This financial crisis is getting to be a real drag. Even people I know in very specialized fields who have never had problems getting work suddenly are. I, along with everyone else still getting a paycheque, knock on wood that we won’t be jobless tomorrow. And my heart breaks for those who’ve found themselves out of work and out of sorts.
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Yup, this is a health matter, all right.
Stress takes its toll, mentally and physically, particularly in situations like the economy gone amok, when individuals have so little real control over unfolding events. Here’s how to handle your worries.
“Ask yourself if your spending habits need a review. Don’t try to pay down all your debts at once keep a cushion. Don’t get into the habit of spending nothing on yourself. Give yourself extra treats never giving yourself anything can be depressing. Money talk is very intimate, and talking freely about money is one of our cultural taboos. Everybody feels the pressure of fear. Heart attacks are associated with high states of anxiety, hence the phenomenon of Monday-morning coronaries. We can think ourselves into a state of panic even if it’s not justified.”
STEPHEN VAN BEEK, psychotherapist, founder, Toronto Therapy Network
“It’s not what happens to us, but how we respond to what happens to us. Notice things in your life that you can view as being abundant. Did you get a free dinner, free transportation or advice this week? People don’t recognize that as abundance. But if you can get excited every time someone gives you something or does something for you, that excitement causes you to send more of the same positive vibration. People need to be more deliberate in celebrating abundance. Negative vibrations are caused by complaining, worrying, talking about what you don’t want.”
MICHAEL LOSIER, author of Law Of Attraction: The Science Of Attracting More Of What You Want And Less Of What You Don’t, Victoria, BC
“It’s the uncertainty that’s particularly potent in eliciting stress reactions, at least in vulnerable people. People who consider themselves secure may be less affected, though not immune. Chronic stress wears away at you. People react differently some get headaches, others high blood pressure or stomach problems. Talk about your issues with other people. Get a reality check. Talking about them makes you feel you’re not alone, and that helps maintain emotional equilibrium.”
LOUISE HAWKLEY, Center for Cognitive and Social Neuroscience, department of psychology, University of Chicago
“If you’re worried about whether you’re going to have a job tomorrow, update your resume and start spreading the news. Contact everybody: friends, family, business associates. Get that resume out so if you do lose a job, something will pan out. We’re all going back to basics. Everyone has defined themselves in a role – writer, accountant, engineer – but look at your other strengths and passions. Find a way to market your skills and knowledge. You can’t wait for the economy to get better.”
BRUNO LoGRECO, life coach, Toronto
“Worries about your own or loved ones’ job loss or losing a home can result in depression, anxiety, compulsive behaviours, substance abuse and increased risk of suicide. People need to be aware of the signs of significant stress. Are you eating and sleeping? Are you feeling aches and pains or having headaches? Are you short with your family? Do you care about things you’re supposed to care about? If problems are not addressed, lives can spiral downward very quickly.”
KATHRYN POWER, director, Center for Mental Health Services, Rockville, Maryland
