May is Mental Health Awareness Month. It highlights the importance of mental well-being and helps reduce the stigma around mental illness.
Mental health conditions can affect anyone. Age, sex, ethnicity, and culture do not protect someone from these struggles. In recent years, cases of depression and anxiety have increased.
This article explores the rise of depression and anxiety. It explains how these conditions are diagnosed and treated. It also looks at what Scripture says about despair and hope.
The Rise of Depression and Anxiety
Rates of depression and anxiety have increased over the last thirty years. As a clinician, I have seen an even sharper rise during the last five years.
The World Health Organization reports:
-
Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide. More than 280 million people are affected.
-
Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illnesses in the United States. They affect more than 40 million adults each year.
Understanding the Diagnoses
DSM-5 Criteria
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) provides the criteria used to diagnose mental illness.
Many physical illnesses can be confirmed with laboratory tests. Mental health diagnoses are different. They rely mostly on symptoms and patient history.
- Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is diagnosed when five or more symptoms are present for at least two weeks. These symptoms may include sadness, fatigue, appetite changes, poor focus, or suicidal thoughts.
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) involves ongoing worry on most days for at least six months. People may also feel restless, tense, or have trouble sleeping.
Screening tools such as the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 can help identify symptoms. However, they do not provide a final diagnosis.
Medical Conditions to Rule Out
Some medical problems can cause symptoms that look like depression or anxiety. Doctors should evaluate these conditions before confirming a psychiatric diagnosis.
Possible causes include:
-
Hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism
-
Anemia
-
Neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s disease or dementia
-
Substance use disorders
-
Chronic infections or inflammation
-
Electrolyte imbalances
Conventional Treatment Approaches
Traditional treatment often combines therapy and medication.
Common medication groups include:
-
SSRIs (sertraline, fluoxetine)
-
SNRIs (venlafaxine, duloxetine)
-
Benzodiazepines for short-term anxiety relief
-
Atypical antidepressants such as bupropion
-
Tricyclic antidepressants, which are older and may cause more side effects
-
MAOIs, usually reserved for difficult cases
-
Serotonin modulators like trazodone
Medications can help many patients. However, improvement is sometimes incomplete.
A 2022 umbrella review by Moncrieff and colleagues found no clear proof that depression is caused by a serotonin imbalance. This finding challenges a long-standing theory.
Some medications also produce side effects. These may include emotional blunting, weight gain, or higher suicide risk in young adults. These concerns show why treatment must be personalized.
The Integrative Medicine Approach
Integrative and functional medicine focuses on root causes. Instead of only treating symptoms, it looks for factors that may contribute to mental health problems.
These factors may include:
- Micronutrient deficiencies such as B12, magnesium, or omega-3 fatty acids
- Gut microbiome imbalance
- Hormone changes involving cortisol, estrogen, or thyroid
- Chronic infection or inflammation
- Heavy metal exposure
- Food sensitivities
- Unresolved trauma or ongoing stress
Supportive Strategies May Include:
- Nutritional therapy or elimination diets
- Gentle exercise such as walking
- Faith-based stress-reduction practices
- Herbal adaptogens such as ashwagandha or rhodiola
- Biblical counseling and spiritual support
A Biblical Response to Despair
The modern words depression and anxiety do not appear in the Bible. However, Scripture clearly shows that people of faith have long faced deep emotional pain.
On Anxiety
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
— Philippians 4:6-7
“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.”
— 1 Peter 5:6-7
On Depression
“Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God.”
— Psalm 43:5
“O my God, my soul is in despair within me; therefore I remember You from the land of the Jordan and the peaks of Hermon, from Mount Mizar.”
— Psalm 42:6
Before His crucifixion, Jesus Himself experienced deep anguish. Luke 22:44 says:
“Being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood.”
Even in this moment of suffering, Christ trusted fully in the Father’s will. His example shows perfect obedience and surrender.
Final Thoughts: A Call to Hope
If you struggle with depression or anxiety, seek medical care. An integrative approach may help address the whole person.
Beyond treatment, Scripture points us to the true source of peace—Jesus Christ.
“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.”
— Matthew 11:28
Believers have freedom when choosing treatment options. These may include medication, counseling, or holistic care (Romans 14; 1 Corinthians 8). Yet our deepest hope must rest in God’s Word.
If you do not yet believe, consider the lasting peace Christ offers through the Gospel. Redemption and hope are available to all who repent and trust in Him.
If you are ready for a personalized, integrative approach to mental health rooted in clinical excellence and biblical truth, you are invited to schedule a free 15-minute consultation.
Nursing your journey to lasting wellness
Dr. Stasha-Gae Roberts, DNP, MPH, MSN, APRN, AGPCNP-BC
Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
References
A Midwestern Doctor. (2025). What they don’t tell you about anxiety and the danger of benzodiazepines. The Forgotten Side of Medicine, blog post
A Midwestern Doctor. (2025). The hidden dangers of anti-depressants and why they are so hard to stop taking. The Forgotten Side of Medicine, blog post
Association of Certified Biblical Counselors. (2025). Find a counselor. Retrieved from https://biblicalcounseling.com/find-a-counselor/
Baldwin, D. (2025). Generalized anxiety disorders in adults: Epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, course, assessment and diagnosis. Up To Date. Retrieved from https://www.uptodate.com/contents/generalized-anxiety-disorder-in-adults-epidemiology-pathogenesis-clinical-manifestations-course-assessment-and-diagnosis?source=history_widget
Gaynes, B.N. (2025). Approaches to the adult patient with suspected depression. Up To Date. Retrieved from https://www.uptodate.com/contents/approach-to-the-adult-patient-with-suspected-depression?search=&source=history_widget&graphicRef=144739#graphicRef144739
Hodges Jr., C. D. (2023) Depression: Medical Background and Biblical Hope. The Chrisitan Counselors Medical Desk References 2nd edition; New Growth Press
Kresge, K. (2025). A root cause medicine approach to depression. Retrieved from https://www.rupahealth.com/post/an-integrative-medicine-approach-to-depression
MacArthur, J. (2006) The MacArthur Study Bible second edition. Thomas Nelson
Maholey, N. (2025) A functional medicine approach to anxiety: Testing, nutrition and supplements. Retireved from https://www.rupahealth.com/post/a-functional-medicine-approach-to-anxiety
Moncrieff, J., Cooper, R., Stockman, T., Amendola, S., Hengartner, M.P., & Horowitz, M.A. (2022). The serotonin theory of depression: A systemic umbrella review of the evidence. Molecular Psychiarty. doi: 10.1038/s41380-022-01661-0
Phillips, G., (2023). Life-Altering anxiety: Medical background and Biblical counseling approach. The Chrisitan Counselors Medical Desk References 2nd edition; New Growth Press
World Health Organization. (2022). Anxiety disorders. World Health Organization. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/anxiety-disorders
World Health Organization. (2023). Depression and Other Common Mental Disorders: Global Health Estimates. World Health Organization. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/depression
