Stress
of War Can Depress You
E. Carol Webster, Ph.D.
Copyright © 2003
News reports from around the country confirm what psychologists are
seeing everyday:
people are feeling more stress because of fear about the war on Iraq. It doesn’t
matter whether you are pro- or anti-war, you can feel the effects of the
country’s conflict abroad and it can get you down. Keep it from
undermining your success at work and in your personal life by taking
action:
Recognize The Signs
Some people feel nervous, afraid, plagued by persistent worries about
what’s going to happen next. Their stress is shown in the ways you
typically think of, such as trembling, sweating, getting headaches,
stomachaches, or diarrhea, and being unable to relax and sleep.
Others complain of feeling down in the dumps, pessimistic and negative,
tired all the time, and spend a lot more time in the bed when they’re at
home — even though they don’t really feel
rested when they get up.
For some, the symptoms show themselves in work-related ways, such as
being late or calling in sick a lot, having trouble concentrating and
getting things done, missing important project deadlines and work
activities, or outright forgetting office policies, procedures, and
practices that they normally know by heart. These signs indicate that
stress is getting to you and is probably causing you to be less productive
at work and at home. In these bad economic times, this is not good.
It keeps you from moving forward in your career. Take steps to get this
stress under control.
Accept That Fear Is Normal
In times of war, it is perfectly normal to feel afraid. Fear is an
expected response to scary things and this fear is heightened when you
don’t know how things are going to turn out. Today, fears of terrorism
linger in the backdrop too, and so it’s quite understandable that you have
concerns about your safety and that of your family. Your tension will be
heightened if you have a relative in the military or know someone
personally who is engaged in the war effort. You also may feel more
stressed than others if you visit or live near a military base where war
issues predominate.
Don’t Add To Your Own Fear
It’s important to understand that you may be fueling your own fear if
you spend too much time watching television or Internet reports about the
war, listening to radio shows, or talking to other people about every
latest military move or attack in Iraq. There is such a thing as too much
information. It becomes negative over-stimulation after a point. You can
keep your fear manageable if you:
 | Calm jittery nerves by practicing your relaxation exercises,
meditating, or getting some type of exercise. Pent up stress can cause
you to feel exceptionally tired and even ill, so find an outlet for
getting rid of it. If you find yourself abusing alcohol or other drugs
to do this, get some help.
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| Ask your boss to bring in a stress management consultant to meet with
your department. This will allow the team to deal with war worries
together so that everyone can manage them better and keep them from
getting in the way at work. It’s a win for you and a win for the company.
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| Contact your Employee Assistance Program for help in coping with
your war worries or seek private counseling on your own. This will help
you keep rein on your fears and put your concerns about the war in
perspective so that you can feel some relief.
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| Get moving on your plans for the future. Sure, you feel that the war
could impact lots of things, but you can’t predict or control that, so
get back on track with the success goals you’ve set for yourself at work
and in your personal life. You can do something about those!
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