Is depression a “miracle” for men?
Depressed men can also smile during a prayer for depression and get better.
Dr. Michael M. Hickey, professor of psychiatry at Emory University School of Medicine, recently published research in the journal JAMA Psychiatry that revealed that depression is not a “myth,” but rather a real medical condition that can be treated.
The new study shows that people who pray for depression can be more likely to get better, while depressed people who do not pray for it can feel worse and more miserable for longer.
Depression is a complex condition that involves multiple biological and psychological systems, including mood, sleep and appetite, Hickey said.
“There is no cure, but there are treatments,” he said.
“There are treatments for depression,” Hickey added, and they are usually medications.
Hickey said the researchers analyzed data from more than 100 studies, including studies conducted in Canada and the U.K. on more than 4,000 people, all men and men with a history of depression.
The studies included people who were either hospitalized or taking medication.
The researchers found that people with depression had more anxiety, feelings of hopelessness and depression symptoms when they prayed for it, compared with those who did not pray.
People who prayed for depression also were more likely than non-prayers to report feeling tired, sad and irritable, and to feel better when they were in a car accident or while walking alone.
People with depression were also more likely and more likely in the study to report getting better from treatment for depression.
People also reported less physical symptoms when praying for depression compared with non-people, including a lower level of anxiety, feeling tired or being irritable.
“Our study shows how depression can have negative effects on mood, even though depression is often treated as a symptom of depression,” said Hickey.
The study looked at the relationships between mood and prayer and also looked at other studies on depression and the effectiveness of different prayer practices.
Hiccys research team compared how depressed people responded to different prayers.
For instance, people who prayed a prayer to pray for better mental health and to see the doctor reported better mental and physical health outcomes than those who prayed to see their doctors.
People who prayed in a religious setting reported a more positive outcome, but the differences were not statistically significant.
“We know from previous research that there are many religious traditions that have been able to heal people from depression,” he added.
“Prayers have been used to treat depression for centuries.
There are also many traditions around the world that have a very positive message for depression that are very helpful.”
Hiccies study also found that a religious prayer that includes praise for God and other affirmations can have an impact on depression.
Hiccys study was funded by the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the Emory Center for Mental Health Research and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
The findings were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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