These are very scary times– very few people have job security anymore; the stock market keeps fluctuating; we hear about riots in London; and signs of an economic recovery anytime soon are not readily available to anyone. Particularly for those who like to plan, the chaos we are living with today can cause a lot of anxiety.
Some people internalize their anxiety, others lash out. In my cases, I see a lot of the negative behaviors people engage in to relieve stress, such as drugs, alcohol and extra-marital affairs. Instead, of making matters worse, I would like to remind people of some very healthy coping mechanisms available to help relieve stress:
1. go work out or take a walk outside;
2. talk with your friends/colleagues/family;
3. get a 1 hour massage or other spa treatment;
4. decompress for 2 hours by watching a movie or reading a book;
5. take a mini-vacation.
If you find that despite all efforts to deal with stress, you are having problems focusing, eating, sleeping, or that your moods are incredibly volatile, you may want to seek professional help. Talking to a therapist when these symptoms arise is critical to preventing a major problem later down the line.
