Last Friday, Chinese actor and singer Kimi Qiao or Qiao Renliang was found dead in his Shanghai apartment following a suspected suicide. The event has caused an uproar and several rumors that led to his death prevail in China.
The following day, the 28-year-old star's company declared that his death is due to long-term depression. His agent said that his parents were sad at the bad news and Qiao didn't tell his illness to his parents or friends due to his high self-esteem. She added that he suffered from insomnia for years and rumors and slander about him, especially last year, worsened his condition.
This tragedy has drawn public attention on depression that torment men's souls and lives. In fact, a lot of entertainment celebrities like Sammi Zheng and Fiona Sit suffered from depression.
This terrible disease not only grasps these glamorous famous people, but also strikes normal people around us. According to the World Health Organization, the number of people suffering from mental diseases or brain sickness worldwide reach about 450 million and 1 million suicides occur due to depression. The killer is possibly estimated to be the second largest human disease inferior to cardiovascular disease (CVD) by 2020.
It is said that the incidence rate of this disease is around 3% to 5% and the depressed patients to commit suicide possibly stay up to 10% to 15% of the total patients with depression. However, less than 20% prefecture-level hospitals are able to identify the disease and less than 10% depressed patients receive treatment.
There are tens of millions of groups with depression in China and some may be your friends or neighbors, and even people in your church. They desperately need our attention and prayer.
Billy Graham Christian Worker Handbook mentions, "The depressed person will often be concerned only with feeling better. But this is not the first priority. Rather, he or she must seek the causes which may have contributed to the depression. Putting his or her life in order spiritually will eventually eradicate the depression." Below are some conditions that depression causes torture to Christians:
1. Christians may suffer from depression in response to adverse situations, defeats, and setbacks such as a death in the family, a rebellious son or daughter, or loss of employment.
2. Christians may also be depressed because of spiritual disobedience and unresolved sin in such areas as anger and bitterness, jealousy, grudges, divorce, or immorality.
3. Christians may also be depressed because of setting standards and goals beyond his or her ability to attain.
The handbook points out that if sin is at the heart of the problem, it should never be minimized. Neither should support be given to the idea that other things and other people are responsible for behavioral problems. Either agreeing with the depressed person in this, or not taking seriously his or her expression of sin and guilt, could prevent any real and lasting solution. Listen to the inquirer and analyze the reasons leading to depression. Encourage learning the disciplines of Bible study and prayer and suggest rearranging priorities so that they are more in line with his or her abilities. If you sense that follow-up is needed, recommend a serious commitment to professional counseling. A qualified pastor or Christian psychologist should be sought to help these people.
