***This is a fictitious account of a man named Danny who deals with Clinical Depression. Some content in this series may be triggering. If you are easily triggered, please do not read this***
It has been two days since Dr. Thurman prescribed me Zoloft for my Clinical Depression. He has since increased my dose to 100mg and I feel a million times better. My depression has been lifted finally. I feel like singing that song "I Can See Clearly Now The Rain Is Gone" because I am so relieved that I no longer have this fog clouding my mind. Why did I not see a psychiatrist before? I guess it was because I feared being labeled as a "crazy person". I see the homeless people downtown who walk around talking to themselves and I did not want to be compared to one of them. However, I now realize that Clinical Depression is a disease much like any other disease and it requires medical treatment. There is no shame in seeking professional help for a medical ailment. Dr. Thurman seems greatly impressed with my progress and told me that he will discharge me tomorrow morning. I am very excited about that because I cannot wait to see Angela. She has been my biggest support and I love her so very much. Dr. Thurman tells me he has a private practice outside of the hospital and asks if I would like to see him for follow-up care. I tell him that of course, I would. and he schedules me for next Friday at 2 pm. I thank him for his time and walk out of his office after shaking his hand. I feel like I am floating in the clouds. The first thing that I want to do is call my wife and tell her the news. I really want to hear her voice. I sit down in the seat in front of the pay phone and pick up the receiver, then dial our house number. Angela picks up the phone, but she sounds tired. She must have just woken up.
"H-hello?" She says through the phone. I excitedly tell her that I am discharging tomorrow. She seems pleased by this and tells me that she misses me. She then tells me that the house has been unbearably quiet without me.
"I understand babe," I say in response "I cannot wait to cuddle next to you in bed." She says that would be nice and I tell her I love her. She responds by saying the same. All of a sudden, I hear the nurse on the intercom say that it is time for group therapy. I groan, but then I tell myself that this is my last day here, so I might as well cooperate. After I hang up the phone, I begin heading toward the room where the group therapy is being held.
In today's group, the leader starts talking about how music can be very therapeutic and helpful for one's mental health. I never thought about it that way, but then again, music has always helped me to remain calm during my Depressed stages. So, maybe there is some truth to this. He then says that he will play a few minutes of any song we individually choose and then we must say something about what the song means to us. I began racking my brain for the perfect song that I would like to share with the group. One guy mentions Let The Bodies Hit The Floor by Drowning Pool and I am deeply disturbed by this song. This does not seem very appropriate for a therapeutic setting, but to each their own, I guess. One woman mentions Single Ladies by Beyonce', and this song seems a lot better. Another woman mentions a song called Amazing Grace and that song really resonates with me for some reason. This is the best song so far. Now, it is my turn and every eye is on me. What I am going to choose? Instantly, I remember a song by this singer I saw on YouTube one day. What was his name again? Ah, I remember now. Everyone is going to love this song.
"Better Today by Coffey Anderson," I say with a smile. The group leader searches for it on YouTube and begins to play it. As the song is playing, I begin thinking about my wife. She has been very supportive of me in some of my worst moments. I made it very difficult for her to love me too. I begin planning on making it up to her as soon as I am back home. I will take her out to her favorite Sushi restaurant. She absolutely loves Sushi.
"And what does this song mean to you, Danny?" The group leader's voice breaks into my thoughts. I am caught off guard because I was so deep in my thoughts that I did not realize that the song ended. I quickly explain to everyone that this song has special significance to me because it reminds me how my wife made me a better man when she agreed to marry me. Some of the women in the group say, "Aw, I love that". I feel a little sheepish.
After the group therapy session ends, we all head out and it is time for lunch. So, I sit down at one of the round tables and a nurse brings me my tray. Today's lunch is Lasagna and I am not too fond of Lasagna, but I am going to eat it though. I also see a fruit cup, a frosted brownie, and an Apple Juice. The lunch is not so bad after all. As I am eating, a new guy sits down next to me and introduces himself as Jacob. Jacob is a middle-aged and balding white man with coke-bottled and wired-rimmed glasses. He is wearing a shirt that says, "Gay and Proud". He politely talks to me about this show called Family Guy and I am entertaining him even though I have no idea what he is talking about. I just nod my head and say, "Mhmm".
"What are your views on politics?" He asks me out of nowhere and I honestly do not think this is an appropriate conservation topic. I tell him that I am a Conservative anyway and he immediately gives me a sour look. I think I may have offended him. So, I assure him that I prefer not to pay attention to politics really.
"That's understandable, but we must pay attention to politics because the Conservatives are trying to force religion down our throats and take away our freedoms. They only care about making the rich richer and making the poor poorer." He tells me and I do not say anything because I am not trying to get into a political debate with someone in the psychiatric hospital. I tell him that I respectfully disagree, but that I do not want to get into a political discussion with him because it will only trigger me. He simply nods his head and quietly eats his cheeseburger and fries. What a healthy lunch!
After lunch, I head to my room and walk into the bathroom so that I can brush my teeth. I am staring at myself in the mirror and I see that I am growing a thick beard. I am going to have to shave as soon as I get back home. Angela loves it when I have facial hair, but I do not particularly like it though. Once I am done brushing my teeth, I head back into the room and sit down in the chair. I remember the other day, I asked to speak to the hospital chaplain, and all of a sudden, a man wearing a black suit and tie comes walking in. He is tall and lanky with a grey thick beard. He introduces himself to me as Pastor Henry and I introduce myself to him. We shake hands and he sits down on my bed.
"So, why did you request for me, Danny?" He politely asks me with a gentle smile. His kindness and gentleness actually melt my heart. I tell him that I would like to know more about Jesus Christ and how I can be saved. His smile grows even wider. He seems excited about this as he explains to me that Jesus was God in the flesh and come to be sacrificed on our behalf to make atonement for our sins. I do acknowledge that I am a sinner. I clearly recognize that because I have made a total wreck of my life. He then tells me that God's law requires perfection to be with God because God is perfectly holy. Well, I am definitely not perfect. I tell him that.
"Ah, none of us are perfect, Danny! For all have sinned and fallen short of His glory!" He proudly yells at me. It actually startles me because I was not expecting him to yell like that. He then tells me that if I trust in Jesus' sacrifice and resurrection, then I will be saved from God's wrath and be united with Him for eternity in love and peace. I seriously want that. I tell him that I believe and he stands up and gives me a huge bear hug. He then says to me "Welcome to the family of God, son!" Family of God? I like the sound of that because I have never had much of a family before, except for my wife. She has always been my only family. He asks me if I have ever been to church and I tell him not since I was a child. He then gives me some information about a church in town called Redeemer Presbyterian Church. He tells me that it is a solid Bible-believing church and tells me that he attends that church with his family. I tell him that I will check it out this Sunday and he smiles at me even more. This time I notice exactly how white his teeth glisten. We give each other a hug and he hands me a Bible before heading out of my room. For the first time in my life, I actually can read the Bible. I open up the Bible to the Gospel of John and begin reading it. I did not realize this at the time, but God was about to lead me on a path to more holiness. For now, though, I am filled with thoughts of Jesus' sacrifice on behalf of sinners like myself.
STAY TUNED FOR PART 5 OF THIS SERIES...
-David Lee Chu Sarchet
Christian Mental Health Advocate
Check out the Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website
Check out the other Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website
"H-hello?" She says through the phone. I excitedly tell her that I am discharging tomorrow. She seems pleased by this and tells me that she misses me. She then tells me that the house has been unbearably quiet without me.
"I understand babe," I say in response "I cannot wait to cuddle next to you in bed." She says that would be nice and I tell her I love her. She responds by saying the same. All of a sudden, I hear the nurse on the intercom say that it is time for group therapy. I groan, but then I tell myself that this is my last day here, so I might as well cooperate. After I hang up the phone, I begin heading toward the room where the group therapy is being held.
In today's group, the leader starts talking about how music can be very therapeutic and helpful for one's mental health. I never thought about it that way, but then again, music has always helped me to remain calm during my Depressed stages. So, maybe there is some truth to this. He then says that he will play a few minutes of any song we individually choose and then we must say something about what the song means to us. I began racking my brain for the perfect song that I would like to share with the group. One guy mentions Let The Bodies Hit The Floor by Drowning Pool and I am deeply disturbed by this song. This does not seem very appropriate for a therapeutic setting, but to each their own, I guess. One woman mentions Single Ladies by Beyonce', and this song seems a lot better. Another woman mentions a song called Amazing Grace and that song really resonates with me for some reason. This is the best song so far. Now, it is my turn and every eye is on me. What I am going to choose? Instantly, I remember a song by this singer I saw on YouTube one day. What was his name again? Ah, I remember now. Everyone is going to love this song.
"Better Today by Coffey Anderson," I say with a smile. The group leader searches for it on YouTube and begins to play it. As the song is playing, I begin thinking about my wife. She has been very supportive of me in some of my worst moments. I made it very difficult for her to love me too. I begin planning on making it up to her as soon as I am back home. I will take her out to her favorite Sushi restaurant. She absolutely loves Sushi.
"And what does this song mean to you, Danny?" The group leader's voice breaks into my thoughts. I am caught off guard because I was so deep in my thoughts that I did not realize that the song ended. I quickly explain to everyone that this song has special significance to me because it reminds me how my wife made me a better man when she agreed to marry me. Some of the women in the group say, "Aw, I love that". I feel a little sheepish.
After the group therapy session ends, we all head out and it is time for lunch. So, I sit down at one of the round tables and a nurse brings me my tray. Today's lunch is Lasagna and I am not too fond of Lasagna, but I am going to eat it though. I also see a fruit cup, a frosted brownie, and an Apple Juice. The lunch is not so bad after all. As I am eating, a new guy sits down next to me and introduces himself as Jacob. Jacob is a middle-aged and balding white man with coke-bottled and wired-rimmed glasses. He is wearing a shirt that says, "Gay and Proud". He politely talks to me about this show called Family Guy and I am entertaining him even though I have no idea what he is talking about. I just nod my head and say, "Mhmm".
"What are your views on politics?" He asks me out of nowhere and I honestly do not think this is an appropriate conservation topic. I tell him that I am a Conservative anyway and he immediately gives me a sour look. I think I may have offended him. So, I assure him that I prefer not to pay attention to politics really.
"That's understandable, but we must pay attention to politics because the Conservatives are trying to force religion down our throats and take away our freedoms. They only care about making the rich richer and making the poor poorer." He tells me and I do not say anything because I am not trying to get into a political debate with someone in the psychiatric hospital. I tell him that I respectfully disagree, but that I do not want to get into a political discussion with him because it will only trigger me. He simply nods his head and quietly eats his cheeseburger and fries. What a healthy lunch!
After lunch, I head to my room and walk into the bathroom so that I can brush my teeth. I am staring at myself in the mirror and I see that I am growing a thick beard. I am going to have to shave as soon as I get back home. Angela loves it when I have facial hair, but I do not particularly like it though. Once I am done brushing my teeth, I head back into the room and sit down in the chair. I remember the other day, I asked to speak to the hospital chaplain, and all of a sudden, a man wearing a black suit and tie comes walking in. He is tall and lanky with a grey thick beard. He introduces himself to me as Pastor Henry and I introduce myself to him. We shake hands and he sits down on my bed.
"So, why did you request for me, Danny?" He politely asks me with a gentle smile. His kindness and gentleness actually melt my heart. I tell him that I would like to know more about Jesus Christ and how I can be saved. His smile grows even wider. He seems excited about this as he explains to me that Jesus was God in the flesh and come to be sacrificed on our behalf to make atonement for our sins. I do acknowledge that I am a sinner. I clearly recognize that because I have made a total wreck of my life. He then tells me that God's law requires perfection to be with God because God is perfectly holy. Well, I am definitely not perfect. I tell him that.
"Ah, none of us are perfect, Danny! For all have sinned and fallen short of His glory!" He proudly yells at me. It actually startles me because I was not expecting him to yell like that. He then tells me that if I trust in Jesus' sacrifice and resurrection, then I will be saved from God's wrath and be united with Him for eternity in love and peace. I seriously want that. I tell him that I believe and he stands up and gives me a huge bear hug. He then says to me "Welcome to the family of God, son!" Family of God? I like the sound of that because I have never had much of a family before, except for my wife. She has always been my only family. He asks me if I have ever been to church and I tell him not since I was a child. He then gives me some information about a church in town called Redeemer Presbyterian Church. He tells me that it is a solid Bible-believing church and tells me that he attends that church with his family. I tell him that I will check it out this Sunday and he smiles at me even more. This time I notice exactly how white his teeth glisten. We give each other a hug and he hands me a Bible before heading out of my room. For the first time in my life, I actually can read the Bible. I open up the Bible to the Gospel of John and begin reading it. I did not realize this at the time, but God was about to lead me on a path to more holiness. For now, though, I am filled with thoughts of Jesus' sacrifice on behalf of sinners like myself.
STAY TUNED FOR PART 5 OF THIS SERIES...
-David Lee Chu Sarchet
Christian Mental Health Advocate
Check out the Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website
Check out the other Christ-Centered Mental Health Ministry Website
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