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As Waters Rise, So Does Stress
May 10 2007
TIPS AND STRATEGIES ON HOW TO EMOTIONALLY COPE WITH POTENTIAL FLOODS
The reports of possible flooding through the B.C. Interior has put many people under high levels of duress and anxiety at the prospect of displacement, evacuation and damage to personal property.
"B.C. in particular has had a very difficult year with severe weather," said Rod Phillips, President and CEO of Shepell·fgi. "With reports of stalled storm systems, heavy snow packs and flooding predictions, its typical to expect people will experience reactions and interactions that while they seem to come out of nowhere are actually a very natural response."
While there is no right or wrong way to cope under these circumstances, some common responses are: Distraction, increased irritability, nightmares, verbal outbursts and a fear or reluctance to travel.
"The emotional strain of periods of uncertainty can affect everything from your sleep to your ability to concentrate on the job," says Gerry Smith, Vice President of Organizational Health. "This particular type of stress can manifest in many ways people can feel overwhelming sadness or feel anxiety or isolation but they can also feel nauseous, have night sweats and headaches and fatigue."
Smith says the best immediate way to deal with this kind of stress is to talk to friends and loved ones about the stress everyone is going through. "Talk, talk, talk. Not only talk to others, but encourage them to talk to you as well. Storytelling is the natural human way of processing stress and processing an event", says Smith. "It may seem simple, but communicating what were feeling, what were going through is our automatic coping mechanism and helps us a great deal." Other tips include avoiding alcohol or drugs, drinking lots of water and eating well, and if insomnia or nightmares are a problem to have a drink of water and read before trying to get back to sleep. "Unfortunately you cant stop the stressing factor in a flooding type of situation," says Smith. "But if you take small steps and remember to communicate, you can get through it."
For more information or an electronic copy of the study, please contact:
Rosalind Robertson
PR and Events Manager, Shepell·fgi
rrobertson@shepellfgi.com
Phone: (403) 294 0362
Mobile: (416) 558 3117
About Shepell·fgi and the Shepell·fgi Research Group
Shepell·fgi is Canadas leading provider of workplace health services, including prevention-focused Employee Assistance Programs. The company services over six million employees and their families across Canada, the United States and internationally. Shepell·fgi helps organizations maintain healthy employees and healthy workplaces.
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