Jordan’s Senior Capstone

the journey to healing starts with awareness

1 in 5 people suffer from a mental illness worldwide

Within the last decade we have seen an increase around 5 percent in prevalence of mental disorders among young adults, what some say is due to the increase use of electronic communication and digital media, which may have changed modes of social interaction enough to affect mood disorders.

Since 2020: NIMH estimates more than 1 in 5 U.S. adults lived with a mental illness in 2022; the World Health Organization estimates nearly 1 in 7 people worldwide in 2023. See screens and teen mental health for current research.

Our Mission

To combat the stigma around Mental Health by normalizing the discussion of it in our everyday life

Through this entire process going from talking to many different therapists and counselors to researching on my own about the many different ways that people help remedy their own mental health problems I have thought to myself, how am I, a single person bring about change; then I remembered a quote by Margaret Mead “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” With the new found courage inside of me I was able to keep pushing forward because I knew there are teens just like me going through the same thing and I had to be the one to bring around change, even if only a couple people heard my story. Change will happen.

Our Purpose

To create a platform that facilitates healthy discussion regarding mental illnesses and to provide action steps for those looking to illicit change.

This particular website has been created to bring to light the issues surrounding the discussion of mental health. Mental Health discussions have always been a taboo to speak about, not many people know why but they avoid talking about it because others avoid it as well. The information given to people from this site should and will be able to prepare individuals for the change that is happening around the world, with it being more accepting of ideas and emotions. The goal for this website is to educate people about mental illness’ and make the conversation about mental health normalized so people are not so afraid of expressing their feelings and emotions

Examples of common Mental Illnesses

Depression: a disorder that affect the mood, it makes the person be in a state of sadness, distraught, and loss of interest. Chronic depression can affect decisions and affect the physical state of the body

Insomnia: a sleeping disorder that may make a person struggle to fall asleep or stay asleep. People with insomnia can feel dissatisfied with their sleep and usually experience one or more of the following symptoms: fatigue, low energy, difficulty concentrating, mood disturbances, and decreased performance in work or at school.

Anxiety: the body’s response to stressful, dangerous, and unknown situations. Although low levels of anxiety are good and healthy, it is just when anxiety is the thing that determines your daily actions and is debilitating to the body is when it is bad.

Since 2020: read the full, updated pages on depression, insomnia and anxiety.

About me

My name is Jordan Snook and am a graduating senior of the class of 2020 and have created this website for my senior project. I have been personally affected by mental health problems, from myself, to the people that I am close with. As a child I have always been fascinated on how the human brain works and how people act from the different experiences that they go through. Naturally, psychology piqued my interest, and throughout my high school experience I have been learning all I could about the field and its details. Sadly, I have had some friends who have had many different mental illness’ and sadly took their own life. That is why I think that this topic is so important, I took it upon myself to educate myself and spread the word since it is a topic that people tend to stay away from.

After graduation I will be pursuing a BS in Psychology at Grand Canyon University down in Phoenix, AZ. Throughout this process I have furthered my understanding and passion for the components of mental health and this will continue to fuel me as I pursue a career as a counselor and/or therapist.

biblical implications

How should faith be incorporated into the healing process?

The presence of faith in someone’s life is super important. To have the presence of Christ in your life while you are going through struggles, all you can do is put your faith in the Lord and pray to Him to make your situation better. Although, you should be practical also, so if you are dealing with something critical you should seek out help from proper physicians. Still when someone truly gives their life to Christ they will no longer feel the anxiety that they felt when they were alone, because they know that God will always be with them no matter what. God will never put us through something that He believes that we cannot overcome; It goes back to the old adage “what doesn’t kill you, only makes you stronger.” What we can do as Christ followers is work together to make sure that no one ever feels abandoned and everyone knows that their voice will be heard no matter the situation.

Jesus Christ was put onto this earth to teach us how important it was to have community with one another, and by not talking about mental health we are only adding to the divide that we already had with each other. Praying to God and asking for His forgiveness and leadership for our lives is the only way that we can be truly healed.

Since 2020: today we’d add that anxiety and depression can continue even with deep faith, and that needing treatment is not a failure of trust. See Is it okay for a Christian to see a counselor?

"Abide in me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me."

John 15:4 (ESV)

Philippians 4:6-7

This passage presents a compelling truth revealed in scripture. Paul in his closing statements to the church in Phillipi, seeks to encourage them amidst any trial they may be experiencing. We can see his effort to redirect their eyes to focus from anxiety to prayer, resting in thanksgiving of what He has already done for them. This can be directly related to the topic of mental health as the passage continues. Paul reminds of this incredible peace that is unique to God -- a peace that surpasses all understanding. When we seek Him; when we pursue Christ first through prayerful intent, we are given in exchange this incredible peace. many who struggle with mental health experience restlessness, anxiety, depression, and are absent of peace. Paul closes with a call to action and and reminds his audience to set their minds on things that are praiseworthy, honorable, true, pure, lovely, commendable, and excellent and through this the God of Peace will be with them. What a beautiful encouragement to those experiencing trials!

Matthew 5:3-6

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus reveals the “Divine dichotomy” between the way the world is and our human condition and God’s economy and His Kingdom. Those who are suffering and hurting, God blesses them with a place in His kingdom, and comfort in their pain. He takes those the world defines as “lesser” and blesses them when they choose to put the importance of God over that of material things, popularity, or power. He blesses those who put their faith in the Lord, promising to meet their needs and satisfy their longing for Him to make all things right. The correlation of this passage to mental health can be described as this: we can be encouraged, knowing God knows our needs even before we do, AND He fully provides for those needs! I chose one of these verses to influence the name of this website because I felt it can give hope to those who feel alone. This verse says that even if they may be broken right now, they are truly blessed beyond their imagination.

Romans 8:18-21

This verse encourages a healthy strategy that greatly impacts one’s mental health. It outlines the importance of not focusing on the suffering we as the created experience, but rather the glory that is revealed in the saving grace of Jesus Christ, which brings ultimate freedom from the bonds of sin and death. The verses show how this freedom brings people together. To know that even if things may not be going the way that we want, by taking a step back and focusing on the reality that Jesus’ sacrifice gives the right of inheritance to those who are called by His Name, we can rest knowing this truth. This Truth reveals that whatever we are experiencing now fails in comparison to what we will experience, that which is promised to children of God.

Hebrews 10:22-25

This passage of scripture accomplishes several different things pertinent to the healing process of handling mental illness. Immediately, one can be drawn to verse 23 where we are called to "hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful." this is an excellent example of foundational biblical truth: That God is Faithful. Someone who is experiencing mental illness or any trial for that matter can find hope and strength in a truth like this and continue to place their faith in Christ. This passage also presents an integral concept to all healthy fellowship. In verse 25, the author encourages us to not neglect meeting with one another, but rather seek to encourage each other as we are expectant for the return of Christ. This is vitally important for any person struggling with mental illness or any individual helping one in need. There should be healthy conviction to continue meeting regularly with those who are hurting so they can begin to heal with consistent care and encouragement as mentioned.

Helpful Tips and resources

What can you do?

As a person in a society that discredits those who have mental illness’ and overall seeks to avoid the discussion of mental health, the best thing to do is have a normal conversation with someone. It may seem like its pointless, but actually talking about the topic will make people more comfortable with it. Even just having a regular conversation with someone face-to-face helps, we are in an era where everyone is so dependent on their mobile devices that they hardly pay attention to the things going on around them. By having the face to face conversation, it strengthens the relationship and connection between individuals, making them more likely to open up to you about more serious issues that are happening in their life.

All it takes is someone who is willing to be vulnerable to start the conversation about mental illness to rid it of the stigma swirling around it. The stigma is only there because people do not want to feel vulnerable, and mental health is a topic that makes people uneasy because it has been shrouded in mystery. Not until recently have people understood what is really happening in the body of someone suffering from a mental illness. That is why the best thing you can do to get rid of the stigma around mental health is to normalize it in everyday conversation.

Jordan also listed five TEDx talks; they are on the resources page.

Frequently asked questions

How can mental health affect physical health?

Well, poor mental health can affect your ability to make healthy decisions and fight off chronic diseases. Neglecting your mental health can lead to more serious health complications such as: Heart disease, High blood pressure, Weakened immune system, Asthma, Obesity, Gastronomical problems, and Premature death.

Where can I find treatment?

To start treatment, you can talk to your primary care doctor and they will be able to direct you to a specialized doctor that fits your case. Most health facilities will be able to help you no matter the situation, even if they are not your regular doctor’s office.

Here are some other means of contact to help get you started:

• The National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) … NAMI has an emergency mental health hotline Monday-Friday 10am-6pm EST.
• The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA) has a 24/hour mental health hotline … that provides education, support, and connections to treatment.
• The National Suicide Prevention Hotline …
• The Crisis Text line, just text CONNECT to 741741 to be connected to a representative.

Changed since 2020: the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988. Crisis Text Line now asks you to text HOME to 741741. The NAMI HelpLine is open Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern, and is not a crisis line. All current numbers are on Get help now. (The old numbers are left out of this archive on purpose.)

Can Mental Illness run in your family?

Yes, mental illness’ can actually pass down through genes, if a person’s mental health is neglected causing negative habits to be formed the persons genes can be “re-wired” to make their future children more prone to different mental health issues. Also, if someone is living with someone who is currently suffering with an untreated mental illness, it is possible for that person to learn those traits and behaviors and are less likely to see a need for treatment.

Since 2020: family history does raise the risk of many mental illnesses, through a mix of genes and environment, but it isn’t destiny. The idea that neglect “re-wires” genes for future children is still debated in research. See the updated questions page.