IDK if it would help you guys, but try "adopting" an older Christian woman who would not mind a "spiritual brother", as that helped to manage my depression and fix my sleep disorder.
I did this in 2015, as I didn't have any sisters and I'm estranged from my mother and so I wanted to see what having one felt like. I told this Christian lady in her 40's (i'm 30) that I would occasionally talk with that I would like her to become my "sister", she was hesitant at first but after my dog died she wanted to console me and agreed. We've had a very strong brother/sister friendship since then, which made me happy enough that I was able to fix my sleep disorder and manage my depression.
But doing this is especially helpful if you have neither a fulfilling sister or mother (just don't at any point try to turn it sexual), though I do say don't try to project a mother as that places too much pressure on a person. Nonetheless it's nice to feel like (or pretend) that a person is family. I think that's just what a lot of people with depression are lacking, someone that feels like family.
Now I'm accomplishing goals and have discipline for the first time in my life, my sleep disorder has gone away, and now I can finally sleep regularly on a set schedule. It's kind of like the opening scene of fight club really. I'd say nowadays there are probably a lot of lonely Christian women in their 40's that would love a brother/sister type relationship with someone, so if that had helped to fix me it can probably help others… just don't try to get "something more" because that changes the relationship type.
Parker Torres
I think I have schizophrenia. I was diagnosed with psychosis after I suddenly became religious and started seeing shadows of people out the corners of my eyes. At times I would hear the church choir unintelligibly singing, very quietly at least. My phone's GPS voice would babble at me at random times, too.
The hallucinations are gone now that I'm on medication. I can't remember the last strange thing I've seen or heard. And yet, the spirituality persists. There's one question that always keeps me coming back to Christianity: What happened 2,000 years in Israel? There's no reasonable explanation except something that's utterly and completely impossible to the atheist worldview I've held for years. I still don't know for sure how much my illness is influencing my religious beliefs.
The more I pray for the truth, and for the people around me, the more I find myself following a Christian path in life. I can only hope that one day I find that truth.
Zachary Rodriguez
I like you. I had visions as a child, and now that I've grown up I've been seeing spirits who led me to scripture and research proving to me all the outlandish information in my visions is true and everything I was taught is a lie or a falsehood taught by someone naive. But I can't talk about it with anyone because even if I show research they get outraged due to them having to acknowledge the zeitgeist is incorrect. It's driving me insane having no one to talk to about it. I wish I had a community where I could talk about topics more taboo than Tobit 4:12
Christopher Martinez
get a fun hobby, read more optimistic and hopeful books, don't take life so seriously it's just a test
How can anyone say they're depressed here? I mean, who has time to feel bored and disaffected while they're in the midst of spiritual warfare? Every moment would be dread or joy for you, if you really appreciated what is at stake.
Adam Lee
Who has a "pagan past" these days?
Gavin Jenkins
Pray for me everybody.
Luke Ramirez
That's some terrible advice. ITs not "just a test" because a failing grade is unthinkable.
Kevin Morgan
the test giver is a good guy, he won't let anything bad happen to you in the end, he's not a monster
Jonathan Diaz
I suffered dp/dr (depersonalization/derealization) over many years, with extreme existential anxiety and panic attacks.
I had so thoroughly rejected God that only this extreme suffering could bring me back to Him. So in retrospect I consider that hell I endured to have been a profound gift.
