What’s Happening To The Joy Of Youth?

• They’re being prescribed anti-depressants in record numbers
• Many are in therapy for emotional & physical self-harm
• Others are self-medicating their hurts with drugs, alcohol, food, unhealthy relationships, and/or sex
• Plenty are missing school because they can’t get out of bed
• Oftentimes, parents and friends are at a loss for how to respond

The Causes Are Complex

For starters, the culture breeds dissatisfaction. Adolescents today experience a 24/7 deluge of tempting offers claiming to fill their souls. Not surprisingly, engaging repeatedly in many of these activities actually worsens their sadness.

Simultaneously, post-modern secularism attacks truth. Young people today are so hungry for God’s Word, resulting in a total misplaced-identity. Until they understand the real way to be made worthy, they will struggle to thrive.

And if that’s not enough, intense circumstances, such as broken families, academic and financial pressures, and being around other lost teens prove to be more than growing young people know how to handle. As a result, hurt, guilt, un-forgiveness, unhealthy levels of stress, and other poor relationship situations can severely impair function.

Additionally, certain personality types, those with a sensitive nature, worriers, artists, and tender hearts who are more in touch with their feelings are especially susceptible to emotional slumps.

Finally, the longer this fallen world exists, the greater the consequences. Family history of impaired moods, suicide, and other mental illnesses can be passed down through generations.

Ask for the Lord’s guidance as you seek to determine which of the causes are contributing to a teen’s depression or increasing his/her risk. Also, let the Holy Spirit show you how to personalize the support that will best work for the specific youth you love.

Solutions

1) Combat Cultural Causes: Invite your friends and kids to get out and moving into nature, frequently. Let it lead them to their Creator, remind them to breathe, and learn how to live in the present. Don’t allow teens to isolate themselves from the right social support. Instead, help them sign up for accountability partners, and get comfortable calling sin a sin. Share your own stories of repentance. Then be a grace-filled, safe place for them to start changing their behavior. Walk them straight to the living Christ, Jesus, as the only source of true satisfaction.

2) Combat Secular Causes: Never tire of pouring the truth into the next generation. Establishing a basic foundation nowadays isn’t enough. You have to go back and add layer upon layer, especially with all the existent forces that apply pressure to what you’ve already taught.  Don’t stop until you are totally sure they will decide to trust God no matter what.

3) Combat Emotional Causes: To be able to achieve stability, obtain prayerful and logistical support to help youth who are enduring a hard season or tough situation. Then teach and model for them the skills of emotional intelligence, especially to be applied in hard times. Finally, even for teens who are not facing significant hardship, teach them to meet life head-on, and not avoid what they find difficult. Encourage them to really get to know Who Jesus is so they can share in His strength.

4) Combat Special-Case Causes: Make prayer, Scripture and godly friendship a necessary daily encouragement for those who need more frequent reminders and holding up. Guard these sensitive personality types in a special, respectful way.

5) Combat Physiological Causes: Don’t let clinical depression go untreated. Gather a team of health professionals, loved ones, and prayer partners to surround those who are not well.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit – the firm and secure hope that is the anchor for your soul. Put your hope in Him all day long and hold unswervingly to this hope you profess, for He who promised is faithful.  (Rom 15:13, Heb. 6:19; Ps. 25:5: Heb. 10:23)