 | Dee Staudt, LMSW, LCAC is the director of Addiction Treatment Services for COMCARE of Sedgwick County. Dee has been working in the community as an advocate for social services and behavioral health for 18 years. If you would like to talk to a professional confidentially about addiction treatment, help is available by calling 316-660-7540 . COMCARE is the licensed Community Mental Health and Certified Substance Use Center in Wichita and Sedgwick County serving children, adolescents and adults. |
Family Health
2010-12-01 10:56:00
Mental health in tough economic times
Answer: Economic turmoil, such as increased unemployment, foreclosures, loss of investments and other financial distress can result in a host of negative health effects. It also can be particularly devastating to your emotional and mental well-being. Although each of us is affected differently by financial downturns, these problems can add tremendous stress, which can increase the risk for developing depression, anxiety and compulsive behaviors, such as over-eating and excessive gambling, spending and substance use.
Today’s economic crisis is taking its toll on the mental health of people all over the country. A study by the American Psychological Association revealed that 52 percent of Americans are lying awake at night worrying about finances.
The unemployed are four times more likely than those with jobs to report symptoms of depression or anxiety; and four in 10 out-of-work parents have noticed behavioral changes in their children that parents attribute to their own difficulty in finding work.
If you have been laid off from your job there are things you can do to help you manage your mental health. Strengthen your connections with family and friends who can provide important emotional support. Engage in activities, such as physical exercise, sports or hobbies that you enjoy, which can help relieve stress and anxiety. Keep your skills sharp or develop new ones and consider volunteering in your community.
Any type of stressful event, such as our current economic crisis or a job loss can impact our mental health. Feeling sad for a few days here and there is normal. Stressful situations can increase our risk of depression. Frequently, depression reveals itself in physical symptoms, such as headaches, gastrointestinal distress and sexual dysfunction. When you’re suffering from depression, you and others close to you may notice some of the following changes in your overall demeanor: increased irritability, sleep deprivation, anxiety, physical complaints and lack of motivation to complete tasks. The stress association with debt can also cause muscle tension, back pain, migraines, tension headaches, ulcers, severe anxiety and even heart attacks.
Sometimes these problems can seem overwhelming and you may need additional help to get through “rough patches.” Fortunately, there are professionals and services that can provide help. These may include a mental health professional, healthcare provider or spiritual leader. Unemployment and other kinds of financial distress do not “cause” suicide directly, but they can be factors that interact dynamically within individuals and affect their risk for suicide. In fact, thirteen percent of the unemployed population has self-harm thoughts – a rate four times higher than those with full-time jobs. If you or someone you care about is having suicidal thoughts SEEK IMMEDIATE HELP by calling the Suicide Prevention Hotline at 316-660-7500 or 9-1-1.
