Stressed and Worried? Build a Tool Box to Cope « Pain Management and Migraine Relief

Whether it’s reading the news or listening to frequent discussions around us, we can’t ignore the state of our current economy. People reviewing investments feel the urgency and panic that go with the realization of hard-earned money being lost. People who live on those financial resources realize they are quickly reaching a point of “no available funds.”

Retirement plans dwindle and Social Security funds are being eaten up quickly, leaving those who have yet to reach retirement age wondering if we will have anything to count on when we do. The most strategic retirement plans continue to leave people ill-prepared for retirement during the financial crisis. People all around are filing bankruptcy, losing their homes to foreclosure, and wondering where they will go and what they will do.

Coping with the stress and worry of life is hard enough for people in relatively good health. For those with chronic pain and physical limitations, it can lead to increased pain symptoms and decreased ability to cope with them.

I strongly encourage you to reach out to someone to discuss concerns. Find a close friend or join an online chat group of people experiencing similar situations and support each other. Start writing a journal, either online or in a notebook. Sometimes it helps to get your thoughts and concerns out on paper so you can visualize them. It helps to keep them from swimming around in your head all night long.

If you find yourself in a crisis situation, find a counselor to speak with. In the meantime, list your situation in your notebook. Ask yourself if there is anything you can do to help the situation. If so, start writing down the steps you can take. If not, then the issue becomes locating someone who might be able to help or some how realizing the situation for what it is and work with it. Call on family and friends for support and brainstorm with people about things. Sometimes people can suggest options we might not consider on our own. Try not to be hard on yourself. The economy is not your fault. It is what it is. The important thing is to do the best with what you have.

Photo Credit: German Meyer

To help with the physical pain and symptoms, try to be kind to yourself. Take a bubble bath. If the doctor says using Epsom salts is ok, add some to your bath water to help with inflammation. Pace yourself. Try not to overdo. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. This is not a time for being proud and ego-centered.

Are there anythings you have found helpful in coping with the issues of life? If so, please share them on either my Pain Management or Migraine message board here on WebMD. Start your post with “Coping Tool Box” so we can find your post and respond. Let’s see how we can add to our pain and stress management tool boxes together.

Most respectfully,

Indie