As a young man, I don’t remember ever hearing a phrase that is very common today. In fact, when I started hearing it in daily conversations some years back, I must confess that I didn’t know its full meaning or context. The phrase in question is “mental health issues.”

Now, growing up in the Midwest, I had heard of mental illness. But I came to see that these two similar expressions are vastly different, as is their treatments and prognosis. In today’s world, it is common to hear a member of the Gen Z age group say, “I was having some mental health issues…” 

Like most of us baby boomers, I really didn’t know how to respond, or relate. But I have learned more about what is actually being said, and just maybe, this will help you too.

In today’s culture, mental health issues don’t necessarily imply long-lasting maladies or conditions – this phrase can be used to describe something as a temporary state of depression or anxiety. For example, short-term depression may come from a disappointment such as a broken relationship, and anxiety may be caused by difficulties that one is going through at the workplace. 

In today’s world, both of these qualify for one’s state of mental health being on the downturn. It does not equate mental illness. 

For me, this was a helpful realization. I found that my capacity for compassion was far greater when I better understood what these young people were intending to communicate. And these are times when we all need the max amount of compassion and patience that we can muster into our lives.

Those of us that are older can work at this, and the benefits to us and to those we love will be great. Without this effort to better understand, we can easily be too rigid in our perceptions, and too judgmental in our responses. 

One powerful scripture verse that helps me in my life has also helped me to encourage others who are down, depressed, or bound in anxiety. It is found in 1 Peter 5:6-7:

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.“

This powerful verse is a great starting place for those facing an issue in their mental health. Take those weights, those heavy burdens, and cast them to the feet of Jesus. 

What a promise we have in knowing that He cares for us.