Out of the Blues Application Questions Chapter 1, Part 2

 What biblical examples were given of the second category of depression?

The second category of depression is categorized as moderate depression. Mack provides biblical examples who fall into this category as a result from a wrong response to mild depression. Rather than acknowledging but not submitting to their feelings, these people submit to their feelings. Their focus becomes their circumstances and feelings and they look inward and horizontally rather than upward toward God. Some biblical examples are:

• Asaph writes in Psalm 73 that he came close to stumbling. He falls into this category because he came close but did not lose hope in the Lord.
• Jeremiah also experienced severe emotions but did not lose hope (Lamentations 3)
• The third example provided by Mack is the Psalmist in Psalms 42 and 43. The Psalmist describes being in despair, disturbed, mourning. However, the Psalmist did not give up entirely. He continued to trust in God.  

What are some symptoms of this type of depression?

Some symptoms of this type of depression are identified in the following quote from Mack:

...these people find that they begin to cry easily, become easily annoyed, experience longer periods of sadness, and have difficulty performing the normal activities of life. Their minds are set on the negative aspects of their life-earthly things-rather than on God's promises, purposes, and power-things above.