Smith recognises that Christians, like everyone else, can be depressed to the point of emotional paralysis; they can be so ill that they may need to seek psychiatric help, be medicated and even be sectioned.
However, this is a resurrection book; it is filled with life and light, not death and darkness. Smith tells those who suffer from depression that ‘Depression is not sinful; it is a disease’. She writes positively about how to recover, what do and who to ask for help. But she is also honest about how long recovery takes, and the setbacks that may be faced along the way.
Smith offers practical advice on medication, diet and exercise, but she adds that depression can be turned into an opportunity to allow God to love and care for you when you can’t take care of yourself. The book ends by restating that no experience is wasted by God – all can be redeemed.
Alan Palmer is Head of Religious Studies at Culver School.
