The Rise of Anxiety and Depression in Adults
The rates of depression and anxiety among U.S. adults skyrocketed alarmingly to about four times higher between April 2020 and August 2021 from 2019.
Anxiety: 7.4-8.6%, January-December 2019
28.2-37.2%, April 2020-August 2021[i]
Depression: 5.9-7.5%, January-December 2019
20.2-31.1%, April 2020-August 2022[ii]
While this article is primarily concerned with adults, there are some sobering statistics about young people as well. Take a minute to read these articles about how you can help kids:
Talking to Kids About the Coronavirus published by Focus on the Family.
Young People Hit Hardest By Loneliness And Depression During Covid-19 from Forbes.
1. Get your horizontal and vertical relationships in order. The quote from Jesus I mentioned earlier pretty much sums it up. First, love God, and out of that love of God will come to the love of self and then love of others.
2. Remember, we must all constantly fight the inner poser. We all feel like fakes and frauds from time to time. When you find you’re beating yourself up, calling yourself names, rehearsing old hurts, telling yourself you are a loser or suffering from the paralysis of analysis, stop. Everybody struggles with this from time to time. It’s part of being human. They are just thoughts. You always have a choice to give them a place in your brain and heart or to dismiss them.*
Here is a simple truth, there are only two types of people, ones with issues and those that pretend like they don’t have any. Remember, God says you are fearfully and wonderfully made. Remember to let that thought help you fight the inner poser.
3. Be a buddy to yourself.
4. Move more!
5. Use your meals as an act of self-care.
6. Get the rest your body needs.
7. Have a time of stillness and quietness in the morning.
8. Limit your Screen Time and Your News Intake.
9. Ask for some help.
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