Some on Frontlines Find Faith an Antidote

Gary North of Appleton, Wisconsin, has been treating COVID-19 patients as a registered nurse since the outbreak of the pandemic. “Came in one day, and they sectioned off one little part of our unit,” he said about the hospital’s initial surge. “A few days later, they sectioned off the whole unit.”

The Omicron variant has resulted in another large influx of patients. “Even our emergency room was housing patients,” he said, “until either somebody was discharged, or somebody passed away and we had a bed open up.”

Coworkers have also contracted the virus. “I’ve had probably 15 to 20 staff that I know who have been sick with COVID in just the last three weeks,” he said. In addition, because extended hospital stays for sick patients result in deeper nurse-patient bonds, he added: “It’s been difficult. You get really attached to people.”

Gary North of Appleton finds encouragement from jw.org

Many medical workers like North are exhausted and experiencing emotional stress from working through the pandemic. “I’ve had friends that work down in the ICU who’ve had to take time off because of PTSD,” North said. “Time off helps a little bit, but then you have to go right back.”

North credits his faith as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses for helping him endure the continuing emotional toll. Taking moments during the day to reflect on God’s promises for the future alleviates stress and helps him keep a positive outlook.

During breaks at work, North often goes online to jw.org, the official website of Jehovah’s Witnesses, to read practical articles like “How to Beat Pandemic Fatigue” or watch short comforting videos such as “The Resurrection – Soon a Reality.”

Keeping his focus on the Bible’s promise of better times to come, North can occasionally encourage others, as well. For example, he was recently able to comfort a coworker who lost her brother-in-law to the virus, leaving her sister and a 1-year-old behind.

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.”

North also uses his days off work to join friends on video conferencing to write letters together and call people in the community with a message of hope from the Bible. “Being able to focus on the positives with God’s Kingdom has helped to alleviate the stress,” he said.

Keeping a spiritual routine gives North a positive viewpoint despite the suffering he sees daily. “We have those promises that we can focus on,” he said. "They allow you to have that hope that this isn’t going to just keep going on forever.”

(For more information on gaining comfort through the scriptures, please see https://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/peace-happiness/real-hope-future-bible-promises/)