State of the Soul During a Stressful Time

The American Psychological Association (APA) reports that seven out of ten Americans are depressed, anxious and worried about our coming elections. 

I don’t think you would disagree with that percent if you have joined a family party recently where someone announces, “We don’t talk politics now when we’re together.”  Or, if you attend the usually friendly club to which you belong and the warning is palpable: everyone goes silent, or casts down their eyes, if you make the slightest political inference—even if you are discussing the book club choice.

I’ve been researching the APA lately seeking ways to help people who with sincerity and confusion simply do not know how to handle their anxiety this election time. These are people who ask what they can do spiritually and who wonder how and if they should help others prepare for Election Day—and its aftermath. These are people whose faith and usual reliance on God in times of anxiety makes them feel it is wrong to doubt providence or the will of God. They ask: Am I wrong to think this way at this time? 

Despite America’s long history of political imbroglios, we do not seem to have crested on such a sulfurous horizon where we are now with the flames threatening to consume our patriotism and perhaps even our Republic itself. The APA has been surveying and studying our American psyche for 125 years and I am willing to bet it has never experienced such anxiety as it does now and those past experiences included two world wars and other major wars, a presidential assassination, a presidential resignation, an attack on our land to cite a few examples that strained our national resolve and generated anxiety and fear. But here we are. We can debate the reasons for our anxiety, but the statistics are alarming. Take a look at some of the facts: 66% of us report being stressed and 65% exhausted by politics while 55% are angry. (I’m guessing some persons reported being in more than one of these categories.) Other national surveys indicate that close to one half adults claim politics as a source of personal stress. The top three stressors, according to the APA are: future of the nation, 77%; economy, 73%, and presidential character, 69%.   

The studies also claim that physical health is on a negative slide for many people during this political season. Kevin B. Smith, Ph.D. of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln writes, “This is coming from different scholars using different data, approaches, and measures, and it all triangulates on the same inference: Politics isn’t very good for us.” However, we must remember that people who report anxiety aren’t necessarily people with high levels of anxiety overall. We also know from research that alcohol consumption increased significantly after the 2016 election.

So, what can you and I do to balance our souls, to take on the head winds and not succumb to sinking into depression? Several psychologists suggest a cognitive reappraisal or an examination of your disposition and willingness to help in contributing what you can to keep the Republic intact and safe. Become politically involved they say. Join a local political group you are comfortable with. Political scientist, Matthew Feinberg, Ph.D., says cognitive reappraisal includes observing people who are admirable, compassionate, and inspiring. This can lead to volunteering as others do and reducing isolation and anger. Feinberg claims studies on these efforts are yielding positive results. And, finally, you can diminish the amount of time spent on social media, the exploitative carrion of bad politics. Be disciplined about this.

Reflection  

The Gospel of Matthew tells the story of Jesus climbing into a boat with his disciples and they take off – probably to fish. But Jesus heads for a lower part of the boat and promptly falls asleep, “soundly,” as Matthew says. As often happened on the Sea of Galilee, a storm soon whips up, without prior threat or warning. We know it is a sudden, unusually wild storm for there were no ominous warnings of its coming. The men on the boat have been in storms before and knew how to handle the fangs of an angry sea, but this storm seemed impossible to control. They are frightened and very, very anxious. They awaken Jesus with yells of “Lord, save us!” and “We are lost!” Imagine the panic in that boat. Jesus chides them, “Where is your courage? How little faith you have!” He then calms the storm and the disciples’ recoil in unbelief: “What sort of man is this who calms the wind and sea?” This story is also told in the Gospel of Mark. According to the scholars of the Jerome Biblical Commentary this story is one of the three miracles performed specifically for the benefit of the disciples. 

If we are believers and followers of Christ, it then falls to us to turn to God at this time and ask that the storm we are facing be calmed, and our majestic Ship of State find its moorings, straighten itself to take on the wind and rain of a raging sea and sail into the calm. So, let’s seriously consider what the APA suggests and a fourth objective which I have added: 

1. Volunteer to help in any event of your choice surrounding the elections. 
2. Reduce or eliminate social media for coverage of the pre-election. 
3. Observe or read admirable people who will provide insight and direction at this time. 
4. Set aside ample time each day for meditation and contemplative prayer that will help you create a soul of peace and a heart of openness.

I pray that each of you find comfort in doing something for our country as Election Day nears. Each of you is in my prayer, those of you who want to respond but cannot, those who respond in person, and those who are my Anonymous Angels sending meaningful notes that help me in my work. God bless all of you.