A Sense of Loss

Francine Klagsbrun wrote in her book Too Young to Die-Youth and Suicide: "At the root of many emotionally caused depressions lies a profound sense of loss, of someone or something that has been deeply loved." Thus the loss of a parent through the death or divorce, the loss of a job or career, or even the loss of one's physical health could also be at the root of depression.
A most devastating loss to a young person, though, is the loss of love, the feeling of being unwanted and uncared for. "When my mother left us I felt betrayed and alone," revealed a young woman named Marie. "My world suddenly seemed upside down."
Imagine, then, the bewilderment and pain some youths feel when faced with family problems such as divorce, alcoholism, incest, wife beating, child abuse, or simple rejection by a parent who is swallowed up in his or her own problems. How true the Bible proverb: "Have you shown yourself discouraged in the day of distress? Your power (including the ability to resist depression) will be sanity!" A youth may even mistakenly blame himself for his family's problems.
That a sense of failure can kindle depression is evident from the case of a man named Epaphroditus.  During the first century, this faithful Christian was sent on a special mission to assist the imprisoned apostle Paul. but when he reached Paul he soon fell sick- and Paul, instead, had to care for him!You can imagine, then, why Epaphroditus might have felt like such a failure and became "depressed." Apparently he overlooked all the good he had performed before he got sick.