Stress and Coping as a Balance

The past five weeks have placed unusual demands on us as a community and individuals. While earthquakes are a known part of life in Japan, the intensity of the earthquake on March 11th, sustained aftershocks, unprecedented damage of the tsunami in the Tohoku region, and ongoing concern with the nuclear power plant in Fukushima have tested our personal and collective abilities to cope.

On a positive note, the community rallied tremendously on March 11th and continues to pull together with various efforts to help the most devastated areas in the north. In many ways school is now back to normal, albeit with our priorities shifted more in the direction of appreciation for the safety, friendship, and community we are fortunate enough to share. The incredible cherry blossoms this year have further underscored nature’s dramatic continuum that includes this profound beauty, as well as, more threatening factors.

In spite of recent recovery and some return to normalcy, it would be naive to think we have been unaffected. A useful way of considering stress may be to think of it as a balancing act between the demands we are under and our perceived ability to manage those demands (Lazarus & Folkman, 1987). As the diagram below helps illustrate, when our perception of the demands exceeds our estimation of our ability to manage those demands, we find the “imbalance” stressful.

Under normal circumstances with schoolwork or other projects we try to reduce the demand to bring the stress scale back into balance. In the case of the natural forces of sustained aftershocks, future earthquakes or other unknowns, many factors are beyond our control and that can leave us feeling exposed and vulnerable.

While a situation of imbalance will effect all of us differently, some of the common signs you might experience personally or see in others could include irritability, aggressiveness, difficulty with concentration, disturbed sleep, changes in eating habits, social disengagement, and, particularly with children, regression into earlier developmental stages (Lazarus, Jimerson & Brock, 2003). With regard to these possibilities, the first thing to acknowledge is that we are incredibly resilient and that if any of the above or other reactions occur, they are normal and most likely to be temporary. The second thing to know is that while we cannot control earthquakes and aftershocks, there are some things we can all do to help increase our coping abilities.

Common SENSS Stress Control (Haley, 2009)

• Sleep – One of the best things we can do to increase our ability to cope with stressful events is to get enough sleep. Note that this doesn’t imply excess but means ‘just enough’ so that we can think clearly and function at an optimal level. One of the challenges of earthquakes is that they can disturb our sleep cycles so this may require a daily effort to be successful.
• Regular Exercise – Exercise has multiple benefits including a state of mental tranquility that can help bring us back into equilibrium after stressful periods, increased aerobic functioning and recovery that can help us rebound more quickly following stressful events, and a reduction of the level of stress hormones in the blood.
• Nutrition – Reduce caffeine and sugar consumption. Any stimulant, like caffeine, increases our level of arousal and can keep us on edge.  High levels of refined sugar consumption is believed to inhibit our ability to recover from stressful episodes. Increase Vitamin B intake either through consumption of vegetables rich in Vitamin B or through supplements. Vitamin B is utilized during recovery from stress so it is important to have it adequately available.
• Social Support – Interpersonal relationships can be great sources of comfort during difficult times. The difference between being alone during an aftershock or with others can be enormous. Virtual connections to others through Facebook and Twitter have also been very meaningful for some as they allow people to share impressions and reactions in real time.
• Stress Management – As we work to maintain some level of tranquility in the face of uncontrollable demands, it may be useful to consider how we attend to ourselves physiologically, cognitively, and behaviorally.
  • Relaxation exercises and techniques such as yoga, meditation, and massage can be very helpful in managing physiological responses to stress such as increased heart and respiration rates or restricted blood flow.
  • “Thinking positive” can help with cognitive aspects of stress management. Try to monitor yourself for negative repeating thoughts and substitute in more positive ideas. You can look to the wonders of spring or more inspiring stories in the news to help cultivate positive thinking .
  • Make an effort to slow down. When we are stressed we often speed everything up. Try walking slower, give yourself more time to complete routine tasks and evaluate your priorities to reduce the rush.

The demands we face will hopefully continue to reduce and allow our normal levels of coping strategies to be sufficient in maintaining balance. While they persist, however, it is important for us to remember that while we can’t control the tremors in the earth, we can help ourselves respond to them in ways that causes the least disruption to our lives by enacting some of the strategies listed above. If you have ongoing concerns about your well-being or the well-being of others please contact a trained mental health professional for additional support. – AC

Adam Clark is a school counselor at Yokohama International School in Yokohama, Japan. Find out more at http://whoisadamclark.com/who-is

References

Haley, T. (2009). Common senss stress control. Retrieved from http://www.drtanja.com/articles/common_senss_stress_control.shtml

Lazarus, R., & Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, appraisal, and coping. New York: Springer.

Lazarus, P.J., Jimerson, S.R., & Brock, S.E. (2003). Responding to natural disasters: helping children and families. Retrieved from http://www.nasponline.org/resources/crisis_safety/naturaldisaster_teams_ho.aspx

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