Stress and the Economy

Economic turmoil such as the increased unemployment, foreclosures, loss of investments and other financial distress; can result in a series of negative health effects - both physical and mental. It can be particularly devastating to your emotional and mental well-being. Although each of us is affected differently by economic troubles, these problems can add tremendous stress, which in turn can substantially increase the risk for developing such problems as: depression, anxiety, compulsive behaviors (gambling, over eating, over spending) and substance abuse. Unfortunately, due to the recession, there are a lot of Americans, as well as people all over experiencing such problems.

 These are difficult to recognize in ourself; most of us have people we care about who have or are experiencing stress as a result of the current state of the economy. It is important to be aware of signs that financial problems may be affecting your emotional or mental well being; or that of someone you care about. According to the http://www.adaa.org/ or the Anxiety and Depression Association of America; These signs include: • Persistent Sadness/Crying • Excessive Anxiety • Lack of Sleep/Constant Fatigue • Excessive Irritability/Anger • Increased drinking • Illicit drug use, including misuse of medications • Difficulty paying attention or staying focused • Apathy - not caring about things that are usually important to you • Not being able to function as well at work, school or home

Sometimes a person experiencing these symptoms is aware but feels helpless. There are ways of managing your stress. Trying to maintain a positive attitude by keeping things in perspective; retaining hope for the future will give positive promise. Rely on friends and family for emotional support and don’t keep your feelings bottled inside- engage in physical activities and hobbies which can relieve stress, and maybe try to develop a new employment skill.

Learning how to cope with your stress, or teaching loved ones how to cope with stress can making getting through the experience a much smoother process. I choose this topic because it is one that has personally affected me and is currently affecting me tremendously. Having a loved one repeatedly lose their job, can take a toll not only on your loved ones but on yourself. Seeking information on how to make improvements has helped me. I have used these methods on myself as a supporter of an individual who is experiencing trememndous stress, I encourage these coping skills. I have referred to a video on youtube that has been helpful as well. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIVnEmlEAJU