Workplace stress is nothing new, but among the many lessons the past two years of pandemic living have underscored is the necessity of developing healthy coping strategies.
This is particularly true in the medical field where the stakes can be highest and grinding schedules can take a significant physical and emotional toll.
Compassion fatigue
For Krista Martin of Greenville’s M3 Counseling, helping medical professionals cope with stress is at the core of her practice as a social worker. She’s the only licensed counselor in the state who specializes in veterinary social work.
With recent studies indicating suicide rates among veterinarians are up to three times higher than the general population, Martin says stress in the field is omnipresent but not across-the-board negative. What that stress does to a person, whether in the medical or any other field, comes down to whether the person has effective coping skills.
“At the end of the day, we are not our best selves under tremendous stress and pressure,” she says.
While workplace stress is a reality in every profession, for caregivers in medical fields there’s also a phenomenon called “compassion fatigue.” This is the physical, emotional and psychological impact of helping others. The term entered the public’s awareness during the height of the pandemic, as physicians and medical staff across the country were inundated with COVID-19 cases.
For medical professionals, particularly veterinarians, there’s also something called “moral stress,” according to Martin. This is a situation where the person knows the solution or treatment for a problem but is unable to deliver it. For example, a veterinarian might recommend a needed course of treatment for a pet but the owner declines, for whatever reason.
“The biggest difference with moral stress, moral distress and compassion fatigue is that I can’t take a vacation to get away from that,” Martin says.
That’s because at the root of compassion fatigue and moral distress, the person experiencing it is hurting for others. Martin says dealing with that type of stress is much more problematic to address, even for people with good coping skills.
Connection is key
Dealing with stress in a healthy way starts with developing those coping skills.
Healthy coping skills start with an awareness of and commitment to self care, Martin says, coupled with cultivating a sense of interconnectedness.
“Humans are social creatures — even the most introverted of us,” she says. “If it’s OK to offer help, it must also be OK to accept help.”
One of the tools she uses to underscore this idea with both clients and professional groups she addresses during speaking engagements is something called the “healthy mind platter.”
Of the seven keys to maintaining a healthy mental and emotional state, spending time every day connecting with other people helps boost the brain’s relational circuitry.
Social connectedness is one of the key “mental nutrients” necessary for optimum mental health, according to Dr. Dan Siegel, who devised the healthy mind platter in collaboration with Dr. David Rock, executive director of the NeuroLeadership Institute.
Taking stock
Martin says a key indicator of how well you’re dealing with stress and maintaining healthy mental habits is how your body is responding. Taking stock of how your body physically feels can reveal the effects of stress and serve as warning signs that you should take action.
A few things to look for include:
- Muscle tension, particularly around the neck and shoulders, are often signs of mental and emotional stress.
- Stomach or abdominal pain — what people often describe as “butterflies” or “nervousness in the pit of my stomach.”
- Trouble going to sleep or staying asleep.
- Feelings of unrelenting fatigue.
‘Asking for help is OK’
The challenge is dealing with stress before it develops into a crisis, Martin says.
But if warning signs such as feelings of being overwhelmed, of wanting to give up or, in the worst cases, of contemplating self harm, it’s time to reach out for help immediately.
Unfortunately, many people still fear the stigma of seeking emotional and mental help.
“I think if we could normalize needing help, that would go such a long way [to removing that stigma],” she says. “In the same way that I would need to call a plumber or a mechanic, that it’s OK to need to call a therapist.”
The 7 ingredients of a healthy “mind platter”
- Focus time — This is spent focusing on tasks in a goal-oriented manner.
- Play time — This is spent being playful, spontaneous and creative, especially in enjoying novel experiences.
- Connecting time — This is the crucial act of developing and maintaining social connection with others.
- Physical time — Exercise is not only good for the body, it is good for the mind and emotions.
- Time in — Introspection and reflection helps the brain integrate feelings, thoughts and experiences.
- Down town — Being bored is actually healthy and gives the brain a chance to relax and recharge.
- Sleep time — Adequate rest is crucial to the brain’s ability to recover stress and consolidate learning.
