Let Hope Overflow:

A Mental Health Advocacy Project


"MAY THE GOD OF HOPE FILL YOU WITH ALL JOY AND PEACE IN BELIEVING, SO THAT BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT YOU MAY ABOUND IN HOPE."

Romans 15:13 ESV


Did you know that...


  • Seven million Christians experience major depression each year
  • 49% of all pastors report that they rarely or never speak out about acute mental illness to their church in sermons or large groups
  • 20% of individuals believe that their acute mental illness makes it difficult to understand salvation
  • 65% of family members believe local churches should talk more openly about mental illness to reduce stigma
  • 23% of pastors have personally struggled with mental illness

In the Christian faith, the foundational and central truth is that hope is brought to our brokenness through Jesus Christ. This faith is overlaid in the lives of Christians today onto the backdrop of a world that is acutely covered with the effects of that brokenness, and through these statistics we can see that its effects on our mental state are not addressed with weight. It is important that those who have felt the weight of that brokenness through mental health struggles tell their story to bring awareness to the matter. This issue is especially prevalent in college students, where mental health struggles are heavier than ever and where authentic church community that addresses mental health vulnerably is harder than ever to find.

Through Let Hope Overflow, I hope to cultivate mental health awareness in ministry settings through telling the stories of those who have found hope in their struggles with mental health and how that relates to their personal faith.


Resources

National:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline - 800-273-8255

Psychologist Locator - https://locator.apa.org

Education on Mental Health - https://www.nami.org/Support-Education

Wellness Tools - https://www.mhanational.org/finding-help

Self-Help Tools - https://mhanational.org/self-help-tools

Blueprint for Youth Suicide Prevention: https://www.aap.org/en/patient-care/blueprint-for-youth-suicide-prevention/


South Carolina:

Self-Check Questionnaire - https://hope.connectsyou.org/welcome.cfm

Statewide Crisis Hotline - https://scdmh.net/contact/

Information - https://scdmh.net/patients_families/