Are you sleeping less soundly than you use to? Has your appetite changed – wanting more comfort food or can’t eat? Maybe your concentration is poor. Perhaps you have been watching television in search of any news about the economy. You are scared about yours and your family’s future. You have heard all the financial ways to handle the recession. Eat out less, buy what you need and not what you want, clear out credit card debt, save whatever money you can, leave your money in the stock market, take out your money in the stock market, don’t worry, worry, etc. All of the contradictory advice is enough to panic even the most stalwart person.

So, what can you do to keep your sanity during this time? You are not alone in feeling anxious and maybe a bit depressed. Keeping your sanity may be hard work. Why? Fear is contagious, according to both wives’ tales and research. We are a nation of fearful people right now. We identify with our jobs. “I am an attorney.” Or, “I am an accountant.” “I am a physician.” Or “I am my bank balance.” One way we express our uniqueness is through our work. Another way we find self esteem is by how much money we earn. What we must remember is that this is only one way to define our worth. We are not our career or job. or bank balance. We are far more than that. What is being affected when our career is threatened is one of our security needs; that is, our ability to finance safety in the form of shelter, clothing and food.

So the first way to keep your sanity is remembering that you are more than the title of your job. or a number in your checkbook register. If your job or position is threatened, you are still a creative problem solver who can develop back-up plans.

As I wrote, fear is contagious. The second way to survive is avoiding the fear flu. Now is the time to surround your self with optimistic people. I don’t mean pathologically cheerful people, such as the fictitious character, Pollyanna; but, people who see life as a challenge full of options. While finding such people might be a challenge, you probably know of a few. I’m fortunate that I know a few such people. Whenever I begin to waver in my outlook, I spend time with one of these people. You can recognize them by their sense of humor. They are not necessarily sarcastic; but, they do possess the ability to reframe problems in such a way that you end up laughing. And laughing is a great way to release stress!

I am not suggesting that you drop your pessimistic friends or friends who need support. I am pleading with you to find balance between the pessimistic or fearful person and the optimistic friend. Build up resilience by spending more time with the optimistic person; then you can be of help to the fearful friends. Support keeps you physically and psychologically healthy. Research has shown repeatedly that social support is associated with longer lives. Having someone to brainstorm about your options is monumental to your survival.

Third, limit your scanning the news for indications that the economy is getting better or worse. Dr. Andrew Weil, a noted physician, discusses taking holidays from the news. Again, balance is cautioned. You don’t need to be an ostrich; however, you don’t need to drown in the bad news. Being mindful of what you are allowing into your world helps you be resilient. Practicing healthy skepticism leads to realistic planning.

Fourth, take care of yourself. When we are stressed, the healthiest activities are often the ones to go first. Exercise is one of these activities. It is well known that those who exercise are stress hardier. They are more creative than those who don’t. AND they are healthier than those who don’t. Good nutrition rather than comfort eating is also important now more than ever. A side benefit of exercise and good nutrition are lower health costs!

Seven to eight hours of sleep is an essential survival skill during this time. Good sleep hygiene, such as consistent bed times, no activities in the bedroom other than sleep or sex, as well as limited caffeine and alcohol, helps you sleep. If you have sleep disturbances, seek out help from a psychologist.

A return to some old-fashioned socializing is another way to take care of yourself. Entertaining in your home – perhaps pot-luck dinners is a way to have fun. To be repetitive, social support is imperative at this time. While it might sound corny, playing games is another way to release tension.

Knitting is another activity that helps deal with stress by focusing your attention on the present. It’s difficult to be a Chicken Little when knitting or doing any activity such as this. Other examples include wood working, crocheting, sewing, or cooking a complicated recipe. Journalling is an excellent way to focus on the present. If you haven’t journaled, check out your local library on How To books. I like using a format of writing out my regrets of the day, my appreciations of the day, and what I want to improve for the next day.

Fifth, volunteer to help others. Find a way to spend time helping those not as fortunate. No matter what your situation, you can probably find someone who needs help. Teaching an adult to read, cleaning up at the Humane Society, or taking blankets to victims of fires for the Red Cross are ways to help. Volunteermatch.org is an organization that will tell you what is available in your area.

A caveat is in order: a consequence of helping others is a renewed focus on what is positive in your life. “An attitude of gratitude” is a slogan used in addiction recovery circles to remind members that focusing on what one has instead of what one envies keeps them healthy.

These are but a few ways to survive these challenging times. You can probably think of more techniques now that you are liberated from the fear and pessimism of the daily news. And now you have more time to create your future options! If you are having difficulty freeing yourself from the fear around you, seek out a psychologist who can help you break free of the unhealthy negativity.

Dr. Deb, or Debra Taylor-McGee, Ed.D., HSPP, is a licensed psychologist in private practice in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. She enjoys working with individuals and couples from all professions; however, she is especially fond of working with attorneys. Attorneys are highly verbal, information driven, and sometimes opinionated. Working with this group is challenging and rewarding. Once the attorney channels his or her drive into therapy, his or her transformation is tremendous!

Dr. Deb also enjoys working with adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. When they discover that they are not stupid or spacey, they soar. Dr. Deb has a number of clients who are financially stressed. While they are not necessarily debt laden, they have sabotaging beliefs about money and success.

Working with an ADHD attorney who keeps himself from being successful is her ideal client! You can contact her through her website, http://www.theattorneystherapist.com

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