadness. There are many reasons for these negative emotions and they all lie not in external stimuli (which are only a reason), but inside the person himself. Of course, the reason to be sad is not the rainy weather outside, not a quarrel with a loved one, a passing car getting wet from head to toe, troubles at work, or an unexpected pimple popping up on your face. After all, some people easily perceive such “little things in life,” but for those susceptible to depression and melancholy, this is the greatest tragedy in life.

Like many other negative emotions, depression, sadness, melancholy and sadness appear in us as a result of certain events of the past, as a response to past grievances, psychological trauma, lack of attention and love. From birth, we accumulate information from adults about what is “good” and “bad,” we remember their reactions to certain events, and we copy emotions. If adults in a family perceive any life changes as a problem, their child will most likely learn to also react and become depressed when any obstacle arises.

“Everything is bad...” Where do we get such attitudes?

The attitude of others towards us is also of great importance: if a child is not loved, they often scold, especially using rude words (such as “fool!”, “stupid!”), and demonstrate in every possible way that we are unworthy of love or must do certain things to achieve this. then the instructions and tasks of adults - depression and sadness will become a defensive reaction of a disliked child to such indifference.

But depression, sadness in the soul and deep sadness that come over us from time to time are not the real us. These negative emotions are a kind of automatic machine that triggers in us every time. We get used to reacting this way, to perceive everything that happens as a problem. The entire previous life served as a reason for the accumulation of such automata within us:

negative attitudes fixed in us (“everything is bad,” “life is a complicated thing,” “this is a difficult problem,” “you can’t handle it”), which we receive more often from our relatives;

events of the past, when we were no longer ready to calmly accept them (for example, a breakup, an unhappy first love, a bad grade at school, for which we were severely scolded) and all the conclusions drawn as a result of them;

the dislike of loved ones, which we turned against ourselves (“I’m not handsome,” “fat”);

patterns of response and behavior that we have adopted from others (oohs and sighs, tears, cautionary tales with unhappy endings, sad films, sad songs).

To get rid of depression, deep melancholy, sadness in the soul and your endless sadness on your own, you need to go a long way and go to similar personal deposits of mental material that is stored in our subconscious. Otherwise, you will not be able to cope with depression. All of the above, as well as a lot of other material (it is different for each person, approximate sketches are given here) - all this feeds the state of depression on a daily basis.

A person will not just die of melancholy and feel sadness in his soul. The reasons are in it. It is necessary to remove the charge from this material (otherwise, deprogram the subconscious). After all, if you start to extract from your memory episodes that were once especially traumatic, you may feel the same pain as you once did, you will also want to cry and feel sorry for yourself. This confirms that the material has a charge and it awakens depression and melancholy in a person again and again. The only thing is that you need to be prepared for long-term work, because a person has been accumulating his negativity for many years and it will not be possible to simply get rid of it. But this is quite possible if you work for total results and don’t mess around. I wish everyone to know the joy of life, without tears, depression, sadness and sadness!

How to get rid of despondency:

1. Find the reasons.

Think about what is the cause or causes of your despondency. As a rule, this is a routine that we are forced to do in everyday life or at work. And, accordingly, fatigue from total immersion in all this multitude of small and again boring, routine, but, as it seems, necessary, irrevocable and urgent matters. When, because of this routine, we do not see the goal and generally do not understand what and how. When for some foreseeable period of time - 2 - 3 days we do not see the results of our efforts, that is, we do not receive feedback from the work being done and are immersed only in the process of work, then this reduces motivation and plunges us into despondency .

Sometimes, paradoxically, the cause of despondency, on the contrary, can be complete relaxation. And hence the feeling of one’s own uselessness, restlessness and often loneliness.

2. Find a solution.

In any case, think about what can be qualitatively changed in your lifestyle and in your lifestyle in general? Also think about how you can radically reverse the situation. Those. If you were previously immersed in many things and worked without rest, then you need relaxation.

A sudden change of environment is needed - a vacation, a trip to the mountains, to a sanatorium in Kislovodsk, etc. If, on the contrary, you have been suffering from idleness and uselessness, you urgently need to get involved in some kind of active activity - getting a corresponding job or two at once, new acquaintances, possibly new personal relationships, marriage or some kind of social activity, joining some -a group of active people, a club of similar interests, for example. In other words, you need to bring something significantly, qualitatively new into life.

Thus, if you carefully and consciously approach this problem, you will find a solution without the help of specialists. It is important here not to delay and not allow yourself to plunge into a state of despondency for a long time. As with any other problem, the disease can be easily overcome in the early stages. Chronic despondency can turn into depression, which is considered one of the most difficult conditions to treat. And in this case, it is unlikely that you will be able to do without the help of a specialist - a psychologist or psychotherapist. So be attentive and caring about yourself and your condition.

Do you remember how in childhood, after an injection, you were treated to something sweet - and your mood immediately lifted? This will work now! After all, sweets produce endorphin in the body - the hormone of happiness. Buy a cake, pastry or just chocolate, pour some hot strong tea and relax in a comfortable chair. Such a pastime will lift your spirits and give you strength.
Another way to get a dose of endorphin is physical activity. Go for a run, fitness, gym... This will not only lift your mood, but also help tone your muscles.
This method is especially relevant and popular for the fairer sex - shopping. If you don’t have enough money to buy something new, you can just call your friends and have fun trying on a variety of outfits. It's great to go to a fancy dress store and see yourself in different looks.
If you feel sad because you don't have someone to talk to, a great option is to get a pet. No matter who you choose, the animal requires care, participation and communication. If you are needed and loved, then your mood lifts!
Well, perhaps the most effective and fun way to get rid of depression is sex. It will cheer up both you and your partner, give you a boost of energy for the coming day, or allow you to fall asleep sweetly for the coming night - it depends on who you are.

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