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Education > FAQ's > Coping with Stress
Coping with Current Events: Stress Relief
March 23, 2003
With the United States and its allies at war in the Middle East and stress, anxiety and anger levels increasing everywhere around the globe, it seems very appropriate to include some good stress relief tips and resources. If you have had difficulty simply sticking to your daily life schedule the past few days and have found it nearly impossible to include a workout or two since President Bush announced war against Saddam Hussein, you are not alone. Our thoughts are with each and every one of you, your families, and those in the Middle East as we all wrestle with grief, fear, anger, worry, and anxiety over what will happen in the near future. We invite you to treat yourself gently and explore some of the following options for relieving your stress and taking good care of yourself and your family.
BENEFITS OF EXERCISE
Try to remember that exercise is a healthy, healthful and lifelong habit that has many benefits, including 1) keeping you mentally alert and able to cope with difficulties as they arise; 2) keeping you physically sharp and capable of dealing with challenges; 3) reducing high levels of stress that can result from uncertainty; 4) providing you with a diversion from the bad news and painful images that have inundated us through media publications and television; and 5) affirming that you are indeed very much alive, free, and capable of making choices. Choose something that you really love to do, whether that is taking a walk to the park with your children, heading to the nearest martial arts, self defense or yoga studio, or hitting the pool for some solitary laps. Celebrate your exercise success with a refreshing cup of herbal tea or calming cocoa and a few bear hugs. Making an exercise commitment to someone else usually helps you keep on track for those days when you'd really rather do something else. Getting out for a snowshoe trip, sledding party, or hike can also be salve for the soul. You'll feel a lot better, and more capable of returning to some semblance of normalcy.
FAMILY TIME
Make it your number one priority to spend time on yourself and with your family. After all, nobody can take care of you and your loved ones better than you can! A great way to do this is to take a look at the entire week before you and block out several 30-minute chunks for ME TIME or FAMILY TIME -- meditation, exercise, stress reduction, relaxation, or conversation. By putting yourself into your appointment book, you may have more luck keeping up with your exercise program in times of extreme stress and sadness. Instead of turning on the War With Iraq news at 6 p.m. and reliving the awful images of the attacks, set aside that time for movement or family togetherness. Talk through your feelings. By helping another person come to terms with his or her stress and anxiety, you can often help yourself at the same time.
RELAXATION
Get plenty of rest. If you're having trouble sleeping, try doing something productive to take your mind off of the world events. Write in a journal about your concerns or worries. Do some research about what's going on so you have a better understanding of what’s happening and what you might do to help your community. Call a friend who can talk things through with you. Dance in your basement. Try a soothing bath or find the number of a masseuse for the next day. Turn on some comforting music and fully experience your feelings. Consider volunteering your time and energy to help others in the community, whether that means participating in a neighborhood vigil, helping kids in after school activities, attending peaceful rallies to show your support for the troops or protesting war (whatever side you choose) or visiting elderly in nursing homes. Try to remember the old saying: "That which does not kill us makes us stronger." Look for whatever good might come out of this whole experience (for you, yours, and humankind as a whole), and focus on it.
TAKE A BREAK
By all means, if you've been hitting your training hard, you may be due for a good break. Taking a mental break for a week or two and easing off the intensity for a few workouts may be the best strategy for regaining your motivation, energy, and spirit. Instead of beating yourself up over missed workouts, try to change what you are doing for the time being. If you can't face doing an hour of cardio, try getting in a few shorter 20-minute workouts. If you hate the thought of doing a workout at home, alone, invite a friend over. If your friends aren't making it to the gym, try a new exercise class. If there are too many people dealing with stress at the gym, try a workout outside. If you're working 12-hour shifts to catch up on lost time, or to avoid reality, take a mid-day break to go for a walk or stretch at your desk. Consider taking a relaxing yoga or other stretch class. Be gentle, but keep moving.
RECOGNIZE THESE QUESTIONS?
"I've always been able to stop after a few cookies (or chips, or crackers...), now I just keep eating. What can I do to get back on track with my program?"
"I just feel so tired lately, I get home and the last thing I want to do is a workout. How can I reclaim my energy?"
"I just don't have the motivation I had last summer, what's wrong with me? It's never been this hard to stick to the program before."
All of these are very common reactions to the added stress and anxiety we're all experiencing in tough times. Each of us is trying to cope with the changes in how we perceive our job security, personal safety, economic stability, and future plans. It will take some time for us to regain balance in our lives and redefine what "normal" means.
SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION
Experts say Americans experienced increased depression, anxiety, grief, anger and despair following the tragedy of 9/11/01. Now that so many troops are overseas in harm’s way, the anxiety is going to be increasing all over again. Below are a few symptoms you may experience that could be an indicator of depression. If you experience any four or five for an extended period of time, you may want to seek professional help.
- Persistent, sad, anxious or empty mood.
- Feelings of hopelessness or pessimism.
- Feelings of guilt, worthlessness or helplessness.
- Loss of interest or pleasure in ordinary activities.
- Decreased energy, a feeling of fatigue.
- Difficulty concentrating or making decisions.
- Restlessness or irritability.
- Inability to sleep, or sleeping excessively.
- Changes in appetite or weight; reaching more often for "comfort foods".
- Unexplained aches and pains, particularly in neck and shoulders or lower back.
COUNTERING DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY
If you feel tension building every time you turn on the news, try to make it difficult to turn the television on in the first place, by substituting a stress-relieving alternative. For example, take a walk, call a friend or loved one, take your dog to the park, soak in the hot tub, read an engaging novel, or test out a new recipe. TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF. Mentally. Physically. Emotionally. Nobody else can do these things. Staying active leaves you less time to dwell on the recent past. Regular exercise helps you feel physically and mentally better. Even if that means taking a daily walk around the neighborhood, the fresh air and thinking time can help you find creative solutions or simply let you clear your mind. Exercise can help boost your energy levels and also help you to get to sleep naturally at night without needing sleep aids. Laugh at a good comedy or try dancing to uplifting music. Exchange massages with your significant other.
Finally, consider doing something completely new and different that will require all of your focus and attention. Take a yoga class; explore tai chi or karate; investigate how you might contribute a few hours a month to a local volunteer group; write about your anger and fears in a journal, and then write down a list of your favorite past activities and choose one to schedule for the upcoming weekend; host a support group at your home; watch a sporting event and cheer for your favorite players; join a book club; see a good movie.
If after a few months you still feel anxious, worried, nervous or depressed, it may be worth your while to enlist professional help. Try calling 1-800-520-6373 or checking online at www.mentalhealthscreening.org.
To chat with others at various support groups, visit WebMD at
http://boards.health.msn.com/topic.asp?topic_id=1190 for MSNBC’s Homeland Security or terrorism issues, or http://boards.health.msn.com/topic.asp?topic_id=1058 for MSNBC’s anxiety support group. Our thoughts are with our fellow citizens as well as those overseas in harm’s way. May peace return to that region of the world swiftly.
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