Tips for Alleviating Increased Stress

With the increase in economic uncertainty comes an increase in stress levels. That stress can manifest itself as violence, or as mental or physical illness. 

A study done by Johns Hopkins University during the extended recession of the 1980s found a correlation between such economic factors as joblessness and the incidence of alcoholism, suicide and other mental health concerns. In fact, the study showed that each one percent increase in unemployment produced a 4.1 percent increase in suicide, a 5.7 increase in homicide; a 1.9 percent increase in heart disease, cirrhosis and other stress-related disorders, along with an increase in admissions to mental hospitals by 2.3 percent for women and 4.3 percent for men. 

An earlier John Hopkins study identified lawyers as the professionals most likely to suffer from depression and its effects.

With that information as background, the question is how to reduce stress and improve coping during the current economic crisis, when fear of job loss, failure to find another one or being in transition has the potential to create panic and paralysis.

The following are tips to help reduce stress:

• Breathe deeply.  Shallow breathing – what most people do under stress – reduces energy levels, mental alertness and confidence.
•  Understand how the dichotomy of “hurry up” and “be careful to avoid mistakes” can form the yin and yang of working wisely and efficiently.
• Realize which tasks are essential and which are not, creating “don’t do” lists as well as “to do” lists.

Here are some tips that will help increase resilience:

• Connect with others, especially family and friends who are supportive
• See crises as solvable problems by having short- and long-term goals and learning to deal with negative feelings
• Accept oneself and others, acknowledge strengths as well as weaknesses, keep values in line with actions
• Communicate effectively, verbally and non-verbally, listening and speaking
• Nurture a positive viewpoint while sleeping eight hours a night, eating three meals a day, exercising and cutting down on alcohol, caffeine and tobacco.
• Deal effectively with mistakes, treating them as opportunities for learning.

The ABA offers a variety of resources for dealing with stress and transition available at the Economic Recovery Resources Web site and at the ABA-CLE Career Counsel archive.

© 2009 American Bar Association