1. www.mindandsoul.info Are antidepressants OK for Christians? Dr Rob Waller Consultant Psychiatrist NHS Lothian

2. www.mindandsoul.info Brainstorm What is depression? What are the solutions? What are the issues around Christians taking antidepressants?

3. www.mindandsoul.info Life is a balancing act Demands Resources Consequences…

4. www.mindandsoul.info How much stress is OK? Doing too littleDoing too much The right place to be Living sacrifices and not burnt offerings..!

5. www.mindandsoul.info The stages of depression Warning signs Burnout Breakdown Using up favours!

6. www.mindandsoul.info The monamine hypothesis Not enough brain chemicals Medication raises levels Related to number of biological symptoms

7. www.mindandsoul.info When medication works -10 0 +10

8. www.mindandsoul.info Types of therapy / counselling Psychotherapy –Directive / here-and-now [eg, CBT] –Non-directive / past-focus [eg, psychoanalysis] –Interpersonal Counselling –Person/Client Centred [humanistic?] –Christian / Biblical / Nouthetic Friendship –Family / Church / Pastoral Care

9. www.mindandsoul.info Shared responsibility Are some problems ‘spiritual’? Are some problems ‘understandable’? Is making a distinction helpful?

10. www.mindandsoul.info The Great Divide Arts BA and BD Opinion Theology Soul Perfect/Holy Sciences BSc Method Medicine Body Illness/Unholy So where do the Mind and Antidepressants fit?

11. www.mindandsoul.info Brainstorm Which of these medications would you be willing to take as a Christian? And why/not? Analgesia –Paracetamol –Morphine Chemotherapy Anti-epileptic medication The Morning After Pill The Combined Contraceptive Pill

12. www.mindandsoul.info Elastic Opinions Analgesia –Paracetamol - COX-3 action in brain and spinal cord –Morphine - Delta for analgesia/Mu for euphoria and dependence - both in the brain Chemotherapy - varied action, but ‘necessary to save life’ Anti-epileptic medication - action in the brain but epilepsy seen as medical illness The Morning After Pill - objection is ethical not medical The Combined Contraceptive Pill - differential objection based on ethics not mode of action

13. www.mindandsoul.info Do they work? They do work in some situations –Effect on symptoms, especially bodily ones –Initial impact on cycles of thoughts –Reduce chance of relapse They have problems –Not as effective in mild depression or longstanding unhappiness –Can increase impulsivity if taken inappropriately

14. www.mindandsoul.info Things they cannot do… Address the causes of depression Change our personality Impact low self-esteem Improve our faith Build community Excuse behavior

15. www.mindandsoul.info