There is this epidemic in our world called the overly diagnosed ADD craze. I know... From the age of 5 until shortly after I got out of the Marines in 2001, I constantly battled people who suggested it to me. I know there are many camps in the Christian world who go to one extreme of not encouraging any anti-depressant medicine and then the other of being all for it.

 All I know is what I am going through. I don't sleep unless I have the TV on and a fan blowing at me. When I do actually fall asleep, it's 12am or 1 and then I wake at 5am for work. I work all day feeling extremely tired and less than myself. When I get home, I eat a meal and spend a little time with my family. The problem begins here. If I sit down or lay down, I will crash for hours and not wake up. My son has jumped on me and it won't wake me.

 So I  went to the doctor and shared my experiences hoping to find some relief for my sleeplessness. He gave me a description of Dysthymia that seemed to nail quite a few of my symptoms. Now I'm not going to just assume and assign this title to myself, but I will look into it. God created the whole earth and gave us the ability to help each other so I trust that if I continue to seek out the root of my hurts and pains, talk with people about my issues and check out what my doctor says, that I'll be able to learn more.

 I don't think of myself as a depressive person, but I have always struggled with a mood swing. Not many people really notice it because I've learned to hide it very well. Truthfully, only my wife can really tell when I am up or down.

In all of this, I trust that Christ is my Hope. That's what gave the doctor some confusion. He said, "you don't portray the usual hopelessness that I've seen before." I told him that in spite of my temporary hurts, I have an eternal hope.

 Blessings!

 Devin