Why the ancient Stoics have the answer to lockdown anxiety

During the reign of the emperor Marcus Aurelius (AD 161-80), the Roman empire was devastated by a terrifying pandemic, a disease which spread like wildfire through the empire’s global communications network.

The book Marcus wrote during those turbulent times, his Meditations, has exercised a particular appeal for readers in recent weeks; sales have increased 356 per cent - even more so (up 747 per cent) have those of another classic Stoic text, the Letters of Seneca, advisor to the emperor Nero.

What can a Roman emperor (or an emperor’s advisor) have to say that resonates so powerfully with the current mood? Like many other people, I’ve spent much of the last few weeks grappling with feelings of anxiety and powerlessness, deeply concerned at what the future may hold for my family and friends, for my students and colleagues, for our country, for the world. Despite his lofty position, Marcus Aurelius has much to offer all of us as we strive to find a route through our days, to come to terms with a deeply uncertain future.

The Roman Stoics are sometimes seen as the ultimate exponents of the stiff upper lip, all too likely to boom, "take it on the chin!" It’s true that Stoics advocate resilience, but they also make clear that resilience isn’t easy to achieve. Marcus, Seneca and another Stoic writer, Epictetus, offer detailed advice for dealing with life’s daily challenges, and for the painstaking cultivation of resilience in difficult times.

Above all, they stress the importance of distinguishing between what we cannot control in our lives and what we can. Whenever I feel anxious, I need to ask myself, "am I concerned with something I can control or with something beyond my control?" We must learn to accept that our plans may be thwarted by things beyond our control, Stoics insist. We can then focus our energy on those things which it is in our power to change, particularly on our own emotional state.

Making your bed every day really does make you feel better. Amid the almost overwhelming mass of advice currently on offer, some of the best concerns such apparently trivial activities. The emperor Marcus reports his struggle to get out of bed in the morning but he knows he must. Stoics recognised the value of daily routine.

A key feature of the Stoic schedule is morning or evening reflection on your day and your own emotions. They teach us to observe our own feelings with detachment, to think how we might have responded better to the day’s challenges, so that we are better equipped for tomorrow. This regular self-monitoring helps us to step back from irrational feelings, from wasting our emotional energy on anger or frustration at things beyond our control, cancelled plans, faltering internet connections, the lack of flour in the shops.