Fear Not
Franklin Delano Roosevelt (no relation to the name of our town and surrounding township) in his 1933 inaugural address, said, “This great Nation will endure as it has endured, will revive and will prosper. So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.”
The country was in the depths of the Great Depression. People were afraid of what was to come. To bring the country out of the Depression, bold actions were needed. Just as important, the people of the country needed to believe it was possible. Fear can indeed be paralyzing. And, when we are afraid, we make mistakes.
Nine years later, In February of 1942, two months after the Japanese Emperor ordered the bombing of the US Naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, fear of people of Japanese descent led this same president to order the forcible removal and internment of about 120,000 men, women, and children. At least two-thirds of these people were second or third-generation US citizens. The scale of this incarceration was way beyond the measures taken against German and Italian-Americans.
Prohibited from taking more than they could carry into the internment camps, many were forced to sell some or all of their property. The camps were surrounded by barbed wire fences and patrolled by armed guards. The families were forced to live in crowded and sparsely furnished barracks.
In the 1970s, under President Carter, an investigation resulted in findings that there was little evidence of Japanese disloyalty and concluded that the incarcerated had been the product of racism. President Reagan officially apologized and ordered reparations to each former detainee who was still alive. By 1992, the US government had disbursed more than $1.6 billion to 82,219 Japanese Americans.
When we are in a state of fear, our brains shift processing away from the rational part of our brains to the emotional center, the limbic system. According to Facty Health, this system releases adrenaline and cortisone, powerful natural chemicals and other hormones, preparing us for fight or flight to help us survive. Our heart races, our eyes dilate, our bodies tense.
What happens when this state of fear is prolonged? It can have an impact on our health. The presence of those same powerful chemicals no longer serves us well. We likely find we cannot relax. We might have bouts of anxiety and panic. Long-time exposure to these chemicals and hormones results in a weakened immune system, less able to fight off infections, viruses, or other illnesses. This can also lead to depression, near-constant feelings of sadness, moodiness, and fatigue. It can eventually lead to phobia or irrational fear of an object or situation. Over time, the bombardment of stress hormones can lead to serious damage to the heart and cardiovascular system. Fear can even impact memory. The brain is so busy getting ready to fight or flee that it doesn’t record memories as effectively.
Some people feed our fears to get us to react emotionally rather than rationally. We might not realize that we are making decisions based on fear rather than reason. We see an escalation in mental health crises. We also see an escalation in gun violence. We now realize that these things are connected.
More than 16 million adults in the USA had at least one major depressive episode within the last year. The World Health Organization estimates that 300 million people worldwide experience ongoing depression. While depression is treatable, only about half of those dealing with symptoms will seek out treatment. Some choose to self-medicate using alcohol or recreational drugs. These temporary fixes may cause symptoms to worsen.
What can we do? Stay active. Moving forward with work, leisure, or social activities helps improve our moods. Engage in stress-relieving activities such as swimming, biking, yoga, meditation, and deep-breathing exercises. These can effectively lower cortisol and decrease depressive symptoms. Get a good night’s sleep, starting with relaxing bedtime rituals. Yes, put down the smartphone! Eat healthy foods.
Connect with a mental health professional. If you break your leg, you see a doctor, right? If you have a chronic medical condition, you get medical help. The same goes for depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses. Therapy can help you return to a healthier life.
