002 Hope for Depression Part 2: How to Fight Depression
Your Hope-Filled Perspective with Dr. Michelle Bengtson podcast
Release Date: 06/11/2019
Your Hope-Filled Perspective with Dr. Michelle Bengtson podcast
Episode Summary: The numbers don’t lie. 2.8 million adolescents between 12-17 had at least one major depressive episode. This is changing and it’s not all related to the pandemic. There is increase in drug use, sexual activity, addiction to phones, gaming, and social media. Today’s kids function more emotionally than they do logically. This is the reason that the information we give them, the decisions we desire for them to make and the boundaries we employ seem to bounce off their forehead. Join me with Jeff Schadt for how to overcome parent-child relationship problems and tackle...
info_outline 264 How To Find Hope in God’s Promises in the Midst of DepressionYour Hope-Filled Perspective with Dr. Michelle Bengtson podcast
Episode Summary: Join me for finding hope in God’s promises in the midst of depression. Did you know God places spiritual limits on the influences of depression and the enemy? We’ll discuss how these boundaries can empower you to find hope and worth through your faith, even when facing the darkest moments of despair. Drawing from my personal experiences and biblical stories, such as that of Job, I’ll share how our worth and destiny are defined by God, not our circumstances or the lies of the enemy. Quotables from the Episode: The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy, but...
info_outline 263 How To Defeat Depression by Addressing the Spiritual Roots of DiseaseYour Hope-Filled Perspective with Dr. Michelle Bengtson podcast
Episode Summary: Nobody is immune to depression. Even a seasoned neuropsychologist treating patients with a wide range of medical health issues can fall prey to depression. Join me as we shatter myths and offer powerful insights to help defeat depression by addressing the spiritual roots of disease. #replay Quotables from the Episode: If you were at a restaurant having dinner with some folks, if you stretch out your arms, you would be able to reach somebody who's been impacted by depression. If we don't treat this disorder, it truly is a deadly condition. Every year, over 45,000 people die...
info_outline 262 How To Help a Friend Facing CancerYour Hope-Filled Perspective with Dr. Michelle Bengtson podcast
Episode Summary: We all want to help. When we hear someone whose been given a devastating diagnosis, we want to try to help make things better. Or, at least make things less bad. But, sometimes, inadvertently, we can say and do things that cause more harm than good. Through my history with cancer and my husband's history with cancer, we've learned a few things. So in this replay of a conversation I had with Amy Connell, I'm going to share some insights that I think you'll find helpful so you can know how best to help a friend with cancer. This episode not only sheds light on the emotional and...
info_outline 261 How Your CORE Strength Can Bring Freedom and Empowerment in Your HealthYour Hope-Filled Perspective with Dr. Michelle Bengtson podcast
Episode Summary: In a world bent on touting certain diets and restrictive eating, our guest, Amy Connell, desires we learn about our core strength. After releasing her book Your Worthy Body, written for women over 40, she had moms approach her saying “I need something like this for my daughters!” Her hope is to be a conduit between mom and daughter to help them both foster a healthy relationship with food, exercise and their body so they can grow in their relationship with each other. She does this through her new book Your Core Strength: A Christ-Centered, Diet-Culture-Free book for...
info_outline 260 Hope Amidst Hardship: Breaking the Cycle of Generational PovertyYour Hope-Filled Perspective with Dr. Michelle Bengtson podcast
Episode Summary: Some pro-life advocates mistakenly assume that once a pregnant woman has chosen life for her baby, the battle has been won. However, the truth is that for mothers living in poverty, especially generational poverty, the battle has only begun. These women lack resources, support, finances, and hope. While pregnancy centers succeed in leading women to choose life and providing aid through the baby's first year, impoverished mothers are then left to fight a solitary battle for the life of their child every day. Join me with Marisol Maldonado Rodriguez as we talk about hope for...
info_outline 259 What Is Sexual Abuse and Offering Hope for SurvivorsYour Hope-Filled Perspective with Dr. Michelle Bengtson podcast
Episode Summary: Join me with Melissa Heiland as we talk about an important but sensitive topic: what is sexual abuse, and how we can offer hope for sexual abuse survivors. In the US, 10% of all children experience some form of sexual abuse before they turn 18. These numbers are likely low since sexual abuse is underreported. The victims are most likely to be female (75%), but these numbers are rapidly changing as boys are increasingly the targets of molesters. A whopping 90% of the children who are abused know their abuser which often points to a family member, teacher, scout...
info_outline 258 How to Hold Onto Faith While Waiting for HealingYour Hope-Filled Perspective with Dr. Michelle Bengtson podcast
Episode Summary: Dr. Michelle Bengtson joins David Robison of LifeToday to explore the challenging journey of maintaining faith during periods of waiting for healing. Drawing from her personal struggles and professional insights as a neuropsychologist, Dr. Bengtson shares about the emotional, physical, and spiritual pain that tests our faith. Through her new book, "The Hem of His Garment," she offers hope, encouragement, and practical advice to those navigating the complexities of pain and waiting. Join us as we discuss the importance of pressing into faith, the biblical examples of those who...
info_outline 257 The Truth About Anxiety in Motherhood: How to Overcome Overwhelm and FearYour Hope-Filled Perspective with Dr. Michelle Bengtson podcast
Episode Summary: All moms worry, right? Motherhood tempts many moms to worry, especially about the wellbeing of their children. Are they breathing? How can I keep them healthy? What if they don’t make friends at school? But for moms who experience anxiety, worry quickly elevates into debilitating overwhelm, fear, and doubt. This can make normal tasks of motherhood overwhelming and joy-less. Courtney Devich and I share the truth about anxiety in motherhood and how to overcome overwhelm and fear. Quotables from the episode: Many moms believe the adage, “I’m a mom, it’s my...
info_outline 256 Lessons You Can Learn from Broken FriendshipsYour Hope-Filled Perspective with Dr. Michelle Bengtson podcast
Episode Summary: Relationship conflict can be difficult. Can good come from broken relationships? How do deal with mutual friends after a breakup? How do we get over the pain of friendships that end? And how does Jesus teach us to be a good friend? Join me with Jessica Van Roekel for Lessons You Can Learn from Broken Friendships. Quotables from the episode: It could be safe to say we become God’s enemy when we harbor the sin of unforgiveness in our heart, which is why we must be careful not to point fingers at our ex-friend. Jesus tells us to take care of the log in our own eye before...
info_outlineEpisode Summary:
This episode is part 2 of Hope for Depression with Dr. Michelle Bengtson. Dr. Bengtson reviews highlights from part 1, and then answers the question how to fight depression. She reviews the fact that when it comes to depression, the enemy seeks to steal our joy, kill our peace, and destroy our identity. She then shares about the limits God puts on the enemy’s and depression’s influence in our lives, just like God limited the enemy’s impact on Job. Dr. Bengtson helps us understand that our depressive thoughts aren’t even our own thoughts, and how to combat them.
Dr. Bengtson combines her faith with her clinical practice to help you find out how to fight depression. She shares some of the most common lies the enemy gets us to believe, and then the truth to refute those lies. In this episode, she also shares practical tips for those who want to better support a depressed loved one.
Quotables/Tweetables:
- If you wonder how to fight depression, then this is the program for you.
- When it comes to depression, the enemy of our soul seeks to steal our joy, kill our peace, and destroy our identity.
- God put limits on the influence that the enemy could have on Job, and God does that for us as well.
- God doesn’t allow the enemy or depression to define our worth. God is the only one who can define our worth.
- We have infinite worth because Christ gave His life for us.
- Christ exchanged our sin for His perfection, our death for His life, and our bondage for His freedom. So if the son sets you free, you are truly free (John 8:36).
- Depression doesn’t determine our destiny. Your past doesn’t predict your future. If you are a Christ follower, your destiny is secure.
- God does require perfection, but we can never meet that standard for perfection, only Jesus did. Salvation is because of what Jesus did for us.
- Both fear and faith demand our focus, but we can trust God and no longer fear.
- Nothing, not the enemy nor depression, can separate us from the love of God.
- God’s only requirement of us is not that we would be perfect, but that we would believe in Him.
- We have a role to play in our own healing. Scripture says we must recover ourselves: recognize we’ve believed the enemy’s lies, repent to God for believing the enemy instead of God’s truth, then renounce and reject the enemy’s lies and replace them with God’s truth. Then receive God’s peace, love, and joy.
- God doesn’t leave us alone or to our own devices.
- Jesus never asked questions because He needed the answers. He asked questions so that those he asked them of would learn more.
- We have between 50-70,000 thoughts a day. How are you doing taking EVERY thought captive? First you have to pay attention to the thoughts you are having, then ask if it is consistent with God says in the Bible, or am I believing a lie?
- God never wastes our pain. In fact, He uses our pain for good.Depression is not from God. That is not His best for you. He desires for you to be in health and good mental health.
Scripture References:
- John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believes in Him, should not parish but have everlasting life.”
- Romans 5:6 “When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.”
- Jeremiah 31:3 “I have loved you with an everlasting love.”
- John 8:36 “So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.”
- 2 Corinthians 10:5 “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
- John 8:32 “you will know the truth, ad the truth will set you free.”
Recommended Resources:
- If you wonder how to fight depression, the very best resource is the Word of God, The Bible.
- “Hope Prevails: Insights from a Doctor’s Personal Journey Through Depression” by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award
- “Hope Prevails Bible Study” by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award
- https://drmichellebengtson.com/hope-prevails-despite-depression/
- https://drmichellebengtson.com/a-letter-to-one-struggling-with-depression/
- https://drmichellebengtson.com/this-thing-called-depression-signs-and-symptoms/
- https://drmichellebengtson.com/how-do-i-know-if-im-depressed-common-symptoms-of-depression/
- https://drmichellebengtson.com/10-verses-of-hope-for-when-you-are-down-or-depressed/
- https://drmichellebengtson.com/20-ways-to-fight-depression/
- https://drmichellebengtson.com/can-i-be-cured-of-depression/
- https://drmichellebengtson.com/10-things-to-know-if-you-have-a-depressed-loved-one/
- https://drmichellebengtson.com/how-to-help-a-depressed-loved-one/
- https://drmichellebengtson.com/what-to-say-when-a-loved-one-is-depressed/
- https://drmichellebengtson.com/what-not-to-say-when-a-loved-one-is-depressed/
- https://drmichellebengtson.com/15-ways-to-help-depressed-husband-wife/
Social Media Links for Host and Guest:
For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at:
- To order Hope Prevails: https://drmichellebengtson.com/hope-prevails-book/
- Website: https://drmichellebengtson.com/
- Blog: https://drmichellebengtson.com/blog/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrMichelleBengtson
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrMBengtson (@DrMBengtson)
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmichellebengtson/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drmichellebengtson/
- Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/drbhopeprevails/
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/MichelleBengtson
- Radio Show Host: http://graceandtruthradio.world/shows/your-hope-filled-perspective/
Air Date: April 22, 2019
Guest: Dr. Michelle Bengtson, Board Certified Clinical Neuropsychologist, Author, International Speaker
Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson
Audio Technical Support: Bryce Bengtson