Weather woes

I’m pretty sure a collective groan went up around North Texas yesterday when the forecasters said the snow and ice storm was predicted to get worse not better. It likely got louder this morning when parents woke up to see their children’s schools canceled for the day. But for many this weather isn’t merely an inconvenience anymore but is turning into a health problem.

Texas Health Springwood Center of Allen has seen an increase in calls from people suffering from anxiety and depression-related problems since last week’s storm hit, said Scott Martin, LPC and coordinator of the Springwood center. Martin encourages individuals to remember that anxiety is a normal emotion and can frequently be a sign to slow down.

Martin offers the following tips for individuals. These are even things that can be done with children cooped up at home on a snow day from school.

•    Practice breathing exercises
o    Spend 3 seconds inhaling through nose and then 3 seconds exhaling through mouth
o    Repeat this breathing exercise 10 times, and you will instantly feel relaxed

•    Listen to music
o    Relax to your favorite tunes that transport you to another place and time.  Escape and think of nothing but the music, play songs that are positive and motivational to you.

•    Clean out the clutter
o    Clutter creates a sense of confusion, and by cleaning out some clutter around the house, you are essentially cleaning out the clutter from your mind.
 
•    Eat proper Nutrition
o    Healthy eating can assist with neutralizing anxiety
 
•    Exercise
o    Burns off excess energy created out of worry and boosts serotonin levels.  Can play Wee game with kids at home.

•    Practice self talk
o    A personal cognitive behavioral modification technique
o    “I can get through this one day of inclement weather, because I survived last week’s okay”
o    “I am going to be more prepared tomorrow than I was last week”

•    Lower your expectations of yourself and others during inclement weather days.

If you find that your anxiety or depression-related symptoms are too much to handle or are concerned that the symptoms are worsening, Texas Health Springwood offers free evaluations. Just call 817-355-7777.

And in the meantime enjoy the predictions of at least one weather forecaster who says this is likely the last storm we’ll face this month.