I bought this book called “Orthodox Psychology” some time ago. It contains two books inside, and I recently completed the first one:
- Neurosis: Spiritual Causes and Manifestations (original Нервность. Ее духовные причины и проявления), 1999
- Conquering Depression: Heavenly Wisdom from God Illumined Teachers, 1996
In this blog post, I’ll write an overview of the first book, which is authored by a psychotherapist.
Neurosis
Disorder in which a person can’t find a way to exit or solve a problem. Symptoms: irritation, discomfort, insomnia, weakness, aggression, etc.
While trigger can be external world, they are caused by a specific personality configuration
Many perspectives to look at it, but the spiritual basis was largely neglected.
The spiritual perspective reveals the root cause:
- Spiritual blindness
- Ignoring the spirit
- Neglecting God
Not TMI, not stress, but because of the “advancement” of sin. A conflict between mind, heart, and will. Sin prevents awareness from taking control, misdirects will. Lack of calmness.
The inner world of the sinner is full of self-love, chaos, self-destruction
Body < Soul < Spirit. The approach should be:
I suffer for my sins, [not] I want to fix myself right now. [It is His will]
But they who suffer from neurosis are not better or worse than we are. We all need to repent.
Calm down, and neurosis will go away.
No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. 1 Corinthians 10:13
Lord, give us wisdom and strength to heal mental issues
Neurosis can also be viewed as a form of demonic possession. When uncontrolled thoughts start for the believer, they recognize these are not their thoughts, and through prayer, the believer eventually gets Grace: light, peace, silence, knowing, purity.
No person is immune to sin, but our merciful God accepts and heals the penitent who is ready to repent.
The need to feel understood and comforted.
Don’t we know how useful this is to our souls?
Don’t we know how some temptations lose power once we name them?
Don’t we know how much strength and comfort our hearts can give us?
Will this heart find you? Will it find your attention?
True healing only comes through repentance, which requires effort.
1940 school issues: noise, chewing gum, talk during class
1990 school issues: drugs, theft, violence
Types of neuroses:
- Neurasthenia
- Fatigue, weakness, exhaustion.
- Easily irritated by everyone, can’t see their own faults
- High ego. Pride in disguise.
- Not knowing oneself, not knowing Jesus
- Too hasty
- The biggest neurasthenic is the devil. Can’t imagine as calm/kind/patient
- Healing
- Never yell/insult/blame/make fun of/argue/judge/fantasize
- Always blame self
- God’s kingdom over the earth
- Pray
- Stay awake, self-control
- Accept the past and don’t stress about the future: God’s will
- Read the Bible
- OCD
- Obsessions = intrusive, unwanted thoughts; Compulsions = repetitive acts to relieve anxiety.
- Usually associated with phobias: heights, illness, dirt, closed spaces, etc.
- Fear is characteristic of fallen man; healthy fear protects from real danger, neurotic fear is imaginary/exaggerated.
- Behind fear lies vanity and lack of trust in God.
- Intrusive thoughts are presented as demonic suggestions/evil spirits, not the person’s true will.
- Suppressing thoughts → they return stronger; compulsions give only temporary relief.
- Think about WHAT to say, not HOW to say it, so as to please God rather than people.
- “The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom; to depart from evil is understanding.” (Job 28:28)
- Great fear of God drives out worldly/neurotic fears; perfect love casts out fear.
- Healing: repentance, confession, Holy Communion, prayer, Scripture, humility, vigilance (watchfulness), strengthening faith.
- Hysteria
- Emotionally unstable, fast swings, seeks attention (egocentrist), loves self too much, imitates/lies
- Root spiritual causes: Vanity, pride, ill imagination, sexual immorality. Hysteria is not the same as possession, but there are similarities
- Judgment, emotions, will are distorted
- The theater is where hysteria finds its fullest expression, exposing the sinful passions of the human soul.
- Hysteria is healed through true faith, repentance, patience, and a life guided by the Gospel commandments as explained in patristic writings (ideal role model), together with the rejection of falsehood, pretense, exaggeration, and insincerity.
- Hypochondria
- Excessive preoccupation with health; convinced of an imaginary illness or exaggerates minor symptoms.
- Constantly seeks reassurance (BP, pulse, ECGs, doctors, tests).
- Health becomes an idol, replacing God.
- Love is distorted into self-love: egoism/autoeroticism.
- “Flight into illness” to escape life’s difficulties.
- Egoism/self-centeredness leads to suffering; true happiness comes from living for God and others.
- Depressive neurosis
- Sadness, despair, hopelessness; soul in pain.
- Two forms: Endogenous (internal/biological causes) and reactive (life events, stress, hardships).
- Sin is the deepest cause of despair. Pride is the root behind many depressive states.
- Unrealistic expectations → disappointment → sadness → depression.
- Idleness, purposelessness, spiritual emptiness contribute to depression.
- Demonic sorrow = worldly grief (losses, unfulfilled desires, ego) → despair, depression, spiritual illness, even death.
- Healing: repentance, confession, prayer, Psalms, humility, gratitude, good deeds, serving God and others, faith, hope, love.
- Godly sorrow = sorrow for sins → repentance → grace → comfort → joy.
- Ep. Varnava: Godly sorrow is the shortest path to salvation.
- Medical help is needed if depression lasts >23 weeks or has marked daily/seasonal mood changes.
Sorrow and sin
Anger is an expression of resentment. Wrath is the desire for evil to happen. Irritability is an uncontrolled outburst. Bitterness is a poisonous feeling. The light of humility drives away every darkness. St. John Climacus
Meekness is humble surrender to God, united with faith and enlightened by the grace of God. St. Ignatius Brianchaninov
Cut off anger immediately so that it does not grow into evil. St. Tikhon of Zadonsk
For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. Matthew 11:30
Do not think that you suffer more hardships than others.
God will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able to bear, but with the temptation will also provide a way of escape. 1 Corinthians 10:13
Godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, while worldly sorrow produces death. 2 Corinthians 7:10
Sins are healed when the soul is shaped before the Cross and the Gospel. Psycho-corrective methods are only supportive.
The sinful thought→sinful action process:
- First comes the suggestion (intrusive thought)
- Then our attention to the suggestion
- Then acceptance/delight in it
- And finally the action itself.
The further this process advances from thought to action, the greater our personal participation. The suggestion is most often an intrusive thought coming from the enemy of man’s salvation. He who rejects the thought at the very beginning is victorious, because he has already cut off the consequences of sin before they can develop.
Self-help
Causes of falls: Instead of self-justification, sincerely blame yourself, trying to understand the causes of your falls, usually hidden in self-love, vanity, and pride.
Rationalization: Stay calm, pray, analyze the situation with pen and paper, and reach the right conclusions in favor of patience, self-control, and humility.
Prudence: Reflection, prayer, seeking advice, and foresight. It is impossible to foresee everything, but foresight helps us prepare.
Other methods: There are many other methods, discover them by carefully observing yourself and your own experience.
Sleep: A good, healing sleep is a gift from God. Pray and read the Gospel. Let yourself fall asleep naturally; do not torment yourself with thoughts like “I need to fall asleep”
For children: A list of many yes/no questions for each of the Ten Commandments. I went through them honestly (as a child, teenager, and adult) to recognize where I have grown and where I still need to work.
Parenting: Children are a gift from God. Be attentive in everything, stay vigilant, raise them well, and teach them the Christian faith. Do not simply let everything flow, we must actively work. This labor bears the fruit of endless joy. Be a good role model. Be guided by love, a love that is true, sober, wise, impartial, and compassionate.
Glory to God!
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