Testimony of Healing January 28, 2013 Issue

Depression destroyed

Malcolm Joynes

During my early adult life, I found myself getting into periods of deep depression and self-depreciation. A frightening thought began to occur to me that ending my life was the best way to handle things. But, through Christian Science, I recognized the need to see that mental suggestions of worthlessness were not really part of me and to understand better my indestructible relationship with God, divine Life and Love. 

Many believe that depression has its seat in the brain and treat it with drugs or using psychiatry, for example. But rather than dealing with the material body to heal disease, Christian Science teaches that it is mortal mind that needs to be corrected. 

The term mortal mind is used in Christian Science to refer to the so-called mind of mortals, which encompasses all the fears, problems, and limitations that are experienced in this world. This mind “builds its own superstructure,” a portion of which appears as the body (Mary Baker Eddy, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 177), and therefore, it is this false sense of mind that has to be challenged through an understanding that the only real Mind is God. 