We live in an era when communication has never been faster. We can send a text or email to the other side of the world in seconds. We are in touch with dozens if not hundreds of “friends” or “followers” on social media on a regular basis. We can reach out by text to family, friends, and coworkers to get instant answers to important questions, such as “When will you be home?” or “Are you okay?” But is there a downside to all this virtual communication? Are we really as “connected” in a meaningful way when we communicate by “likes” or abbreviated sentences?

 

One thing is certain: we are created to be in meaningful relationships. God created us with this need, first to be in relationship with Him and, second, to be in meaningful relationships with other people. So what, if anything, is lost or sacrificed when we have less actual face-to-face contact and more virtual interaction with people?

 

You have the opportunity to explore this topic at some depth in the discussion forum. Key questions include whether social media contributes to the growing feeling among people that they are lonely. Most people now actually have far more touchpoints with others in a given day than in any previous generation, but reported rates of loneliness and depression continue to increase. Is there an association between our ubiquitous virtual communication patterns and our feelings of social isolation?

 

If you take this one large step further, it is logical to ask whether rising suicide rates, especially among young people (the largest users of social media), are in some way fueled by the way relationships are developed, maintained, and negotiated through social media.

 

Finally, you will do some integrative thinking on how the Church might respond to this whole situation. The Church is supposed to be a community of believers who come together to worship and to love, serve, and support one another. The idea is that a church is a community where you belong, are known, and develop meaningful relationships with others who share your core values. This has been the Church’s mission since Pentecost. So how is the Church doing at building these communities in the age of virtual communication?

 

The big question being asked in this discussion is: How is the future of mental health affected by the way we are approaching relationships? Can we expect it to improve or worsen as we move forward with even greater technological advances in the future? There are no easy solutions, but these are important issues to think about and discuss.

 

Upon successful completion of the course material, you will be able to:

 

· Discuss the need for meaningful relationships and why fulfillment of this need breaks down in a complex society.

 

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Resources

 

· Textbook:  Modern Psychopathologies:  A Comprehensive Christian Appraisal

 

· Web Article: 4 Disorders That Thrive on Loneliness

 

· Website: Centers for Disease Control (CDC)

 

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Background Information

 

Read Chapter 16 in the textbook and the article “4 Disorders That Thrive on Loneliness” to prepare for the discussion. You might also want to do some of your own research by doing an Internet search on the phrase “loneliness and mental health” to expose yourself to additional viewpoints on how our virtual communication might be affecting our relationships and, in turn, our overall mental health. If you find interesting or relevant articles, you can then share these links with other students in the discussion topic.

 

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Instructions

 

1. Read Chapter 16, “Problems Stemming from Societal Pathology,” in your textbook.

 

2. Read the article,  4 Disorders That Thrive on Loneliness .

 

3. Navigate to the Discussion page and respond to the following prompts:

 

a. We interact with many people in a given day but few, if any, of those contacts feel truly meaningful and satisfying. Do you agree with this statement? Explain your response.

 

b. Do you think social media enhances or detracts from the possibility of meaningful connections?

 

c. According to the  Centers for Disease Control (CDC) , the rates of suicide in the United States, at all ages, continue to climb. What relationship do you think exists between a lack of meaningful relationships and the increase in suicide?

 

d. What could the local church do to create more meaningful interaction between people in the community?

 

4. Your initial post:

 

a. Should be 400 to 500 words.

 

5. Your postings should also:

 

a. Be well developed by providing clear answers with evidence of critical thinking.

 

b. Add greater depth to the discussion by introducing new ideas.

 

c. If you share outside links to articles, be sure to provide the full reference for each in your post.

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