That’s the question my local news reporter asked last night. Naturally I a) hung around on the couch long enough to hear the answer, and b) thought I would hear something related to Obama’s stance on mental health legislation.
Instead, what I heard was a local therapist discussing the stress-reducing benefits of Obama’s motivating and inspiring speeches.
Curious.
The overall idea was that, during such depressing and discouraging times, Obama’s talks about change help Americans feel more hopeful and at ease.
I’ll admit that I’m one of the many Americans who feels a bit more mentally (and even physically) relaxed when I listen to him talk; however, there’s only one man in this world whose words have the power to really calm me down – with no questions asked – and Barack Obama ain’t him. I need to see these changes before my stress will really leave; until then, Obama’s smooth words are just Band-Aids. Maybe Band-Aids with a dose or two of Prozac in them, kind of like those Band-Aids that have antibiotic oinments in them. Haha, get it?
Anyway…
What do you think? Has listening to Barack Obama’s speeches helped alleviate any of your stress? Do his words calm you and make you feel hopeful for the future, or are you grateful for his optimism but still holding out for results?
Even a mention of Obama–which is hard to get away from now that he’s president–sends my stress levels soaring. I try to be calm and open minded, really I do…but things are going exactly how I predicted they would go, and that’s not a good thing.
However, Obama himself deals with stress by smoking and playing basketball…a negative and apositive. Maybe they even out. I don’t do either…
@ bill – I’m excited and anxious to see how everything plays out.
[...] Is Barack Obama helping reduce stress? Alicia at Mental Health Notes explores this idea. [...]
Barack makes me feel that he *thinks* about the issues. I don’t think he’ll be optimistic until he has good cause. I draw comfort from his sober intellectual analysis, his demeanor, and his eloquence.
Too right you are, Mark. I don’t think I would have made it this far in life (and still be as sane as I am) without some level of hope.
Two things – both related to hope…
The current administration will be gone shortly and a new one will be taking its place.
The key word is hope. I can hang my hat on hope for now because before Obama hope was fading fast.