When we think of non-physical problems that affect people, we’re pretty immediately drawn to the common ones — anxiety, depression, and the realm of mental illness. But there’s something just as insidious that can cause significant issues to our mental wellbeing, quality of life, and faith. It’s loneliness.
There are some mind-boggling statistics around loneliness. One in four adults around the world report feeling lonely. Our ministry recently did a study of 18-35 year olds here in Australia, and 44% of the overall respondents reported struggling with loneliness and a lack of connection. But why is loneliness a growing issue? What are its impacts? And, more importantly, what can we as individuals—and the broader church—do to combat loneliness?
Today we’re diving into it with Kimberly Smith, a pastor, speaker, and author of a book on singleness in the church who is passionate about this topic.
To get in touch with Kimberly, read her blog, check out her book ‘What We Cannot Be Alone: Understanding Singleness in God’s Family’ or see where she’ll be speaking next, you can visit her website.
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Through this podcast and our other resources, our heart here at Anxious Faith is to spark conversation and tackle the taboos around mental health in our churches and faith communities. Will you help us do that?
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