Understanding the Mental Health Crisis

Friends, we are in the midst of a mental health crisis, with many calling it another pandemic. Record-high numbers of Americans are facing depression and suicide. Nearly half of young people report feelings of persistent sadness or hopelessness. What’s behind this crisis, and how can the Church help? That’s what Brandon Vogt and I discuss on today’s episode of “The Word on Fire Show.” A listener asks, is “just war theory” a concession to human weakness? How do we square that with Jesus’ teachings on non-violence? 00:00 | Intro 01:09 | USCCB recap on surrogacy 03:49 | Why the mental health crisis matters to bishops 06:00 | Social media’s role in damaged mental health 09:39 | Community’s role in healing mental health 13:03 | The connection between psychological and spiritual suffering 16:09 | Religious disaffiliation and mental illness 17:47 | Who is St. Dymphna? 18:40 | A word for those wrestling with poor mental health 20:55 | Listener question 24:17 | New b