You can become fully free from depression
Have you ever heard the lies that real Christians don't get depressed or that you just need to pray harder and you won't feel sad? unJoy is a book that provides real answers about what works for Christians with depression.
Depression is real
It’s not your fault if you have it. Although it is often stigmatized or ignored, Christians commonly experience it. Every year, there are 7 million US Christians who experience depression. It can sometimes feel like there are no solutions and that you can never escape depression. You might be thinking, “I feel so alone…no one understands me...how could God let all this happen to me?
Whatever you are going through – it can get better. I’m a Christian and a psychiatrist and have helped people of all ages who have gone through: depression, anxiety, addiction, severe pain, job loss, prison, horrible medical illness, insomnia, bankruptcy, relationship stresses, or losing someone important.
Don’t give up. Even if you have been depressed your entire life, it can get better. I have helped people achieve full freedom from depression even though their depression had gone on for decades and they had a severe trauma history. Even people who previously had no benefit from years of therapy and dozens of psychiatric medications are able to get a lot better with the right treatment. Your situation might be bad, but I’m telling you that it can get better and I’m happy to tell you how.
Emotional pain is real, and when you are experiencing depression, it’s common to also feel a lot of spiritual confusion. It is especially hard if your Christian community expresses stigma against mental health and you are told the lie that all mental conditions are due to sin and that the only solution is to pray more.
I would encourage you to continue reading the Bible and praying. Get help from your church if your church is helpful. Continue attending a church or Bible study or meeting with another Christian if that is encouraging and uplifting. However, if your emotional state is not immediately improved with prayer, then I would encourage you also to act by seeking professional help for your depression or anxiety.
What I have seen in my clinical practice is that as depression and anxiety improve, so does spiritual confusion. It’s critical to deal with depression and anxiety – or any other mental health condition – immediately. Connect with your primary care physician, a therapist, or a psychiatrist.
I wrote unJoy because I wanted a book that I felt confident giving to my depressed family, friends, and patients who are Christian and suffering from depression. unJoy might just surprise you. There is hope and help for depression. In this short and engaging book, I address aspects of faith and mood while providing real answers about what works for depression and why. Some of the topics I cover in unJoy include:
Why sin is not the cause of most or all depressive episodes
How to effectively deal with the guilt, shame, and doubt caused by depression
How to cope with suicidal thoughts and stay safe
Which types of professional supports are the most helpful
Natural strategies for milder forms of depression
Traditional and newer treatments for people who have treatment-resistant depression
How to help a depressed friend or family member
You might have depression or know someone who does. unJoy will help you understand what depression is, how it relates to the Christian walk, and what strategies can help you overcome it.
About Len
In unJoy, psychiatrist Dr. Len Lantz shares entertaining cartoons, engaging stories, common sense reasoning, research-proven treatments and biblical encouragement for Christians dealing with depression.
Praise for unJoy
“What a help unJoy would have been for me as a young Christian struggling with depression. What a valuable resource unJoy would have been for me as a pastor. Len Lantz shares solid, quality help in a befriending, relational, and conversational manner. His humorous illustrations and real stories make this serious subject engaging and approachable. Get it, read it, use it. It will make a genuine difference for you and for God’s kingdom!”
Douglas Diehl, MDiv
Retired United Methodist pastor and District Superintendent
“In unJoy Dr. Len Lantz helps those struggling with depression, caring for the whole person: body, mind, and soul. This important book will empower more Christians to move past the stigma associated with mental illness and seek help from a caring and competent professional who can be a guardian of hope sent by God. I found the reflections at the end of each chapter particularly helpful.”
Christopher Fuller, PhD
Theologian
