Challenges of Depression: Biblical Background and Impact on the Dynamics of Family Relationships

Today we are witnessing a global epidemic of rapidly spreading mental health problems among all age groups. However, a growing mental health crisis among youth is of particular concern. According to the World Health Organization, “1 in every eight people in the world live with a mental disorder.”1 The informative data are more than impressive. For many reasons, the accurate picture of various mental health disorders is much more widespread than the latest accessible information indicates. The fundamental question revolves not only around the mental health challenges of the afflicted but especially around its practical aspect: How can ordinary people become empathetic agents and function as channels of hope and support by their presence? How can they create a loving atmosphere without stigmatization as an indispensable factor in the mental health recovery process of the one suffering in the family or church? To better understand the cause of all the pain and suffering, including the worsening mental health situation, it is also necessary to briefly turn to the biblical background for some basic answers.