A few weeks ago, I was on The Vitality Journey podcast with Dave Rodriquez. We discussed (from the episode description) “The opposite of depression is not happiness. According to psychologist Dr. Dan Franz, it is connection. In this segment from The Vitality Journey Podcast, Dave Rodriguez and Dimitri Snowden press Dr. Franz on what is actually driving the mental health crisis, why social media makes it worse, and what Viktor Frankl’s concept of self-transcendence has to do with getting unstuck. This is the conversation most people are not having, and it comes with a clear, practical path forward.”
Or, what I referred to as “Existential Malaise” or “The Malaise of our time” – I was pretty proud to be able to throw that word around a few times!
You can listen to the entire episode here:
From that, I thought this might be a good time to take a deeper dive into “The Big Three” for this year – or what the internet believes are the top three issues people are struggling with. (Spoiler alert, I pretty much agree with this list, but also feel like we are far beyond just “Top Three” – and most can be summer up in “Existential Malaise”.)
The 3 Biggest Mental Health Challenges People Are Facing Right Now
Mental health has become one of the defining challenges of modern life. Across different ages and lifestyles, three issues continue to rise above the rest: anxiety, depression, and burnout. While each looks different on the surface, they often overlap and feed into one another.
1. Anxiety: Living in a Constant State of Stress
Anxiety has become incredibly common in today’s fast-moving world. Many people feel mentally “on” all the time—constantly thinking, worrying, or preparing for the next problem before it even happens.
Modern life creates nonstop stimulation through:
- Social media
- News overload
- Financial pressure
- Constant digital connection
Over time, this keeps the nervous system stuck in a heightened state of alertness.
Common signs of anxiety include:
- Racing thoughts
- Difficulty relaxing
- Overthinking
- Physical tension and restlessness
While occasional stress is normal, chronic anxiety can quietly impact sleep, focus, relationships, and overall quality of life.
2. Depression: Feeling Disconnected From Life
Depression is more than sadness. For many people, it feels like emotional exhaustion, numbness, or a loss of connection to life itself.
People struggling with depression often describe:
- Low motivation
- Fatigue
- Brain fog
- Loss of interest in things they once enjoyed
Even simple daily tasks can begin to feel overwhelming.
Modern lifestyles may also contribute to rising depression rates through:
- Social isolation
- Poor sleep habits
- Constant comparison online
- Lack of meaningful downtime
One of the hardest parts of depression is that it drains the energy needed to improve it, creating a difficult cycle to break.
3. Burnout: When Rest Stops Working
Burnout is no longer just a workplace issue. People today are burning out emotionally, mentally, and physically from trying to keep up with nonstop demands.
Burnout often develops when stress becomes chronic and recovery never fully happens.
Signs of burnout include:
- Constant exhaustion
- Cynicism or emotional detachment
- Reduced motivation
- Difficulty focusing or feeling creative
Many people normalize burnout because productivity culture rewards being busy. But eventually, the mind and body begin to push back.
True recovery requires more than taking a day off—it requires creating space for rest, boundaries, and emotional reset.
Final Thoughts
Anxiety, depression, and burnout are becoming increasingly common because modern life rarely allows people to fully slow down, recover, or disconnect.
The good news is that awareness matters. Small changes in sleep, stress management, social connection, and daily habits can make a meaningful difference over time.
Mental health is not just about avoiding crisis—it’s about learning how to sustain a healthy mind in an overwhelming world.
My question to you is this – what are YOU doing about it in your life? Do you feel these in your life? Do you see these issues in others?
We have solutions – there are ways THROUGH these issues. Therapy can help. But maybe it takes something different. Maybe it takes community for us all to feel a little better?
Maybe this can help:
The Meaning Project Community
This week’s podcast might help, as well – if you think deep breathing, “love over Lockheed”, and/or psychedelic medicine might be a path forward. Here’s my conversation with new friend, Zhi Zheng:
Weekly Mental Health and Meaning Updates
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