Anxiety and depression - Essay Example

Anxiety and Depression The article "Friendship Ties in the Church and Depressive Symptoms: Exploring Variations by Age" tries to examine the relationship between friends in the church and depressive symptoms (Swenson, 2008). It has three hypotheses in which it attempts to relate age, church-going and stress or depression levels. The data provided by the nationwide study reveals that older people do not have more friends in the church as compared to the young people. It shows that having friends in the church reduces depression levels amongst the adults only (Swenson, 2008).

My reaction to the findings is supportive. Old people are few in churches due to massive push or roles they have in the society. Church consumes a considerable of the time which is thought to productive time. Wealth creation is a major call for any person. Most people do have time for their families as they consider money as the greatest assets while still alive. I agree with low number of old people in the church since churches experiences fluctuating or reducing number of goers as family income decreases.

For the people who go to church, they have much of their depression relieved. I agree that church going reduces depression in the old people. That is because church-going creates a break in the cyclic or periodic flow of days as people converge together and make time for one another to share their problems. Reduction in depression levels for the church going older people is high as compared to the church going children since problems of the children are different as compared to the old people.

I agree with all of them. My personal life experiences help illuminate on agreement on the findings of the research, since when attend church services, I feel closer to people who give me hope, help me in solving my problems that range from finances to social problems. In the church, I am assured of a new close relation which is the church even in case where my relatives are far away from me. Church is highly important in reduction of fear, doubt and many other things that cause depression. I can integrate my biblical faith and principles regarding Jesus’ life while in earth; he was persecuted, humiliated and killed for my burdens.

My counselling client does not have any reason to feel depressed as Jesus took them all. References Swenson, D. (2008). Religion and family links: Neofunctionalist reflections. New York: Springer.