Mini Biblical Perspective on Loneliness, Depression, Anxiety, Grief, and Pornography

MINI BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE ON: LONELINESS, DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, GRIEF AND PORNOGRAPHY

Josh D. McDowell

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Why did I send you this portfolio? Globally, in every culture, there are several trends that are going to have a very negative effect on the Church IF our pastors and youth workers do not deal with them intelligently and biblically.

Carefully study this, and then consider getting it into the hands of influencers … including parents. You can link to www.josh.org/biblicalperspective.

Stay safe and healthy,

Josh D. McDowell For questions and comments, please email me at customerservice@josh.org.

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There are 7 issues that will define the Church, the nation and individuals (and Para-Church organizations like IVCF, Cru, Navigators, etc.).

A. Intellectual 1) Critical Race Theory (CRT) 2) Social Justice B. Emotional 3) Loneliness 4) Depression 5) Anxiety 6) Grieving C. Moral 7) Pornography

A survey of thousands of student show their deep interest in the following subjects: D. Mental Illness Challenges • Loneliness • Anxiety • Grieving • Depression E. Cultural Racial Issues • Social Justice Issues • Race

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Contents Loneliness Portfolio ................................................................... 5 Depression Portfolio ................................................................ 49 Anxiety Portfolio ....................................................................... 74 Grieving According to Jesus .................................................... 77 Pornography Facts .................................................................. 81

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Loneliness Portfolio

by Josh D. McDowell Loneliness had become a growing epidemic itself. For those who live alone, it is nothing short of isolating.

Poet John Milton pointed out that “Loneliness is the first thing which God’s eye named not good.” When God surveyed His creation at the dawn of human history. He declared, 1. “It is not good for man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him” (Gen. 2:18).

2. He knew that His crowning creation would need companionship and fellowship.

With the creation of Eve, God met that need. When the first humans sinned, however, a wedge was driven – for the first time – between them and God, and husband and wife. Sin entered the world – and with it, conflict, selfishness and loneliness.

The following research addresses the loneliness issue outside as well as within the Church environment. The affects are tremendous both among believers and non-believers and need to be addressed at this crucial time.

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Loneliness is not a Quirk (All these headlines were published before the COVID-19 pandemic)

• Surgeon General Says There’s a Loneliness Epidemic. (The Washington Post)

• “Loneliness is a worldwide epidemic … it could be lethal.”

(Science Alert)

• “Young People Report More Loneliness than the Elderly.” (USA Today) •

Cigna: “girls reported the highest levels of loneliness on record.” (The Wall Street Journal)

• “The Biggest Threat facing Middle-aged Men Isn’t Smoking or Obesity. It’s Loneliness.” (The Boston Globe)

• “People under the age of 20 registering as the loneliest of all.”

(Prevention)

• “The Surprising Effects of Loneliness on Health.” (The New York Times)

• “Loneliness Begets More Loneliness.”(The Atlantic) • “How Social Isolation is Killing Us.” (The New York Times) • “Social Isolation Kills More People than Obesity.” (Slate)

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The Loneliness Crisis on U.S. College Campuses by Varun Soni Dean of Religious Life at University of So. California LA Times Op Ed July 14, 2019 M.T.S. from Harvard Divinity School; M.A. from The University of California, Santa Barbara; J.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles; PhD from the University of Cape Town “When I arrived at USC 11 years ago as dean of religious life, my pastoral conversations with students mostly focused on their quests for meaning and purpose. They were striving to translate values into action, cultivate joy and gratitude, live extraordinary lives.”

“But over the last several years, these conversations have taken a devastating turn. Whereas students used to ask, ‘How should I live?’ they are now more likely to ask, ‘Why should I live?’ Where they used to talk about hope and meaning, now they grapple with hopelessness and meaninglessness. Every year, it seems, I encounter more stress, anxiety and depression, and more students in crisis on campus.”

“My colleagues at other universities say they are seeing the same distressing trend, and research backs up our observations.”

“According to the Center for Collegiate Mental Health, the increase in utilization rates for counseling centers across the country over the last five DB/JJOSH Work Drive/Manuscripts/Mini Biblical Perspective onLoneliness, Depression Anxiety, Grief & Porn 6.8.2021

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years has greatly outpaced the increase in student enrollment, and as a result, schools have trouble hiring enough mental health counselors to keep up with growing demand.”

“The most recent Healthy Minds Survey, an annual report on mental health on college and university campuses, found that one-third of undergraduate students in the United States wrestle with some kind of mental health issue, while more than 10% struggle with thoughts of suicide.”

“The Cooperative Institutional Research Program’s large annual survey of college freshmen has noted a marked and steady downward trend in the self-reported emotional health of students along with a large uptick in selfreported feelings of being overwhelmed.”

“What I have noticed in my work with students is that many of them face the same hidden root challenge: loneliness. According to a recent survey by the global health service company Cigna, the loneliest generation in the United States today is not the oldest Americans but the youngest, specifically young adults between 18 and 22 years old.”

“I never got the question in my first five years at USC that I now get almost daily from students: ‘How do I make friends?’ Students may have thousands of friends online, but few in real life; they may be experts at talking with their thumbs, but not so much with their tongues. As a result, many feel as though they don’t have a tribe or a sense of belonging. They feel disconnected from what it means to be human.”

“While it is now fashionable to refer to this cohort of college and university students as a coddled generation of ‘snowflakes,’ the reality is they face unprecedented challenges and circumstances.”

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“They are entering a world in which many of the career paths of their parents’ generation no longer exist or have changed drastically. They face escalating tuition costs with little sense of whether their future opportunities justify the outlay. They have participated in active-shooter trainings and campus lockdown drills for most of their lives.”

“And according to the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion and Public Life, more than one-third of young adults are now disaffiliated with religion, marking a dramatic generational shift away from religion and from the comfort and community that it can provide.”

“The convergence of these factors and realities has directly contributed to a crippling sense of anxiety and alienation in students across the country.”

“But today’s students are also creative and courageous, engaged and empathetic, diverse and inclusive. They are hardworking and goal oriented. It needs to be the job of colleges and universities to help students develop resources that enable them to thrive and flourish mentally, emotionally and spiritually, so that they may fulfill their academic aspirations and achieve their professional goals.”

“At USC, we’re trying a variety of things, including a dedicated mindfulness training app and free mindfulness programs that reach more than 7,000 people a year. A new, for-credit freshman course called Thrive focuses on emotional intelligence, healthy relationships, self-care, resiliency and human flourishing. In the fall, we will debut our new artificial intelligence well-being assistant, named Ari , which will guide students to appropriate support resources and communities on campus.”

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“We also offer and host yoga classes, drum circles, friendship courses, community teas, coloring sessions, laughing groups, sleep classes, connection workshops, meditation retreats, campfire conversations and primal scream opportunities. We’ve recently appointed our first director of belonging , while our full-time wellness dog, Professor Beauregard Tirebiter (affectionately known as ‘Beau’) strolls the campus daily.”

“Colleges and universities have always had a responsibility to develop the whole student so that our young people are able to make not just a living, but a life. Today, that means examining a new range of challenges that students face and developing a new approach to well-being on campus. By doing so, colleges and universities can help empower students to transform the world by transforming themselves.”

“Varun Soni is dean of religious life at USC, where he also serves as vice provost of campus wellness and crisis intervention.”

(Varun Soni, “There’s a loneliness crisis on college campuses”, LA Times, July 14, 2019, https://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-soni-campusstudent-loneliness-20190714-story.html) ------Why are so Many Young People Unhappy? 12.21.2020 “Reuters reported in 2019 that ‘Suicidal thinking, severe depression and rates of self-injury among U.S. college students more than doubled over less than a decade.’”

“And unhappiness is hardly confined to Americans. As the social commentator Kay Hymowitz recently wrote, ‘Germans are lonely, the bon

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vivant French are lonely, and even the Scandinavians . . . are lonely. The British prime minister . . . recently appointed a ‘Minister of Loneliness.’”

“In the U.S., People have more money, better health, better housing, more education, and live longer than at any time in history, but people— especially the young—are unhappier than at any time since data began to be collected.”

“The biggest reason is the loss of values and meaning.” “…more than a third of Americans born after 1980 affiliate with no religion.

This is unprecedented in American history. And it’s even worse in Europe.”

“Association, 2016 JAMA Psychiatry, found that American women who attended a religious service at least once a week were five times less likely to commit suicide. And common sense suggests this applies to men as well.”

“Why are so many young people depressed, unhappy, and angry? … It’s having no religion, no God, and no country to believe in.”

(Dennis Prager, “Why Are so Many Young People Unhappy”, PagerU, March 2, 2020, https://www.prageru.com/video/why-are-so-many-youngpeople-unhappy/) ------Lockdown Loneliness: COVID-19 Quarantine has Quarter of Adults Feeling Like They have no Friends 1. “…four in ten people experience days without talking to a single person.”

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2. “…loneliness is on the rise … survey of 2,000 British adults, which finds that one in four people feel like they have absolutely no friends nowadays…14% are afraid they’ve lost some friends forever…”

3. “Even before the pandemic started, 25% of respondents say they would often go days on end without speaking to anyone. … 37% have recently experienced days in which they’ve had no contact with a single person.”

4. “26% of surveyed adults admit they felt lonely at the time of the poll. … One in ten agree that they often feel even more isolated after hanging up a video call.”

5. “Close to 75% … two-thirds also admit they haven’t tried to speak to anyone about how they’re feeling.”

6. “Close to half (40%) have turned to comfort food 7. 25% indulge in alcohol.”

8. “…40% of respondents with an older loved one have noticed a decline in that person’s mental or physical health since the coronavirus emerged.”

9. “… respondents who live alone have gone an average of 11 days without talking to anyone.”

(John Anderer, “Lockdown loneliness: COVID-19 quarantine has quarter of adults feeling like they have no friends”, Study Finds, July 1, 2020, https://www.studyfinds.org/lockdown-loneliness-covid-19-quarantine-hasquarter-of-adults-feeling-like-they-have-no-friends/) -------

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“The growth of social media and waning person-to-person contact [caused] former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy: ‘loneliness is a worldwide epidemic’ … ‘it could be lethal.’”

(Chris Weller, “5 Things That Are Almost as Deadly as Smoking, According to Science”, Science Alert, July 24, 2018, https://www.sciencealert.com/5-little-known-things-that-are-deadlyas-smoking-lonely-sitting-tanning-science) “…a survey of 20,000 U.S. adults by Cigna, the loneliest members of Generation Z (people roughly between ages 7 and 22) are evenly split between those who use social media and those who don’t.”

(Kerry Banks, “Loneliness: the silent killer”, University Affairs, February 27, 2019, https://www.universityaffairs.ca/features/featurearticle/loneliness-the-silent-killer/) • “A 2014 report by Canada’s National Seniors Council, … half of people over the age of 80 report feeling lonely.”

(Kerry Banks, “Loneliness: the silent killer”, University Affairs, February 27, 2019, https://www.universityaffairs.ca/features/featurearticle/loneliness-the-silent-killer/) • “If loneliness is a disease, it’s one that’s reached pandemic proportions.”

(Jennifer Wolff, “Loneliness Is the Quiet Health Epidemic Impacting Your Heart, Brain and Longevity”, Prevention, November 25, 2019, https://www.prevention.com/health/mentalhealth/a29873388/loneliness-epidemic/)

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• “A 2016 survey by the American College Health Association of Canadian cohort of 44,000 postsecondary students revealed that two-thirds of them reported feeling ‘very lonely’ at some point in the previous 12 months.”

(Kerry Banks, “Loneliness: the silent killer”, University Affairs, February 27, 2019, https://www.universityaffairs.ca/features/featurearticle/loneliness-the-silent-killer/) • “An online U.S. survey of 20,000 adults conducted in 2018 by the health insurer Cigna revealed that 40 percent of Americans said they lacked a meaningful relationship and felt isolated from others.”

(Kerry Banks, “Loneliness: the silent killer”, University Affairs, February 27, 2019, https://www.universityaffairs.ca/features/featurearticle/loneliness-the-silent-killer/) • Ohio State University has identified two traits often found in individuals wrestling with especially bad dating app addictions: loneliness and social anxiety.

(John Anderer, “Can’t Stop Swiping: Dating App Addiction Fueled by Loneliness and Social Anxiety”, Study Finds, July 31, 2019, https://www.studyfinds.org/cant-stop-swiping-dating-app-addictionfueled-by-loneliness-and-social-anxiety-study-finds/) • “A life coach remarked that many younger people, … get a coach to not be alone…”

(Ammar Kalia, “It’s a safety blanket: Why more and more teenagers are relying on life coaches”, The Guardian, July 31, 2019, https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/jul/31/safety-blanketwhy-more-teenagers-relying-life-coaches)

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• “One of the most common questions Yatros receives from clients is what their purpose in life should be.”

(Ammar Kalia, “It’s a safety blanket: Why more and more teenagers are relying on life coaches”, The Guardian, July 31, 2019, https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/jul/31/safety-blanketwhy-more-teenagers-relying-life-coaches) • “He thinks the increase in interest among young people is not only down to the anxieties and loneliness wrought by social media…”

(Ammar Kalia, “It’s a safety blanket: Why more and more teenagers are relying on life coaches”, The Guardian, July 31, 2019, https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/jul/31/safety-blanketwhy-more-teenagers-relying-life-coaches) • “The New York Daily News (August 3, 2019) reports: More than 20% of millennials surveyed in a YouGov poll released this week claimed that they don’t have a single friend.”

(Tim Balk, “More than 20% of millennials claim to have no friends, poll finds”, New York Daily News, August 3, 2019, nydailynews.com/news/national/ny-millenials-no-friends-yougov-poll20190804-ek5odkrxmvbfhex7ytvp2p6rwy-story.html) •

“A lack of substantive community is a source of great pain for many in modern American culture.”

(Kevin Van Lant, “What Every Pastor Needs to Know About Mental Health and the Church”, https://www.biola.edu/blogs/talbotmagazine/2019/what-every-pastor-needs-to-know-about-mentalhealth-and-the-church)

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• “‘Strong social relationships support mental health, and that ties into better immune function, reduced stress and less cardiovascular activation’, Debra Umberson, a professor of sociology at the University of Texas told Time Magazine in 2015.”

(Tim Balk, “More than 20% of millennials claim to have no friends, poll finds”, New York Daily News, August 3, 2019, nydailynews.com/news/national/ny-millenials-no-friends-yougov-poll20190804-ek5odkrxmvbfhex7ytvp2p6rwy-story.html) • “According to a survey in 2017 by the Royal Society for Public Health, Britons aged 14-24 believe that Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter have detrimental effects on their wellbeing. On average, they reported that these social networks gave them extra scope for selfexpression and community-building. But they also said that the platforms exacerbated anxiety and depression, deprived them of sleep, exposed them to bullying and created worries about their body image and ‘FOMO’ (‘fear of missing out’). Academic studies have found that these problems tend to be particularly severe among frequent users.” (“How heavy use of social media is linked to mental illness”, The Economist, May 18, 2018, https://www.economist.com/graphicdetail/2018/05/18/how-heavy-use-of-social-media-is-linked-to-mentalillness) • “…an experiment by five neuroscientists in 2014 concluded that Facebook triggers the same impulsive part of the brain as gambling and substance abuse.” (“How heavy use of social media is linked to mental illness”, The Economist, May 18, 2018, https://www.economist.com/graphic-

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detail/2018/05/18/how-heavy-use-of-social-media-is-linked-to-mentalillness) • “An obvious solution to the problem is to cut down on screen time. Even the most obsessive users should be able to do so. The neuroscientific study on Facebook found that the subjects’ cognitive ability to inhibit their impulsive behavior was less impaired than for drug or gambling addicts. And data from Moment, an activity-tracking app, show that it is possible for light social-media consumers to be content. Each week it asks its 1m users whether they are happy or sad with the amount of time they have spent on various platforms. The Economist says, ‘Nearly 63% of Instagram users report being miserable’, a higher share than for any other social network. They spend an average of nearly an hour per day on the app. The 37% who are happy spend on average just over half as long.” (“How heavy use of social media is linked to mental illness”, The Economist, May 18, 2018, https://www.economist.com/graphicdetail/2018/05/18/how-heavy-use-of-social-media-is-linked-to-mentalillness) •

“…people under the age 20 registering as the loneliest of all, according to the Cigna poll.”

(Jennifer Wolff, “Loneliness Is the Quiet Health Epidemic Impacting Your Heart, Brain and Longevity”, Prevention, November 25, 2019, https://www.prevention.com/health/mentalhealth/a29873388/loneliness-epidemic/)

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• “Younger people get lonely when they don’t feel they have many social connections; for them, it’s often a numbers game, and making more friends is usually within reach.”

(Jennifer Wolff, “Loneliness Is the Quiet Health Epidemic Impacting Your Heart, Brain and Longevity”, Prevention, November 25, 2019, https://www.prevention.com/health/mentalhealth/a29873388/loneliness-epidemic/) • “Nearly three in 10 people who are unhappy with their family life report feeling lonely, pointing once again to the importance of relationship quality. Neuroscientist Stephanie Cacioppo, Ph.D., of the University of Chicago, is an ardent proponent of exercising, relying on deep friendships, and practicing gratitude.”

(Jennifer Wolff, “Loneliness Is the Quiet Health Epidemic Impacting Your Heart, Brain and Longevity”, Prevention, November 25, 2019, https://www.prevention.com/health/mentalhealth/a29873388/loneliness-epidemic/) • “A 2018 survey of 55,000 British citizens conducted for the BBC found that a third of respondents often feel lonely.”

(Kerry Banks, “Loneliness: the silent killer”, University Affairs, February 27, 2019, https://www.universityaffairs.ca/features/featurearticle/loneliness-the-silent-killer/) • “In a 2018 national health survey by Cigna, girls reported the highest levels of loneliness on record.”

(Mary Pipher & Sara Pipher Gilliam, “The Lonely Burden of Today’s Teenage Girls”, The Wall Street Journal, August 15, 2019,

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https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-lonely-burden-of-todays-teenagegirls-11565883328) “Julianne Holt-Lunstad, a professor of psychology at Brigham Young University, has discovered in her research “that loneliness reduces people's life spans by the equivalent of smoking 15 cigarettes a day.”

(Chris Weller, “5 Things That Are Almost as Deadly as Smoking, According to Science”, Science Alert, July 24, 2018, https://www.sciencealert.com/5-little-known-things-that-are-deadlyas-smoking-lonely-sitting-tanning-science) “Why loneliness is so dangerous to your health: Studies show that “nearly half of Americans say that they are lonely some or all the time. Social isolation has been linked to higher risks of death and diseases like heart disease and life-threatening events like strokes.”

(Natalie Rahhal, “Why loneliness is so dangerous for your health: Harvard doctor explains the links and urges that ‘people are a medicine’”, Daily Mail, September 19, 2018, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-6185391/Loneliness-badhealth-Harvard-doctor-explains-urging-treat-people-medicine.html) “‘Only around half of Americans say they have meaningful, daily face-toface social interactions.’ Loneliness, public-health experts tell us, is killing as many people as obesity and smoking.”

(Kay Hymowitz, “The Role of Family Breakdown in the Loneliness Epidemic”, IFS Studies, November 7, 2019, https://ifstudies.org/blog/the-role-of-family-breakdown-in-theloneliness-epidemic)

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“Dr. Waldinger explained further “what loneliness does to the brain and hormonal systems - and why we need to spend time together.”

(Natalie Rahhal, “Why loneliness is so dangerous for your health: Harvard doctor explains the links and urges that ‘people are a medicine’”, Daily Mail, September 19, 2018, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-6185391/Loneliness-badhealth-Harvard-doctor-explains-urging-treat-people-medicine.html) “Loneliness isn't just a detriment to their social lives and happiness; loneliness is bad for their health.”

(Natalie Rahhal, “Why loneliness is so dangerous for your health: Harvard doctor explains the links and urges that ‘people are a medicine’”, Daily Mail, September 19, 2018, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-6185391/Loneliness-badhealth-Harvard-doctor-explains-urging-treat-people-medicine.html) “The health dangers of loneliness are not new. A review of studies conducted back in 1988 identified higher rates of mortality, illness, injury, smoking, obesity and high blood pressure in lonely people, marking social isolation a risk factor for all of the above.”

(Natalie Rahhal, “Why loneliness is so dangerous for your health: Harvard doctor explains the links and urges that ‘people are a medicine’”, Daily Mail, September 19, 2018, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-6185391/Loneliness-badhealth-Harvard-doctor-explains-urging-treat-people-medicine.html) “Despite all of our online connections the average person has 338 Facebook 'friends' – [yet] we are only getting lonelier.”

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(Natalie Rahhal, “Why loneliness is so dangerous for your health: Harvard doctor explains the links and urges that ‘people are a medicine’”, Daily Mail, September 19, 2018, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-6185391/Loneliness-badhealth-Harvard-doctor-explains-urging-treat-people-medicine.html) “Former Surgeon General, Murthy wrote in the Harvard Business Review that “we live in the most technologically connected age in the history of civilization, yet rates of loneliness have doubled since the 1980s.”

(Natalie Rahhal, “Why loneliness is so dangerous for your health: Harvard doctor explains the links and urges that ‘people are a medicine’”, Daily Mail, September 19, 2018, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-6185391/Loneliness-badhealth-Harvard-doctor-explains-urging-treat-people-medicine.html) “Recently in Great Britain, loneliness became so widespread that the British government created a cabinet level position, a ‘Minister of Loneliness’.”

(Peter Walker, “May appoints minister to tackle loneliness issues raised by Jo Cox ”, LA Times, July 14, 2019, https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/jan/16/may-appointsminister-tackle-loneliness-issues-raised-jo-cox) “The University of Southern California in the last several years has seen such widespread loneliness and depression on campus that they established a ‘Director of Belonging’ and has full-time wellness dogs that roam the campus (these are for University students).”

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(Varun Soni, “There’s a loneliness crisis on college campuses”, The Guardian, January 16, 2018, https://www.latimes.com/opinion/oped/la-oe-soni-campus-student-loneliness-20190714-story.html) “…lonely people have a 26% increased likelihood of early death. For those who have little or no social contact, that rises to 29%, and it jumps to 32% for people who live alone.”

(Jennifer Wolff, “Loneliness Is the Quiet Health Epidemic Impacting Your Heart, Brain and Longevity”, Prevention, November 25, 2019, https://www.prevention.com/health/mentalhealth/a29873388/loneliness-epidemic/) “But loneliness is not simply about being alone. What it really hinges on is the quality of your relationships: The more satisfied you are with them, the less lonely you are.”

(Jennifer Wolff, “Loneliness Is the Quiet Health Epidemic Impacting Your Heart, Brain and Longevity”, Prevention, November 25, 2019, https://www.prevention.com/health/mentalhealth/a29873388/loneliness-epidemic/) “At the Finish the Task conference on global evangelism, Rick Warren stated that, ‘loneliness is one of the greatest problems.’”

------Social Distancing and Loneliness “…former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy … ‘the impact of social isolation and loneliness on longevity equals that of smoking 15 cigarettes a day and

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exceeds the risks associated with obesity, excessive alcohol consumption and lack of exercise.’” “…the National Academy of Science found that ’social isolation has been linked to a 50 percent increased risk of dementia, a 29 percent increased risk of heart disease and a 32 percent increased risk of stroke.’” “…2018 Cigna survey, those born in 1995 or later report greater feelings of loneliness and worse health than any other generation.”

(John Stonestreet & Roberto Rivera, “Social Distancing and Loneliness”, BreakPoint, April 2, 2020, https://breakpoint.org/social-distancing-andloneliness/) -------The FAQs: What Christians Should Know About Loneliness A. “Although common definitions of loneliness describe it as a state of solitude or being alone, loneliness is better described as a state of mind in which there is a perception of social isolation. Loneliness is a state of mind characterized by a dissociation between what an individual wants or expects from their relationships or social interactions and what that individual experiences in their relationships or social interactions.”

B. “While everyone may feel lonely some of the time, for a large number of people loneliness is a chronic condition of life. About two in five Americans report that they sometimes or always feel their social relationships are not meaningful, and one in five say they feel lonely or socially isolated.”

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C. “Groups found to be at particular risk of loneliness include women, being either younger (e.g., aged younger than 25 years) or older (e.g., aged older than 65 years), those who live alone, those who have low socio-economic status, and persons with poor mental and physical health.”

D. “In a decade-long study, researchers examined how loneliness spreads in social networks and discovered that ‘a person’s loneliness depends not just on his friend’s loneliness, but also extends to his friend’s friend and his friend’s friend’s friend.’ The full network shows that participants are 52 percent more likely to be lonely if a person they are directly connected to (at one degree of separation) is lonely.”

E. “Because loneliness is part of the human condition, it is not surprising that several persons in the Bible experienced loneliness. In 1 Kings 19, the prophet Elijah appears to have suffered from a sense of social isolation that made him almost suicidal. Paul likely experienced loneliness, as when he tells Timothy, ‘At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me’ (1 Tim. 4:16). Jesus also appears to have been experiencing loneliness in the garden of Gethsemane on the night before his crucifixion (Matt. 26:36-46) and while on the cross (Matt. 27:46).”

“David also expressed his feelings of loneliness in the Psalms.

In Psalm 25:16 he says, ‘Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted,’ and in Psalm 142:4 he says, ‘Look and see, there is no one at my right hand; no one is concerned for me. I have no refuge; no one cares for my life.’”

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F. “Find your family — Psalms 68:6 tells us, ‘God sets the lonely in families’ (NIV). If you’re a follower of Christ, God has set you ‘with God’s people and also members of his household’ (Eph. 2:19).

Because of your union with Christ, you are spiritually connected to a family of brothers and sisters who will love you and be with you for all eternity. Find your family by embedding yourself in a community of believers.”

“Reach out — If you feel lonely, reach out to those around you and let them know. If you suspect someone you know is lonely reach out to them and let them know you want to help. Don’t put it off or make excuses about why you don’t have the time, ability, or attention.

When people are in need, Christians should be rushing to help for we are called by Jesus to love our neighbor.”

(Joe Carter, “The FAQs: What Christians Should Know About Loneliness”, The Gospel Coalition, November 21, 2020, https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/the-faqs-what-christians-shouldknow-about-loneliness/) ------Loneliness •

“The share of American households with just one person has been rising over the last 50 years, increasing from 17% in 1969 to 28% in 2019.”

•

“The health consequences of loneliness are often likened to the effects of smoking 15 cigarettes a day—and far more common.

While the most recent data show just 14% of American adults and

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about 5% of high school teenagers smoke cigarettes, a January report from health-insurer Cigna suggested around 60% of American adults felt some degree of loneliness, even before the COVID-19 pandemic hit.”

•

“Since lockdowns and stay-at-home orders were instated, roughly a third of American adults report feeling lonelier than usual, according to an April survey by social-advice company SocialPro…

•

“Another survey, also in April, for financial research group Value Penguin, put the number even higher, at 47%. If the stereotype of a lonely person is a frail, elderly adult who lives alone, the coronavirus pandemic has exposed the truth that was there all along: anyone, anywhere, of any age can experience loneliness.”

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•

“A group of Cornell students built the platform Quarantine Buddy to match up users with similar interests for virtual conversations, and has so far attracted 8,000 people in 64 countries, ranging in age from 18 to 80.”

(Jamie Ducharme, "America's Loneliness Epidemic Has Hidden In Plain Sight For Years. Coronavirus Is Changing That", Time, May 8, 2020, https://time.com/5833681/loneliness-covid-19/.)

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------Do you think the above data about extent of loneliness epidemic is exaggerated? Last week I had breakfast with two leaders of an organization that gives leadership to 8,000 youth workers. I asked. “What is their greatest challenge working with young people?” The immediate answer was, “Loneliness!” That is a confirmation of all the above.

“Three key lessons about happiness:” 1. “Close relationships - The men in both groups of the Harvard [80 year] study who reported being closer to their family, friends, or community tended to be happier and healthier than their less social counterparts. They also tended to live longer.”

(Tanya Lewis, “A Harvard psychiatrist says 3 things are the secret to real happiness”, Business Insider, December 29, 2015, http://www.businessinsider.com/robert-waldinger-says-3-things-are-thesecret-to-happiness-2015-12) 2. “Quality (not quantity) of relationships - A 2015 study published in the journal Psychology and Aging that followed people for 30 years found that the number of relationships people had was, in fact, more important for people in their 20s, but the quality of relationships had a bigger effect on social and psychological well-being when people were in their 30s.”

(Tanya Lewis, “A Harvard psychiatrist says 3 things are the secret to real happiness”, Business Insider, December 29, 2015, http://www.businessinsider.com/robert-waldinger-says-3-things-are-thesecret-to-happiness-2015-12)

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3. “Stable, supportive marriages - Being socially connected to others isn't just good for our physical health. It also helps stave off mental decline.

People who were married without having divorced, separating, or having ‘serious problems’ until age 50 performed better on memory tests later in life than those who weren't, the Harvard study found.”

(Tanya Lewis, “A Harvard psychiatrist says 3 things are the secret to real happiness”, Business Insider, December 29, 2015, http://www.businessinsider.com/robert-waldinger-says-3-things-arethe-secret-to-happiness-2015-12) “‘But over and over, over these 75 years, our study has shown that the people who fared the best were the people who leaned into relationships, with family, with friends, with community.’”

(Tanya Lewis, “A Harvard psychiatrist says 3 things are the secret to real happiness”, Business Insider, December 29, 2015, http://www.businessinsider.com/robert-waldinger-says-3-things-arethe-secret-to-happiness-2015-12) In order to help us with these difficulties, God has shared his desire and guidance, through His word.

• For us to love and support one another.

• In the New American Standard Bible translation, the phrase one another is listed 161 times. a. John 13:35 says “Love one another”; b. Hebrews 3:13 says: “encourage one another”; c. Galatians 5:13: “through love serve one another”.

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It is not good for us to be alone.

• Don’t wait for someone else to reach out to you; they may be lonely as well.

• Think of how much of an encouragement you can be to others right now and at the same time, be encouraged by them.

• Always every day read the Scripture and saturate the day in prayer.

------Restoring Relationships “…this study indicates that people who address their relationships concerns and mental health struggles at church experience greater spiritual growth.

Bearing one another’s burdens. It seems does lighten the load (see Galatians 6)” “Relationships are under pressure. This pressure is new … massive changes in communication technologies, diminishing religious influence, hyper individualized morals and sexual ethics and extreme cultural and political polarization, the strain on our everyday relationships is mounting.”

“Loneliness is at epidemic levels…”

“Relational crises are no respecter of persons…”

“On the whole, the Church’s record on helping people through crisis is strong. Historically, pastors and other church leaders have been uniquely positioned to walk alongside people through their hardest season’s in life: death of a loved one, job loss, illness, divorce, unwanted singleness,

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childlessness, abuse and so much more. With the rise of human psychology as a scientific discipline.” “…anxiety, depression, addiction, marital problems and other issues ... negatively impact their relationships.” “…helping pastors better understand the brain science of addiction…”

“Single people who belong to a faith community have consistently higher rates of relational and emotional satisfaction than other singles.”

“More than half of all U.S. adults (58%) and practicing Christians (54%) say they have at least one relational or emotional / mental health issue that impacts their most important relationships.”

“Anxiety and depression are the most commonly experienced challenges to relational satisfaction, … often aggravate and intensify each other. For example, a person who says that pornography impacts her most important relationships is also more likely than average to say she’s dealing with anxiety, loneliness and problems with sexual intimacy.”

“Practicing Christians are generally confident that their church leaders can help them with their relational struggles…”

“A 2018 Cigna study of more than 20,000 U.S. adults ages 18 years and older … ‘nearly half of Americans report sometimes or always feeling alone (46),’ and that 43 percent of Americans ‘sometimes or always feel that their relationships are not meaningful.’ (“New Cigna Study Reveals Loneliness at Epidemic Levels in America,” Cigna, https://www.cigna.com/newsroom/news-releases/2018/new-cignastudyreveals- loneliness-at-epidemic-levels-in-america (accessed Nov.

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2019).) The youngest group of respondents, ages 18 to 22, are the loneliest age … Barna’s 2019 study of 18–35-year-olds …, The Connected Generation, found that that one-quarter of Millennials (23%) reports they often feel lonely and isolated.” (Barna Group, The Connected Generation (Ventura, CA: Barna Group, 2019).) … just one in three often feels that someone believes in me.” “… young urban professionals—attitudes that have since grown into mainstream objections to marriage: 1. Marriage crushes individual identity and 2. has been oppressive for women, 3. marriage stifles passion and is 4. ill-fitted to psychological reality, marriage is ‘just a piece of paper’” “… a snarl of conflicted personal emotions, born out of many negative experiences with marriage and family life.” (Keller, The Meaning of Marriage, 11.)

“Barna’s findings confirm the pervasive problem of loneliness and highlight disparities in relational and emotional satisfaction between married people and singles, and between those with and without children.”

“Outside the family, the overwhelming majority of both groups has close friends (95% vs. 91%). It’s worth contemplating what this means: One in 20 practicing Christians and one in 10 U.S. adults say they do not have a close friend.”

“Practicing Christians are more likely to have a counselor or therapist (25% vs. 20% all U.S. adults) and, unsurprisingly, almost twice as likely to have a pastor or priest (92% vs. 47%).”

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“…one’s 20s, particularly the early- to mid-20s, is the most common age range for a first marriage; … Men tend to marry for the first time two to three years later than women.”

“One in three practicing Christians who have ever been married has also been through a divorce (33%), slightly less than the 39 percent of all adults that have divorced. … Eight percent of all respondents’ marriages ended with the death of a spouse.”

“One in four practicing Christians (26%) and one in three among all adults (35%) have never wed.” “…in non-cohabitating serious relationships (9% all), dating (9% all) and not dating but looking (27% vs. 25%). …Practicing Christian singles are less likely to be living with their significant other (8% vs. 14%).”

“More than half of Christian Millennials (55%) … Millennials (70%) are far more likely than Gen X (48% single), Boomers (38%) and Elders (35%) to be single.”

“Most people live in households comprised of a single generation (58% practicing Christians, 57% all)—that is, they do not live with their mother, father, sibling, children or grandchildren.” “…singles want to find help and refuge in their church as they navigate unpartnered life—so it’s important that churches be ready to receive and relate to singles.”

“Singles may wrestle with questions of identity and safety. Why am I single? Is my singleness temporary or permanent? What can I do to find a spouse? How do people perceive me?”

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“… may communicate falsehoods. The single person doesn’t know—and will never know—if God will bring them a spouse. And neither do you.”

“Roughly half of parents have children living with them (49% practicing Christians, 52% all).”

“Most notably, married people tend to be happier than singles and parents are generally more satisfied than those who don’t have children.”

“Single practicing Christians are more likely than married practicing Christians to admit they are dissatisfied with their relationships (13% vs.

4%), and to say depression (38% vs. 29%), loneliness (36% vs. 24%) and grief (30% vs. 22%) affect their most important relationships. Singles are also less likely to have a positive experience with a church as a help source when they turned to a church leader during a difficult situation (77% vs.

87%). … single practicing Christians are less optimistic in their expectations of the Church being a source of help for navigating relational difficulties (78% vs. 84%).” “…practicing Christians without children (78%) are already less likely than practicing Christian parents to report an abiding sense of being loved (87%) and to be satisfied with their relationships (71% vs. 79%).”

“They are more likely to frequently feel lonely than those with children (20% vs. 11%), and to say that depression (38% vs. 31%), loneliness (34% vs.

26%) and anxiety (42% vs. 34%) affect their most important relationships.”

“Those without kids are more likely to acknowledge marriage problems affect their most important relationships (33% vs. 24% of practicing Christian parents).”

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“Singles who are practicing Christians are more likely than other singles to feel loved (76% vs. 63%), satisfied with their relationships (65% vs. 58%) and satisfied with life (66% vs. 51%). Similarly, those without children who are practicing Christians are also more likely than their counterparts to feel loved (78% vs. 66%), satisfied with their relationships (71% vs. 61%) and satisfied with life (70% vs. 55%).”

“Churches must provide a robust theology of work and vocation that prioritizes work done in the ‘secular’ world as much as work done in the world of formal ministry. … young adults are searching for meaning in their daily work—they want to know that their work ‘matters.’ Churches can provide young adults with a theological framework for understanding the spiritual meaning of their work, even and especially when that work seems rote or unglamorous.” “… young adults, especially young women, are struggling with feelings of loneliness, disconnection and isolation. What are some ways that churches could help young women…”

“One obvious answer is simply to create community—to offer plenty of opportunities for women in various life stages to connect with each other through deep conversation, fun and rest.”

“We have to address the ways that digital technology isolates many young people, including Christians, from real connection…”

“Married adults are more likely than singles to rep ort feeling loved, safe, satisfied with life and relationships, happy ‘to be myself’ and confident, while singles are more prone to negative feelings like loneliness and discouragement about the future.”

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“Churches have a crucial role to play in providing a positive and life-giving narrative of singleness, … its blessings and freedoms.”

“Single Christians … visible in church leadership.”

“Dr. John Cacioppo, ‘To end loneliness, you need other people—plus something else. … need . . . to feel you are sharing something …

Loneliness isn’t the physical absence of other people—it’s the sense that you’re not sharing anything that matters with anyone else.’ (Quoted in Johann Hari, Lost Connections: Why You’re Depressed and How to Find Hope (New York: Bloomsbury, 2018).)

22/25 P.C.

25/28 P.C.

21/23 P.C.

29/25 P.C. 14/15 P.C. 40/34 P.C. 13/8 P.C. 32/29 P.C.

“…what relational and emotional burdens people are carrying around with them to work, to school, to the grocery store—and to church.”

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P.C. P.C.

P.C. P.C.

P.C. P.C.

P.C. P.C.

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P.C.

P.C.

P.C.

P.C.

P.C.

P.C.

P.C. P.C. P.C. P.C. P.C. P.C.

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“…three out of four people are feeling pressure of some kind in their relationships.”

“Two in five U.S. adults and one-third of practicing Christians report they are dealing with anxiety or depression that has an impact on their significant relationships.” “… anxiety (42% all U.S. adults), depression (39%), loneliness (32%), issues with sexual intimacy (29%), marriage problems (25%) and grief (25%) do have an effect. Parenting problems (21%) … addiction (13%) and pornography (8%)…”

“Christians are more likely than the general population to consider pornography a problem.” “… be a part of their relational development?”

“First, authentic engagement.”

“Second, listening without judgment…”

“Churches can create spaces where it’s safe to ask questions…”

“The third thing is modeling. Young people are developing their viewpoint, their worldview, their faith.”

“I think three main factors are at work. The first is access to information.”

“Second, general awareness and cultural conversation.”

“Third, and related to that, is that anxiety and depression are kind of trendy. … anxiety and depression are kind of the thing to do right now.”

“The acknowledgement that mental health problems are real … It can be damaging, both emotionally and spiritually, for someone to grow up in a

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space where experiencing mental illness is chalked up to a lack of faith. It can be damaging, both emotionally and spiritually, for someone to grow up in a space where experiencing mental illness is chalked up to a lack of faith.”

“The second way to help is for pastors and youth leaders to get informed.”

“The last thing is for ministry workers to recognize when they’ve reached the limits of their training and abilities.”

“If a young person comes to them with a problem, I think it’s healthy for a leader to say, ‘I don’t have the training to help you through this process.

Let’s partner with someone who does.’”

“Parents and youth pastors need to get more inquisitive than directive when it comes to young people. Get curious. Ask questions. … so caught up in feeling responsible to give right answers to questions young people aren’t even asking. … Find out what their questions are.”

“41% of practicing Christian men ages 13 to 24 report seeking out porn at least once a month.” (Barna Group, The Porn Phenomenon (Ventura, CA: Barna, 2016).)

“Anxiety and depression are not feelings, but coping behaviors that a person resorts to when there are underlying violations around love (identity) and trust (safety).”

“I typically encourage pastors and other Christian leaders to do three things. First, make sure to have a good practice of self-care for your physical, emotional, mental and spiritual life.”

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“Second, I encourage them to see a therapist or spiritual director— someone who is trained to understand them holistically who can provide a confidential and safe place for them to be themselves. A place where they don’t have to be the pastor or leader.”

“Third, I encourage them to have an intimate community of trusted friends where they don’t have to be pastor or ministry leader.” “… the top reason given by practicing Christians who have distanced themselves from a church is: 1. “I felt I couldn’t be honest about myself and my life” (35%) 2. relational discord including disagreement with church teaching (17%) 3. disliking treatment by church leaders (15%) 4. disliking treatment by other congregants (16%)” (“Restoring Relationships”, Barna, 2020, https://shop.barna.com/products/restoring-relationships) ------Prevention Magazine lists 6 Ways to Feel Less Lonely and More Connected: 1. “Look up old friends. They probably want to catch up too.”

2. “Talk to strangers. Even 30 seconds of friendly conversation with a store clerk or cabdriver has a positive impact on mood.”

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3. “Practice gratitude. Focus on things in your life that make you feel fortunate: your pets, perhaps, or a nice place to live…even a sunny day.”

4. “Exercise and get enough sleep. Both contribute to mood regulation and overall health.”

5. “Take a class. Sign up for something you’ve never tried, like dance, art, or meditation. Active learning exercises your brain, and you may make some new friends.”

6. “Volunteer. It’s hard to feel sorry for yourself when you’re helping improve the lives of others. Data shows that volunteering gives people purpose, which raises their self-esteem, in turn making them less lonely.”

(Jennifer Wolff, “Loneliness Is the Quiet Health Epidemic Impacting Your Heart, Brain and Longevity”, Prevention, November 25, 2019, https://www.prevention.com/health/mental-health/a29873388/lonelinessepidemic/) ------Responding to Loneliness in the Church “The loneliness epidemic creates an ideal opportunity for churches to prioritize fostering authentic community. Here are five ways we can push back loneliness with the power of the gospel.”

1. “Establish Belonging through Membership”

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“When I was part of a team rethinking the membership process at Sojourn Church in Louisville, we decided to reframe church membership from merely a commitment to a place of belonging. I think the shift is important.

Although calling for commitment is important, we found that appealing to our sporadic attendees” shared hunger for belonging to be a far more compelling invitation. Research has shown that belonging—not personal freedom or self-esteem or meaningful work or marriage and kids—is the most fundamental human need beyond food and shelter.”

“In church membership, we don’t simply say “I commit,” but also “I belong.”

If new members are making public statements of commitment to the church, the church should likewise be making public statements of commitment to them. Early Christianity scholar Joseph Hellerman puts it well in When the Church Was a Family:” “Spiritual formation occurs primarily in the context of community. People who remain contented with their brothers and sisters in the local church almost invariably grow in self-understanding, and they mature in their ability to relate in healthy ways to God and to their fellow human beings. This is especially the case for those courageous Christians who stick it out through the often-messy process of interpersonal discord and conflict resolution.”

Long-term Interpersonal relationships are the crucible of genuine progress in the Christian life. People who stay grow.”

“Call people to commit, but also invite them to belong.”

2. “Prioritize Life-Giving Community” “I’m an advocate of life-giving community groups. My heart isn’t simply for small groups that gather two or four times a month at someone’s house—

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as great as that step is. My hope is that adults, teens, and children find rhythms of true community together. A small group is a people, not a time on the calendar. Healthy groups encourage, challenge, and support one another.”

“But while I’m all-in on community groups, I deeply believe there’s no one right way to cultivate community in a church. If your church currently provides community through Sunday school classes, midweek services, or community service ministries, cultivate community where it exists—and when necessary, start new ministries to promote deeper relationships.”

3. “Commit to Shared Leadership” “When we ponder the influence of loneliness on the Western church, we can make sense of several other pressing challenges—the lack of truly diverse congregations and ministries, the moral and relational failures of many leaders, and so on. Many failures of leadership are first failures of relationship, accountability, and shared authority.”

“For the church to take loneliness seriously, we must question the “leaders are lonely” logic. While primary leadership of a congregation or organization is indeed a heavy burden, loneliness can be significantly mitigated by shared leadership. A healthy group of elders, staff, or team of volunteer leaders—and an engaged church membership—decreases the burden on any one pastor or leader, protecting everyone involved.”

4. “Teach on Friendship and Community” “Although many churches rightly teach on marriage, parenting, and family issues, it seems rare for a church to do a deep sermon series on friendships and community. But the Old Testament highlights Israel’s

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calling as a family, the friendship of David and Jonathan, and wisdom regarding friendship and loyalty. The New Testament provides a vision of Jesus’s intensely relational discipleship, the witness of the early church community in Acts, the “one another” commands in the epistles, and the hope of eternal fellowship at the end of the age.”

“Churches promote what they preach. The church that values friendship and community will leverage the pulpit to combat the loneliness epidemic.”

5. “Be Devoted to One Another” “Western individualism has sparked unprecedented social isolation, so we need to work tirelessly to recover the biblical vision of human nature and community in our local churches.”

“Of course, this is hard work. That’s why Paul’s letters emphasize establishing healthy community in the local church through sacrificial relationships. By God’s grace, may we increasingly embody the call of Romans 12:10–13:” “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”

(Jeremy Linneman, “How Your Church Can Respond to the Loneliness Epidemic”, August 14, 2020, https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/church-respond-lonelinessepidemic/)

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Loneliness Scriptures:

• • • •

Genesis 2:18 Psalm 25:16 Timothy 4:9-12 Numbers 11

• • • •

1 Kings 18-19 Psalm 37:1-4, 23-24 Psalm 68:5-6 Psalm 102

• • • •

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 Isaiah 26:3 John 8:29, 14:1-27 Timothy 4:16-18

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Depression Portfolio

by Josh D. McDowell There is a definite increase in depression leading to anxiety, mental health problems that sometimes culminating in suicide. We must consider this devasting challenge as we move forward to affect change in our congregations and beyond.

Three factors, already at work, are exacerbating “deaths of despair” during the COVID-19 epidemic: Unprecedented economic failure paired with massive unemployment, mandated social isolation for months and possible residual isolation for years, and uncertainty caused by the sudden emergence of a novel, previously unknown microbe.” (“The Covid Pandemic Could Lead to 75,000 Additional Deaths from Alcohol and Drug Misuse and Suicide”, Well Being Trust, May 8, 2020, https://wellbeingtrust.org/areas-offocus/policy-and-advocacy/reports/projected-deaths-of-despair-during-covid19/) Although the Bible doesn’t address the subject of depression, per se, the Scriptures do include many verses that were apparently written by a human soul who was in the depths of human emotion. Psalm 42:5 (ESV) says: “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me?” The same verse also expresses hope: “Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. God’s Word is realistic and straightforward about depression occurring even in the life of the godly, but it also makes it clear that God’s will is for the “God of hope [to] fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

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------• “Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a dramatic increase in depression, anxiety, psychosis, and suicidality, new research shows.”

• “The new data, released by Mental Health America (MHA), came from individuals who completed a voluntary online mental health screen. As of the end of June, over 169,000 additional participants reported having moderate to severe depression or anxiety compared with participants who completed the screen prior to the pandemic.”

• “Paul Gionfriddo, president and CEO of MHA, ’We continue to see staggering numbers that indicate increased rates in depression and anxiety because of COVID-19, In fact, the problem is bigger than anyone imagined…’”

• “MHA has been conducting online screenings for 6 years. To date, nearly 5.5 million screenings have been completed … At roughly 7000 per day in May and June, the number of anxiety and depression screenings that were completed per day were 406% and 457% higher, respectively, than the number completed in January.”

• “The most profound health problems were found among adults younger than 25 years. Roughly 90% screened positive for moderate to severe depression, and 80% screened positive for moderate to severe anxiety.”

(Batya Yasgur, “Staggering Increase in COVID-Linked Depression, Anxiety”, MedScape, July 30, 2020, https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/934882)

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-------• “Nearly half of Americans report the coronavirus crisis is harming their mental health, according to a Kaiser family foundation poll.”

• “A federal emergency hotline for people in emotional distress registered a more than 1,000 percent increase in April compared with the same time last year.”

• “In April, roughly 20,000 peopled texted that hotline, run by the Substance Abuse and Mental health Services Administration. Online therapy company Talkspace reported a 65 percent jump in clients since mid-February.”

• “In the United States, 1 in 5 adults endure the consequences of mental health each year. Yet less than half receive treatment, federal statistics show. As suicide rates have fallen around the world, the rate in the United States has climbed every year since 1999, increasing 33 percent in the past two decades.”

(William Wan, “The Coronavirus Pandemic is Pushing America Into a Mental Health Crisis”, The Washington Post, May 4, 2020, https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/05/04/mental-healthcoronavirus/) ------TIME magazine reports that, “There is a mental health crisis among American teens and young adults.”

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(Markham Heid, “Depression and Suicide Rates Are Rising Sharply in Young Americans, New Report Says. This May Be One Reason Why”, TIME, March 14, 2019, http://time.com/5550803/depression-suiciderates-youth/) “An excess of anxiety, abuse and depression is why Gen Z [8 – 25 years] scores the highest ever on the mental illness scale.”

(Jean M. Twenge, “Stop Debating Whether Too Much Smartphone Time Can Hurt Teens, and Start Protecting Them”, TIME, March 21, 2019, http://time.com/5555737/smartphone-mental-health-teens/) “In fact, four large studies of teens from the U.S. and U.K. all show the same thing: happiness and mental health are highest at a half-hour to two hours of extracurricular digital media use a day; well-being then steadily decreases, with those who spend the most time online being the worst off. Twice as many heavy users of electronic devices are unhappy, depressed or distressed as light users.”

(Jean M. Twenge, “Stop Debating Whether Too Much Smartphone Time Can Hurt Teens, and Start Protecting Them”, TIME, March 21, 2019, http://time.com/5555737/smartphone-mental-health-teens/) A study published in The Journal of Abnormal Psychology reports that “between 2009 and 2017 rates of depression 1. among kids ages 14 to 17 increased by more than 60%.

2. those ages 12 to 13 (47%) 3. 18 to 21 (46%), 4. rates roughly doubled among those ages 20 to 21 …”

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(Jean M. Twenge, Thomas E. Joiner, Mary E. Duffy, A. Bell Cooper and Sarah G. Binau, “Age, Period and Cohort Trends in Mood Disorder Indicators and Suicide-Related Outcomes in a Nationally Representative Dataset, 2005-2017”, American Psychological Association, 2019, https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/abn-abn0000410.pdf) ------“Around the world, more than 300 million people suffer from depression. …

Researchers proved that the benefits of a cohesive family during teenage years can significantly lower the level of depression from early teen years to midlife. Living in a loving home, having family members who understand and support each other, having fun, trusting each other is extremely important in teenage years, especially for girls.”

(Elvira Barucija, “Strong Family Relationships Can Help Ward off Depression Later in Life”, Gildshire Magazines, November 16, 2019, https://www.gildshire.com/strong-family-relationships-can-help-wardoff-depression-later-in-life/) “The relationship between technology use and well-being is even more important in light of the increasing amount of evidence that teens are suffering. From 2009 to 2017, rates of depression and emergency-room visits for self-harm and suicidal thoughts in this age group also increased sharply. According to the CDC, suicide rates among teen girls are at 40-year highs. ‘Among young people, rates of suicidal thoughts, plans, attempts all increased significantly, in some cases more than doubled, between 2008 and 2017.’”

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(Jean M. Twenge, “Stop Debating Whether Too Much Smartphone Time Can Hurt Teens, and Start Protecting Them”, TIME, March 21, 2019, http://time.com/5555737/smartphone-mental-health-teens/) “A study of 600,000 people by the National Survey on Drug Use and Health and also research by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and other research show that “[There are] more mental health issues among American young people, says Jean Twenge, a professor of psychology at San Diego State University.”

(Jean M. Twenge, Thomas E. Joiner, Mary E. Duffy, A. Bell Cooper and Sarah G. Binau, “Age, Period and Cohort Trends in Mood Disorder Indicators and Suicide-Related Outcomes in a Nationally Representative Dataset, 2005-2017”, American Psychological Association, 2019, https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/abnabn0000410.pdf) “A new study released this month found that teens and young adults are facing epidemic rates of anxiety and depression, and psychologists fear the effects of technological screens are to blame. … Major depression among 20- to 21-year-olds more than doubled, from 7 percent to 15 percent, from 2009 to 2015.”

(Kiley Crossland, “Teens in Crisis”, World Magazine, March 29, 2019, https://world.wng.org/content/teens_in_crisis) “…depression among 16- to 17-year-olds increased by 69 percent, and serious psychological distress among 18- to 25-year-olds jumped by 71 percent.”

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(Kiley Crossland, “Teens in Crisis”, World Magazine, March 29, 2019, https://world.wng.org/content/teens_in_crisis) “A study published today in the journal JAMA Psychiatry suggests that teenagers who spend more than three hours a day on social media are more likely to develop mental health problems including depression, anxiety, aggression and antisocial behavior.” (“Teens are Anxious and depressed after three hours a day on social media”, Technology Review, September 11, 2019, https://www.technologyreview.com/f/614297/teens-are-anxious-anddepressed-after-three-hours-a-day-on-social-media/) “College graduates are the most anxious of all, surveys suggest. Last fall, members of Generation Z (those born after 1996) reported the worst mental health of any generation, with 91 percent saying they had felt physical or emotional symptoms associated with stress, such as depression or anxiety, according to the American Psychological Association. Meanwhile, more than 60 percent of college students said they had experienced ‘overwhelming anxiety’ during the previous year, and the number of students who visited campus counseling centers increased by more than 30 percent between the fall of 2009 and 2015.”

(Adam Piore, “Scientists’ Understanding of Anxiety is Radically Evolving – But How Long Will it Take for Treatments to Catch Up?”, Newsweek, September 5, 2019, https://www.newsweek.com/2019/09/20/anxiety-medication-drugsscience-exercise-brain-1457006.html)

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“How can you relax when you have access to all the bad news that's happening right at your fingertips?”

(Adam Piore, “Scientists’ Understanding of Anxiety is Radically Evolving – But How Long Will it Take for Treatments to Catch Up?”, Newsweek, September 5, 2019, https://www.newsweek.com/2019/09/20/anxiety-medication-drugsscience-exercise-brain-1457006.html) “A 2019 survey by the Pew Research Center found that 36% of girls report being extremely anxious every day.”

(Mary Pipher & Sara Pipher Gilliam, “The Lonely Burden of Today’s Teenage Girls”, The Wall Street Journal, August 15, 2019, https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-lonely-burden-of-todays-teenage-girls11565883328) “In 2011, the American College Health Association reported that 31% of female freshmen said they had experienced overwhelming anxiety or panic attacks; by 2016, that had shot up to 62%.”

(Mary Pipher & Sara Pipher Gilliam, “The Lonely Burden of Today’s Teenage Girls”, The Wall Street Journal, August 15, 2019, https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-lonely-burden-of-todays-teenage-girls11565883328) “Public health initiatives should encourage family members, especially parents, to nurture strong family relationships. We need programs that can teach parents how to show understanding, affection, how to spend more time together and how to resolve a conflict.”

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(Elvira Barucija, “Strong Family Relationships Can Help Ward off Depression Later in Life”, Gildshire Magazines, November 16, 2019, https://www.gildshire.com/strong-family-relationships-can-help-wardoff-depression-later-in-life/) A study reported in The Atlantic magazine states that “70 percent of teens see mental health as a major struggle for their peers and that this may be the survey’s most alarming result. About 20 percent of American adolescents’ struggle with some kind of mental-health disorder, most commonly depression or anxiety.”

(Manda Mull, “A New Sign That Teens Know They Aren’t Struggling Alone”, The Atlantic, February 24, 2019, https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2019/02/teen-mentalhealth-worries/583531/) “Pew Research reports that two major problems among youth 13 to 17 years old are the following: 1) Anxiety disorders. ‘7% of youths ages 3 to 17 had such a condition in 2016-17’, according to the National Survey of Children’s Health (Drew Desilver, “The concerns and challenges of being a U.S. teen: What the data show,” Pew Research, February 26, 2019, https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/02/26/the-concerns-andchallenges-of-being-a-u-s-teen-what-the-data-show/) 2) Serious depression. An ongoing study by the Federal Department of Health and Human Services shows that serious depression “has been on the rise among teens for the past several years. (the National Survey on

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Drug Use and Health, an ongoing project of the federal Department of Health and Human Services.)”

(Drew Desilver, “The concerns and challenges of being a U.S. teen: What the data show,” Pew Research, February 26, 2019, https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/02/26/the-concerns-andchallenges-of-being-a-u-s-teen-what-the-data-show/) “…18–25 appear to have the highest incidence rates of mental illness (25.8%) among the adult population. … approximately 22% of adolescents ages 13–18 suffering from some form of diagnosable mental illness…”

(Kevin Van Lant, “What Every Pastor Needs to Know About Mental Health and the Church”, https://www.biola.edu/blogs/talbotmagazine/2019/what-every-pastor-needs-to-know-about-mentalhealth-and-the-church) Pew Research: Percentage of teens saying each of the following is a problem among people their age in the community where they live: 1. Anxiety and Depression

96%

2. Bullying

90%

3. Drug Addiction

86%

4. Drinking Alcohol

84%

5. Poverty

87%

6. Teen pregnancy

78%

7. Gangs

71%

(Juliana Menasce Horowitz, “Most U.S. Teens See Anxiety and Depression as a Major Problem Among their Peers”, Pew Research Center, February 20, 2019,

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http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2019/02/20/most-u-s-teens-see-anxietyand-depression-as-a-major-problem-among-their-peers/) “Another contributor of depression is bullying: “About a fifth of high school students (19% in 2017) reported being bullied on school property. 14.9% said they’d experienced ‘cyberbullying (via texts, social media or other digital means)’” (Drew Desilver, “The concerns and challenges of being a U.S. teen: What the data show”, Pew Research, February 26, 2019, https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/02/26/the-concerns-andchallenges-of-being-a-u-s-teen-what-the-data-show/) “The suicide rate among children aged 10 through 14 has nearly tripled from 2007 to 2017, while the suicide rate among older teenagers has increased by 76 percent between 2007 and 2017, new federal data show.”

(Samuel Smith, “Suicide rate for kids ages 10 to 14 nearly tripled in last decade: CDC”, Christian Post, October 22, 2019, https://www.christianpost.com/news/suicide-rate-kids-ages-10-to-14-nearly-tripledlast-decade-cdc.html)

“In 2017, suicide was the second leading cause of death for children aged 10 to 14, teenagers 15 to 19, and young adults ages 20-24.”

(Samuel Smith, “Suicide rate for kids ages 10 to 14 nearly tripled in last decade: CDC”, Christian Post, October 22, 2019, https://www.christianpost.com/news/suicide-rate-kids-ages-10-to-14-nearly-tripledlast-decade-cdc.html)

“CDC … rates of suicide among young people jumped 56% between 2007 and 2016, after declining between 1999 and 2007.”

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(Markham Heid, “Depression and Suicide Rates Are Rising Sharply in Young Americans, New Report Says. This May Be One Reason Why, TIME, March 14, 2019, http://time.com/5550803/depression-suicide-rates-youth/)

“A survey of pediatric hospitals found that hospitalizations of 5- to 17-yearolds for suicidal ideation or attempts doubled between 2008 and 2015; the CDC's research indicates that suicide has increased especially among teenage girls.”

(Holly Hedegaard, M.D., Sally C. Curtin, M.A., and Margaret Warner, Ph.D., “Suicide Mortality in the United States, 1999 – 2017”, CDC, November 2018, https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db330-h.pdf)

“While it is challenging to determine the causes of these trends, it is difficult to think of another cultural change that has had as substantial an impact on the day-to-day lives of the largest number of teens as smartphones and digital media have.”

(Jean M. Twenge, “Stop Debating Whether Too Much Smartphone Time Can Hurt Teens, and Start Protecting Them”, TIME, March 21, 2019, http://time.com/5555737/smartphonemental-health-teens/)

“There was one change that impacted the lives of young people more than older people, and that was the growth of smartphones and digital media like social media.”

(Markham Heid, “Depression and Suicide Rates Are Rising Sharply in Young Americans, New Report Says. This May Be One Reason Why, TIME, March 14, 2019, http://time.com/5550803/depression-suicide-rates-youth/)

“Technology is only a fraction of the problem. ‘The disconnect of the family,’ writes Lisa Tiano, ‘is the bigger issue here.’”

(Lisa Tiano, “Recovering From the Disconnect With Your Teens”, Thrive Global, February 21, 2019, https://thriveglobal.com/stories/recovering-from-the-disconnect-with-your-teens/)

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“These above teen issues increase ‘go hand-in-hand with a decline in teen socialization. Forty-five percent of 12th graders now say that they never go on dates, compared to 14 percent as recently as the early 1990s.’”

(Charles Fain Lehman, “Are Smartphones and Social Media Hurting Our Kids?”, Institute for Family Studies, February 6, 2019, https://ifstudies.org/blog/are-smartphones-andsocial-media-hurting-our-kids)

“…survey from Common Sense Media showed 13- to 18-year-olds spend an average of nine hours a day ‘using media for their enjoyment’; kids eight to 12 spend about six hours a day on average.”

(Charles Fain Lehman, “Are Smartphones and Social Media Hurting Our Kids?”, Institute for Family Studies, February 6, 2019, https://ifstudies.org/blog/are-smartphones-andsocial-media-hurting-our-kids)

“Adolescents using electronic devices 3 or more hours a day were 34 percent more likely to have at least one suicide-related outcome than those using devices 2 or fewer hours a day, and adolescents using social media sites every day were 13% more likely to report high levels of depressive symptoms than those using social media less often.”

(Charles Fain Lehman, “Are Smartphones and Social Media Hurting Our Kids?”, IFS Institute for Family Studies, February 6, 2019, https://ifstudies.org/blog/are-smartphonesand-social-media-hurting-our-kids)

• “Stress is rising among teens. Teens are feeling more stressed, up 3 percentage points in 5 years. Those aged 16 to 17 are more stressed than their younger peers.”

(Anna Noel Taylor, “Teenage Fears”, Insights/Viacom, March 21, 2019, https://insights.viacom.com/post/teenage-fears/)

• “The mid-teen years are when stresses start to mount. Younger teens (age 12 to 15) worry most about parents, phones, and school grades.

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While these worries continue as they age, starting around age 16 concerns about the future also start to creep in – about their potential, having enough money, and job prospects.”

(Anna Noel Taylor, “Teenage Fears”, Insights/Viacom, March 21, 2019, https://insights.viacom.com/post/teenage-fears/)

“A groundbreaking study,” reports CNN Anderson Cooper, “examines effects of screen time on kids.” They followed more than 11,000 kids for a decade and spent $300 million doing it.

(Anderson Cooper, “Groundbreaking Study Examines Effects of Screen Time on Kids”, CBS News, December 9, 2018, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/groundbreaking-study-examines-effects-ofscreen-time-on-kids-60-minutes/)

“Smartphones gained widespread usage among young people by 2012. … four years that followed, the percentage of teens who reported drinking or having sex fell. … But the percentage who said they were lonely or depressed spiked … also, ER visits for self-harm like cutting have tripled among girls age 10 to 14.”

(Anderson Cooper, “Groundbreaking Study Examines Effects of Screen Time on Kids”, CBS News, December 9, 2018, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/groundbreaking-study-examines-effects-ofscreen-time-on-kids-60-minutes/)

“8 to 12-year olds in this country use just under five hours’ worth of entertainment screen media per day (4:44) … Teens use … seven and a half hours’ worth (7:22) – not including time spent using screens for school or homework. … By age 11, a majority (53%) of kids have their own smartphone, and by 12 more than two-thirds (69%) do.”

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(Victoria Rideout & Michael Robb, “The Common Sense Census: Media Use by Tweens and Teens”, Common Sense Media, October 28, 2019, https://www.commonsensemedia.org/sites/default/files/uploads/research/2019census-8-to-18-full-report-updated.pdf)

-------Online 24/7, But Totally Disconnected — New Findings On Teen Isolation During COVID-19 “‘I know it's bad, but everyone's doing it,’ said one teen in a new report showing teens are turning to their phones as a ‘constant sedative.’”

“Teenagers are using screens to help themselves through the COVID-19 pandemic, survey findings show.”

“When the COVID-19 pandemic first shuttered schools nationwide last spring, many teenagers were ecstatic. They could sleep in. Wear pajamas all day. Spend hours on social media.” “‘At first, it was this cool thing,’ said a 17-year-old in a new report co-written

by The California Partners Project and The Child Mind Institute, which explores how teenagers are navigating their new normal during COVID-19.”

“Months later, the novelty has worn off and teenagers are suffering.

Interviews and diary entries from nearly 50 California teenagers reveal that they’re sleeping and exercising less and spending more time on social media and gaming.”

“The report paints a troubling picture of adolescents experiencing a profound sense of loss and grief amid school closures and lockdowns who are turning to technology and social media as a ‘constant sedative,’ its authors say.”

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“The teens in the study said they were going to sleep later than they did before COVID-19, used their devices to check social media or games while they were supposed to be doing remote learning and often kept their phones with them throughout the night.” “‘Sometimes the phone hits me in the face,’ one survey participant said, ‘so I must fall asleep with it in my hand.’”

“Several teenagers also described themselves as ‘addicted’ to their technology during the pandemic, saying things like: ‘I know it’s bad, but everyone’s doing it.’” “‘Kids are struggling with the pandemic — the fears that it brings and the limitations on their life,’ Olivia Morgan, co-founder of CPP, told HuffPost. ‘The way they described their experience so aligned with the stages of grief. They talked so much about loss. They talked about being angry. They talked about in the beginning being in denial.’”

“The new report is simply the latest in a string of surveys demonstrating the undeniable toll COVID-19 isolation has taken on everyone, including American teens, millions of whom are continuing to learn remotely at least part-time.”

“In one May survey, 7 out of 10 teenagers indicated they were struggling with their mental health in some way.”

“A June survey of more than 3,000 children found that 30% of 13- to 19-yearolds said they felt unhappy or depressed during COVID-19.”

“Perhaps most concerning, a report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention earlier this month found that the proportion of DB/JJOSH Work Drive/Manuscripts/Mini Biblical Perspective onLoneliness, Depression Anxiety, Grief & Porn 6.8.2021

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teenagers’ visits to emergency departments for mental health-related reasons jumped by more than 30% from the start of the pandemic through the fall compared to the same period of time the year before.”

“Parents and caregivers are troubled, feeling powerless against new COVID19 school routines that require their children to be on devices for much of the day.” “‘I worry,’ one parent said in a diary response that was part of the California Partners Project report. ‘He stays in PJs and seems generally unenthused about everything except food and video games. I told him to get half an hour of sun and he jokingly said, ‘It’s scary outside.’”

“Morgan, herself a parent of adolescents, said she has personally noticed many of the patterns described in the new report in her own household: Her children’s bedtimes crept later and later; they stopped playing sports; their family limits on video games ‘went out the window.’ She hopes other parents will identify with the qualitative findings and that they might help reassure teenagers they are not the only ones struggling to cope during the pandemic.”

“Parents can help kids be more mindful of how long they are on screens (but not blame them for it), the report suggests. They can set boundaries around using phones and other devices in the hour before bedtime and encourage children to take walks or move their bodies every day. Parents may find it useful to help children brainstorm downtime activities that don’t require them to look at a screen.” “‘I think it’s helpful for parents to see these are becoming long-term habits and patterns. And we kind of let the wheels come off the bus because we DB/JJOSH Work Drive/Manuscripts/Mini Biblical Perspective onLoneliness, Depression Anxiety, Grief & Porn 6.8.2021

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were getting through something. But now it’s been eight months, and we have longer to go,’ Morgan said. ‘We need to ‘reassemble’ at least a few of the wheels to take the best possible care of our kids through the remainder of this pandemic.’”

(Catherine Pearson, “Online 24/7, But Totally Disconnected – New Findings on Teen Isolation During COVID-19”, Huffington Post, November 23, 2020, https://www.huffpost.com/entry/teen-isolation-covid-19report_l_5fbbd024c5b61d04bfa2ea5b) -----Why are so Many Young People Unhappy?

“Reuters reported in 2019 that ‘Suicidal thinking, severe depression and rates of self-injury among U.S. college students more than doubled over less than a decade.’”

“And unhappiness is hardly confined to Americans. As the social commentator Kay Hymowitz recently wrote, ‘Germans are lonely, the bon vivant French are lonely, and even the Scandinavians . . . are lonely. The British prime minister . . . recently appointed a ‘Minister of Loneliness.’”

“In the U.S., People have more money, better health, better housing, more education, and live longer than at any time in history, but people—especially the young—are unhappier than at any time since data began to be collected.”

“The biggest reason is the loss of values and meaning.”

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“…more than a third of Americans born after 1980 affiliate with no religion.

This is unprecedented in American history. And it’s even worse in Europe.”

“The Journal of the American Medical Association 2016, JAMA Psychiatry, found that American women who attended a religious service at least once a week were five times less likely to commit suicide.”

“Why are so many young people depressed, unhappy, and angry? It’s having no religion, no God, and no country to believe in. And what does that leave them with? No meaning.”

(Dennis Prager, “Why Are so Many Young People Unhappy”, PagerU, March 2, 2020, https://www.prageru.com/video/why-are-so-many-young-peopleunhappy/) ------“Teens with religious or spiritual upbringing may be protected from ‘big 3’ risks” “… teens who attended religious services regularly were:” • “12 percent less likely to suffer from depression” • “33 percent less likely to use illicit drugs” • “18 percent more likely to report high levels of happiness” • “87 percent more likely to have high levels of forgiveness” “Teens who prayed or meditated frequently were:” • “30 percent less likely to start having sex at a young age” • “40 percent less likely to have an STD” • “38 percent more likely to volunteer in their community” DB/JJOSH Work Drive/Manuscripts/Mini Biblical Perspective onLoneliness, Depression Anxiety, Grief & Porn 6.8.2021

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• “47 percent more likely to have a sense of mission and purpose” (Linda Carroll, “Teens with religious or spiritual upbringing may be protected from ‘big 3’ risks”, Today, September 13, 2018, https://www.today.com/health/religious-or-spiritual-upbringing-mayprotect-teens-t137350) “…cross-sectional studies also showed on community and clinical samples that being a part of a close family in teen years can alleviate symptoms of depression for teenagers.”

(Elvira Barucija, “Strong Family Relationships Can Help Ward off Depression Later in Life”, Gildshire Magazines, November 16, 2019, https://www.gildshire.com/strong-family-relationships-can-help-wardoff-depression-later-in-life/) “An acute observation – “I think people”, writes Rob Reimer, “are going to come to faith in Christ today more because they know they are broken and in need of a healer than because they know they are sinners in need of a savior.”

(Rob Reimer, Soul Care: 7 Transformational Principles for a Healthy Soul) “The good news is that there is considerable evidence to suggest that church attenders experience significantly higher levels of mental health and emotional well-being (Harvard Institute for Natural Healing, 2016).”

(Kevin Van Lant, “What Every Pastor Needs to Know About Mental Health and the Church”, https://www.biola.edu/blogs/talbotmagazine/2019/what-every-pastor-needs-to-know-about-mentalhealth-and-the-church)

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“Additionally, Protestants and Catholics (as well as those of other religious faiths) have historically demonstrated a lower rate of suicide than the secular community.”

(Kevin Van Lant, “What Every Pastor Needs to Know About Mental Health and the Church”, https://www.biola.edu/blogs/talbotmagazine/2019/what-every-pastor-needs-to-know-about-mentalhealth-and-the-church) “We now have causal data to suggest that frequent use of social media platforms including Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram often result in decreased well-being and increased levels of depression and loneliness (Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 2018).”

(Kevin Van Lant, “What Every Pastor Needs to Know About Mental Health and the Church”, https://www.biola.edu/blogs/talbotmagazine/2019/what-every-pastor-needs-to-know-about-mentalhealth-and-the-church) “…18–25 appear to have the highest incidence rates of mental illness (25.8%) among the adult population. … approximately 22% of adolescents ages 13–18 suffering from some form of diagnosable mental illness…”

(Kevin Van Lant, “What Every Pastor Needs to Know About Mental Health and the Church”, https://www.biola.edu/blogs/talbotmagazine/2019/what-every-pastor-needs-to-know-about-mentalhealth-and-the-church) “…the church is uniquely positioned to take a leading role in caring for those who struggle emotionally and psychologically. Lifeway Research suggests that 67% of Christians describe their church as supportive relative to their mental health issues.”

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(Kevin Van Lant, “What Every Pastor Needs to Know About Mental Health and the Church”, https://www.biola.edu/blogs/talbotmagazine/2019/what-every-pastor-needs-to-know-about-mentalhealth-and-the-church) “Researchers suggest that continuous social comparison and fear-ofmissing-out (FOMO) is particularly difficult for adolescents and young adults to manage and suggest that a quick way to improve well-being is to “put your phone down and be with the people in your life.”

(Kevin Van Lant, “What Every Pastor Needs to Know About Mental Health and the Church”, https://www.biola.edu/blogs/talbotmagazine/2019/what-every-pastor-needs-to-know-about-mentalhealth-and-the-church) There are practical steps we can take to manage symptoms of depression. A good friend of mine, Dr. Henry Cloud, has some simple things we can do during this time of crisis, to reset our system to improve our mental and emotional health.

Steps for Dealing with Depression Composite 1. Be intentional about rebuilding connections. a. Do things you have never done before. b. Have virtual hangouts with friends or family.

2. Follow a normal routine. a. Organize your day. b. Wake up on time as if you were going to work, get dressed, etc.

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c. The more you structure your day, the more your brain will calm down.

3. Make a list of things you can control. a. Surrender what you cannot control. b. Write down things with which you actually have choices.

4. Practice mindfulness. a. Take every thought captive. b. Don’t give in to thoughts of panic; process your thoughts as you do when you’re not stressed. c. Increase all the spiritual practices you do.

5. Reach out to loved ones in your life with whom you can talk.

6. Don’t hesitate to seek professional help.

God never intended for us to face our problems alone.

7. Seek companionship. a. Fellowship with trusted people. b. Share how you feel.

8. Be intentional. a. Be proactive about being a part of situations. b. Seek relationships that bring you joy.

9. Spend time in God’s Word and prayer.

If you’re dealing with depression, reach out to loved ones in your life whom you can talk to – and don’t hesitate to seek professional help. This is biblical.

God never intended for us to face our problems alone.

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About 15 years ago I met with Dr. Bill Bright in Orlando. I expressed to him that within 10-15 years our CRU mission statement won’t be complete, “Win, Build, Send.” To be culturally relevant we would need to make it: “Win, Heal, Build, Send.” (He just chuckled.) I’m not sure he would chuckle today.

Scriptures for Depression

• Matthew 26:37b-38a AMP • Romans 15:13 • 1 Samuel 16:14-23

• Psalms 6, 13, 18, 23, 25, 27, 31, 32, 34, 37-40, 42, 43, 46, 51, 55, 57, 62, 63, 69, 71, 73, 77, 84, 86, 90, 91, 94, 95, 103, 104, 107, 110, 116, 118, 121124, 130, 138, 139, 141-143, 146, 147

• • • • •

Genesis 15 1 Kings 19 Psalm 119:25 Jonah 4 2 Corinthians 4:118 • Philippians 4:4-8 • 1 Peter 5:7

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Anxiety Portfolio We are living in unprecedented days which have brought significant changes to our lives. Some of us are sheltering in place while others are working overtime on the front lines. No matter where we are, we may be sensing anxiety about our circumstances and what tomorrow might look like.

From my research and books, here are some of the principles that I’ve tested and found trustworthy for dealing with anxiety.

Philippians 4:6-7 (NASB) says, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Although several scriptures in the Bible counsel against worry and anxiety, there’s nothing wrong with having a healthy concern for our circumstances.

Acknowledging and dealing with challenges is necessary, so how do we know the difference between healthy concern and unhealthy anxiety or worry?

Philippians 4:8 shows us how we can reprogram our minds to avoid falling into the pit of unhealthy anxiety. It says: “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.”

As we seek God in in the midst of our circumstances, it is healthy to keep our minds on things of God. Keeping our minds on good and positive things

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will help us avoid falling into negative thoughts and feelings which can be harmful.

Make a commitment with your friends and family members to work on keeping your thoughts on positive things and hold each other accountable.

We may not be in control of our circumstances, but we can learn to handle them in a healthy way.

Anxiety Scriptures: • • • • • • •

Matthew 6:25-34 Philippians 4:6-7 1 Peter 5:7 2 Corinthians 11:28 Philippians 2:20 (RSV) 1 John 4:18 Hebrews 13:6

• • • • • •

1 Samuel 16:23 Psalm 127:2 Psalm 131:1-3 Psalm 139:1-23 Proverbs 12:25 Luke 12:22-26

A good source: “Peace. Overcoming Anxiety.” Tim Keller, YouTube, August 10, 2015.

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Grieving According to Jesus Gary Collins offers insight into the biblical perspective of grief in his book Christian Counseling: “The Bible is a realistic book which describes the deaths and subsequent grieving of many people. In the Old Testament, we read of God’s presence and comfort as we “walk through the valley of the shadow of death” (Ps. 23:4); we read descriptions of people grieving in times of loss and trouble (Ps. 6:5-7; 137:1, 5, 6; 2 Sam. 12); we learn that God strengthens grievers (Ps. 119:28); and we are introduced to the Messiah as “a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief… Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried” (Is. 53:3,4).

“In the New Testament, a variety of passages deal with grief. These might be grouped into two categories, each dealing with the influence of Jesus Christ.

1. “Christ has changed the meaning of grieving. There are many nonbelievers who grieve without any hope for the future. For them, death is the end of a relationship – forever.

“But the Christian does not believe that. In the two clearest New Testament passages on this subject (1 Cor. 15 and 1 Thes. 4), we learn that “if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus” (1 Thes. 4:14). We can “comfort one another with these words” (1 Thes. 4:18), convinced that in the future “the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed…” (1 Cor. 15:52-54).

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“For the Christian, death is not the end of existence; it is the entrance into life eternal. The one who believes in Christ knows that Christians will “always be with the Lord.” Physical death is still present because the devil has “the power of death,” but because of the crucifixion and resurrection, Christ has defeated death and promised that the one who lives and believes in Christ “shall never die” (1 Thess. 4:17; Heb. 2:14, 15; 2 Tim. 1:10; John 11:25, 26).

“This knowledge is comforting, but it does not eliminate the intense pain of grief and the need for comfort. In a discussion of death, Paul encouraged his readers to take courage and not lose heart since the person who is absent from the body is present with the Lord (2 Cor. 4:14-5:8). Believers are encouraged to be steadfast, immovable and doing the Lord’s work since such effort is not in vain (1 Cor. 15:58) when we have assurance of the resurrection.

2. “Christ has demonstrated the importance of grieving. Early in his ministry, Jesus preached his Sermon on the Mount and spoke about grieving: “Blessed are those that mourn,” he said, “for they will be comforted” (Matt. 5:4). Mourning was taken for granted. Apparently, it was seen as something positive since it is listed among a group of desirable qualities such as meekness, gentleness, mercy, purity of heart and peacemaking…

“When Lazarus died, Jesus was troubled and deeply moved. He accepted, without comment, the apparent anger that came from Mary, Lazarus’s sister, and he wept with the mourners. Jesus knew that Lazarus was about to be raised from the dead, but the Lord still grieved (John 11). He also

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withdrew and grieved when he learned that John the Baptist had been executed (Matt. 14:12-21). In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was “deeply grieved” (Matt. 26:38), perhaps with an anticipatory grief, more intense but similar to that experienced by David as he watched his infant son die (2 Sam. 12:15-23).

“Even for the Christian, then, grief is normal and healthy.

“Grief, as well as death, is a natural and inescapable part of human experience. “To feel a deep sense of grief,” says Olson, “to be overwhelmed with pain, to be in utter despair in response to… a loss is completely normal, healthy, and in line with God’s plan and creation.” As “the preacher” said, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die… at time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.”

It would be great for each Christian influencer to read Christian Counseling: A Comprehensive Guide by Gary Collins.

Josh D. McDowell Scriptures on Grief • Psalm 23:4 • Psalms 6:5-7; • • • • •

137:1, 5-6 2 Samuel 12 Psalm 119:28 Isaiah 53:3-4 1 Corinthians 15 1 Thessalonians 4

• • • •

Hebrews 2:14-15 2 Timothy 1:10 John 11:25-26 2 Corinthians 4:145:8 • Matthew 5:4 • John 11 • Matthew 14:12-21, 26:38

• • • • • •

2 Timothy 1:10 Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4 Job 2:13 Psalm 46:1 Psalm 116:15 John 14:1-4 2 Corinthians 1:3-7

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Pornography Facts The first step to a solution is knowledge. May this article enlighten your understanding of pornography so that you learn the truth of how destructive porn is to those who view it.

Pornography Facts that will Shock You and Cause You to be Astounded with the Truth about Porn 1. “A 2014 study by the Max Planck Institute found that men who frequently view pornography have decreased brain cells, specifically in the right caudate of the brain, making their brains smaller on average than those of men who do not view pornography.” (https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/1874574?result Click=3) (Anna Mathews and Caroline Probst, “Pornography Facts: 20 that will shock you”, Intellectual Takeout, July 12, 2017, https://www.intellectualtakeout.org/article/pornography-facts-20will-shock-you) 2. “According to the Huffington Post, 30 percent of the material streamed on the internet is pornography.” (https://www.huffpost.com/entry/internet-porn-stats_n_3187682) (Anna Mathews and Caroline Probst, “Pornography Facts: 20 that will shock you”, Intellectual Takeout, July 12, 2017, https://www.intellectualtakeout.org/article/pornography-facts-20will-shock-you)

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3. “Additionally, the Huffington Post also states that in 2013, the porn site YouPorn streamed six times the bandwidth of Hulu.” (https://www.huffpost.com/entry/internet-porn-stats_n_3187682) (Anna Mathews and Caroline Probst, “Pornography Facts: 20 that will shock you”, Intellectual Takeout, July 12, 2017, https://www.intellectualtakeout.org/article/pornography-facts-20will-shock-you) 4. “Pornography has been shown to increase marital infidelity by 300 percent, according to a 2004 study in Social Science Quarterly.” (http://www.uam.es/personal_pdi/psicologia/pei/download/%5B2%5DStack 2004InternetPornography.pdf) (Anna Mathews and Caroline Probst, “Pornography Facts: 20 that will shock you”, Intellectual Takeout, July 12, 2017, https://www.intellectualtakeout.org/article/pornography-facts-20will-shock-you) 5. “Men who view pornography are more likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction than men who do not use pornography, according to researchers from the Naval Medical Center of San Diego.” (https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-4506968/Porn-causes-erectiledysfunction-men-research-finds.html) (Anna Mathews and Caroline Probst, “Pornography Facts: 20 that will shock you”, Intellectual Takeout, July 12, 2017, https://www.intellectualtakeout.org/article/pornography-facts-20will-shock-you)

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6. “Among men between the ages of 18 and 24, 70 percent visit internet porn sites at least once per month as stated by United Families.” (https://www.unitedfamilies.org/pornography/14-shocking-pornographystatistics/) (Anna Mathews and Caroline Probst, “Pornography Facts: 20 that will shock you”, Intellectual Takeout, July 12, 2017, https://www.intellectualtakeout.org/article/pornography-facts-20will-shock-you) 7. “Though many people use porn to “relax” or “relieve stress,” it can cause more mental health issues in both men and women, according to a study published in 2013 by researchers in the University of New Orleans’ psychology department. These include anxiety, depression, insecurity, and body image issues, to name a few.” (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22686172) (https://sites.oxy.edu/clint/physio/article/GettingpluggedinAnoverviewofInter netaddiction.pdf) (Anna Mathews and Caroline Probst, “Pornography Facts: 20 that will shock you”, Intellectual Takeout, July 12, 2017, https://www.intellectualtakeout.org/article/pornography-facts-20will-shock-you) 8. “Though many porn users begin using porn which aligns with their morals and sexual tastes, porn, over time, has the ability to alter sexual tastes so that the users believe the acquired tastes are natural. Thus, porn essential rewires the brain with frequent use, according to a study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health in 2000.” (https://www.jahonline.org/article/S1054-139X(00)00137-3/abstract) DB/JJOSH Work Drive/Manuscripts/Mini Biblical Perspective onLoneliness, Depression Anxiety, Grief & Porn 6.8.2021

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(Anna Mathews and Caroline Probst, “Pornography Facts: 20 that will shock you”, Intellectual Takeout, July 12, 2017, https://www.intellectualtakeout.org/article/pornography-facts-20will-shock-you) 9. “Porn users who are addicted to porn have damaged and shrunken frontal lobes, according to this 2013 study published on the National Institute of Health’s website. This can impede problem-solving abilities, researchers said.” (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3960020/) (Anna Mathews and Caroline Probst, “Pornography Facts: 20 that will shock you”, Intellectual Takeout, July 12, 2017, https://www.intellectualtakeout.org/article/pornography-facts-20will-shock-you) 10. “Both the Department of Justice and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children say that pornography is a serious problem.” (https://www.justice.gov/archive/usao/fls/PressReleases/2012/12021703.html) (https://www.missingkids.org/WhatWeDo) (https://fightthenewdrug.org/overview/) (Anna Mathews and Caroline Probst, “Pornography Facts: 20 that will shock you”, Intellectual Takeout, July 12, 2017, https://www.intellectualtakeout.org/article/pornography-facts-20will-shock-you) 11. “Studies report that people who use porn feel less love for their spouse/partner and are more dissatisfied with their spouse/partner than people who do not use porn, according to the psychology department at the

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University of Arkansas.” (http://www.socialcostsofpornography.com/Bridges_Pornographys_Effect_ on_Interpersonal_Relationships.pdf) (Anna Mathews and Caroline Probst, “Pornography Facts: 20 that will shock you”, Intellectual Takeout, July 12, 2017, https://www.intellectualtakeout.org/article/pornography-facts-20will-shock-you) 12. “Despite the high numbers of people who use porn, only 29 percent of Americans think that using porn is moral. Some 23 percent of women say that using porn is moral, compared to 35 percent of men. The numbers come from a study conducted by the Public Religion Research Institute.” (https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2014/03/most-people-thinkwatching-porn-is-morally-wrong/284240/) (Anna Mathews and Caroline Probst, “Pornography Facts: 20 that will shock you”, Intellectual Takeout, July 12, 2017, https://www.intellectualtakeout.org/article/pornography-facts-20will-shock-you) 13. “It is estimated that between 66 percent and 99 percent of people in the porn industry have herpes, as stated by this former porn star. In addition, she says the industry is rife with physical abuse.” (https://www.lifesitenews.com/blogs/former-porn-star-porn-was-the-worstdarkest-thing-ive-ever-been-involved-in) (Anna Mathews and Caroline Probst, “Pornography Facts: 20 that will shock you”, Intellectual Takeout, July 12, 2017, https://www.intellectualtakeout.org/article/pornography-facts-20will-shock-you) DB/JJOSH Work Drive/Manuscripts/Mini Biblical Perspective onLoneliness, Depression Anxiety, Grief & Porn 6.8.2021

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14. “One in three women use pornography at least once per week, according to a study conducted by Marie Claire.” (https://womenintheworld.com/2015/10/22/study-finds-that-1-out-of-3women-watch-porn-at-least-once-a-week/) (Anna Mathews and Caroline Probst, “Pornography Facts: 20 that will shock you”, Intellectual Takeout, July 12, 2017, https://www.intellectualtakeout.org/article/pornography-facts-20will-shock-you) 15. “The porn industry is very profitable, as stated by List25. It makes more than the NFL, the NBA, and the MLB combined. From a news perspective, it makes more than NBC, CBS, and ABC combined.” (https://list25.com/25shocking-facts-about-porn/) (Anna Mathews and Caroline Probst, “Pornography Facts: 20 that will shock you”, Intellectual Takeout, July 12, 2017, https://www.intellectualtakeout.org/article/pornography-facts-20will-shock-you) 16. “Studies have shown, according to Focus on the Family, that the average age at which a child is exposed to pornography is eight years old.” (https://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/how-do-you-respond-to-yourchilds-suspected-porn-use/) (Anna Mathews and Caroline Probst, “Pornography Facts: 20 that will shock you”, Intellectual Takeout, July 12, 2017, https://www.intellectualtakeout.org/article/pornography-facts-20will-shock-you)

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Must prepare your child before the first time they see it … 5-8 years old.

--Josh D. McDowell 17. “Every day, there are 116,000 searches for child pornography, according to United Families.” (https://www.unitedfamilies.org/pornography/14-shocking-pornographystatistics/) (Anna Mathews and Caroline Probst, “Pornography Facts: 20 that will shock you”, Intellectual Takeout, July 12, 2017, https://www.intellectualtakeout.org/article/pornography-facts-20will-shock-you) “What can you do to reverse this trend in your home?”

• “Tactic 1: Be involved with Technology. …parents … should have a grasp of the technology in their home.”

(Luke Gilkerson, “Porn-Free Home: 3 Proven Tactics for Proactive Parents”, Biblical Counseling Coalition”, August 4, 2014, https://www.biblicalcounselingcoalition.org/2014/08/04/pornfree-home-3-proven-tactics-for-proactive-parents/) • “Tactic 2: Be an Authoritative Parent. Parents can also find themselves ascribing to one of two unhealthy parenting styles.

Biblical parenting is always a blend of compassion and correction, tenderness and training, enjoyment and engagement, love and law.

1 Thessalonians 2:11-12.”

(Luke Gilkerson, “Porn-Free Home: 3 Proven Tactics for Proactive Parents”, Biblical Counseling Coalition”, August 4, DB/JJOSH Work Drive/Manuscripts/Mini Biblical Perspective onLoneliness, Depression Anxiety, Grief & Porn 6.8.2021

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2014, https://www.biblicalcounselingcoalition.org/2014/08/04/pornfree-home-3-proven-tactics-for-proactive-parents/) • “Tactic 3: Be the Source About Godly Sexuality. Use tools that help you teach your kids: o The Talk: 7 Lessons to introduce Your Child to Biblical Sexuality. o Leaning about Sex Series for Boys and Girls. o God’s Design for Sex Series.”

(Luke Gilkerson, “Porn-Free Home: 3 Proven Tactics for Proactive Parents”, Biblical Counseling Coalition”, August 4, 2014, https://www.biblicalcounselingcoalition.org/2014/08/04/pornfree-home-3-proven-tactics-for-proactive-parents/) 18. “The more people use pornography, the more likely they are to believe that violence against women is acceptable, research suggests. The study which drew this conclusion also noted an increase in overall aggression that came with pornography use.” (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19862768) (Anna Mathews and Caroline Probst, “Pornography Facts: 20 that will shock you”, Intellectual Takeout, July 12, 2017, https://www.intellectualtakeout.org/article/pornography-facts-20-willshock-you)

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19. “Pornography websites receive more traffic and visitors every month than Netflix, Twitter, and Amazon combined, the Huffington Post reported.” (https://www.huffpost.com/entry/internet-porn-stats_n_3187682) (Anna Mathews and Caroline Probst, “Pornography Facts: 20 that will shock you”, Intellectual Takeout, July 12, 2017, https://www.intellectualtakeout.org/article/pornography-facts-20-willshock-you) 20. “People who view porn regularly are less likely to get married than those who do not. This is because users see porn as a substitute for marital sexual gratification, according to a 2016 study published in the Eastern Economic Journal.” (https://link.springer.com/article/10.1057%2Feej.2015.7) (Anna Mathews and Caroline Probst, “Pornography Facts: 20 that will shock you”, Intellectual Takeout, July 12, 2017, https://www.intellectualtakeout.org/article/pornography-facts-20-willshock-you) 3 Ways love kills porn “She describes 3 ways of saying I love you:” • “I love you means I will protect you from pornography.”

• “I still love you means I will create an open conversation so you can tell me what you’ve seen.”

“I will always love you means Despite your mistakes; you will not lose my love. I will always be here to help you.”

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(Kristen Jenson, “Love Kills Porn! Advice from a Mom Who Cares for One Million Kids”, Protect Young Minds, April 3, 2018, https://www.protectyoungminds.org/2018/04/03/love-kills-pornadvice-from-a-mom/) “Finally, finally, finally! writing to you through tears of gratitude to tell you that both Visa and Mastercard have decided to cut ties with Pornhub!”

(Dawn Hawkins, “Visa and Mastercard Cut Ties with #TraffickingHub”, NCOSE, Email dated December 11, 2020) “The 8 Best Questions to Ask When Your Child has Seen Porn” 8 Questions to help your child talk and feel better 1. “Can you tell me what you saw? Kids may not even have the words to explain it.”

2. “Did you understand what you were seeing in the video or pictures? a ‘temperature check’ on his or her understanding of human sexuality.”

3. “How did you feel inside? It is also normal to be curious and want to see more at this same time!”

4. “How did your body feel? It is natural to feel physical attraction – that means their body is working the way it should.”

5. “Are the images coming back to your mind? Our brain is specifically designed to remember things, especially when they pack the wallop of pornography.”

6. “What activities could you do to help you feel better? Powerful way to release the disturbing feelings and images. What does your DB/JJOSH Work Drive/Manuscripts/Mini Biblical Perspective onLoneliness, Depression Anxiety, Grief & Porn 6.8.2021

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child like to do? Help them plan an activity and get going right away!”

7. “What can we learn from this to help you avoid this happening again? One of the most effective strategies to prepare your child for any situation is through role play. This involves practicing assertive communication skills, setting boundaries, and taking turns being on different sides of a situation.”

8. “Do you have any questions for me? Give them some space to share what is spinning around in their thoughts.”

(Stacey Dittman, M.A., “The 8 Best Questions to Ask When Your Child has Seen Porn”, Protect Young Minds, July 24, 2018, https://www.protectyoungminds.org/2018/07/24/8-questions-ask-child-hasseen-porn/) Porn is the top source of ‘sex education’ for young adults “The new study (14-17) Jan. 4 in the journal Archives of Sexual Behavior used data from the 2015 National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior, a survey weighted to be nationally representative. In the survey, about half of participants said they hadn’t received useful outside information on how to have sex (31% said parents and 21.6% said friends.)”

For those “who said they had received helpful information, about a quarter of young adults put pornography at the top.” “‘The good news is, adolescents, in general, are listening to their parents,’ Rothman said. ‘It is worth it for parents to continue to have conversations

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with their adolescent children about sex. Your kids care about what you say.”

“Emily Rothman, a professor of community health sciences at the Boston University School of Public Health.”

(Stephanie Pappas, “Porn is the top source of ‘sex education’ for young adults,” Live Science, January 23, 2021, https://www.livescience.com/pornography-sex-education.html) Further Research at josh.org: • The Porn Epidemic: www.josh.org/epidemic • www.josh.org/pornresources • www.josh.org/speakers/#MeetTheSpeakers

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