“When my friends have a serious problem, I am there to help them. What they did not know was that when I came home, I would cry all over the room. ” - John
“When I am sad, I want to be alone. So even if someone cheers me on, I make excuses. I can hide from my family that I am sad. They think I'm okay. ” - Nicky
Are you just like John and Nicky? If so, do not immediately assume that you have a problem. In fact, all of us, even the faithful men and women in the Bible, are sad at times. — Read 1 Samuel 1: 6-8; Psalm 35:14 .
Sometimes, you know why you are sad, but sometimes, no. “You can suddenly feel sad, even if you have no problem. I don't know, but that's it! ” said Anna, 19.
Whatever the reason — or even if there is no real reason — what can you do when sadness overwhelms you? Try the following:
Talk about it. When tragedy struck, Job said: “I will speak in the bitterness of my soul!” - Job 10: 1 .
John: When I tell others how I feel, I feel better, because someone already knows what I'm going through. Someone is going to throw me a rope to get me up the cliff!
Write it down. When sadness overwhelms you, try to convey in a letter how you feel. In some of David's songs, he expresses his deep sorrow. ( Psalm 6: 6 ) By doing so, you will “safeguard practical wisdom and thinking ability.” - Proverbs 3:21 .
Nicky: When I'm sad, my mind wanders, so I go through it in writing. It reduces the sadness of being able to express your feelings and understand them.
Pray for it. The Bible says that if you pray for the things that are troubling you, 'the peace of God that excels all thought will guard your heart and your mental powers .'— Philippians 4: 6, 7 .
Patt: I can't really imagine why I'm so sad. I was struggling, so I prayed to Jehovah for help. Now, I am no longer sad. Prayer is a great help!
Suggestion: Follow Psalm 139: 23, 24 in prayer. Pour out your heart to Jehovah, and ask him to help you understand why you are sad.
God's Word, the Bible, is also a great help. If you regularly meditate on the encouragement found in the Bible accounts, you will find that you will be more positive. — Psalm 1: 1-3 .
When your sadness still does not disappear
Julian said, "There are days when I don't want to get out of bed to face another worthless day." Julian has clinical depression, and he is not alone. Studies show that about 25 percent suffer from severe depression or depression during adolescence.
What are some symptoms of depression? These include dramatic changes in mood and behavior as well as eating and sleeping habits, isolation, lack of interest in almost any activity, feelings of worthlessness, and excessive self-blame.
Of course, almost everyone suffers from one or more of these symptoms from time to time. But if you have been experiencing this for a few weeks, you can take your parents with you for a checkup. Doctors can diagnose if you have clinical depression.
If you have clinical depression, you should not be ashamed of it. Many have endured their condition for a long time, but they feel better after treatment — and they feel a great sense of relief. But whether depression is a cause of grief or not, remember the comforting words of Psalm 34:18 : “Jehovah is near to those that are broken at heart; and those who are crushed in spirit he saves. ”
