Comments on: What Is Living and Active and Sharp? http://themacks.wordpress.com/2006/06/05/what-is-living-and-active-and-sharp/ Mon, 09 Apr 2007 09:35:14 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: hanz http://themacks.wordpress.com/2006/06/05/what-is-living-and-active-and-sharp/#comment-4430 hanz Tue, 27 Mar 2007 07:30:14 +0000 https://themacks.wordpress.com/2006/06/05/what-is-living-and-active-and-sharp/#comment-4430 Dear Mssrs Mack, Are there tests that can be done to find out whether the bipolar disease that one has is organic? When would you treat bipolar with medication? If you could email me your response (in addition to posting your answer here), I'd appreciate it. Thank you. Dear Mssrs Mack,
Are there tests that can be done to find out whether the bipolar disease that one has is organic?

When would you treat bipolar with medication?

If you could email me your response (in addition to posting your answer here), I’d appreciate it.
Thank you.

]]> By: Becky Harvey http://themacks.wordpress.com/2006/06/05/what-is-living-and-active-and-sharp/#comment-4428 Becky Harvey Tue, 27 Mar 2007 05:50:31 +0000 https://themacks.wordpress.com/2006/06/05/what-is-living-and-active-and-sharp/#comment-4428 I find it very interesting that I would come across your website at this particular time in my life. I am 52 years old and have been treated at various times for generalized anxiety disorder and depression. I was saved at an early age, but fell away from that as a teen and didn't come back until my late 20's - and then it was pretty iffy. Anyway, about 4 years ago I really felt the need and desire to get into a good church - the one I found more than met my needs and I really found Jesus there. There has been some amazing work of the Lord in my life over the last 4 years - the greatest experience was that of being able to go to Indonesia as part of a medical relief team shortly after the tsunami of 2004. After returning home, I felt a strong call on my life to return to Indonesia - and after a great deal of prayer, counseling from my pastors and the global outreach team in my church, we all came to the same conclusion. I returned to Indonesia in Dec. 2005 - in time to be in Banda Aceh for the 1st anniversary of the tsunami. After 3 months in Banda Aceh, it was decided that I needed to attend language school in Bandung - as very few people in Aceh speak Eng. and I was not getting very far without a translator being at my side. After 3 more months in Bandung, I needed to return to the US to garner further support and report to my pastoral staff and the G.O. team. During this time, I went into what I can only describe as severe reverse culture shock. I went into a depression that I had never seen before. Life became chaotic and as I went to the church counselor weekly, things seemed to get worse rather than better. I eventually stopped going to church. But with much agonizing prayer and the faithfulness of the people in my church, I came back to the Lord, rejoicing in His faithfulness in bringing me through a very difficult time. This was not to be the end though. I had been on the medication, Klonopin, for 13 years for the GAD. I didn't feel like I needed it any longer and had attempted 2 different times to go off this drug - both times unsuccessfully. I knew that I was supposed to return to Indonesia, but it seemed as though everything was going against me. I needed to be off this drug and it was simply not happening - I had severe rebound effects and ended up in my dr's office on several occasions trying to find some way to overcome this. My dr is a wonderful christian woman, but she is still a dr and goes by the books. She tried to get me to take one medication after another to help me with the symptoms I was experiencing. Each medication seemed worse than the last, until finally I again tail-spinned into a severe depression. Last week, after about 30 hrs of absolutely no sleep, I ended up taking the klonopin again - and made an appt with a counselor as I thought perhaps they would have a little more insight to a medication that would be safe and would assist me in getting off the klonopin. After meeting with me for a mere 10 min. or so, the counselor declared I was bipolar type 2 and had me on yet another medication. At first, looking back through my life and seeing times when I did have extreme mood swings, I took the diagnosis seriously and started the med.Within a few days, I realized my mistake - the medication put me into the worst depression I have ever been in - to the point of being suicidal. This morning, I was totally unable to function - unable to even pull myself out of bed. I finally talked to my dr. who stated firmly that I needed to see the counselor as I was obviously in a "manic" state at that time. To say the least, I was even more disheartened with this news and felt there was something even deeper going on. I called a dear friend and prayer intercessor. When I told her what was happening, she immediately rebuked the word curse that I had accepted last week about being bipolar - and immediately I felt something leave. Both my mind and my body became clearer, stronger and the depression left. I know that there are chemical imbalances out there and that not all mental illnesses are of demonic origin. I also believe, out of my own experiences, that the enemy works at trying to deceive and destroy wherever he can. I know that I am to return to Indonesia - but with a diagnosis of bipolar and needing to supposedly be on meds for this, there is no way I could return as, depending where you are in Indonesia, you may or may not be able to get the meds and you certainly won't be monitored on them like you get in this country. Now, however, I believe that this whole thing was an attack on my mind and body and that the enemy was doing his best to prevent me from fulfilling what God has called me to do. But God is still faithful and as I reached out to Him once more this afternoon the battle for my mind was won once again. I know this is a very long comment - I really don't mean to be so long-winded. But I feel it is important that people understand that things are not always what they seem at first glance. Especially when it comes to mental illness. I find it very sad that so many drs. - even christian dr's, are very quick to jump on these diagnoses rather than search for a possible spiritual attack. Even my dr - who was one of the first ones to tell me that she felt God wanted me to return to Indonesia - was the one who told me I HAD to follow up with the counselor and take the meds as she prescribed. I pray that everyone who reads this blog will look to God - who is the foundation of everything and His Word which is Life, and will seek for themselves the answers He has for their minds and bodies. I find it very interesting that I would come across your website at this particular time in my life. I am 52 years old and have been treated at various times for generalized anxiety disorder and depression. I was saved at an early age, but fell away from that as a teen and didn’t come back until my late 20’s – and then it was pretty iffy. Anyway, about 4 years ago I really felt the need and desire to get into a good church – the one I found more than met my needs and I really found Jesus there. There has been some amazing work of the Lord in my life over the last 4 years – the greatest experience was that of being able to go to Indonesia as part of a medical relief team shortly after the tsunami of 2004. After returning home, I felt a strong call on my life to return to Indonesia – and after a great deal of prayer, counseling from my pastors and the global outreach team in my church, we all came to the same conclusion. I returned to Indonesia in Dec. 2005 – in time to be in Banda Aceh for the 1st anniversary of the tsunami. After 3 months in Banda Aceh, it was decided that I needed to attend language school in Bandung – as very few people in Aceh speak Eng. and I was not getting very far without a translator being at my side. After 3 more months in Bandung, I needed to return to the US to garner further support and report to my pastoral staff and the G.O. team. During this time, I went into what I can only describe as severe reverse culture shock. I went into a depression that I had never seen before. Life became chaotic and as I went to the church counselor weekly, things seemed to get worse rather than better. I eventually stopped going to church. But with much agonizing prayer and the faithfulness of the people in my church, I came back to the Lord, rejoicing in His faithfulness in bringing me through a very difficult time.
This was not to be the end though. I had been on the medication, Klonopin, for 13 years for the GAD. I didn’t feel like I needed it any longer and had attempted 2 different times to go off this drug – both times unsuccessfully. I knew that I was supposed to return to Indonesia, but it seemed as though everything was going against me. I needed to be off this drug and it was simply not happening – I had severe rebound effects and ended up in my dr’s office on several occasions trying to find some way to overcome this. My dr is a wonderful christian woman, but she is still a dr and goes by the books. She tried to get me to take one medication after another to help me with the symptoms I was experiencing. Each medication seemed worse than the last, until finally I again tail-spinned into a severe depression. Last week, after about 30 hrs of absolutely no sleep, I ended up taking the klonopin again – and made an appt with a counselor as I thought perhaps they would have a little more insight to a medication that would be safe and would assist me in getting off the klonopin. After meeting with me for a mere 10 min. or so, the counselor declared I was bipolar type 2 and had me on yet another medication. At first, looking back through my life and seeing times when I did have extreme mood swings, I took the diagnosis seriously and started the med.Within a few days, I realized my mistake – the medication put me into the worst depression I have ever been in – to the point of being suicidal. This morning, I was totally unable to function – unable to even pull myself out of bed. I finally talked to my dr. who stated firmly that I needed to see the counselor as I was obviously in a “manic” state at that time. To say the least, I was even more disheartened with this news and felt there was something even deeper going on. I called a dear friend and prayer intercessor. When I told her what was happening, she immediately rebuked the word curse that I had accepted last week about being bipolar – and immediately I felt something leave. Both my mind and my body became clearer, stronger and the depression left. I know that there are chemical imbalances out there and that not all mental illnesses are of demonic origin. I also believe, out of my own experiences, that the enemy works at trying to deceive and destroy wherever he can. I know that I am to return to Indonesia – but with a diagnosis of bipolar and needing to supposedly be on meds for this, there is no way I could return as, depending where you are in Indonesia, you may or may not be able to get the meds and you certainly won’t be monitored on them like you get in this country. Now, however, I believe that this whole thing was an attack on my mind and body and that the enemy was doing his best to prevent me from fulfilling what God has called me to do. But God is still faithful and as I reached out to Him once more this afternoon the battle for my mind was won once again. I know this is a very long comment – I really don’t mean to be so long-winded. But I feel it is important that people understand that things are not always what they seem at first glance. Especially when it comes to mental illness. I find it very sad that so many drs. – even christian dr’s, are very quick to jump on these diagnoses rather than search for a possible spiritual attack. Even my dr – who was one of the first ones to tell me that she felt God wanted me to return to Indonesia – was the one who told me I HAD to follow up with the counselor and take the meds as she prescribed. I pray that everyone who reads this blog will look to God – who is the foundation of everything and His Word which is Life, and will seek for themselves the answers He has for their minds and bodies.

]]> By: Louise Visser http://themacks.wordpress.com/2006/06/05/what-is-living-and-active-and-sharp/#comment-114 Louise Visser Mon, 05 Jun 2006 18:52:22 +0000 https://themacks.wordpress.com/2006/06/05/what-is-living-and-active-and-sharp/#comment-114 Dr.Wayne & Carol, you have been more than encouraging - my prayer is that every one reading this blog is encouraged to look for the answer to lifes challenges in the Word in stead of in the World where psychiatrists and unregenerate medical professionals are more than willing to ask a handsome fee for all the wrong answers. As you rightly stated - the Word of God is the only solution and it works!!! Dr.Wayne & Carol, you have been more than encouraging – my prayer is that every one reading this blog is encouraged to look for the answer to lifes challenges in the Word in stead of in the World where psychiatrists and unregenerate medical professionals are more than willing to ask a handsome fee for all the wrong answers. As you rightly stated – the Word of God is the only solution and it works!!!

]]> By: Chris http://themacks.wordpress.com/2006/06/05/what-is-living-and-active-and-sharp/#comment-112 Chris Mon, 05 Jun 2006 15:34:22 +0000 https://themacks.wordpress.com/2006/06/05/what-is-living-and-active-and-sharp/#comment-112 exciting news! exciting news!

]]> By: themacks http://themacks.wordpress.com/2006/06/05/what-is-living-and-active-and-sharp/#comment-111 themacks Mon, 05 Jun 2006 11:50:01 +0000 https://themacks.wordpress.com/2006/06/05/what-is-living-and-active-and-sharp/#comment-111 Out of the Blues is the title. I gave her a prepublication copy. It's now at the printer being published by Focus Publishers out of Bemidgi, Minn. They publish may Discipleship Manual as well as martha Peaces' stuff and Stuart Scott's book. Out of the Blues is the title. I gave her a prepublication copy. It’s now at the printer being published by Focus Publishers out of Bemidgi, Minn. They publish may Discipleship Manual as well as martha Peaces’ stuff and Stuart Scott’s book.

]]> By: David http://themacks.wordpress.com/2006/06/05/what-is-living-and-active-and-sharp/#comment-109 David Mon, 05 Jun 2006 06:30:37 +0000 https://themacks.wordpress.com/2006/06/05/what-is-living-and-active-and-sharp/#comment-109 Hi guys -- I was interested in finding a copy of <i>Out of the Blues</i>. <a href="http://tinyurl.com/rum6p" rel="nofollow">This</a> is the closest I could come but the subtitles don't match. How close am I? Appreciate your ministry. Hi guys — I was interested in finding a copy of Out of the Blues. This is the closest I could come but the subtitles don’t match. How close am I? Appreciate your ministry.

]]>