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To the Editor:
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. I just read that the CDC said one third of U.S. teen girls seriously considered attempting suicide in 2021.
Several years ago in the Elizabethton Star, Dr. Glenn Mollette wrote the article, “America has an overwhelming problem with mental health issues.” Dr. Mollette is correct and even East Tennessee has a growing problem with mental illness.
The Bible says God isn’t the author of confusion. Satan’s agenda is to cause confusion/chaos so that nothing makes real sense anymore. One of the curses God allows on evil countries like America is madness/insanity according to Deuteronomy 28:28. We are seeing this as there are so many with mental problems that Woodridge in Johnson City is often full with a waiting list.
Pray for the growing number with mental illnesses. In Romans 1 it declares that people and nations that reject God over and over will get reprobate minds and become vain, useless, futile or foolish in their thinking. Despite claiming to be so wise and so smart the people will become so foolish in their thinking that they will accept spiritual deception and accept spiritual lies and false teaching.
Each person is different so researchers don’t know what causes mental illness. They don’t even know what causes depression, the number one mental illness. For some depression is caused by thyroid problems or vitamin deficiency and should be the first thing checked. Lacking B-complex vitamins can cause depression. For others depression is caused by rejection or loneliness. So your mental health can be affected by your physical or emotional issues. We have some outstanding Christian counselors in the Elizabethton area such as Art Webb and Brian Scott who have helped hundreds. Pray for them and their patients.
Becoming active and helping others is a remedy for depression. A good place to help others is at a nursing home because half of the patients never get a visitor. Suicidal tendencies often come to people who are self-absorbed. America has had record numbers of suicides. Pride and self-worship has led to skyrocketing mental problems in America. In 2 Timothy 3 the Bible says in the last days people would be lovers of their own selves. C.S. Lewis said, “Look for yourself, and you will find in the long run only hatred, loneliness, despair, rage, ruin and decay. But look for Jesus and you will find Him and with Him everything else thrown in!”
It helps to pray and read the Bible which is the source of comfort and peace. Music can improve your mental health. Laughter can improve your mental health as the Bible says in Proverbs 17:22. Studies show frequent church goers were half as likely to be depressed and had greatly decreased likelihood of suicide and lived seven years longer. The Bible says in this world you will have troubles but trust Jesus and choose life. Christians are to extend grace and mercy to those suffering from depression or any mental illness and let them know Jesus loves them and Jesus came to heal the brokenhearted and is near to the brokenhearted. A great verse is Isaiah 26: 3: “Thou will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee (Jesus): because he trusts in thee (Jesus)!” The most healthy thing you can do and the best exercise to do is walk with Jesus daily!

D.D. Nave
Elizabethton