Leading US Christian researcher Dr. George Barna believes hundreds of thousands of young American adults, or perhaps millions, who are seeking mental health assistance and medications could be simply “treating the wrong problem.” His team at the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University has found that for many young people, their mental illness could be linked to their lack of a Biblical worldview.
Faithwire reports nearly one quarter of American adults, or around 60 million people over 18, are struggling with mental health issues or some related ailment. Dr. Barna shared statistics on the mental health of 18- to 24-year-olds from the US National Institute of Mental Health and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration:
- One out of three 18- to 24-year-olds (33%) has some kind of diagnosable mental disorder
- One out of four (25%) has some kind of anxiety disorder
- One out of five (20%) has a major depressive episode each year
- One out of eight (12%) has serious suicidal thoughts
- Almost three of 10 (30%) suffer from alcohol or drug disorders
- Overall, 50% of college-aged individuals say they often experience feelings of anxiety or depression, fear, or suicidal thoughts
In a recent campus chapel message entitled Worldview and Mental Health, Dr Barna said much of the current mental health crisis among younger American adults can be traced to their rejection of a Biblical worldview and their embrace of a faulty view of the world that undermines their mental health.
He explained that the key to defying the odds and living a life of meaning and purpose is first to understand why these mental health challenges are so prevalent. And then young people need to be prepared for God to use them to minister in their generation throughout their lives.
“What’s actually going on is a worldview problem. 18- to 24-year-olds have abandoned belief in God, rejected His truth and standards of morality, and have no hope of eternal life. They are unable to find meaning and purpose in life. They fail to embrace almost all key elements of Biblical worldview understanding. And without God, His truth, and His promises to help them navigate the world, when they hit rough patches in life, they have no solid place to turn.”
He discovered that 56% of Gen Z which has the lowest prevalence of a Biblical worldview at just 1%, reported experiencing regular battles with anxiety, fear, or depression in the past year and that: “Roughly half of Millennials (49%) have frequently entertained anxiety, depression, or major episodes of fear, while only 2% of that generation holds a Biblical worldview.”
According to Dr. Barna’s study 90% of young people embrace a worldview known as syncretism, which effectively involves cutting and pasting together alternative worldviews into a blended, customised worldview that feels comfortable to the individual. “Operating with a mindset rooted in this faulty worldview makes the world a very troubling, hopeless place. If they had a Biblical worldview, that would instantly change their lives,” Dr. Barna contended.
He also stressed to his chapel audience that he is not saying there was no such thing as mental illness, and that he advises individuals with serious mental illness issues to seek treatment. But he argued that in many cases, having a Biblical worldview would be a game-changer when it comes to mental health.
“As we’ve done the research, we found that having a Biblical worldview makes an incredible difference in a person’s life. It just plain, flat-out works,” the leading researcher concluded.
He found a direct correlation between the incidence of those mental health conditions with a rejection of, or apathy towards God; feeling no purpose in life; and the rejection of absolute morality and truth. The researcher’s study reported gratitude and acknowledgment of God seem to be some of the most important factors at play.
“Individuals who are less likely to suffer from those challenges are substantially more likely to consciously make time to thank, praise, and worship God every day; to attend church services every week; and to commit to knowing and doing God’s will each day,” the report reads.
Dr. Barna also pointed out that seven out of ten Americans under 40 said their life lacks a clear purpose, while four out of five who reject God reported frequent experiences of fear and anxiety.
Although some situations require mental health treatments, such as counseling, prescription drugs, or physical therapy, Dr. Barna said other mental health struggles may stem from “worldview components that trigger and sustain the condition.”
