While mental health has come a long way, it's clear that it still has a long way to go. Moving from the margins to the mainstream is progress, but as a society, we need to move beyond validation and acceptance to action and proactive measures.
In 2025 alone, we've seen increased visibility around burnout, nervous-system regulation, slowing down, and digital boundaries. Behavioral, physical, and spiritual health are getting integrated, and functional nutrition is all the rage.
Amidst the fads, however, we must remember that trends don't create needs; they reveal them. And more specifically, what they reveal about our collective need for a mental reset.
1. Nervous-System Regulation Over "Positive Thinking."
By definition, nervous-system regulation focuses on the daily mindset shifts one can make to calm the mind and body. The most common of these habits is mindful movement, grounding techniques, deep breathing, and digital detoxes.
According to First Steps Chiropractic, "A regulated nervous system is the bedrock of good health. It allows you to feel safe in your body, connect meaningfully with others, and approach life’s challenges with a sense of groundedness and clarity."
While these somatic practices, breathwork, and grounding tools are useful (and I use them), we must remember that some of these practices are part of God's design all along. God didn't create us to be "on" all the time. We were made to have a Sabbath day every week. To embrace stillness. To pause, reflect, and rest. Unfortunately, living in a fallen world has told us otherwise: We can't afford to rest.
As Annie Eisner in her article, Your Nervous System Needs Jesus, Too, so beautifully illustrates, "Anxiety isn’t niche anymore. It’s the background noise of modern adulthood...Nearly one in three people between 18 and 25 has experienced an anxiety disorder in the past year. That’s not just a blip. That’s a collective spiritual-psychological identity crisis, and it’s showing up in our bodies."
For centuries, Christian culture has complicated its relationship with mental health. It's said that we just need to pray or read our Bibles more. To have more faith. To just think positively. But the narrative is shifting, and we can be part of that shift. What if this nervous-system regulation can point us back to what God intended for us all along?
Eisner continues, "What if your chronic tension, your shallow breathing, your constant edge-of-tears feeling isn’t weakness — it’s your body asking for restoration? Psalm 23 doesn’t say, “He pushes me to grind harder.” It says, “He makes me lie down.” God built you with a nervous system — not so you could destroy it with hustle, but so you could use it to connect, feel, create, and rest. Ignoring the signals doesn’t make you stronger. It makes you numb. And that’s not spiritual maturity. That’s spiritual disconnection."
2. Digital Detoxes and Technology Boundaries
Unlike nervous-system regulation, digital detoxes have been a bit more common prior to 2025. Since the explosion of AI, however, more and more individuals are noticing the need for app limits, offline weekends, and minimalist phones. Technology is wonderful. It connects us to the world in ways nothing ever has. But it also comes with a few risks.
Technology is playing a critical role in ministry, for better or for worse, with 86% of U.S. church leaders believing digital tools play a vital role in fostering deeper connections within their congregations. Globally, adults spend 6-7 hours a day on technology, with teens and adolescents reaching 9-12 hours a day; both have seen steady increases since 2013. But even young adults are growing fatigued with the constant connectivity. 62% of users say they experience digital burnout, with younger generations and tech workers hit hardest.
As Christians, we don't just need a better and smarter digital design; we need realignment and guidance. Jason Thacker, an author with Zondervan Books, notes that technology is a tool that can help us live out our God-given callings, and while Scripture doesn't say it's good or bad, it does reveal that even good things can be distorted by human nature:
"Technology is amoral, but it acts as a catalyst that expands the opportunities for humanity to pursue. It is not good or evil in itself, but can be designed and used for good and evil purposes. We are able to use technology for the glory of God and the betterment of society, or we can use it to push aside the dignity of others created in God’s image for sinful and contorted means."
3. Therapy-Informed Language in Everyday Life
More and more, we hear the words "triggered," "boundaries," and "capacity," but do we really know what they mean? According to Thriveworks, 95% of people hear therapy words daily, but 1 in 3 say these terms are overused or misused. And who is most exhausted of these words? Gen Z at 25%. This generation made the terms popular, but is now tired of being defined and diagnosed.
While it has good intentions, therapy speak is defined as using psychological jargon or terminology used in therapy to describe everyday conversations. People say they're "OCD" about their closet or describe a minor inconvenience as "trauma." The sad reality is that using these terms can be dangerous. "This shift in therapy speak entering our everyday language can lead to spreading false information, misuse, oversimplification, or even manipulation of very important, sensitive terms and topics that impact real lives.”
Instead of judging this news trend, Scripture reminds us of the importance of our words. Bringing life or death, every word we say matters (Proverbs 18:21). And at the end of all our days, we will be held accountable (Matthew 12:37).
What Are We Actually Longing For?
From deep breathing to technology and therapy lingo, society is searching for one thing: Rest. To be known and understood so deeply for who they are that they can come as they are, let down the guard, and just be.
In Matthew 11:28-30, a familiar passage tells us to come to Jesus as we are, and we will receive His rest. Psalm 46:10 reminds us of the same. We might be tempted to read those passages, roll our eyes, and think, "That sounds good, but isn't practical." But let me encourage you with this:
God's invitation isn't trend-driven, but eternal and timeless. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and no matter what we're facing or longing for, He alone can provide it. This doesn't mean that we avoid the therapy we need, swear off technology altogether, or ignore the need to breathe deeply. It just means that we learn to view rest and wholeness holistically, as the Lord always intended.
Jesus often withdrew to reset (Mark 1:35), and so can you. Jesus commanded the Sabbath because He knew that we would need it, and it's resistance to productivity culture (Exodus 20:8-11). Because the soul requires tending, not just coping. And He's with you through it all, for the long haul.
If you're noticing these trends today, I want you to be encouraged. You can choose one rhythm that restores you instead of stimulating or overactivating your brain. And when you do, remember that it might be a fad practice, but combined with Scripture, it could transform your life. Replace "fixing yourself" with abiding and invite God into mental health practices rather than separating them.
A Prayer for Mental Health
Dear God,
Though trends fade, the need for peace will always remain. While mental health is important, these fads point us to a deeper need for you and eternal rest that only you can offer. Please give us discernment, rest, and healing that outlasts anything this world could offer. We love, praise, and thank you, Jesus.
Amen.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Natali_Mis
