Rx for Holiday Depression

The music of Christmastime fills the air; we hear it in every store we enter; on the radio, and even TV commercials; this music whether secular or sacred is generally happy and joyful. Christmas is supposed to be the most joyful, hopeful, peace-fill holiday of the entire year. Yet untold numbers suffer in silence the agony of deep depression.

Music Therapy

Do you know there are at least one hundred internet articles on music therapy and how it is used to relieve?

* Depression

* Grief

* Pain

* Bipolar symptoms

* Anxiety disorders

* Anger

* Stress?

Yet this information is not new or the result of the most advanced medical research by any stretch of the scientific yardstick.

Biblical Account of Music Therapy

King Saul was the first king of the Israelites. God granted the people their request for a king by the anointing of Saul. However, Saul departed from following God. In fact his life style was shamefully out of sync with what God had planned for him.

As a result King Saul suffered from a horrible mood disorder. Some translations like the New International Version refer to this as “an evil spirit”. However in The Messenger, a very modern translation, this mood disorder is referred to as depression. From the wording of the scriptures in The Messenger, it is very possible King Saul also suffered panic attacks. This account is found in 1 Samuel . Chapter 16, verses 14 to the end of the chapter.

“At that very moment the Spirit of God left Saul and in its place a black mood sent by God settled on him. He was terrified.

Saul’s advisors said, “This awful tormenting depression from God is making your life miserable O Master, let us help. Let us look for someone who can play the harp, when the black mood from God moves in, he”ll play his music and you’ll feel better.’

Saul told his servants, “Go ahead. Find me someone who can play well and bring him to me.

One of the young men spoke up, “I know of someone. I have seen him myself: the son of Jesse of Bethlehem, an excellent musician. He’s also courageous, of age, well-spoken, and good-looking. And God is with him.’

So Saul sent messengers to Jesse requesting: “Send your son David to me, the one who tends the sheep.” ….David came to Saul and stood before him. Saul liked him immediately and made him his right-hand man.

After that, whenever the bad depression from God tormented Saul, David got out his harp and played. That would calm Saul down, and he would feel better as the moodiness lifted.”

Singing Is Also Heart Healthy

In a recent edition of Healthy Living , a small magazine I read in my Dad’s cardiologist’s office, there was an article encouraging senior citizens to try becoming a kid again. One of the “kid activities” was to sing.

Yeah, just break out in song! I have found it’s awfully hard to stay at “ebb tide” regarding my mood, when I am singing. Singing lifts your spirit. Now folks, if I can sing with this voice, my mom use to refer to as “not being able to carry a tune in a bushel basket”, well, by George, anyone can sing!

Christmas Tunes

Even if you don’t celebrate Christmas for its real reason; the birth of Christ, and if you also don’t have any religious orientation, there are tons of wonderful tunes to sing along to in celebrating this joyful season. Sing along to “Jingle Bells”, “Sleigh Ride”. “Winter Wonderland”, “Marshmallow World”, “Jingle Bell Rock”, “White Christmas”, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” – even “Frosty the Snowman” will put a smile on your face and I’ll wager, lift your spirit!

For Christians, my brothers and sisters worldwide, if you find yourself stressed out from all the busy-ness this holiday ushers in try taking a break each day just to sing along to some carols like, “Joy to the World”, “Go Tell It on the Mountain”, “Mary Had A Baby”, or “O Come All Ye Faithful”. You just can’t feel down and stressed out when you’re singing praises to the Lord!

Hey folks, make it a joyful Christmas. And as the late Tennessee Ernie Ford would say,

“Bless your little pea-pickin’ heart!”