憂鬱症之基督教靈性關顧

Dealing with Depression: A Christian Perspective

目的：憂鬱症乃是生物－－心理－－社會－－靈性疾病。憂鬱症使病人覺得生命失去意義與盼 望。在這綜論中，我打算回顧基督徒之憂鬱症靈性關顧、如何恢復憂鬱症者之生命意義、目 標及盼望。方法：以我基督教徒的信仰及精神醫學專業背景，作者搜查有關這個主題的文 獻。結果：我首先描述基督教徒對憂鬱情緒的感觸，及解釋恢復生命意義對患憂鬱症基督徒 之重要性。然後，作者再闡釋信徒對憂鬱症的八種層次的關懷及感觸：(A) 熟悉並經歷人間 憂傷的耶穌、(B) 禱告、(C) 具堅強社會支持力的基督徒團契、(D) 視受苦為上帝所賜包裝的 禮物與祝福、(E) 盼望可帶來活下去的勇氣、(F) 具創傷療治的饒恕、(G) 具克服失落感的放 手、(H) 克服習得無助感之愛心。結論：患有憂鬱症的基督徒病人，除了接受一般精神醫療 的治療外，需再增加基督教的靈性關顧，可使病人得到更完整的治療。

Objective: Depression is a bio-psycho-socio-spiritual disorder. Depression inevitably forces people to face experiences of meaninglessness and hopelessness. In this overview, I intended to review Christian’s aspect of spiritual care on depression, restoring meaning, purpose and hope for the depressed person. Method: Based on my practice of Christianity and psychiatry, I searched the literature on the topic area. Results: I fi rst describe depressive feeling in those with Christian faith, and explained the importance of restoring the meaning in Christianity. Then, I deal with depression with eight aspects: (A) Jesus: a man of sorrow and acquainted with grief, (B) prayer: God as therapist, (C) Christian fellowship: a strong social support, (D) suffering: a blessing in disguise, (E) hope: enabling courage to live, (F) forgiveness: healing of trauma, (G) letting go: overcoming loss, and (H) love: overcoming learned helplessness. Conclusion: By adding Christian spiritual care to ordinary psychiatric treatments, Christians suffering with depression can get a holistic treatment for their depression.