When Life Goes Dark - by Richard Winter (Paperback)

About the Book

Psychiatrist and theologian Richard Winter explores the complex issues surrounding depression. He sorts through scientific research, dispels common misunderstandings and looks at how biblical characters experienced despair. Here is help for all those who find themselves, loved ones or those they counsel vulnerable to depression.

Book Synopsis

Psychiatrist and theologian Richard Winter explores the complex issues surrounding depression. He sorts through scientific research, dispels common misunderstandings and looks at how biblical characters experienced despair. Here is help for all those who find themselves, loved ones or those they counsel vulnerable to depression.

Review Quotes

"Drawing on a wealth of experience in clinical psychiatry, counseling and biblical reflection, Richard Winter has produced a unique resource. It is worth the purchase price just for its carefully crafted inquiry into the role of the satanic. Depression in some form or other will almost inevitably come our way, either in our own experience or in the lives of those close to us. So read this book when the sun is shining and life looks good. Its practical wisdom will reduce the likelihood of these dark nights of the soul, and when they do come, provide a well-stocked toolbox for self-care, counsel, advice on treatment where needed and practical redemption. A must-have resource for pastors, counselors and all Christians who want to live well under God."

"When Life Goes Dark is an excellent treatment of the full range of distressed mood. Dr. Winter clearly has the gift of comprehending the whole person and uses it to bring coherence to a part of our experience that is too often treated superficially and simplistically. He gives a balanced and thorough picture of both who we are and how we are in times of distress. There is no 'flavor of the month' here, but a true picture of the problem of being human and coping with emotion. In doing so he provides an accurate and integrated look at the complete human condition and its savor. I particularly enjoyed the various contemporary and historic examples of people coping with the world and all its brokenness: personal, biological, social, spiritual. It's good to know we are not alone but travel in a very real company who've experienced everything we do and lived on."

"As a pastor for over thirty years, I must engage in my own personal battle with depression and anxiety while seeking to equip others to fight this good fight of faith. I have searched for a resource that is comprehensive enough to cover the spiritual, physical, psychological and relational dimensions of depression while remaining readable and accessible, especially to one like myself who faces depression. This is it! Dr. Winter has given his readers a priceless tool. For those simply wanting to grasp the dynamics and difficulty of depression or assist those who face it, here is a compass with which to navigate these dangerously turbulent waters."

"Dr. Winter is both a careful thinker and a lover of God. His adept handling of the research and psychological literature, life experiences and the Word of God yield a book that will be a great asset to those walking in the darkness of depression and their companions along the way."

"Here is a readable, thorough, responsible and compassionate guide to depression and how God can make a difference. This book is ideal for pastors and sufferers, and really any who want to know more about the factors associated with depression as well as practical advice for finding Christian healing beyond the darkness. I now have another resource to recommend!"

"If you're looking for a book to help you learn how to help those suffering with depression, this will offer you valuable insight medically, psychologically and spiritually."

"It is a special joy to be granted the privilege of recommending this excellent book. Richard Winter has written the most wise and careful meditation on sorrow, anxiety, depression and brokenness that I have ever read. His book is full of deep reflection on Scripture, experience and the most up-to-date scientific research on the troubles of the mind. Consequently, it will be a wonderful resource for every pastor, counselor, psychologist and psychiatrist, or simply for anyone desiring to be a kind and helpful friend to those who struggle with depression or severe pain and sorrow. Richard's sensitive use of personal stories and his drawing on many years of listening to and responding to deeply depressed individuals make this book come alive and make it extraordinarily useful to the reader committed to trying to bring hope to the hurting. His appeals to Scripture are never superficial but arise from a deep understanding of the biblical story of creation, rebellion, redemption and the expectation of consummation through which the Lord desires to shape and direct our lives. This book will be a valuable source of help for many years to come, both to those who are themselves troubled and to those who give their lives to serve the wounded heart."

"Richard Winter's book, When Life Goes Dark, is a comprehensive and biblically based guide for finding hope in the midst of depression. It will be of great help to those suffering from depression and those who minister to them."

"This labor is a profound and life-giving walk through the valley of the shadow of death. Few people will escape the wrenching and sullen emptiness of depression or the exhausting triggers of anxiety--yet there is little available to help us address thisheartache from a biblical, neurological, relational and spiritual viewpoint. Richard Winter offers not only decades of wisdom and knowledge, but the fruit of his own personal struggle with depression and anxiety. This is a tour de force of how to engage the reality of our struggles in the bright light of our relationship with Christ."

"Winter helpfully surveys the field, explaining current understandings and research, sprinkling his exposition with illustrations drawn from his own life, both as a psychiatrist and as someone who has suffered major depression. He also draws on scripture, which can be particularly helpful to those who are religious and can find some relief and echo in the groaning and lamenting that scripture gives voice to."

"Winter's excellent book deals comprehensively with a topic affecting many people: He treats in a balanced way the role of nature and nurture, and explains differences between sadness, grief, and depression."

About the Author

Dr. Richard Winter is a psychotherapist, counselor and professor of practical theology at Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri. A native of Britain, he trained in medicine and psychiatry in England and has lived in the United States since 1992. His books include Still Bored in a Culture of Entertainment and Perfecting Ourselves to Death.