REDUCE THE TENSION

Last night, I was reflecting on some imagery used by Jim Hagerty, CEO and President of the Greater Omaha Better Business Bureau. At a gathering of community leaders, he asked, “What if all 653 alarms used for tornado warnings in Omaha were used as a PA system?” In one simultaneous broadcast to citizens, people could be asked to go out onto their porches, if they have felt alone, afraid, depressed, or angry at any time during the pandemic or in its aftermath.?Simply the ability to see each other, so many of us, on our porches, would be conclusive evidence that we are not alone, and in fact, that we are all in this together, and stand in support of each other.

This morning, I’m concerned that these warning alarms have not yet been repurposed and are continuously blaring. Alarm is keeping us in a perpetual state of high alert. The cortisol hormone, which is released during fight-or-flight moments, sharpens our perceptions, provides energy, and pumps blood quickly to our muscles in order for us to take action. Under normal circumstances, this influx of hormones, have little, if any, adverse effects on the body. However, prolonged stress weakens the immune system by decreasing the volume of lymphocytes circulating in the body. Being stretched and stressed out, with greater intensity, we become more and more susceptible to infections, memory loss, cardiovascular damage and even cancer.

Whether it’s the Killer Hornet, the Pandemic, Russia/Ukraine, the possibility of WWIII, and now coming to you soon, Roe vs. Wade II (probably on a Pay-Per-View channel), this alarming news is eating us up, from the inside out. We must discipline ourselves to see the good news in each other. Try setting your attitude each morning with a few minutes of gratitude. Simply tell yourself or express to a higher power what you are thankful for. During the day, become aware of your breathing. Inhale and exhale in a rhythmic flow. It will relax you! Try to incorporate a brisk walk or run into your day.?End your day reflecting on three things that went well during the day. They don’t need to be big things. Something like, “I was able to make my favorite sandwich” is just fine. The idea is to take charge of your mental and physical health. It doesn’t take long; it simply takes repetition.

42 years ago, as a mental health professional, I became familiar with some of the anatomy of the brain. Relevant to this particular article, is the Reticular Activating System (RAS), its function in the brain, and its evolutionary role in our species survival. A netlike group of cells, located in the base of the brain, the RAS alerts us to threats and values when they are present in our environment. We are more acutely aware of imminent danger, say to a mountain lion, than we are to, say a bunch of hunger satisfying berries. This prioritization is centered on surviving the moment. Unfortunately, marketers and news media outlets have learned to make sensationalizing danger in order to elevate their message an art-form. Remember, “If it bleeds, it leads?”

Today, with hundreds of platforms vying for our attention, it feels like you’re caught at a poker table in which contestants call each other’s fiascos, see each other’s crisis, and raise each other’s catastrophes. Next time you hear someone say, “existential threat,” do yourself a favor, get up and go for a walk or eat some berries. Be good to yourself!