Teen Mental Health: A Crisis We Can No Longer Ignore

“What the Lancet research study confirms is that adolescent girls and boys today across multiple parts of the world experience earlier onset and a prolonged period of heightened emotional problems than those born previously…. with the greatest emotional risk for girls.” - IFS

Discussion

In my opinion, the church is entirely unprepared for this. We are still stuck in the mode that this is a sin problem and that biblical counseling will fix this. And that is all that many churches have in their playbook. Add on top of the fact that if they don't have a robust counseling program, then they even have less. A pastor trying to help them use Scripture to find joy. We don't send our kids who have a cancer to the pastor so that the elders can pour oil on them, lay hands on them and pray. We shouldn't view mental health in the same manner. This is a serious issue, nearing pandemic levels, and most churches are putting their head into the ground, because 1) they are unaware that they have been exposed to this and 2) they have no clue on how to engage with this issue.