Article November 19, 2018 Issue

Dispelling clouds of self-doubt

Susan Tish

Originally published in The Christian Science Monitor’s Christian Science Perspective column, May 2, 2018.

It is a cause of great concern today that the number of young people struggling with anxiety and depression is on the rise. But research conducted a few years ago offers a glimmer of hope. The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, showed that adolescents who engage in meaningful activities helping others are less likely to be depressed over time.

While alleviating anxiety and depression among the young is a complex challenge, thinking about this study reminded me of an incident when helping someone aided me in breaking free of an unhappy, limited outlook.

Throughout high school and my early years of college, I suffered from a poor self-image that held me back from making friends and being the best version of myself. I felt awkward and alone almost all the time. On the surface, my life was good—I achieved high grades and had a loving family. But it seemed as if all the light and loveliness in me was being hidden by a dark cloud of self-doubt.

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