MONROE — Monroe is one of the many parts of the state to experience the coronavirus variants surging around the country. Certified nursing assistant Laurie Steiner, of Madison, had flashbacks of the anguish she felt seeing so many people suffer from COVID-19 at the beginning of the pandemic.
Many medical workers like her are exhausted from working through the pandemic. With variants straining short-staffed facilities across the country, some on the frontlines are experiencing added physical, mental and emotional stress.
“I’m not able to sleep some nights — thinking about going to work and what I might face,” Steiner said of caring for a rising number of COVID patients landing in the cardiac unit of a Madison, Wisconsin hospital. “I feel constant anxiety.”
What soothed her anxious thoughts in the early days of the pandemic continues to sustain her. She credits her faith as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses for helping her and other health care workers in her religious community endure the ongoing toll of the pandemic.
“Something that really helps me is from the Bible — thinking about the hope that it gives,” she said. “We’re going to see an end to people suffering.”
She also leans on fellow believers for support. “Sometimes it can be very draining at work,” Steiner said. “Being with friends helps me feel recharged.” Her family of faith reaches out to her through phone calls and Zoom meetings to strengthen her through the crises and encourage her to not give up.
American psychological and psychiatric associations, while not advocating or endorsing any specific religion, acknowledge the role spirituality and religious faith can play in coping with distress and trauma.
Lawrence Onoda, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist in Mission Hills, California, noted some ways spirituality can help, including giving people “a positive hope and meaning toward life, comfort by looking for answers and strength from a higher power, and a collective shared experience of support and community.”
Steiner enjoys passing along to others what has helped her. She joins friends online to write or call people in the community with a message of hope from the Scriptures.
She has also benefited from the collection of timely articles available on jw.org, the official website of Jehovah’s Witnesses, such as “How to Beat Pandemic Fatigue” and “What Does the Bible Say About Pandemics.”
“I love the website!” Steiner said. “I really appreciate the practical information.”
— Submitted for publication by Jehovah’s Witnesses United States of America
