Light in Dark Depression

A man in Italy recounts:

"Some years ago, I went to recover in a psychiatric clinic. I was overcome by a strong, growing nervousness that made it impossible to work and made family life unpleasant. The suffering was atrocious and the remedy, rather than help, beat further into confusion and desperation.

I always loved the Madonna. In those moments I clung to her with all my poor strength. I prayed to her, even getting out of bed to kneel and pray the Rosary. Sometimes I rose in the middle of the night and prayed in a loud voice; the doctors thought such behavior was due to my illness. Still, the certainty that the Madonna never abandoned me, that she could help to cure me, gave me the strength to escape the tunnel of depression.

I expressed my surrender through short invocations or sometimes just by looking at the medal that I wore around my neck.

The doctors marveled at my progress, and attributed it to their science. Instead, I was sure that 90% of it was due to the "Health of the Sick." I didn't hesitate to suggest also to the other patients to have recourse to the Madonna.

I was discharged from the clinic sooner than expected. Now, with only the minimum medicine, I am well. In all these years, I have never had a serious relapse."