In today’s challenging economy, it’s not unusual to know someone who’s facing tough times. I can think of at least three friends across the country who have either lost jobs due to downsizing or who are struggling with financial challenges.
When you add in financial worries to daily stress and family responsibilities, the potential for poor mental and physical health is even greater. For families, especially, it’s important to find strategies and activities that will help relieve stress before it leads to health problems.
According to Dr. Jon Crook, a licensed family therapist, there are key ways families can tackle financially challenging times:
Be Proactive: Start by acknowledging your financial situation clearly and truthfully to yourself. Do not dramatize, but do not minimize.
Identify What is Essential for Your Family: Be sure you define the “nice to haves” and “must haves.”
Identify Actions You Can Take: Focus on the things you can control, such as discretionary spending and your attitude.
Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle: Find activities that can help reduce stress and increase family interaction, like eating at home, hosting a family movie night, taking family hikes or playing board games.
Volunteer with Your Family: By learning about others’ struggles and seeing their gratitude, you help your family focus on the abundance of their lives and the importance of generosity and thankfulness in difficult times.
Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help
Most importantly, there’s no shame in seeking help. Reach out to family and friends, local support groups and churches. Additionally, companies like LifeSynch offer confidential 24-hour crisis counseling services to help their members deal with mounting anxiety and stress. A service like this might be offered through your company’s employee assistance program (EAP) at no cost to you. Financial information is also available through free work/life services offered through many employers.
Read the Full Article
Read the full article by Dr. Crook, who serves as clinical director for LifeSynch’s employee assistance program (EAP). LifeSynch is a Humana subsidiary providing behavioral healthcare for 10 million members.
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