To Our Health Care Workers
We want to take some time to say THANK YOU!!!
We know what a toll the emotional stress may be taking on you at this time. In addition to the emotional stress, you are also taking on physical and other stress as well. You are wearing a face mask at work everyday no matter how it rips into your skin. You are distancing from loved ones more than anyone else because you know you are at a higher risk. You are exposing yourself to possible COVID-19 on a daily basis! You are risking your life everyday you go to work. And we want you to know that we appreciate you!!!
Here at Find Peace Counseling we also want you to know how this could be impacting your mental health, and what you can do about it!
Stress can appear in 3 different ways:
1. Acute Stress
2. Chronic Stress
3. Post Traumatic Stress
It could be helpful for you to learn about each of these and how you can combat them. It is natural for all of us to experience stress. However if we do not take care of ourselves that stress can escalate and the result could be Post Traumatic Stress.
Acute Stress
This is stress that you experience for a short period of time. It is uncomfortable and may lead to feelings of anxiety. You may experience some symptoms such as:
- Excessive sweating
- Increased heart rate
- Fidgeting
- Trouble focusing
- Feeling foggy
- Feeling sad or overwhelmed
- Upset stomach
- Increase or decrease appetite
What do you do to prevent it from getting worse?
- First of all you want to remember to breathe! Take deep breaths, in through your nose, and out through your mouth, counting to 4 on each breath.
- Take a break! Step outside and get some fresh air. Find another room where you can be alone for a minute. When we are experiencing excessive stress, we need to separate and allow ourselves time to regroup.
- Meditate. If this is something that you are familiar with, it can be very helpful to reduce stress and anxiety! If you are new to meditating, have no fear!
- Drink Water. Many of us do not get enough water. I can’t stress enough the importance of staying hydrated. It allows our body to function properly and our minds to stay clear.
- Do things you enjoy! When you are home or off work, don’t forget to take care of you! We all need to regenerate our batteries. Taking the time to do things for yourself helps you decompress from stress and feel more prepared to handle whatever life may throw at you!
Chronic Stress
This is stress that you experience over time. It often does not appear to have an end date in sight. Sometimes we do not recognize when we are experiencing acute stress. We just see it as normal. Then before you know it weeks and months have passed and the situation has not changed. This is what it feels like to experience chronic stress. If you are someone who works in an ER (with or without COVID-19) you likely experience chronic stress! You may experience all of the symptoms above plus:
- Irritable mood, angry outbursts or aggressive behavior
- Trouble in relationships
- Difficulty maintaining work life balance
- Feel as if you are taking your work home or unable to disconnect when you leave work
- Frequently feeling fatigued
- Lack of motivation
What do you do to prevent it from getting worse?
All of the same things you would do for acute stress, plus a few more. It’s important to combat stress and not allow it to control your life. When stress controls you it begins to impact your physical health, as well as your mental health and interpersonal relationships. Not to mention STRESS IMPACTS YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM and we are all working to strengthen our immune system as much as possible during a pandemic!
- Talk to someone. It is important not just to connect with other people but to be able to share what you are experiencing. When we bottle up emotions, they fester inside and begin to control us. We need to be able to process our emotions and work towards healthier solutions!
- Implement a regular relaxation habit! This could be a yoga class, regular massage, getting your nails done, or attending a support group or therapy session. We all need time to relax and decompress. But when you are experiencing chronic stress its important to have chronic relaxation as well!
- Set boundaries and limits with other people. If you are experiencing chronic stress you are already taking in a large amount of stress on a regular basis. It can be difficult to then also take on your sister’s issues or your co-workers trouble with their partner. It’s not to say you can’t still be a good friend to others! Its just that you have a lot on your emotional plate. It’s important that you recognize that and set healthy limits so you are not taking on any unnecessary stress as well. **TIP** Try to give that sister or co-worker some of the advice you are reading here. These coping skills could work for managing any life stress, including theirs! You could also redirect them to journal their feelings if they need to vent, or to talk to someone else in their life who may have more emotional ability at this time.
It is not selfish to take care of yourself! Remember you can not pour from an empty cup!
Post Traumatic Stress
Post Traumatic Stress is a response someone has to a trauma they have experienced. As a health care worker, this may be the trauma of losing so many patients in a short period of time. Not knowing enough about the virus to be able to do more. Or losing your own coworkers, friends, or family. You may experience symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress months or even years after the event.
Post Traumatic Stress will look similar to other stresses in that you may feel anxiety symptoms and begin to have notable impacts on your personal life. However the impacts go deeper when it is post traumatic stress. The symptoms cause significant problems with work or social relationships and can interfere with your ability to complete daily tasks. Symptoms can vary over time or vary from person to person. In addition to the symptoms above, here are symptoms you may be feeling:
- Nightmares
- Trouble Sleeping
- Flashbacks or frequent memories of the traumatic event
- Difficulty completing daily tasks
- Avoiding thinking or talking about the trauma
- Avoiding people or places related to the trauma
- Negative thinking
- Frequently feeling depressed
- Negative thoughts about yourself, other people, or the world
- Hopelessness about the future
- Memory problems, including not remembering important aspects of the traumatic event
- Feeling detached from family and friends
- Lack of interest in activities you once enjoyed
- Difficulty experiencing positive emotions
- Feeling emotionally numb
- Being easily startled or frightened
- Always being on guard for danger
- Self-destructive behavior, such as drinking too much or driving too fast
- Overwhelming guilt or shame
What do you do to prevent it from getting worse?
If you have tried all of the techniques listed above and you are continuing to feel these symptoms, you may be suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). If you have disturbing thoughts and feelings about a traumatic event for more than a month, if they’re severe, or if you feel you’re having trouble getting your life back under control, you would benefit from talking to a professional. You can speak with your doctor, someone here at Find Peace Counseling, or any licensed mental health provider. Getting treatment as soon as possible can help prevent PTSD symptoms from getting worse!
If you have suicidal thoughts
If you or someone you know has suicidal thoughts, get help right away through one or more of these resources:
- Call a suicide hotline number — in the United States, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) to reach a trained counselor. Use that same number and press 1 to reach the Veterans Crisis Line.
- On Long Island call Long Island Crisis Center 516-679-1111 or chat with their crisis counselors online Long Island Crisis Center
If you feel like you are going to hurt yourself or someone else please call 911 or go to your local emergency room. Your life is important and you do not have to be defined by the traumas you have experienced!
Health Care Workers we hope you are doing well, despite this pandemic. We know this is difficult for you and we want you to know we care! Not just about doctors, but also nurses, janitors, lab technicians, everyone who has been working in the health care field throughout this global pandemic!
If you are not a health care worker but you know one, please share this message of thanks! And take a moment to let them know that you care, and you are here for them. It only takes a second to share a smile or text a sweet message!
