Covid-19 Mental Health Impact —on 56% of Young Adults -

COVID-19 MENTAL HEALTH IMPACT. Recently the Kaiser Family Foundation found that 40% of US adults reported anxiety or depression. This shows an increase from 10% before the pandemic in 2019.

The figures rose to 56% for 18 to 24-year-olds. Even more startling, 25% in this age group reported that anxiety and depression led to suicidal ideation. Suicide has become now the second leading cause of death for people of ages 10 to 34.

Furthermore, caregivers have needed extra care themselves during this pandemic. About 20% of “essential workers” reported suicide ideation. So did 33% of unpaid caregivers for adults.

Yet a new Gallup Poll found that those who attend church weekly were the only group of Americans who did not suffer a decline in mental health in 2020. That gives us another strong argument to open our churches as much as possible.

Still, church-going does not guarantee soundness of mind.

Saddleback Church’s pastor Rick Warren lost his son Matthew, a lifelong church member, to suicide in 2013. His wife Kay formed Hope for Mental Health Initiative as a result. And she now calls on churches “to take strong leadership and to provide the help that others can’t.”

T.D. Jakes has also been sounding the alarm. While some stressed-out, traumatized people abuse themselves, he says others abuse those close to them. Jakes cites an escalation of murders, divorces and spousal abuse. “As the [pandemic] trouble begins to dissipate, that does not mean that the trauma is gone,” Jakes says. “Trauma takes on a lot of forms.”

Yet 49% of pastors “rarely or never speak to their church in sermons or large group settings about acute mental illness,” according to a 2014 Lifeway Research study. And church members hesitate to reveal their own mental struggles for fear of stigma.

“Know my anxious thoughts”

But the writers of Psalms didn’t hesitate. They call such mental anguish “distress” in eleven different Psalms. And many other psalms, especially David’s, show severe mood swings from hatred to anxiety to repentant humility.

“I hate them with the utmost hatred; they have become my enemies.

Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts;

And see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way” (Ps 139:22-24).

God called David “a man after His own heart” because he sought God’s heart. He gave us these Psalms so we could open our hearts to Him. Some psalms shock us by extreme outbursts like “utmost hatred.” But they don’t shock God.

So they shouldn’t shock us. Either when we admit them to God, or when others admit them to us. Bringing our pain to the light before God, and empathetic Christians, is part of the healing.

It moves us to repent of our own “hurtful way”, as David did above. And to seek God for help in forgiving our enemies. Experienced Christian counsellors know that therapy consists mainly in repentance and forgiveness. Including self-forgiveness, for turning against ourselves instead of toward God.

Developing habits of repentance and forgiveness

Our evangelism should include repenting of past sins and receiving forgiveness from God. Our discipleship should include developing habits of repentance and forgiveness toward others. And accountability to a small circle of friends with whom we can honestly deal with life’s issues.

These issues will increase as we go through “the beginning of birth pangs” like the pandemic. They will intensify as the end-times unfold. “There will be great distress upon the land… men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world; for the powers of heaven will be shaken” (Lk. 21:23,26).

If we do not stay close to God, we too will be shaken. “But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near” (verse 28).

In the meantime, keep “casting all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” And comforting others with the same comfort you have received from God (1 Pet. 5:7; 2 Cor. 1:4). That will draw other anxious souls under His steadfast care.