Another Silent Epidemic Sweeping Through Your Church
My daughter called me this week to report my seven-year-old granddaughter has been quarantined for the next 10 days due to exposure to COVID-19.
My heart immediately went out to Lauren because she loves school and will miss her friends. Plus, children her age have very little context for coping with the random uncertainty of things that should be routine, such as attending school daily.
Lauren’s story illustrates the current realities of the COVID-19 pandemic but hints at another less visible but definitely real silent epidemic sweeping across the United States. Its tentacles likely reach into your life, your family, your community, and your church as well.
We are in a national mental health crisis in America. The pandemic, contentious election, social unrest, and other factors have people stressed out, to state the situation in plain terms.
The annual Stress in America™ report by the American Psychological Association states plainly, “We are facing a national mental health crisis that could yield serious health and social consequences for years to come.”[i]
The report highlights the reality of heightened stress and strain for many right now:
70% of parents say family responsibilities are a significant source of stress in their life. The majority (63%) say the coronavirus pandemic made the 2019-20 school year extremely stressful for them.
More than 6 in 10 adults (63%) say the economy is a significant source of stress.
Among people of color, more than 2 in 5 (44%) report discrimination is a significant source of stress in their life, compared with 38% of people of color who said the same in 2019.
Around two-thirds of adults say that the current political climate (68%) or 2020 U.S. presidential election (68%) is a significant source of stress.
The group most significantly impacted?
Gen Z (ages 18 – 23) adults report the highest stress level during the prior month, on average, at 6.1 out of 10. For comparison, the reported stress level, on average, across all adults is 5.0.
Many of this age group say the rise in suicide rates (62%), widespread sexual harassment/assault reports in the news (i.e., the #metoo movement) (58%), or the change in abortion laws (50%) is a source of stress.
Nearly 8 in 10 Gen Z adults (79%) say the future of our nation is a significant source of stress in their life.
Leading stressed-out people during times of crisis, unrest, and rapid change requires special skills. It also requires greater attention to our own self-care.
Perhaps most importantly, crises create unique opportunities for ministry to people’s needs. You can hone your crisis leadership skills in my Crisis Leadership course. It will help you know you are maximizing the current crises in America (and around the world) for the benefit of God’s kingdom.
The APA report contains a number of practical suggestions on how to help people struggling under massive loads of stress. You may want to check it out.
In any case, as I thought of my granddaughter Lauren and the upset she is experiencing in her life, I recalled that Jesus, “took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.”
Perhaps a hug (at least, a virtual one) and some positive words would do the people around you some good right now, and not just the children!
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[i] This statement and other statistics quoted are from Stress in America™ 2020 retrieved on 10/23/2020 from https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2020/report-october
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