Congratulations, you survived 2016! But its 2017 and you’re still feeling anxiety. What gives? Feeling anxious, conflicted and uncertain has become increasingly intertwined with the fabric of our daily lives. Those more perceptive of their changes in mood report an increasing awareness of their feeling of inner tension and stress. What is the remedy? Recalling past times when you have effectively implemented coping skills during times of adversity can decrease fear and anxiety. What follows are the personal accounts of the residents of Maryland regarding their unexpected encounter with the forces of Mother Nature.
The State of Uncertainty
Can you remember the summer of 2011? The the people of Maryland can. They survived a 5.8 magnitude earthquake on the 23rd of August 2011. For many, it was their first earthquake and they were engulfed with anxiety and fear. But a person living in California wouldn’t have been overwhelmed. That’s because California has a long history of surviving earthquakes. Thus a Californian would tell the story quite differently. Marylanders did not quite welcome their opportunity to experience a West Coast lifestyle with the earthquake. A sunny afternoon, the earth moving and shaking for 28 seconds was not the sort of experience they could ever imagine. Buildings shook, windows rattled and dogs howled on that unimaginable day.
Dealing with Fear
What were you doing on the day of the earthquake? For a long time, this conversation starter was the preferred way to break the ice. Many lost cell phone reception and stood baffled being completely disconnected. Finally, after the quake, the much-anticipated arrival of “normal life” was greeted with the arrival of Hurricane Irene, another potential disaster. Suddenly, warnings of flooding and power outages filled the news. Footage of roaring ocean waves ripping through the land created a real time science fiction-like reality. Images of New York City and its bustling streets and subways brought to a halt, invoking fear and worry in many.
Overcoming Anxiety
Who was the best equipped to deal with these unexpected life events? Those who can quickly curtail their fear of the unknown, are better able to withstand life’s challenges. No one can control Mother Nature.The best one can do is to be prepared. Many individuals who are pre-wired to respond highly emotionally to life events had to work harder to control themselves during these occurrences. Incorporating stress management into your life, can drastically reduce negative responses to life’s challenges.
Brain Prescription to Reduce Stress
Stress management would be equally common if the brain got the same respect as the heart. I often remind patients that brain prescriptions are equal to heart prescriptions. During a typical office visit with a cardiologist, inquiries into symptoms related to heart disease such as shortness of breath and chest pain are standard procedures. Fears about sudden death syndrome would provoke questions about additional treatments; especially if additional medication could improve heart function.The cardiologist would verbally remind that stress management is the key to good heart health. An explanation about stress hormones being toxic for the heart would be delivered, followed by the need to identify coping strategies for dealing with stressful lifestyles.
Later enters Dr. Durruthy, the psychiatrist who suggests to her patients that medication may provide both symptom relief from debilitating physical symptoms and improved emotional reactions. Questions regarding the need for prescribed medications are encountered. Suggestions of talk psychotherapy to reduce their dysfunctional emotional responses to life situations would be immediately resisted. Lifestyle change recommendations of exercise and better nutrition are ignored. The idea of incorporating a life practice of mindfulness, meditation, yoga or revisiting their spiritual belief would be booed.The bottom line is that there is no time or money to devote to brain health and wellness.
Self-Care
The experience of ongoing anxiety and uncertainty is very different than an unexpected one time environmental disaster. Recalling your emotional response prior to natural disasters is a reminder of the importance of stress management. Bad news is unpredictable. Humans are pre-wired to respond to perceived danger with a surge of stress hormones. Both self awareness and self management is vital during these periods of uncertainty in 2017. Welcome the opportunity to ground yourself with a renewed life practice of mind and body wellness. This decision to self-care will facilitate your ability to effectively modify your stress response.You can’t control what happens in your life, but you certainly can control how you respond to it.