Politicians, Stress and Health

The Centers for Disease Control has noted that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused major stresses for both adults and children. On top of that, politicians continue to find ways to stress us out. Stress is dangerous and links to heart disease, diabetes, lung disease, and depression. In addition, Nobel Prize winner Elizabeth Blackburn has studied how stress leads to a shorter life. In her 2017 book (with Elissa Epel), The Telomere Effect, she reviews studies that have found that stress affects the length of telomeres which, in turn, affect how long we will live.

Telomeres are structures found at each end of our chromosomes and protect the chromosomes allowing them to reproduce without losing DNA and, ultimately, genes. When telomeres get too short, cells die in a process called apoptosis. Although there are no human telomere enhancement studies approved by FDA in the U.S., there are trials going on in other countries.

No matter how those studies turn out, stress, particularly excessive stress, is something that we need to conquer. One out of every three people report feeling extreme stress and three out of every four people experience stress affecting their physical and mental health. Half of us can’t sleep because of stress.

Some of the answers for reducing stress can be found in Blackburn’s book and include exercise, diet, meditation and changing how we approach challenging situations (try for a positive attitude). When I signed up for a meditation course two years ago, I was told to do it for a half an hour each day. If I found I didn’t have a half hour to spare, I should do it for an hour. I think meditation is helpful, and diet and exercise are important, but I want to pass on two easier paths to reducing stress that I received right before deciding to leave government and right after I began a new job at a non-profit (the Mercatus Center) in George Mason University.

The first came when I was trying to decide whether to leave the FDA. Retiring after 30 years would net a 60 percent pension; if I stayed for 10 more years, it would be 80 percent. At around the same time, the Center I was in had turned particularly ugly as managers were at each other’s throats. Our Director was new to the Center, and he decided to bring in industrial psychologists for each of us to bring some civility back. 

I resented it but went along anyway. During my conversations with the woman assigned to me, I told her I was struggling with the decision about leaving. She suggested doing something that has stayed with me. She said go somewhere where you are relaxed and leave your phone behind. For me, that was driving in the country. Then she said, make three lists: one list of things you want to do less of, one you want to do more of, and one you want to continue doing at about the same pace. I did that and I decided to leave the government the very second my 30 years was up.

When I got to my next job, I brought my government bureaucratic attitudes with me. One of the worst was being territorial. That’s when you try to protect your “turf” from people who are trying to take over your functions. I was doing that, and it nearly got me fired. My boss, the best one I had ever had, was only 27 years old but he told me something that worked for him. He called it “Best of Intentions.” When you perceive that someone is slighting you, or trying to undermine you, or have any reason to be upset with someone, start by assuming they have the best of intentions.

What you will ultimately realize is that most of the time people have the best of intentions but somehow don’t get it quite right. Doing that made me realize that I was working in an organization where everyone was trying to help and support everyone else (the exact opposite of FDA). 

I believe both of these things, periodically making those lists (about every six months) and assuming best of intentions, has lowered my stress levels. 

As for politicians, “Ne nothi tere te” (Don’t let the bastards grind you down).