Stress, It's not just in your head

Generally I work a few days weekly in long term care settings and I am acutely aware of the stress that both residents and staff are probably feeling right now. So today when I came across this post on one of my professional listservs, I couldn’t help but share. It, of course, fits the stress of staff and residents in that setting, but more generally it fits the rest of us too.

(Reposting with permission)

Stress is not a psychological thing. It is a chemical thing. In sufficient quantities, stress chemicals have adverse effects including over-riding our common sense and intellect, and driving us toward more primitive and less civilized behaviors such as fight or flight. Constant change, social isolation, fear, and uncertainty keep stress chemicals flowing through our brains and bodies at much higher levels than we are used to managing.

 

In these particularly trying times we must think twice before acting or reacting. Auto-pilot doesn’t work so well at these times.

 

Fortunately, there are relatively simple things we can do to switch off of auto-pilot and re-capture control of our actions. One particularly helpful step stands out. Before you act or react, ask yourself if what you are about to say or do is what you would have said or done three months ago before the virus? Simply stopping to ask this one question puts you back in control of your actions and helps you be faithful to who you really are.

 

Here are some warning signs that stress chemistry has taken the wheel and is driving you more than your own normal personality.  

 Signs you are in          Fight Mode

  • Irritability

  • Blaming

  • Criticizing

  • Gossiping

  • Selfishness

  • Less empathy

  • Excessive information seeking

Signs you are in        Flight Mode

  • Hoarding

  • Alcohol or other drugs

  • Difficulty Concentrating

  • Feeling exhausted

  • Changes in sleep

  • Avoiding people

  • Avoiding tasks

Signs you are in Self-Control

  • Enjoy time with others

  • Forward looking

  • Proactive

  • Productive

  • Sleep and appetite normal

  • Find the positive

  • Energy goes to productive solutions

Michael B. Spellman, Ph.D.

Behavioral Health Management Consultants

The World Has Changed and You're Probably Feeling It

It doesn’t matter where in the world you live right now, things are, well, different. Many places are sheltering in place at home and almost everyone is (or should be) practicing social distancing. Your long awaited spring getaway was likely cancelled and your summer vacation may not come to be. You might be working from home and feeling the strain of disruption in your daily activities and routines. You might wonder how long your current toilet paper stash will last (strangely in the new world, there is an app for that)…It’s a new world and most people are at least a little stressed as we adapt to these new changes.

Our favorite recent article about this is here