Mental and emotional health in unemployment

ANDThis Friday will be three weeks of the indefinite strike demanded by the census in 2023.

The uncertainty due to the situation of the department and the country, threats of confrontations and acts of violence, in addition to their own personal concerns, affect mental and emotional health of people: they generate stress, anxiety and even depression.

The psychologist Óscar Cabrera points out that this happens because thoughts and emotions are not separated from the context of people.

It is not the first time that people from Santa Cruz have experienced a similar situation.. In 2019 there was a 21-day strike, the following two years were marked by the covid-19 pandemic and this, again there was a confinement and the interruption of daily activities.

The psychologist Shakti Méndez indicates that the fact that it is not the first time of confinement can relive the trauma of past experiences and increase cases of stress and anxiety. However, and unlike the time of the pandemic, there is now more freedom to interact with other people and to leave the house, which is beneficial, details Cabrera.

Méndez states that if the person does not feel safe because, for example, they hear firecrackers exploding near their home, their brain will perceive the danger, but it will not differentiate that this person is not physically at risk, but rather that they feel they are. The brain will assume it as a real threat and will produce cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones prepare the person, explains the professional, to fight or run.

A permanent state of alert – the brain receives the signal that “something is going to happen” – causes anxiety, stress, generates tension and even depression.

Cabrera points out that the information about confrontations or threats of these also generate anxiety and that there are people more likely to be affected by uncertainty. However, he indicates, the more time passes, the more anxiety is generated.
But the realities are different for each person, and not all are affected in the same way, psychologists agree.

The confinement and the elevated levels of cortisol and adrenaline In some cases, they lead to an increase in family violence, Mendez points out. And Cabrera adds that the imbalance in the time shared by family members and that each one has at work or in the place of study also causes stress.

Addictions are likely to appear through the consumption of alcohol and drugs, since they are avoidant behaviors, explains Cabrera. The psychologist advises asking for professional help in these cases, the same if people have a history of anxiety disorder or depression, he recommends that they be in contact with their therapist. The same for couples who are experiencing problems. Méndez agrees, it is important to ask for professional help.

Cabrera indicates that the opportunity of unemployment can be used to carry out activities that could not be done before, such as more physical exercise, riding a bicycle and walking, since, by improving cardiovascular health, anxiety is reduced, the person feels happy and relax.

Méndez explains that, to counteract the production of cortisol and adrenaline, the body must raise oxytocin levels. This is achieved through physical contact, such as a hug, but also by listening to words of affection or encouragement. So it is important, he emphasizes, to resume human contact, look for family, friends and if distance is an inconvenience, he advises taking advantage of technology. The psychologist recognizes that it is not the same, because you cannot give or receive a hug, the connections, knowing that the person is not alone, is important.

Visit relatives, talk with neighbors, It is also a proposal from Cabrera, who considers it important not to isolate himself; he recommends increasing that human contact.

Carrying out activities that are valuable for each one is another piece of advice from specialists. They invite you to engage in a hobby, such as painting, growing plants, playing a musical instrument, writing, dancing, singing, doing crafts, etc.

Cabrera indicates that the fact that there is a ‘common struggle’, or activities that are stressful, but whose final objective is of value, is important, makes the confinement or the interruption of daily activities be perceived as minor.

Méndez focuses on empathy, on connecting with the other, before judging and getting angry. He advises treating others with kindness.