Can any of you talk about how your religion hinders or helps it?” Dr. Gale asks everyone as he walks in a circle around our chairs. Sitting beside Eli during our group session, I look around the room. Our group has been whittled down to seven. Everyone else was apparently miraculously “cured” by the Christmas spirit and went home. As always, Eli gets the group started when he answers Dr. Gale. “Well, most of you know that my father is a preacher, and I am a Christian. He doesn’t agree with my lifestyle, but as I like to remind him, if my Jesus was here on Earth now, he’d be hanging with us ‘so-called’ sinners instead of all you saints. My faith steadies me during my trials of depression and makes me hold fast when things get tough. It’s sad, though, when people I’ve known my whole life question my faith because of their own bigoted views.” “Thanks for sharing, Eli. When others express intolerance and prejudice towards us, they can act as triggers that lead us back to bad habits or bouts of depression.
