Despondency is the most serious sin. Why is depression a mortal sin? Psychology of the state

Why is despondency considered a mortal sin in Christianity, although formally a person does not do anything bad to others? What priests and psychologists say about this, and how best to deal with this condition

Despondency in Christianity is considered the seventh deadly sin, and this causes genuine surprise among many believers. In the usual view, sin is causing harm to another person, for example, theft, murder, envy, treason. In the case of despondency, the situation is more complicated: a person does not cause any inconvenience to anyone, and suffers alone. Why is such a state considered sinful, what does psychology say about this, and how can one get rid of it?

Despondency is natural, so why is it a sin

At any period of life, completely different people may experience an irresistible longing, gradually developing into despondency. This is completely natural, especially if you have to deal with traumatic situations. This may be the loss of a job, separation from loved ones, difficulty in achieving goals. Why is depression considered a sin? According to the holy fathers and theologians, a certain type of people who are "sick" with yet another sin - pride - are subject to this condition. In a state of pride, a person believes that other people and circumstances are to blame for his problems and sorrows. It begins to seem to him that everything is going awry, and there is no way out of such situations. At the same time, he does not try to find the cause of failures in himself, his behavior. The danger, according to the priests, lies in the fact that a person does not want to accept God's will for what is happening and gradually turns away from him, becoming more and more mired in pride. In the end, a person driven to despair by his own bleak thoughts can commit another grave sin - suicide, which will forever close the path to Paradise for the sinner.

Despondency of the soul: the psychology of the state

What does psychology think about the despondency of the soul? This condition is considered a harbinger of depression, and occurs as a result of unresolved internal conflicts or prolonged stress.
Internal conflicts are when expectations do not match reality. People with a melancholic temperament are prone to this, whom the slightest trouble unsettles for a long time. And if such events occur constantly, a person becomes discouraged and stops trying to somehow influence the events.
A person ceases to rejoice at what until recently made him happy, loses his life orientation, what is happening seems to him bleak and meaningless. Gradually, a once fulfilling life turns into a dull existence, when nothing pleases and does not encourage action. People rarely come to a psychologist for a consultation, and then when the patient may need the help of a psychotherapist to resolve the situation.

Is it possible to equate despondency with boredom

The question often arises: are despondency and boredom the same thing? Not really. Boredom is the first "step" to a slide into despondency, when a person begins to stop getting satisfaction from his life. This condition, with timely detection, can be corrected. For more successful work on yourself, you can consult a psychologist who will tell you "sore spots" and help correct them.
In the case of despondency, work with a specialist will be lengthy; with prolonged depression, antidepressants may be required.

The cure for despondency - methods of salvation

Medicines for despondency will be different for psychologists and priests.
Psychologists' advice:

• You should accept the fact that you will have to deal with despondency on your own, with passive behavior it will not go anywhere, but will only intensify. Volitional coercion is extremely important here, without this it is impossible to get rid of this state
• You can remember what hobbies and activities brought joy before, and start doing it again, even if you don’t feel like it.
• Look for joyful moments in the past, in the present also focus on the positive
• If a person feels that it is difficult for him to cope on his own, you should contact a psychologist. It will help you look at the situation from the outside, find “pain points” and make a correction.
• In some cases, despondency is not a psychological but a physiological problem. This may be due to disturbances in the endocrine system, or be, along with other symptoms, a harbinger of various diseases. Therefore, it would be useful to undergo a medical examination to identify possible hidden pathologies.
• Spend more time in nature, consume fresh vegetables and fruits to eliminate vitamin deficiency
• Exercising also helps increase serotonin, the “hormone of joy,” and will help fight despondency.
• Aromatherapy, massage are auxiliary means that have a beneficial effect on the state of mind
• Communicate with dear and beloved people so as not to feel lonely and feel their importance to others

The main advice of the priests boils down to the following: the fight against despondency will be successful when a person can overcome pride and acquire humility in his soul. This path is not easy, and they begin by reading the Bible to understand their weaknesses. Then follows the control of one's own emotions and passions, which leads to the appearance of humility.

Important! It is worth mentioning that this way of getting rid of despondency is much more difficult than the advice of psychologists, but ultimately much more effective.

Prayer from despondency and despair - so that for sure

In the fight against the sin of despondency and despair, prayer will help such saints as Nikolai Ugodnik, the Mother of God, John of Kronstadt, Great Martyr Barbara.
In order for the prayer to be done to bring peace to the soul, the following points should be considered:

• You need to pray in a quiet, secluded place where nothing will distract or interfere
• The text of the prayer should be read slowly and thoughtfully in order to understand every word
• You can pronounce words both aloud and silently

As soon as the feeling of longing begins to rise, you should read a prayer, even if there is no desire. Priests say that fervent prayer to God will help a person overcome this condition.

How to deal with discouragement: video

Below you can watch a video that talks about how to better and more effectively deal with discouragement:

Despondency is a mortal sin, which is the seventh mortal sin in Christian teaching. Before talking about how to deal with this vice, it is worth understanding what the sin of despondency is.

In the Roman Catholic there is only the sin of sorrow. In the Orthodox canon, the division into the mortal sin of despondency and sadness is accepted.

Despondency is characterized as a depressive, depressed state of mind. A person who has fallen into despondency loses the desire for any kind of labor and activity: physical, mental, spiritual and moral. The Christian church describes despondency as a state of spiritual crisis in a person.

The following are the main properties of the sin of discouragement:

1. Laziness, idleness, unwillingness to work. A person subjected to despondency loses all interest in his activities. Despondency makes a person apathetic to duties and work, makes him concentrate all his attention on his grief. It is worth noting that very often a person who suffers from despondency cannot in any way and in no way explain the reasons for this phenomenon.
2. "Cooling" to the spiritual life. A discouraged person spends less time solving moral issues. He visits church and takes communion less often, reads less spiritual literature.
3. Health deterioration. Mental and physical are closely connected in a person, and the "sickness" of the soul can lead to physical illnesses. For those who are discouraged, sleep is disturbed, appetite disappears, fatigue increases and energy decreases.

It would seem that a person who has fallen into despondency does not do anything negative in relation to his neighbors. He does not offend anyone, does not lie, does not steal, does not kill, but nevertheless, despondency is numbered among mortal sins. It is recognized as a mortal sin for the following reasons:

• can make a person fall into despair, and despair can lead to suicide, which is the most serious sin in Christianity;
• takes a person away from God and moral self-improvement, forcing him to focus only on his own grief;
• deprives a person of the will to do his work, which leads him to laziness, inaction, abandonment of his duty.

It is difficult for a person to resist despondency. It deprives him of vitality and the will to act. Fighting despondency is sometimes difficult, but it is necessary for the spiritual purification of a person.

The Christian Church identifies various reasons for the emergence of despondency: a test sent by the Lord for spiritual cleansing, wounded pride, vanity, a person's loss of faith, godlessness, insufficient participation in spiritual life. Wrong way of life and unwillingness to follow the moral law lead people to a spiritual crisis, a way out of which can be difficult to find.

Despondency can lead to a vicious circle: a person is in a state of despondency and has no desire to do anything, from his idleness he falls more and more into despondency, from this he works less and less, which leads to even more despondency.

Priests say that longing is natural for a person. The suffering of the soul helps to cultivate moral benefactors in it. Overcoming despondency, a person spiritually improves himself and approaches God. Despondency can be a test sent to a person from God, which must be overcome.

How to deal with the deadly sin of despondency?

The Orthodox Church identifies the following ways to combat despondency:

1. The best way to counter discouragement is to do what you can. Work, the fulfillment of one's duties help a person get out of an oppressed state.
2. Do not lose heart and do not succumb to sin.
3. Pray hard, .
4. Read spiritual literature, reflect on eternal moral issues.
5. Attend temple and church services. Participate in church sacraments.

Despondency is a painful mortal sin that a person needs to fight in order to improve morally, draw closer to God, fulfill his work and duties, and lead a lifestyle appropriate for a true Christian.

Each of us, throughout our lives, finds ourselves in situations where it seems that a hopeless dark stripe will never shine with bright colors. We give up, get depressed and stop enjoying the things around us. The Biblical Commandments classify such a state as unacceptable and unsuitable for a spiritually developed person. Therefore, believers are trying to find the answer to the question why sadness is a mortal sin, how to fight and resist temptation.

The Commandments clearly indicate which sins are the most serious:

• the formation of one's own I over others (arrogance);
• unwillingness to share the provided benefits (stinginess);
• strong attraction to sexual pleasures (voluptuousness);
• emotional state aimed at combating injustice (anger);
• excessive passion for food and alcohol (gluttony);
• negative feelings that arise in relation to those who own certain material values ​​(envy);
• excessive idleness and rest (idleness).

The sin of despondency is guarded by one of the Demons, who tries to prevent a person from reaching agreement with himself and complete reconciliation with the Lord.

His actions bring a person to:

• apathy
• decrease in vitality
• feelings of worthlessness,
• loss of interest in what is happening around us.

Ignorance and Oblivion help him in this.

These are the other two most powerful giant demons.

• Another state of despondency is called an evil manifestation of Sloth.
• The spleen keeps a person from going to church, praying and other saving charitable deeds.
• He is overcome by hopeless feelings of indifference and indifference.
• He does not find joy and consolation in any deeds and deeds.
• In such a situation, there is often a rejection of the environment, nothing is nice for a person, he does not want to see anyone.

The Ten Commandments of God list the actions and thoughts that deviate from a righteous life.

Why is depression considered a sin?

It is quite heavy from the point of view of the Bible.

These are such emotional outbursts, when a person feels exhausted, he constantly feels sorry for himself. It can also arise as a result of a disregard for one's own person.

Because of what despondency is considered a sin:

• Many want to get an exact answer to this statement. In Orthodoxy, depressive and dull states are considered synonymous words. They are connected with idleness, idleness and bodily relaxation, which should not be allowed to believers.
• The priests are sure that most often this state of affairs visits a person closer to noon. Therefore, it is called the "midday demon."

How the church deals with sadness

During this period, we most often want to sleep, there is no desire to do business and pray.

Since from ancient times all the monks got up before sunrise, 12 hours was always considered half the day lived. And the meal took place twice a day - at lunchtime and in the evening. And, when boredom suddenly overcame during any actions, this was considered to be despondency.

• Theophan the Recluse repeatedly mentioned this in his writings. Moreover, relaxation comes not only in relation to everyday affairs, but also to worldly or prayerful ones.
• Due to the fact that depression pushes us to give up all things, it becomes necessary to study the concept of despondency as a mortal sin and how to deal with it.

As one of the main methods, it is often suggested to educate the fortitude, which will help to become active and achieve a certain position in society.

The story of the monk

There is a story about one monk, described by St. Ignatius. It tells how a servant of God fell into despondency and made attempts to leave the prayer instructions. The feeling that overtook him was so strong that he did not have the strength to continue his monastic activity. For advice, he turned to the elder, who told him a well-known parable.

“One man’s field was overgrown with thorns. He called for the help of his son, so that he removed the weeds until the time it would be necessary to carry out sowing work. The young man was going to get down to business with enthusiasm, but, having looked at the state of the field, he got upset and fell asleep right on the ground.

The father, who came to check on the progress of the work, saw his sleeping son and began to wake him up. He accused the young man of disobedience and offered to clear the field every day, at least in small parts. The son listened to his father, and soon the field was sown and a great harvest was obtained.

At the end of his story, the elder said to the monk: “So you don’t need to be discouraged either, do charitable deeds in small steps, then your former state will return to you.”

Emotional manifestations of melancholy, sadness, sadness, apathy cover us completely and do not allow us to realize how destructive they are and destroy all good thoughts in their path.

Many people prescribe this to the peculiar and unknown Russian soul. There is still a small amount of truth in this. But practicing psychotherapists are sure that being in a state of depression for a long time is a rather dangerous phenomenon that can lead to irreparable consequences - suicide.

Therefore, the church refers to inaction and discouragement as grave sins.

Sadness, depression, despondency - which is worse

Orthodoxy singles out this type of temptation as a distinctive type, while Catholicism emphasizes the presence of more sadness. The differences between these two components are almost imperceptible.

• But sadness is a negatively colored emotion that is temporary and associated with a bad event or action.
• And you don't need a special reason to be sad. It visits us unexpectedly, although, by the way, it also leaves.
• A person begins to worry for any reason and cannot stabilize his emotions, even with a successful outcome of all the work begun.

However, the representatives of the church believe that we are not given tests more than we can bear. Therefore, we must perceive all hardships optimistically, confidently expecting a better outcome. Otherwise, it will turn out that a person does not trust the unified doctrine of God and the world. As a result, the soul is left to itself and experiences suffering and torment.

• A man who yields to despondency does not believe in goodness.
• In this case, he absolutely does not have the strength to carry out saving actions, since hope is lost and all dreams are broken.
• In the end, it is destructive for the soul of a person, which negatively affects his body.
• To fall into despondency is to tire your mind, relax your soul and begin to accuse God of mercilessness and lack of love for the entities he created.

The main signs of a sad state

In order to prevent the development of destructive processes, it is necessary to identify the main symptoms of manifest laziness in a timely manner.

The table shows the most common and common types of blues in most people, describing despondency as a mortal sin, how to deal with it and not succumb to despair.

Symptom	Description
Sleep disorders	If a person cannot sleep peacefully at night, disturbing thoughts are constantly swarming in his head, or, on the contrary, he sleeps for days on end, then this can be safely attributed to an alarm bell.
Bowel problems	Normal stool is different for each person. But, when you have persistent delays in emptying or constipation, then you should start using medication measures. Otherwise, it will affect your overall emotional state.
Appetite disorder	You suddenly notice a tendency to oversaturate yourself or eating cooked meals does not cause you pleasure. Be sure to pay attention to this fact, which is one of the symptoms of an impending state of apathy.
Reduced sexual activity	Carnal pleasures do not bring you the former satisfaction, and you have no sexual desire. Expect a feeling of emptiness, you will stop enjoying life.
Fatigue	You can quickly get tired of physical or mental stress, provided you reach a certain age. But, if you notice that this happens instantly, here you should be alert and make every effort to prevent the development of this condition.
Development of diseases	Pain symptoms felt in the stomach, muscles or heart are the first signs that provoke a decline in strength and spirit.
Development of negative emotional outbursts	Character traits that you need to try to get rid of in the first place: helplessness, lethargy, lack of will, softness, loss of strength and life goals.

Depression as a disease

The feeling of inner conflict between your soul and God can later develop into an organic disease.

• Frequent changes in mood, depression lead to a general exhausted state.
• Gradually, sin begins to grow into the human body, threatening to deteriorate health and the need to seek help from medicine. Recovery is possible.
• The Church offers in this case to reconcile with our inner nature and God.

How not to lose heart in a difficult life situation

Only a person engaged in constant self-development and self-improvement can correct this state of affairs. When you can’t break a depressive state on your own, you can turn to the confessor from the monastery.

He is able to find ways out by applying psychotherapeutic techniques and methods. Get ready for the fact that your conversation will be long, since identifying the source of spiritual grief is not as easy as it seems at first glance. But, ultimately, your soul will be cured, since despondency is a disease that should not be allowed to take its course.

Negativity in your head

Realizing the need to fight the bodily and spiritual illness, you should try to reorient your life and direct its flow in a different direction. Most importantly, get rid of sinful aspirations and hopes, as they destroy both the body and the soul. Sometimes you need to resort to the methods of modern medicine. You should not refuse such an opportunity, because in this way you reproach the Creator.

How to resist discouragement

Orthodox believers, as mentioned above, consider the state of despondency akin to depression. Most likely, this assumption is not in vain. It is this that leads to a state of general depression, from which it can be very difficult, and sometimes simply impossible, to get out without outside help.

Modern psychology and medicine in its arsenal has many techniques that analyze despondency as a mortal sin, knows how to overcome it and eradicate this disease.

What does the church forbid?

At the same time, do not forget that the church has always looked negatively at such people. According to the established canons, the priests did not welcome the use of medications for the treatment of such a sinful condition. Accordingly, believing people always have a reasonable question, how to get out of it without violating the Commandments?

Prayers for loneliness

• The only way out is constant prayer and avoidance of loneliness.
• In no case is it recommended to withdraw into oneself, but, on the contrary, to start leading a more active lifestyle.
• Visit new places, relax in nature with friends, go to the cinema, theater or exhibitions.

• Psychologists agree that it is possible to avoid the onset of depression only with sports activities and a mobile lifestyle.
• Physical exercise can relieve the accumulated negative load on the brain, helping to become a self-confident person.
• The Church, for its part, calls to put faith in your heart, sincerely turning to God every day with words of prayer.

In church canons there is a special prayer for this:

Suicide risk

Lack of confidence in our abilities, failure to try to improve things, or inability to change our lives paralyze us so much that we ourselves give up the fight.

If these sensations penetrate deeply into our brain, then there is a risk of suicidal tendencies.

How not to lose heart in a difficult life situation and learn to cope with the adversity that arises, which it is not clear where they come from and where they go? And it is imperative to do something, because in the end, the idea that all the attempts made are useless, and nothing can be changed, can be deeply ingrained in our minds.

Find the cause of depression

Before you start getting rid of negative emotional outbursts, you should identify the cause of this state of affairs.

She can be quite serious:

• long illness,
• falling down the career ladder

or the most common one:

• a daily routine at work or at home that no longer pleases.

How to deal with depression

These things can not be postponed or not fulfilled. They suck and cause boredom, accompanied by a lack of desire to change the current state of affairs. We seem to be stuck in a quagmire, we do not see the environment and cannot understand what and how is happening around us.

The fact that there is no definite result from the work performed also leads to a decrease in motivation. We, like robots, are immersed in the process itself without receiving feedback.

As a result - thoughts about their own uselessness, disorder and abandonment.

• Do not allow despondency into your life, constantly change the quality of your actions, the way you think and act, the development of the situation in the opposite direction.
• When you are constantly working without lifting your head, you need to relax.
• Change the scenery - go to a museum, spend a vacation by the sea, visit the mountains with friends, etc.
• If you have a small workload, and you are languishing from idleness, on the contrary, start being active: change your field of activity to a completely opposite one, meet new people, start a vigorous social activity, yes, change your life partner, in the end.
• You need an emotional shake-up, new experiences and interests.

Accordingly, a serious approach to considering the situation of despondency, a mortal sin, how to fight and look for the right way out of a negative state, will allow you to overcome all the symptoms on your own.

How not to break

The main thing is not to let the process go into the phase of a sluggish disease. Like other forms, it should be treated immediately, immediately, with the onset of manifestations.

Don’t let depression sink in, it’s quite difficult to find a way out of it on your own. Treat yourself with the utmost respect and care.

Ten ways to deal with despair

Developing despondency causes pessimistic moods and constant irritation.

The way to deal with them is quite simple. You need to try to improve your mood in every possible way.

Below is a list of the most optimal, from which you will choose the one that suits you.

Brief description of the method	How to deal with discouragement
The successful solution of the problem depends only on you	No practicing psychologist is able to look into the depths of your soul in order to control it. You need to learn how to avoid the appearance of apathy and mood deterioration on your own.
Faith in a good outcome	Constantly bring arguments that guarantee the short duration of the black streak in your life. Learn to believe that positivity and happiness are already on the doorstep, you just have to open the door for them.
Give examples of positive things from the past	Be able to identify all the good things that happened to you in the past, transferring it to the events of the present. Even the most severe trials experienced are not devoid of positive aspects. No one will argue that it is quite difficult to see the positive when everything around seems dark and gloomy. However, put your best efforts into it, and you will definitely succeed. Then it remains just to come up with the most joyful scenarios for the development of further events. Let them be incredible, but with a good ending. A complete reconfiguration of your thoughts will lead to the fact that you will no longer think about the troubles around you, but look with confidence into tomorrow.
Fill your life with interesting activities	Think about your hobby It can be a trip, excursion, cooking, passion for musical compositions, embroidery or reading books. Separate yourself from problems for a few hours with an invisible barrier and completely immerse yourself in your hobbies. After a while, you will notice that your mood has improved, and you are ready for further exploits.
Breathing exercises	An agitated or upset person breathes shallowly and with effort. To rid your mind of negative thoughts, take a deep breath, hold your breath, and exhale all your negative emotions. Thus, you will not only improve your mood, but also enrich your body with oxygen, ceasing to think about how not to lose heart and enjoy life.
Massage of bioactive areas on the body	On our body there are points, massaging which will save us from sadness. There is no need to be skeptical about this recommendation. In difficult moments, try pressing the thumb of one hand into the recess of the palm of the other, or massage the lobes of the ears. Within a few seconds, you will feel a surge of vivacity and get rid of despondency.
Sports	The lingering nature of bad mood will help to overcome physical exercises. When they are carried out, you will feel muscle fatigue, which will switch your thoughts in the other direction from the negative. You can join the gym, go to the pool or just go hiking in the fresh air.
aromatherapy	Peppermint scent or orange essential oil will work great as an off-the-beaten-time switch. You can put a few drops on your wrist or on a handkerchief that you put under your pillow. Inhaling their scent, try to relax and immerse yourself in an atmosphere of bliss and euphoria, which is so detrimental to stress and emptiness.
Pour out your troubles on paper	Take a leaf and try to depict on it everything that causes you negative emotions. You can just draw, or you can list it as a list of problems. After you splash everything out, just tear up the paper and burn the rest. Imagine that all your sorrows and troubles are dissolved in a flame.
Use the Pleasure Hormone	Let things into your life that bring you joy. Perhaps these are the gentle touches of a loved one while watching movies together on the couch. Are you a sweet lover? Buy a cake, chocolate bar or your favorite pastry and eat it. Change your menu to include fish. It contains all the necessary substances that produce the hormone of pleasure. Most importantly, do not become isolated in your problem. Arrange a romantic date or lay a festive table for loved ones. You will immediately feel cheerfulness, and despondency will disappear without a trace.

Strive to find the bright side in any event, even, at times, seemingly meaningless and ridiculous. Do not try to avoid troubles, they temper our spirit, help us become purer and nobler. Take full control of your life to prevent the destructive power of depression, apathy and longing.

It is enough to give yourself a clear statement that despondency is a mortal sin how to fight and get rid of a dangerous feeling so that it cannot cause significant damage to your physical and mental state.

More useful advice from discouragement.

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The Bible says "10 commandments of God". They describe the main, the biggest sins. Among them is a sense of despondency. Moreover, in the Orthodox world, such a feeling is considered a rather grave sin. What does this concept really mean?

Despondency and longing are a mental state of a person. Such an emotional mood that arises as a result of relaxation or self-pity. It can also occur due to the fact that a person pays too much attention to himself. For many people, the question may arise: “Why is discouragement a mortal sin?” The thing is that Orthodox people consider despondency and depression to be synonymous. It is associated with laziness, bodily relaxation, which in principle is unacceptable.

Holy fathers about despondency

It is worth noting that in churches and temples this concept can still be called the “midday demon”, which, as a rule, comes to the ascetic at lunchtime. It puts him to sleep, distracts him from work and from prayer.

• Since ancient times, as the monks get up early, 12 o'clock - this was half a day. They have meals twice a day (at lunchtime and in the evening).
• As St. Theophan the Recluse wrote, despondency is boredom in doing something. It can be both worldly and prayerful or domestic.
• During the occurrence of such a feeling, I want to quit everything. By the way, the fight against despondency is the education of willpower, which very often helps a person become successful and achieve success in life.

But St. Ignatius described a very interesting story of how a monk fell into despondency and left the rule of prayer. This feeling overtook the monk so strongly that he could not continue his monastic feat. In order to somehow fight this, he asked for advice from an old man, who told him the following parable.

One man had a huge field on his estate, overgrown with thorns. He asked his son to clear the field so that it could be sown. The son willingly decided to help his father, but when he came to the field and saw what condition it was in, he became discouraged, lay down on the ground and fell asleep.

When the father came and saw his sleeping son, he woke him up and said:

“Son, if every day you cleared the field of weeds at least in such small parts on which you slept, then things would move forward a little. And you wouldn't be naughty."

After listening to his father, the son did just that. It didn't take long before they sowed the field and soon got a good harvest. “So do not be discouraged, my son, but little by little enter into the feat, and God, by His grace, will bring you back to your former state.” The monk thought about this parable and the elder’s advice, and soon the monk regained the spiritual world and succeeded in the Lord.

Despondency is a mortal sin, how to fight

As mentioned above, Orthodox believers compare despondency with depression. It's not in vain. Because it is this that leads to depression, which, as proven by modern medicine, is sometimes very, very difficult to get out of without an appropriate specialist.

As you know, in modern psychology, as well as in medicine, a lot of different methods and means have been developed that help fight this kind of ailment.

But before getting rid of despondency, it should be noted that the church at all times accused people suffering from despondency of sin, which provoked the emergence of an even greater depressive state, and the church does not support drug treatments. Many will immediately have the question of how to deal with the sin of despondency according to church canons? The clergy recommend to pray and in no case close in on yourself. Otherwise, loneliness will also join this sin.

How to avoid discouragement

Despite the fact that modern psychology and science believe that despondency can only be overcome by playing sports and leading an active lifestyle. They say that in the process of loading, a person throws off the accumulated load. Thus, he throws off negative energy, becomes more confident in himself.

Glorious and all-praise Holy Great Martyr Varvaro! Gathered today in your Divine temple, people, worshiping your relics and kissing love, your martyr’s suffering, and in them the Passion-bearer of Christ himself, who gave you not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for Him, with praises appeasing, we pray thee, the well-known desire of our intercessor: pray with us and for us, imploring from His mercy God, may he graciously hear us asking for His grace, and will not put aside from us all the necessary petitions for salvation and life, and grant a Christian death to our stomach - painless, shameless , peacefully, I will partake of the Divine Mysteries, and to everyone, in every place, in any sorrow and situation, requiring His philanthropy and help, His great mercy will give, but by the grace of God and your warm intercession, always stay healthy in soul and body, we glorify the marvelous in His saints the God of Israel, who does not remove His help from us always, now and forever, and forever and ever, amen.

If we consider despondency, based on the biblical canons, then at all times it was ranked among the category of mortal sins. For what reason is despondency a sin, and if it is a sin, then how to overcome it? It became very interesting for me to understand this issue and I invite you to do it together.

Falling into a state of melancholy, sadness, despondency, sadness - a person does not think at all about the possible consequences that these negative, destructive emotions are fraught with.

Some even attribute to this state some subtlety of the mysterious Russian soul. But experts in psychiatry say that when a person is depressed for a long time, depression develops, which means a serious danger to his health and even life. Different researchers call the figure 20% - exactly how many people around the globe suffer from a depressed morale.

As for the Church, it has long since added despondency to the list of major sins. Next, we will understand what caused this.

What is despondency in Orthodoxy

Let us turn to the statement of the professor of the Russian Orthodox University, John the Theologian Viktor Trostnikov, who says the following:

“Despondency is included in the category of mortal sins exclusively in Orthodoxy. For comparison, Catholics included sadness in this list, but only in Orthodoxy is despondency singled out as a single sin.

It is for this reason that in Orthodoxy there are only 8 deadly sins, and not 7. At first glance, it may seem that sadness and despondency are one and the same. If we look in more detail, we establish that sadness is a passing feeling related to some unpleasant incidents, but this feeling is temporary, passing.

And if we are talking about despondency, then we must note that it acts as a protracted, chronic condition, and for it there are often no obvious factors. Despondency is precisely a state of mind, it is quite capable of visiting you even if outwardly everything looks quite safe. At the same time, a person himself will not be able to give an intelligible answer to the question of what he really needs.

Be that as it may, the Church calls both sadness and despondency mortal sins. A layman must perceive all the types of trials sent to him, having a whole soul, being filled with faith, hope and love in his soul. In the opposite case, he begins to renounce the whole, does not recognize this whole, and therefore condemns the doctrine of God, the world and humanity. This is one of the variations of the lack of faith. When the spirit is left to itself, and the individual is automatically doomed to various pathologies and suffering.

All mortal sins have a destructive effect on the physical and spiritual shells of a person. It is not in vain that despondency is known as "evil debauchery." When this passion begins to influence an individual, he becomes lazy, it is difficult for him to motivate himself to perform any actions. Also, he does not experience any joy and consolation, loses faith and hope for the best.

It is not in vain that there is a saying that "a dry spirit can dry up bones."

A despondent spirit dries up the bones

• sleep is disturbed (a person suffers from insomnia or increased drowsiness);
• appetite changes (increases or is lost);
• bowel problems (constipation);
• markedly reduced sexual potential;
• the general energy state decreases, the person begins to tire more of the usual physical and mental stress;
• there are various uncomfortable pain types of sensations in the trunk.

As a result of such a conflict with oneself, even organic pathology can arise. Thus, sin begins to penetrate into the physical body of a person.

In modern medicine, methods of healing from depression are offered, however, the famous specialist in this field, Polishchuk, who is a doctor of medical sciences, also advises using spiritual and religious methods of psychotherapy.

He expresses the following opinion about the treatment of despondency: “If someone who suffers from depression turned to me and asked for a way out of this state, I would definitely recommend him not only to visit the temple of God, but to search for his personal spiritual mentor in one of the monasteries.

Of course, this option will be more difficult, as it requires efforts to search, but as a result, they will not just listen to you for a couple of minutes, but will try to establish the true source of mental suffering. Conversations with spiritual mentors last for several hours, and sometimes the applicant is offered to stay within the walls of the monastery for a certain time in order to endure the fast and begin to heal his soul.

Father (Berestov), ​​acting as a hieromonk and head of the Counseling Orthodox Center of John of Kronstadt, as well as a doctor of medical sciences, is sure that a person who dreams of healing this ailment not only on a bodily, but also on a spiritual level, must definitely seek help from Holy Church.

After all, it is Orthodox medicine that is called upon to save a person, to free him from internal sins that destroy the body with the soul.”

Although, from a different position, believers who have suffered from depressive conditions should not neglect official medicine, because, according to St. Theophan the Recluse, “medicine and medicines were given to us by the Almighty and to refuse them means to reproach the Creator.”

What can lead a person to the mortal sin of despondency?

It becomes clear that despondency can seriously harm both our physical body and cause damage to our immortal soul.

But why does this passion arise? Among the main factors that provoke despondency, the following can be distinguished:

1. Loss of the meaning of life.
2. A state where a person is not in control of his life.
3. Lost faith in yourself and in God.
4. Laziness.
5. Lack of responsibility.
6. Loss of joy.
7. Disappointment (in oneself, other people, ideals, life in general, and so on).
8. Constant guilt.
9. Unwillingness to admit their own mistakes.

Of course, perhaps the most important point of all of these is the meaning of life. Until a person has found the answer to the question why he lives on Earth, what is his true destiny, all attempts to achieve happiness will fail.

As a result of this, internal blocks of consciousness begin to appear, manifested in the form of irresponsibility, disbelief in one's own strengths, hatred of oneself and a complete refusal to move forward, neglect of one's capabilities.

For what reasons does the sin of despondency arise according to Orthodoxy

The Orthodox Church names its specific factors for the appearance of this passion:

• trials sent to man by God so that he can improve spiritually;
• self-loathing;
• vanity;
• loss of faith;
• godlessness;
• little spiritual life.

Due to a disturbed way of life and unwillingness to observe moral morality, people find themselves in a state of spiritual crisis, getting out of which is already quite problematic.

Despondency provokes a vicious circle: the individual is in a depressed state, he has no desire to perform any actions, such idleness plunges him even more into a state of despondency, makes him do even less something, which, as a result, is fraught with an even greater state of despondency.

The Holy Fathers say that from time to time each of us may encounter a state of natural longing. Due to mental suffering, moral benefactors are cultivated in a person. And when a person copes with the state of despondency, he begins to improve himself spiritually and becomes closer to the Creator.

Therefore, we can consider the sin of despondency as a test sent from above, which must be dealt with.

How to deal with discouragement

If you do not take any action, then the state of despondency can provoke a deep depression. Doctors note that it is often quite problematic (sometimes impossible) to get out of depressive states without outside help.

Modern psychology and medicine offers various methods and means that eliminate such conditions. But the church has always advised people who have undergone despondency to find a way out in prayers. But after all, as a rule, all prayers are said alone, which means that a person unconsciously closes himself even more from the outside world. Loneliness is complemented by an inner sense of guilt. The effect of such "therapy" will be very doubtful as a result.

What do modern doctors advise people in the fight against despondency? Famous psychoanalysts, psychiatrists and psychologists strongly recommend that you improve your life with active activities - relaxation, dating, entertainment. It is very easy to trace the effect of such a recommendation - you simply do not have enough time to be sad and yearn.

Of course, there are especially neglected situations when a person came to the doctor too late and drug therapy is already required. In the fight against despondency, one should not forget that it often reaches a protracted depression, and it can end very badly.

Therefore, contact a specialist as soon as you notice in yourself or one of your relatives and friends the initial symptoms of this pathology.

How to protect yourself from discouragement?

The most effective remedy for despondency is moderate exercise and maintaining an active lifestyle. When a person is subjected to stress, he gets rid of all the negativity accumulated in the body, and becomes calm, plus more confident in himself and his abilities.

In addition, in the life of every athlete, no matter whether he is a professional or an amateur, there is always a goal. In some cases, it does not manifest itself as clearly as in others and has more of the character of a struggle with oneself.

But even novice athletes, when they leave the gym, think: “Today I managed to perform such and such a load. And tomorrow I can do even more (run faster, lift more weight, and so on). And this is the goal, which is the main salvation from the state of despondency. And it doesn't really matter what the goal is.

Also try to surround yourself with positive in all its signs - let there be exceptionally cheerful people, good kind films and exciting incidents in your life. If life sends you little positive, start attracting it yourself.

Interesting expert answers to questions about despondency

It is very interesting to receive information from smart people who understand the topic of the issue. Here is the cognitive reasoning of Yuri Shcherbatykh, who is a professor of psychology at the Moscow Humanitarian and Economic Institute, as well as a doctor of biological sciences and the author of the monograph "The Seven Deadly Sins for Believers and Unbelievers."

— Who is tempted more often than others by the sin of despondency?

- Basically, these are melancholic people with reduced energy. For example, factors that lead to long-term sadness and despondency in melancholic people will cause fits of rage in choleric people, and only fleeting dissatisfaction in sanguine people.

Many famous personalities have been subjected to bouts of blues. Of the latter, famous writers and poets can be named - Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol, Nekrasov Nikolai Alekseevich and Guy de Maupassant.

- Besides temperament, what else influences the development of mental suffering?

- The main factor can be called the people around us, especially those close to us, who can unjustifiably hurt us, insult, slander, or simply be inattentive where we want to get attention to our person. Speaking specifically of the latter case, the real cause of discouragement is a completely different sin of pride.

In addition, our physical well-being often leads to a state of hopeless longing: apathy, pathologies, regular lack of sleep. It also happens that a person falls into a depressive state when he begins to make increased demands on the Universe.

Another passion of despondency often attacks people on the eve of a certain age limit - at forty, fifty or sixty years. At such moments, a person suddenly feels that she has lived her life absolutely in vain and in her failures exceeded successes.

- What is the danger of despondency for physical health?

- The state of despondency becomes dangerous if it reaches a depressive disorder. After all, as a result of such a depressed state, various types of biochemical disorders begin to appear in the central nervous system - first of all, the exchange of neurotransmitters (substances that affect mental performance) worsens.

It is noteworthy that very vivid and characteristic symptoms of depression are shown in the Bible by King David: “I am all bowed and drooping, I complain all day long. I am exhausted and lament beyond all measure, I scream, as my heart is constantly tormented. My heart begins to tremble, my strength has left me, I do not even have light in my eyes.

Have doctors managed to cure depression?

- Yes, American researchers were able to establish serotonin, which is a biologically active substance that affects a person's mood. And on its basis, many drugs have been invented to help fight depression.

- How to eliminate this pathological defect?

- Do not forget that depression cannot be cured with antidepressants, alcohol or drugs, on the contrary, the condition will only worsen. Also remember that your enemies and competitors will easily take advantage of world sorrow. Do not be surprised if more cheerful colleagues easily “jump” you up the career ladder, and your beloved girl cannot stand the constant grumbling and complaints and finds herself a more cheerful and active guy. Therefore, try to live in such a way that your enemies lose heart, and you be a complete optimist.