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Lucas Presson

Lucas Presson is the assistant publisher of the Southeast Missourian.

Opinion

Gallup says this is a leading indicator of excellent mental health

In March 2020, as lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic began and individuals started taking virus-related precautions, I was in the camp more prone to play it safe.

A Florida trip to watch the St. Louis Cardinals play in spring training was canceled. I started working remotely. Did the curbside pickup option for groceries and drive-through for restaurants. I pre-recorded a piano selection for a wedding to avoid a crowd. And church online became my default instead of attending services in person.

As the months went on, I started to moderate more of my activities to be less restrictive. Still, I social distanced and wore a face mask in public.

Shortly before Christmas, it felt like I was coming down with a sinus infection. But it wasn't. I tested positive for COVID-19. Thankfully, this was a relatively mild case. Congestion. Horrible headache. But there were no major breathing problems. I was wiped out for a couple days and then back to working remotely for the rest of the quarantine.

At the start of this year, COVID-free and knowing I had at least 90 days of immunity, I returned to in-person church services. Keep in mind, I regularly watched services by livestream over the previous nine months. But returning to church service, in person and where I regularly play piano, was good for me in many ways.

It turns out I'm not alone in that department.

Since 2001, Gallup has polled Americans on their mental or emotional wellbeing. In most years, individuals who rated their mental health as excellent or good was 81% to 89%. This year, the number was 76% -- 34% excellent and 42% good.

The clear distinction for 2020 is no doubt related to COVID-19. But the numbers are pretty interesting when you take a deeper look.

Gallup broke the data down between gender, political party affiliation, race, marital status, age, household income and religious service attendance.

In each category except one, the change from 2019 to 2020 of those who rate their mental health as excellent dropped, with some dropping more than others.

The one category that didn't decrease: those who attend a religious service weekly. In 2019, 42% of those who attend a religious service weekly rated their mental health as excellent. In 2020, the number went up to 46%.

Also noteworthy, 46% was the highest number of people in any category who ranked their mental health as excellent. The next closest was those who make more than $100,000 per year. And even that category dropped year over year from 57% in 2019 to 45% in 2020.

Don't get me wrong. I know there are folks who would love to be in church but who are at high risk for COVID-19. They're taking necessary precautions, and I completely understand. I did the same thing for much of 2020.

My church, like most, is taking significant precautions for those who attend in-person services. We're socially distanced and wear masks. Collection plates are no longer passed from person to person, and individualized elements for communion are now the norm. Still, for those who can't join us in person there is a virtual option through the livestream -- something my church didn't utilize until the pandemic made it a necessity.

Our attendance is reduced. Hopefully in-person church attendance returns once COVID is behind us.

I've heard some say that church online has become more convenient. But there's no equivalent to sitting in the pew, joining other believers in worship. I didn't realize how much I missed the experience until a few weeks ago. Make no mistake: Church is essential. I'm glad to be back.

Lucas Presson is assistant publisher of the Southeast Missourian.

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