Depression: If the Only Tool is a Hammer, Every Problem Looks Like a ?

I just read a story about the church and depression in Christianity Today. It was written by Dr. Daniel Blazer, a Psychiatrist and was well crafted and covered many important bases. However, the comments by readers were very interesting and the main reason I am writing this blog.

Depression is a huge problem in America and the western world and it seems to be getting worse. It afflicts Christians as well as secularists. Those who pray regularly and those who don't are subject to depression. It is widely experienced but few churches or their leaders seem to have a handle on what to say about it or do to assist the victims.

If the only tool in the tool box is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. 

And

If the problem is a nail, we better have a hammer to deal with it.

The current crop of Medical Doctors of which Psychiatrists are members,  usually have only one tool at their disposal so every time a person comes with a complaint of sadness, lack of energy, grief and/or depression they reach for a hammer. Their hammer is nearly always a pill. They might try different brands of hammers-pills but it is always a hammer-pill.

Most of the letter writers who reacted to Dr. Blazer's article have a hemmer so every person with depression or anxiety or bi-polar or anger seems to need the same remedy.

Some have a prayer hammer so every person needs prayer. Some have a special kind of prayer hammer called spiritual warfare so every Seeker needs prayer.

• Some people have a sin problem so they need to have the hammer of repentance. 
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• Some have a biological problem so they need to get a hammer for medicine. 
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• Some have a lack of faith so they need the hammer of faith. You can add hopelessness/hope, isolation/fellowship, sadness/joy, selfishness/ service, etc. 
• Some have distorted thinking so we add great thinking to combat bad thinking. 

Here is my question: What is the hammer for those who have all of the problem and maybe more? Can a church/Pastor/Layperson carry an entire tool box? If so what are the root causes and the hammers we need to bring holiness?

I have written a small booklet on the topics of nails/problems and hammers/solutions.  It can assist you to discover various root causes of problems like depression, anxiety, rage, addictions, and other life interrupting challenges and offer some guides to possible interventions.

I will follow up with different nails and different tools.

Send me your story and what helped you most to get over depression.