Tempest No Fear

[Hennie Jaffe]

Yeteven with a private explanation from Jesus, the disciples apparently still do not understand. The evidence that they do not understand is contained in our passage today. Jesus and the disciples are in the very same boat in which Jesus had been sitting and teaching the crowds, but when a storm blows up and the boat begins taking on water, the disciples panic and accuse Jesus of not caring about their welfare because he has been sleeping while they are facing this danger. If the disciples had truly understood Jesus and realized who he was, we can reasonably expect that they would have reacted differently to this situation.

In thinking about this it occurs to me there are two types of reactions we might have when someone is sleeping during a potentially dangerous situation. One is, to be alarmed by it. For example, it would be natural to respond with alarm in finding someone sleeping while driving, or perhaps sleeping while supposedly guarding a facility that is subject to attack.

The other response to someone being asleep during a seemingly dangerous situation is to be comforted by it. When someone has the confidence and the serenity of being able to sleep during a situation that is seemingly dangerous, we might be comforted and even persuaded that perhaps the danger is not as great as we thought. As a young boy, I learned from my dad not to be afraid of thunderstorms because my dad told me and showed me that he loves to sleep during thunderstorms. As I observed my dad sleeping peacefully while thunderstorms were raging, I learned not to be afraid of them, and I grew to love sleeping during thunderstorms myself.

We have all surely noticed how comforting it is to see someone sleeping serenely. There is something about sleeping, or the ability to sleep, that suggests an inner tranquility, an inner serenity or calm. There is something about being tranquil and serene in the midst of storms that suggests a sense of trust in God that negates anxiety and fear.

Getting back to our passage, the disciples clearly do not find comfort in the fact that Jesus is sleeping on a cushion in the stern while their boat is taking on water. In fact, they are distressed by it and they wake Jesus up to accuse him of not caring about what they see as their impending doom.

I think it must be because the disciples are finally realizing who this Jesus is. They finally seem to understand that Jesus is not merely human; he must also be divine. He is God. And to be in the actual presence of God is a very fearsome thing.

Now, as we seek after tranquility in our lives, we need to be aware that there is such a thing as false tranquility. We all know that there are pills you can take called, among other things, tranquilizers. They provide an artificial tranquility. That kind of tranquility is not real or lasting; in fact, it is dangerous. It leaves us incapable of functioning with all the fullness of our God-given faculties and senses.

That kind of tranquility is only good until the effect of the pill wears off; then we need to take another pill, and another and another to regain the feeling of tranquility. It should be obvious that is not the kind of tranquility we should pursue.

There is another kind of false tranquility, and that is the notion that as long as things are going well for us personally, we can blithely ignore the problems and needs of others in the world. That is a false form of tranquility that is not true to our calling as Christians. As baptized followers of Jesus Christ we are given power to resist evil, injustice and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves. Those words are in our baptism vows. Tranquility then for Christians is not to passively accept evil, injustice or oppression; we are empowered and called through our baptisms to resist those things in all their forms, whenever and wherever they exist.

But here is one word of caution about that. Before we go charging off to battle evil, injustice and oppression in the world, we had better first do a soul-check, to be sure we have the inner peace and tranquility that comes only from being right with God. We cannot presume to change the world for the better if our souls are not at peace with God. On the other hand, when we have peace with God, that is, when it is well with our souls, we can face evil, injustice, oppression and all the storms that life can throw at us with Spirit-filled tranquility, gentleness, strength and peace.

Fear is a normal and adaptive response. In animals, the subjective states of anxiety and fear (see Differentiating Between Anxiety & Fear) are presumed to exist when the pet exhibits behaviors, such as avoidance, whining, crying, trembling, shaking, or panting.

How is a normal fear differentiated from a phobia? Experiencing fear when lightning strikes outside is normal, and most people startle or jump in response. This type of response is normal in animals as well. However, if anxiety or fear manifests every time a dark cloud appears in the sky, the leaves rustle, or even at a certain time of the day, these reactions are more indicative of a phobia.

Anxiety is defined as a state of apprehension, uncertainty, and fear resulting from the anticipation of a realistic or fantasized threatening event or situation, often impairing physical and psychological functioning.3 Fear is defined as a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc, whether the threat is real or imagined.4

The most common examples of noise fear or phobia are thunder and fireworks; an estimated 49% of dogs show a significant fear response to firework noise.6 More subtle examples include noise from dishwashers, ceiling fans, plastic garbage bags, and home alarms.

An inciting cause may exist, such as a very severe storm or lightning strike. In patients where an event is not thought to be the cause, identifying another cause is, at best, a guess. This is an area that requires further investigation; for example, do certain dogs have a genetic predisposition to anxiety that increases the chance they will develop a fear or phobia?

Given the complex nature of storm phobia, however, treatment is challenging and requires intensive follow-up in some dogs. The dog may be responding to impossible-to-control stimuli, such as changes in barometric pressure, ionization, and lightning, making desensitization difficult.

In a study that evaluated the efficacy of the Storm Defender Cape (Figure), which reportedly has anti-static properties, 70% of owners reported some degree of improvement in their storm phobic dogs after the fourth use of the cape.9

Pheromone products can help dogs with noise and storm anxiety. Adaptil (ceva.us) contains a synthetic analogue of dog appeasing pheromone (DAP), which reportedly helps provide reassurance and comfort to puppies and dogs of all ages. One study showed that desensitization (using a sound CD) in combination with DAP helped dogs handle their fear of fireworks.11

For panic that many dogs experience during storms, a fast-acting benzodiazepine (ie, alprazolam, diazepam, lorazepam, clonazepam) can be given 30 to 60 minutes before the storm starts. Since owners cannot always be present during a storm, the benzodiazepine can be administered prior to the owner leaving the home if a storm is predicted. Additional doses can be administered as needed.

Trazodone, a serotonin antagonist reuptake inhibitor, can be effective used alone or in combination with either a SSRI, TCA, or benzodiazepine.12 Combination therapy between trazodone and a SSRI or TCA must be monitored carefully for serotonin syndrome, an unlikely (at recommended doses) but serious complication.

One study has shown that the combination of the botanical extracts Magnolia officinalis and Phellodendron amurense in Harmonease Chewable Tablets (harmoneasevet.com) is effective in dogs for the management of stress-related behaviors seen in storm phobia.13

While noise and storm phobias are common, they can be challenging to treat. It is best to address these cases using a multimodal approach, realizing that no one treatment will work every time in every dog.

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This painting is a little different than most of the work on my site. I was commissioned to paint the passage in the New Testament describing Christ calming the tempest. I wanted to use the painting to show the range of emotions, from fear on the far left, to faith on the right. The closer the disciples are to the Savior, the more they turn to him, the more their faith increases and fear is pushed away.

The man on the far left is trying to save himself, he cannot see Christ and is in darkness, afraid, looking out at the storm. The next two disciples, struggling with the rigging of the boat, are just starting to turn to Christ, though they are still engaged with trying to save themselves. They are looking towards Christ and their faith is growing. The man behind the mast was just a moment before grasping the sail, trying to right it. At this point he has let go, and is turning towards the Savior.

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