Recovering from Recession

As the profits of a free market unified the world in a celebration that lasted decades, the losses and angst of recession are also being shared by the world. There’s no denying that things are bad. Credit has tightened and investment portfolios are in tatters the world over.

Stress Taking a Toll on Health
With shaky jobs and crashing businesses becoming the order of the day, the health of those involved, traders, the business community and thousands of employees who have either been laid off or fear meeting the fate, is deteriorating. Mental and physical disorders are becoming much too common for comfort. One problem leads to the other, hypertension gets to the heart, which leads to more serious conditions.

The stress of facing an uncertain future every day, waiting for the worse and, for many, seeing their life savings go up in smoke is too much to handle.

With stress and anxiety comes insomnia. Chronically stressed people are much more likely to have trouble concentrating and sleeping. They also become irritable and snappy, throwing an already strained personal life completely out of gear.

Some of the other health effects include fatigue, lack of motivation and interest, depression, headaches and muscular tension.

What Next?
But the time to be shocked is past. Now’s the time to pick up the pieces and rebuild. That is possible only if people maintain their health. One needs to take simple steps to make sure the body does not collapse under the mental strain.

Case Files
Take the case of Asmah Panickar, a young finance professional for a leading multinational firm in India. She came to office one day only to be told the office was closing down and everyone there was being laid off.

For Panickar, this meant a serious dent in the family income, and with EMIs lining up every month and a toddler son to support, things looked bleak.

“I was shattered. I spent days worrying about the future. But then I realized I was helping no one. My insomnia was making me snappy and on several occasions, I was rude to my little son. I was too unhealthy and stressed to think rationally.

“So I started with the basics. Took a hold on my mind, started exercising and meditating regularly, pepped myself up with positive talk and got a job. It is not as lucrative as the one I lost, but it is a start.”

Positive thinking need not and, indeed, should not be restricted to positive circumstances. A particularly touching example is that of Sarah from UK, who discussed her circumstances on Yahoo (UK) discussion board.

“It is depressing and it is hard to keep warm,” she said. But when it came to managing herself, she said she was barely getting by on 80 pounds a week. “Still, I manage to keep myself warm and well-fed.”

Despite being disabled, her matter of fact acceptance of the situation shows her strength in the face of adversities.

Another previously well-off professional in the US, Bobby Mann, watched his life turn upside down and his hard earned comforts become liabilities in a matter of days. Though shattered, he drew support from his family to gather the courage to fight.

Bobby had bought two houses in Pennsylvania in happier times. With the recession hitting suddenly, he found himself unable to support himself. “For a time, I was unable to think at all. All there was was a blind fear I could do nothing about and it seemed to be suffocating me.

"It was my wife who pulled me out of the chasm. Working part time, I decided to go for higher education. Things are still not in good shape but we are fighting back.”

Be Your Own Best Friend
Those who do not have the luxury of counseling, can be their own counselors. People can also be their own trainers. Tell yourself this is not the end of the road.

Even if you have lost all your savings, you have not lost your life and you can rebuild everything, brick by brick.

Hit the road, get fresh air, close your eyes, relax and then take action.