Typically, when we talk about workplace safety, a million dangers and uncountable tragedies come to mind. What about the risk we can’t see?
In the oil and gas industry workers face an insurmountable number of stressors daily. Burnout, being away from family and loved ones for extended periods, isolated for work in remote and sometimes harsh conditions and the threat of physical danger every time they go on site. While damage to mental health is not always visible it’s still a very real and prevalent threat.
People can be quick to say “well, this is your job! You chose this life!” But that doesn’t mean it’s an easy one.Anxiety is not cookie cutter and there is a multitude of ways that it can present itself. The five major types are: Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Panic Disorder Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Social Phobia/Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD)
Recognizing the signs of Anxiety Disorders
As humans, we’re programmed to see the bright side. We pass things off as being temporary and will try to manage issues on our own. There is a social stigma surrounding mental health, especially among males but it’s time to change that. Learning to recognize the onset of an anxiety disorder is the first step to recovery and management. While symptoms can present themselves in different ways, here are some common things you can look out for.
- Feeling restless, wound-up, or on-edge
- Being easily fatigued
- Concentration difficulties
- Being irritable
- Having headaches, stomachaches, or unexplained pains
- Overwhelming feelings of worry
- Having sleep problems
- Pounding or racing heart
- Sweating
- Trembling or tingling
- Chest pain
- Feelings of impending doom
- Feelings of being out of control
Daily Coping Strategies and Tools
While in many cases Anxiety Disorders require outside intervention, there are things you can do in the interim to make yourself feel better. They may seem simple or common sense but in an anxious state, we often overlook what our bodies need.
- Question your thoughts and ask yourself if there is any validity to the negative thoughts creeping into your head.
- Practice deep, mindful breathing. In for four, hold for 4, out for 4.
- Go for walk and get active.
- Write down your thoughts, get whats making you anxious out of your head.
- Add healthy foods to your diet and be mindful of water intake.
- Connect with friends and family through even a text or call.
- Keep things that you love nearby, books, photos, art supplies, music. Use these to center and ground yourself.
When you feel anxious remember the Five Senses Technique, it’s simple and effective. Find something you can smell, something you can touch, something you can taste, something you can feel and something you can hear. Repeat as necessary. You can do it in your head, it works and no one needs to know!
Outside Intervention
Not all anxiety is managed with coping strategies and while they work at the moment, long-term intervention is sometimes needed and there is absolutely no shame in that. These include digging deep and getting to know your body and brain.
- Identify and manage your triggers. What is it that sparks your most anxious feelings?
- Adopt Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). Usually done in consult with a therapist, CBT helps people learn different ways to think about and react to negative thoughts and situations
- Lock down a daily routine, whether it’s journaling, meditation, yoga, cardio, a hot bath or a mindful meal. It’s your time to unwind and something to look forward to during a stressful day.
- Change your diet or add supplements, many foods include natural anxiety-reducing properties (Always consult a doctor before adding supplements to your diet).
- Speak with a doctor about medication options.
Medication management is the big one people struggle with the most. It’s difficult to open up to someone else and even more difficult to feel like you rely on a medication to help you feel better. If you take a pill every day and that helps you feel like you can live life to the fullest, then it’s worth it in every way. There is no shame in medication and we cannot control the chemicals in our brain or our genetic makeup.
Mental Health Resources
There are many outreach programs in the community and some don’t get near the credit they deserve. A list of available Canada-Wide services can be found at Crisis Services Canada Local Resources & Support.
If you’re in Newfoundland and Labrador, Doorways is an amazing, free service where you can self refer and talk to a counsellor quickly. You’re back home with your family, for what feels like an all too brief break. The last thing you feel like doing is making appointments and sitting on a waitlist, that’s where Doorways comes in. Open 7 days a week and reached by phone at 709-752-4903. Doorways is available province-wide through Eastern Health.
If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, contact one of the above services, your regional health authority or 911 in an emergency.