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How To Fix The Mental Health Crisis

No One Is Talking About

Hey Friend,

This last week has been an absolute firestorm of headlines, emotion, rage, and—for many—sadness.

I’ve watched neighbors and family members go after each other with a level of division and relational/mental health degradation I haven’t seen before.

On Saturday, I shared a video on my social channels about what I believe is the real mental-health crisis no one’s addressing—and how to fix it.

It’s the crisis fueling rage, depression, anxiety, and division across our communities.

In this Tuesday Deep Dive, I’ll explain what I’m seeing as a coach and lay out a clear, step-by-step plan to walk ourselves out of this mess with a handful of personal changes.

I hope you’ll read to the end—and pass it to someone you care about.

The Real Crisis No One Sees

The world is fixated on the wrong things. We’re glued to violence in the headlines and locked on to “issues” we believe will fix everything.

But from the coach’s chair, I see something different:

A rapid degradation of mental and physical health on both sides of the political divide—driven less by world events and more by our daily habits.

What I see in the most vocal and outraged among us is an extreme imbalance:

• Toxic media overconsumption (political reels, memes, commentary)

• Sedentary living and isolation

• Little to no strength training

• Poor diet and stress/emotional eating

• Alcohol (and other numbing habits)

The result? People who are deeply anxious, angry, depressed, physically unwell—and increasingly disconnected from friends, family, coworkers, and neighbors.

And this is happening on BOTH sides of the "political aisle".

The Real Cause

There is a third party in the room and it isn’t your neighbor who votes differently—it’s the entire media industry.

Remember: news outlets, social platforms, and many “journalism” brands are for-profit.

Their mandate is engagement, and their goal is to get keep you binging their content or on their platform.  

Algorithms discover that highly negative, polarizing content gets the most clicks, comments, and watch time—so that’s what you see.

Truth is optional; stickiness to keep you binging is everything.

This creates a toxic feedback loop that so many are stuck inside:

• You’re shown the worst fringe of the “other side.”

• Narratives and headlines get bent for clicks.

• You doom-scroll, fueling more rage and fear.

• Over time, this is a kind of brainwashing: you start believing your loved ones are the extreme caricatures you see online.

In reality, most of us want the same basic things: a safe home, meaningful work, and a healthy family.

We’re far more alike than the algorithms imply, but they don't care about that.  They don't care about you.

The Solution

We have to step off the merry-go-round.

Unplug from all of this toxic and negative or issues based media long enough for our hearts and minds to recalibrate to reality—where, yes, there are problems, but life is not the nonstop crisis the feeds portray.

Step 1 — Unplug for 90 Days From ALL Political & Negative Content

Go cold-turkey if you can. If you won’t, cap it at 10 minutes max per day for all political news, commentary, and negativity (including “regular people” ranting on social media).

You need to dial the influence down to a trickle so your nervous system can heal.

• 30 days helps massively.

• 60 days is better.

• 90 days is life-changing—and you may not want to go back.

“But Matt, I can’t put my head in the sand—who will fight for these causes?”

Most of us aren’t in any position of real political leadership or otherwise where we can have any REAL impact.  

All the doom scrolling, sharing, commenting, arguing, insult hurling, name calling, preaching, etc...

It changes nothing...zero real positive impact.

But it does degrade your health, your relationships, and your reputation.

If your current approach hasn’t helped in months (or years), what do you really have to lose?

Disconnect. Let yourself heal. Reconnect with real life and real people.

That’s Step 1.

Step 2 — Fill the Space with Positive, Healthy Habits

Replace the time you spent scrolling, arguing, and ruminating with habits that enrich your life:

• Move your body: walk, jog, run, bike—daily.

• Strength train: build capability and resilience.

• Eat real food: stop stress-eating junk.

• Sleep: off screens, in bed early; wake early on purpose.

• Morning practices: pray, read, meditate, journal.

• Upgrade inputs: swap all negative media for growth-focused books, podcasts, courses, devotionals, coaching, and encouraging communities.

Do this for a week and you’ll feel different.

Do it for 30 days and you’ll feel like a new person.

Do it for 90 days and your life will be changed.

Step 3 — Put Love & Inspiration Into the World

Stop spreading toxicity. Start sharing encouragement:

• Kind words, gratitude, hopeful stories

• Uplifting songs, memes, and messages

• Resources that heal and build—not divide

We tend to get back what we put out.

The more love and inspiration you share, the more you’ll see reflected back to you.

Conclusion

This isn’t the newsletter I wanted to write, but it’s the one we need.

Whether you’re red or blue (or neither), I hope you’ll join me in this reset.

If you do, you’ll quickly see that the political “aisle” is mostly a mirage—and that most people in your real, actual life want what you want.

Let’s stop being played by platforms that profit from our rage and despair.

We’re better than that. You are better than that.

Let’s be better—together.

— Coach Matt

When you're ready, here's how I can help:

If you're looking to lose weight sustainably while building a flexible lifestyle that you enjoy, I can help.   Apply for coaching here in the Healthy & Whole Mentorship Program.  

Disclaimer: This email is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute providing medical advice or professional services. The information provided should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, and those seeking personal medical advice should consult with a licensed physician.