Have you ever been mightily used by God, get a spiritual high, and then the next day feel like a schmuck? Have you ever been running on a spiritual high for quite some time only to be blown away by an equally crushing period of depression and dryness? If so then you might be experiencing Post-Preaching Depression; or as Archibald Hart has termed it, “Post-adrenaline Depression”. Hart describes it this way:
“…what I was experiencing was a profound shutdown of my adrenal system, following a period of high stress or demand. It was as i my adrenal system were saying, “That’s enough abuse for now; let’s give it a break,” and shut down so that I had no choice in the matter.”
Sometimes we experience this because we are adrenaline junkies. Sometimes we experience this because there are seasons in our life when we must rely upon adrenaline (God gives it for a reason). The problem is that we often abuse adrenaline. We get addicted to the “high’s” and become pleasure-seeking adrenaline junkies. So, whether you are addicted to adrenaline or you just crash after big events there is wisdom in understanding post-adrenaline depression.
For me almost any time I preach I am totally spent afterwards. 
I typically preach on Wednesday evenings. After youth group is over I am exhausted. On Thursday I am drained for a little while but usually back up and running by Thursday evening or Friday morning.
This past week I was the Camp Director/Camp Pastor. It took a few weeks of late nights, stressful planning, and tons of adrenaline even to get ready for camp. Then there was a week of actually speaking twice per day and being responsible for over 100 people. Needless to say at the end of the week I was fully exhausted. I actually felt depressed at youth camp on Wednesday and Thursday and am only now beginning to “see the light”. I am having difficulty writing, preparing sermons, speaking to others, as well as battling feelings of worthlessness.
So, what do we do when we crash? How do we fight post-adrenaline depression? Hart’s suggestion may seem surprising: “cooperate with it”. He further explains. “When the adrenal system crashes its need for rejuvenation far exceeds my need just to feel good. In fact, the mood that it creates is deliberately designed to slow me down so that recovery can take place.”
Rather than fighting this feeling it is best to listen to its message. Try to relax. Do not try to find more adrenaline by ski-diving on your day off, just rest, do low-grade activity. As a pastor it may be wise not to take your day off on Monday (or me on Thursday) but rather do “easy” things in the office to recover. Take your day off when you could actually enjoy it.
Hart offers a few more helpful suggestions for dealing with this:
- As soon as possible after the activity is over, go aside and relax for a while.
- Allow the low mood to come over you, welcoming it as your friend.
- Pay attention to what the “healing” process feels like in your body; it’s not really unpleasant if you interpret it as something good.
- Continue to relax for as long as possible, without tackling any task awaiting you, giving priority to your recovery.
- When you feel like it, mark time by doing routine, low-adrenaline demand activities”
- If you are feeling depressed, accept the feeling as part of the recover process—it has no other significance, so don’t try to interpret your feeling or believe any of the negative self-talk that always accompanies it
What do you think? Good advice? What are areas where this thought can be developed further? How might this be difficult to follow? If you are interested in what Hart has to say I would suggest these two books: Unmasking Male Depression, Adrenaline and Stress.
Are there physical reactions that follow extreme exertion? Yes, the post-adrenaline crash is legitimate to a degree. But those who preach on a regular basis cannot allow that to become an excuse for a spiritual letdown. We can’t take a break from the Lord. Two things are critical: Get back in the Word, don’t break from it. Guard against Satan’s attacks, don’t let your guard down. When we are physically, emotionally, and spiritually exhausted, we are vulnerable.
I should mention that my being Camp Director/Camp Pastor was actually two years ago. LOL. Older article that I forgot to update when I shared it with Voices.
I’m now an associate pastor but knowing about post-adrenal depression has actually helped me considerably. I’d suggest this post by Paul Tripp as well: http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2011/07/11/depression-and-the-ministry-part-1-the-setup/#hide
I’ve always taken Monday as my day off, which most experts say is a bad idea. The post-Sunday crash leaves me feeling awful on Monday a lot of times – physically, emotionally, every way.
But I preach 3 times on Sunday and I’m just too beat to do anything. It seems like the better the day on Sunday, the bigger the hole on Monday.
I never realized all that was an adrenaline thing.
“As soon as possible after the activity is over, go aside and relax for a while.”
I think the sacred Scriptures word it ‘rest’ instead of ‘relax’, which has a deeper spiritual meaning in the Book of St. Mark, chapter 6
I’m always a little wary when I hear depression framed exclusively in spiritual terminology, as the case of one of the comments above and in some of the links provided by Mike Leake. It should be recognized that some clergy depression needs more than prayer and Bible reading. Go to the doctor.
Thom Ranier has a recent blog on clergy depression. I linked it in my blog article of today.
Every Monday seems like a good day to talk about clergy depression.
I’m confused by your “some of the links”…when I only posted one to Paul Tripp’s article.
I agree that some clergy depression needs more than prayer and Bible reading. But not less than. That is why Tripp’s article (in my opinion) is so helpful.
You had a single link in both your article and first comment. The latter was one of a series.
I admit to reading hastily but I didn’t see anything in any of them about depression needing more than prayer and Bible reading. If Tripp said so, I missed it.
I’m still not seeing a link to an article in the article except for a link to the two books. And Tripp may not have mentioned anything in the article saying that this type of pastoral depression may need more than prayer and Bible reading. But a person cannot address every single point in an article.
I appreciate your thoughts and the article, Mike, and I’m not being critical. I just think that any piece on clergy depression absolutely, positively ought to include the point that some depression need medical attention.
We pastors are rather stubborn and may be making the mistake of always thinking that we’re depressed because we’re just not spiritual enough.
The counsel of, ‘Hie thee to the doctor’ is probably a lifesaver for some.
I apologize if I sounded defensive. I tend to agree that we can sometimes be “over spiritual” and wrongly diagnose. And (as I’m sure you would agree) can be overly “physical” and misdiagnose.
I must be weird. I love Mondays, even being up at the office. As much as that is true, I gotta say: I have a hard time relating to this article. When it comes to ministry there are other things that occur during some weeks that iritate me, depress me, get me down, etc. In my case, Sunday actually ends up being a day of refreshing–I look forward to preaching in part b/c preaching and the after-effect energizes and refocuses me. So I’m the opposite: I handle things better at the start of the week, after I’ve preached than at… Read more »
If you love Mondays, then you probably are weird.
It’s not a bad thing, but you admitted it.
For years, my family’s been telling me I’m weird…
😀
It’s ‘okay’ to be weird. There is room in the Body of Christ for weird people, too.
I take Monday off particularly for this reason. My wife goes to work. My kids go to school. I have the house to myself and can crash. Eat, sleep, watch tv, whatever. I treasure my Mondays.
Yeah, I feel the same way. But all the “experts” I’ve heard say that its a bad idea. “You should never feel that bad on your day off.”
It works for me, though. I, like you, treasure Mondays. Monday is my Sabbath.
What helps me on Mondays are several things. For one, I dont set my alarm clock on Monday mornings. There’s just something about not “having” to get up that helps. Another thing, I drink coffee and watch the news a little longer. I dont rush down to the office. Being able to take an extra 30 minutes to an hour just helps for some reason. Thirdly, my Association’s Ministers Conf. meets on Monday’s at 10 am. We drink coffee…take turns preaching…and pray together. The whole thing lasts about an hour….and it’s a tremendous blessing to my life. Fourthly, my good… Read more »
Good advice and godly too. It’s a matter of great pride to not take rest when you need it. One drawback to much adrenaline is that you may not feel as though you need rest until it’s too late. Not a single one of us is indispensable. Our ministries will be waiting for us when we return and we will be able to tend to them better when properly rested. In fact, I’m convinced that time working tired when the opportunity to rest was passed up is ill-spent and counterproductive: you get less done after putting more hours in than… Read more »
Personally I feel too bad on Monday to take it off so I use it to submerge myself in the office minutae that accumulates on Thursday and friday. It is also because I can just get all the background study for what I am preaching on the next Sunday. I take Tuesday off. The best thing I ever did was give my wife control of Tuesday. Unless it is a church emergency, then she decides if we can do anything church related. Biblically, I believe that is why Elijah ran from Jezebel after his confrontation with the false prophets. It… Read more »