SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 News) - The downturn in the economy is creating upheaval in the lives of Utah families. Many are feeling stressed by the potential for job loss, or the loss of jobs. Dr. Douglas Goldsmith says children are feeling it too. “Children are overhearing phone conversations, about work, about employment, and even starting to use the words about are we going to be poor? Are we going to go broke?”
The American Psychological Association reports a recent study shows nearly half of Americans say they are more stressed than they were a year ago, and one-third rated their stress level as extreme. Coping with that stress may mean developing new skills. Barry Rose of Valley Mental Health says “It’s a lot of doom and gloom right now and if you really spend all of the day looking at the news channels you are going to frighten yourself to death.” He says it’s important to continue habits that keep you healthy. He says pursue hobbies, volunteer in your community, and participate in activities where you are with other people. “A lot of people inappropriately cope, like isolate themselves, away from other people when they really need to be using their support system and talking to other people and getting support.”
Rose says reaching out to others will help create new coping mechanisms. “Those coping skills get eroded. They’ve used everything that they know that has worked in the past and they are not working now and so people get overwhelmed.” It is then, that people fall into despair and lose hope. “We can’t think that our life is over if we have had a loss. We need to be resilient. We need to be able to sort of reframe things in our mind that there are always positives with every negative.”
Dr. Goldsmith says it’s important to pass on that optimism to our children as well. “We have got to give kids a sense of optimism that this is a really bad time but we have been through bad times before, and we know that we will get through it.” He says children need reassurance that they will be taken care of. Goldsmith also recommends watching your children for signs of stress; changes in behavior, struggling to sleep, eating less. If there are dramatic changes in behavior it may mean your child has overheard, and internalized financial stress in your home, or from listening to the television. Goldsmith says talk to your children honestly and openly while letting them know that everything is going to be ok. “Talking about what our resources are and how I will keep doing my job as Mom or Dad or Grandma taking care of you.”
There are resources available for people who feel they need to talk things over. You can call the Hopeline at 1-800-SUICIDE, or the Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK.
