The COVID lockdowns have created a mental health crisis of epic proportions.
The result is record numbers of people being prescribed mood-altering drugs and therapies many of which have life altering side effects.
But this shocking study shows that there is one simple way that you can improve your mental health at zero cost and with no dangerous side effects.
Less than two-thirds of Americans are reporting that they have “excellent” mental health
America is downtrodden, and if you can’t see it, then you must be living under a rock.
Counseling and therapy have become normal topics of conversation, and prescriptions for antidepressants are skyrocketing.
According to the federal government, nearly one in eight adults in the United States are taking some kind of mood-altering prescription drug and almost 20 percent are undergoing mental health care.
Nearly one in three Americans report that they are experiencing depression or anxiety in 2023 which is nearly three times the rate in 2019.
Tragically, suicide rates have also increased by nearly 30 percent in the past twenty years.
Public acknowledgment of personal mental health issues hasn’t helped at all despite the increases in people seeking help.
In 2022, only 31 percent report that they have “excellent” mental health, and the situation seems to be worsening quickly.
But the latest mental health survey by Gallup says that they believe they have found the solution.
Study shows that people of faith tend to have more “positive experiences” than non-religious people
Gallup worked with the Radiant Foundation in a report that they call “Faith and Wellness: The Worldwide Connection Between Spirituality & Wellbeing.”
The report highlights a study conducted by interviewing over 1.5 million people in 152 countries. The groups compared religious and non-religious people to determine if their faith impacted their well-being.
Researchers found that religious activity had a profound impact on well-being—for the better.
The report indicates that “an estimated 160 million more adults have positive experiences than would be the case if those adults were not religious.”
The positive experience index is based on things like smiling, laughing, being treated with respect, and getting enough rest.
Religious people scored four points higher than non-religious groups.
Researchers say that “each one-point difference represents an effect for an estimated 40 million adults world-wide.”
The study also found that people of religious backgrounds tend to have more friends and are optimistic.
Religious people tend to have better “social life” and “optimism” scores
Having an active social life can have a profound impact on your mental wellbeing.
Friends help us stay focused on what matters and are often the people we “call on” when we need help.
According to the survey, religious people again scored four points higher than non-religious people.
The research shows that having a community built on a church gives people the “opportunity to meet people and make friends.”
People who go to church also tend to view their lives through a better lens and believe that their lives are not only good but will continue to get better.
Religious people scored 49.4 on the optimism index while non-religious people only scored 48.4.
Maybe people should stop focusing on using prescription drugs and therapy to restore their mental well-being and start focusing more on their faith.
Informed American will keep you up-to-date on any developments to this ongoing story.
