Perry

Mark, one of the things that comes to mind as you made your presentation is the matter of identifying all of the relevant factors—nutrition, environment, healthy behaviors, racism. All of these different factors contribute to the stress load that society imposes on us.  But your comment about support is important. One of the factors that comes to my mind is the lack of support due to the rarity of intact family structures with good role models of both genders, and the establishment of value systems, work ethics. Things like that. I think that the impact of loss regarding something as basic as family structure is a real contributor to the inability of the community to provide support and help people cope with the stressors they find in their life.

The reality is that our environment is becoming more stressful.  I can reduce my stress by refusing to watch the news or deleting all of the political emails and text messages I get every day.  That is a stress for me. I get pissed off every time I get a text message to vote for some person: “Let’s stop the demise of our democracy by this evil person running for office.”  You don’t know what is real. These are just stressful words. The effort necessary to verify and validate facts and find out where is the right path (if one exists these days) is extraordinarily stressful. The support environment, as you mentioned Mark, is incredibly important. I think that loss of family structure and loss of family getting together is particularly troubling. That kind of social interaction is missing. Kids are getting their social interaction online.  This does not contribute positively to coping with stress.  I think this is something to which we don’t give sufficient credence.

Bill

It is interesting to note that the coach or pastor can be a substitute. This is what Mitch brought up last time.  It is not quite the same, but I assume that part of the role played by the supportive older person is a bit of a substitute for the absence of a father or mother.

Perry

Or the role of grandparent.  The involvement of grandparents with families is important. This is another opportunity for role models and the contribution of wisdom, context and perspectives. I just read the other day about something that fascinates me.  I have been aware for years that a majority of people who attend church are older women.  I haven’t seen much shift in that.  However, the article I read the other day indicates that the most rapidly growing population of churchgoers are young men.  I couldn’t believe that.  Now, I haven’t seen that in my own church, but if someone is counting more young men going to church, I think that is a major sociological trend change.  It is a trend that I never anticipated.  Maybe that is an indicator of young men looking for any support—even if it is going to church!