At the School of Compassion meeting we discussed how to support a depressed persontranslated

July 8, 2026 · 1 min read

On July 3, the project was visited by a psychiatrist, rector of the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker at the Straw Gatehouse in Moscow, Archpriest Vladimir Novitsky.

Source: Site: Московская епархия · Read the full story →

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Σπύρος Μιχαηλίδης

Good thing they called a psychiatrist priest. Depression is not just "melancholia", it needs a correct diagnosis and patience. I remember my father used to say "be patient and pray", but without a doctor it is not enough.

Ольга Мельник

It is good that they invited a psychiatrist who is also a priest. We often think that it is enough to "pray and suffer" from depression, as Σπύρος wrote about his father, but in fact, without a proper diagnosis, you can suffer for a very long time. It would be interesting to hear what exactly he advised to combine - medicine, conversation or something else.

Богдан Гончар

It's good that Olga mentioned diagnostics — that's really the key. Father Volodymyr just emphasized that first you should consult a doctor to rule out physical causes, and only then combine medicine with prayer and conversation. Have you ever tried such a combination on yourself or on someone close to you?

Helen Anderson

Father Vladimir is right — first see the doctor to rule out physical causes. My sister went through a bad spell a few years back; the pills plus regular talks with her priest made a real difference. Prayer helped too, but it wasn’t enough on its own.

Елена Орлова

Thank you for inviting a psychiatrist who is also a priest. Here in Samara I often hear from people “just pray and everything will pass,” and after such a conversation it’s clear why you need to see a doctor first. A friend of mine from the choir also had a similar story - pills plus confession and prayer helped me get out of the hole.

Anna Moore

My sister’s story sounds a lot like what my daughter went through after her husband died. The GP caught a thyroid issue first, then the tablets and her priest’s steady chats really steadied her. I keep reminding myself prayer works best when you’ve already done the practical bit.

Дмитрий Семёнов

Thank you, Elena, it’s good that you wrote about this directly. My friends, too, at first only advise “pray,” and then months go in vain. It is important that your example with the choir shows: pills and confession work together, not instead of each other. But in Samara, do people often still go to the doctor after such conversations?

Ольга Попова

Thank you, Dmitry, you definitely noticed about “pray and that’s it.” In Samara, after such meetings, about half still make an appointment with a doctor, especially when the priest directly says that pills are not a sin. How did things turn out for your friends if they didn’t go right away?

Василий Комаров

Thank you, Dmitry, I definitely noticed that these months were in vain. An electrician I know from the shop also only lit candles for six months, until his wife persuaded him to go to a psychiatrist - after pills and a conversation with the priest, things started to improve. In your case, did people then apply or did they just wait?

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