The case of "Candy" (depression)

Casebook of Biblical Psychiatry © Version 7

Based upon: Real Mental Illnesses Real Cases Real People Real Causes Real Solutions

Casebook of Biblical Psychiatry© brings the principles of Biblical Psychiatry to life based upon real-world cases and familiarizes Christians with different types of situations. This practical companion volume to Biblical Psychiatry© includes not only diagnosis, but also in-depth discussions by experienced Christians for Biblical approaches to treatment. This meticulously detailed volume of dynamic real-life case studies is simply a "must read" for all clinical Psychiatrists, mental health care professionals and Christians interested in expert opinion on today's treatment approaches. Psychiatric students, educators, and practitioners—as well as social workers, nurses, medical physicians, and interested laypersons—will find this unique volume of inestimable value in their day-to-day work.

The case of "Candy" (depression)
	The case of "Applesauce"
	Biopsychiatric labels DSM-5	Depression
	Checklist Behaviours DSM-7	deviant sex practitioner relationship, Deception, lying
	Insights MMPI-7
	Quick Pick EDS-7.1	Super Spiritualism, Super-Christian Syndrome
	Self-disablement EDS-7.2	-
	Chemical imbalance EDS-7.3	No. Never took psychiatric drugs prescribed by psychiatrist.
	Benefits EDS-7.4	Escape duty or life situation: EDS-7.4.4 Sympathy: EDS-7.4.5 Smokescreen for secret sin that is soon to be discovered: EDS-7.4.10 Avoid deserved rebuke, criticism, shame: EDS-7.4.11 Self-punishment for personal failures or to ease a guilty conscience: EDS-7.4.12
	Monetary EDS-7.5	-
	Annoyance Scale EDS-7.6	Low
	Diagnostic Laws EDS-7.7	Law of Narcissistic Behaviour Choice (NBC) EDS-7.7.1.NBC Law of Derivative Personal Benefit (DPB) EDS-7.7.2.DPB Law of Habitual Smokescreen Decoy (HSD) EDS-7.7.10.HSD Law of Anticipatory Warthog Psychosis (AWP) EDS-7.7.13.AWP
	Determine the Problem	Secret sin of lesbian sexual unions soon to be discovered
	Ask a Child	Something is making her sad. EDS-7.7.12.PMO
	5 years later EDS-7.7.LPT	Repented, restored

The case of "Candy"

A 30 year old single Christian woman, named Tammy, was very active in the Lord's work of her local church. She helped set up the church website, was active in personal evangelism and was responsible for the baptism of dozens. She was admired and respected for her work in the Lord by the entire local church.

Periodically, over a period of about 2 years, Tammy experienced bouts of depression, crying for hours, lamenting about how terrible a Christian she was. She felt she was not doing enough for the Lord. Other sisters in the church would console her and reassure her over and over that she was a good Christian. They told her that they wished they were as dedicated as she was and commended her on all the new members of the church she had brought to the Lord.

After several cycles of depression all seemed fine. However one Sunday, she didn't show up for church even though she was scheduled to teach the children's class. After repeated phone calls, another sister scrambled to take over the class at the last minute.

After church two sisters went to her house fearing the worst. They found her crying at her kitchen table. Tammy told the sisters that she crying because she had determined to pray all night but failed when she fell asleep in the early hours of the morning. She had determined to pray all night for her another woman whom she was teaching the gospel of Christ. Like before Tammy told the sisters that she was such a bad Christian because she had failed to pray all night.

She had severe depression for several weeks and began to see a Psychiatrist.

A few months later, a Christian named "James" was called in to talk to the woman about her severe depression. He confronted Tammy about how absurd it was for her to feel that she was a bad Christian for falling asleep in prayer, even if she had made such a goal that night. However, instead of following the pattern of praising Tammy for what a good Christian she was, James said: "Something is bothering you. There is a hidden sin in your life. Please tell me what it is." Tammy was shocked, then insulted, then angry. The other sisters protested what James was insinuating. James asked the sisters to please be silent and just watch. Again James asked Tammy to confess her sin in a firm, low voice, making direct contact with eyes that said, "You can fool them, but you can't fool me... the gig is up." James then told Tammy that her behaviour was a smokescreen for serious immorality and that he had seen it many times before.

Tammy lowered her head, stopped crying, went silent for about 2 minutes of silence, then said: "I am a lesbian and have been having sex with an older woman at work for about 2 years, and a younger woman named Candy, I recently met in my exercise class at the gym."

With this confession, one of the sisters who had initially protested James' methods, fainted on the floor, spraining her wrist. The shock that Tammy was a practicing lesbian was a little more than this church lady could handle.

Tammy confessed her sin to the church, asking for forgiveness and was "cured" from her debilitating depression.

About a year later, Tammy started dating a younger Christian in another congregation. He asked her to marry her and she accepted. He graduated from a theological school has now been preaching the gospel for over twenty five years with his faithful wife Tammy at his side. They have 5 children. No further depression experienced.

Discussion:

This is also a typical example of avoidance, denial and smoke screen. Notice the super-spiritual activity ("super-Christian syndrome") of soul winning etc, was a kind of "balance scale salvation" where if she worked extra hard for God, it would balance out the lesbianism. When a church member suddenly wants to become involved in everything, it may be a genuine spiritual fire or it might be the "super-Christian syndrome" Several times Tammy was asked to confess her sin of lesbianism. First she denied, then acted insulted and angry. This went on until it was clear that James was not buying her denials. Tammy's "act" even got the other sisters in the church to joint in the attack against James. But James put a firm end to Tammy's acting career and she confessed her sin to the shock and horror of everyone else EXCEPT James. Full discussion of reactions of the person being counseled to your advice and deny, get angry then confess sin. Tammy was sad because she knew that God was not happy with her secret sin. The depression was not a chemical imbalance, but the consequences of a normally functioning bad conscience.

Tammy derived two benefits from her depression:

1. It gave her positive praise to make her feel better about the secret sin.
2. It created a smokescreen for the lesbian sexual affairs.

deviant sex is learned behaviours that can be unlearned. While genetics may predispose of an individual to be the characteristic "gentle, intuitive and artistic", this is only one of the 8 commonalities most deviant sex practitioner's share.

Benefits from behaviour: This illustrates the Law of Narcissistic Behaviour Choice (NBC) EDS-7.7.1.NBC

1. Escape duty or life situation: EDS-7.4.4. Rather than repent of her Lesbian sexual encounters she chose to violate her conscience. Her depression was her escape from the reality she was in rebellion to God.
2. Smokescreen for secret sin that is soon to be discovered: EDS-7.4.10. She knew that sooner or later, she would be exposed for her sinful behaviour as a lesbian. Her depression would appear to other Christians to be a larger problem than her immorality. Her anger when confronted is another example of behavioral smokescreen.  
3. Avoid deserved rebuke, criticism, shame: EDS-7.4.11. Her "super-Christian" behaviours were also not the real her, but motivated as a way of cushioning her sin. She reasoned, "With all the good I have done around here, I have earned a little grace"
4. Sympathy: EDS-7.4.5. Tammy viewed shame and sympathy as the two choices set before her. Her depression garnered the much needed sympathy that she really didn't deserve.
5. Self-punishment for personal failures or to ease a guilty conscience: EDS-7.4.12. Her depression was also a way of punishing herself. In the eyes of God a lesbian fling is one thing, but being depressed for the rest of the time may show God she was not happy with herself. Her "super Christian" acts would be a way of the good making up for the bad in her mind.

Diagnostic laws that are seen illustrated in the case of "Tammy":

1. Tammy calculated that the costs of acting depressed were less than the benefits she derived from hiding her sin. This illustrates the Law of Derivative Personal Benefit (DPB) EDS-7.7.2.DPB
2. Her depression deflected attention away from her fornication. This illustrates the Law of Habitual Smokescreen Decoy (HSD) EDS-7.7.10.HSD
3. Her depression was a behaviour in advance of her coming out of the closet as a fornicator. This illustrates the Law of Anticipatory Warthog Psychosis (AWP) EDS-7.7.13.AWP

Note: Although these are based upon real case stories, the names and details have been changed to hide the identities of the people. This practice follows the standards of medical case history publication.

By Steve Rudd: Contact the author for comments, input or corrections.

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