I equip people to serve God and others in a way that is both fruitful and sustainable. I do this through teaching, writing, and coaching. This newsletter is part of that work.
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1. Personal Update
2. FEATURE ARTICLE: 10 Things Mentally Strong People Do During a Pandemic Crisis
3. Quote of the Week
4. How to Share -- and Sign Up for this :-)
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Life is going well in many respects, but this is a difficult time. In addition to the challenges of ministry during the time of pandemic, my father passed away in May. Now my mom, who was living with him in a nursing home, has been diagnosed with COVID19, and we are concerned as her symptoms are progressing. We appreciate your kind thoughts and prayers!
Our church has started face-to-face worship services once again, utilitzing social distancing and masks to keep people as safe as possible. We are live-streaming our service ... if you'd like to get access to these services, with a reminder of the topic and then the link to use on Sunday to access the service, sign up here:
Be blessed!
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“If you feel like it's time to level up your game, and make a bigger difference -- this book will show you how. Mark is someone who knows what he's writing about. He's lived it, and he's helped equip leaders around the world to maximize their impact.”
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- Paula Rizzo
Media consultant, former Fox News producer, author of "Listfully Thinking"
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2. FEATURE ARTICLE: 10 Things Mentally Strong People Do During a Pandemic Crisis
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“Longer than an earthquake, a pandemic shakes your life and living."
- P.S. Jagadeesh Kumar
"If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself but to your own estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment."
- Marcus Aurelius
"Hope begins in the dark. The stubborn hope that if you just show up and try to do the right thing, the dawn will come. You wait and watch and work: you don’t give up."
- Anne Lamott
A mental health crisis in our country is brewing during the current pandemic. I've not seen many studies yet that verify this with data, but they are coming. Many people are struggling. Even before the coronavirus exploded around the world, experts were
talking about a mental health crisis in our country. I use the acronym ADA to identify today's three-headed mental-health monster: addiction, depression, and anxiety-related mental health challenges. The pandemic is making them worse.
Here are some numbers from recent reports:
- Alcohol sales have skyrocketed during the pandemic, according to the research firm Nielsen. Online alcohol sales were up by 243% in the seven-week period ending April 18 over the same period a year ago, and brick-and-mortar alcohol sales were up by 21% for the same period. (source)
- Nearly half of Americans report the coronavirus crisis is harming their mental health, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation poll. A federal emergency hotline for people in emotional distress registered a more than 1,000 percent increase in April compared with the same time last year." (source)
- The most robust recent nation-wide study I've seen so far shows evidence of "unprecedented trauma from the pandemic." The whole article is worth reading, but here's a synopsis: Researchers interviewed 808 adults from 27 states. 90% of respondents had one or more "traumatic stress symptoms." 27% met the diagnostic criteria for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). To put that in context, the national estimate is normally 5.3% of the population
with PTSD. In fact, for service men and women who were deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq, it's 7.6%. (source)
Just to be clear, the National Institute for Mental Health defines post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as "a disorder that develops in some people who have experienced a shocking, scary, or dangerous event. Fear triggers many split-second changes in the body to help defend against danger or to avoid it. This 'fight-or-flight' response is a typical reaction meant to protect a person from harm. Nearly everyone will experience a range of reactions after
trauma, yet most people recover from initial symptoms naturally. Those who continue to experience problems may be diagnosed with PTSD. People who have PTSD may feel stressed or frightened, even when they are not in danger."
An article in "The Hill," a politically oriented, public policy news magazine, sums up our current situation this way:
Experts warn that the United States is ill prepared for a coming mental health crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic….The problem is expected to get worse in the coming months as people begin to reckon with the emotional impacts of the pandemic, and experts say there may not be enough resources to help them.
(source)
So what can we do about all this? What can we do to protect our mental health during these hard times? I'm going to offer you a plan ... 10 practices that mentally strong people do during crisis times like these.
My list is inspired by an article in Psychology Today, which has great material, and is worth reading. But in my view, as helpful as it is, the article doesn't reckon with the importance of spiritual practices to help us overcome
our stresses and struggles. So, although I'm freely borrowing material from the article, I'm also editing, and adding my own perspectives as a Christian teacher.
Here are the 10 things that spiritually aware, mentally strong people are doing to keep themselves healthy, happy, and strong during these times:
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"We consider addiction a disease of isolation. Now we’re isolating all these people and expecting them to pick up the phone, get online, that sort of thing — and it may not work out so well.”
- Marvin Seppala, chief medical officer at Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation
4. How to Share ... and Sign Up for This Newsletter
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Please feel free to send this newsletter along to someone who might like it. Obviously you can just forward this email ... you can also send someone a link to the newsletter archive:
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I write and speak at events as director of Renew Resources. I also am leader and teacher at Bethel Church in Princeton, MN. If you're ever in the area, come join us on a Sunday morning! Places to find my writing:
The Recovery Journey
Check out my 90 Day program for starting (or renewing) your recovery from sexual addiction / compulsion called "The Recovery Journey". There's also a special program for the partners of addicts. Also check out my other Audio Product:
Read my latest book:
"Leaving Your
Mark Without Losing Your Mind"
This book focuses on the innate need we all have to make a difference with our lives ... and what gets in the way. Building a life of meaning and purpose is essential for our happiness, but many people get sidelined because of stress, overwhelm, and discouragement. This book will help you find strategies to overcome those challenges (and others).
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