Stressed Out? What to Know and How to Get Help 2020 has been a rough year especially for ATU members, who have borne a disproportionate share of the stress. Whether you’re a bus driver, light rail or subway operator, mechanic or maintenance person, or clerk or baggage handler—whatever your role—chances are that stress and anxiety are affecting work and home life in new and unprecedented ways. From losing colleagues to the pandemic and grieving their absence, to frontline fears of the virus and bringing it home to loved ones, to the many anxieties about job security, finances, and an uncertain future, the stresses and anxieties of this year have been near-constant companions.
Types of Stress to Be Mindful of Stress can affect each of us differently. What may be stressful for one person may not be so stressful for the next, but we all have our stressors; when these stressors aren’t managed in healthy ways, the chronic buildup of stress can have a negative impact at work, in the home, and on long-term health. Mindfulness about the type(s) of stress that may be adversely impacting your quality of life, work performance and productivity, and/or relationships with family. Early intervention can help people rebound more quickly from stress-related issues and avoid the worst, long-term health effects.
International President John Costa with FHE Health’s Janet Gerhard
Stress and stress-related symptoms commonly fall into at least three categories: • Physical – Stress can cause sleep issues, negatively affect energy levels, compromise the immune system (making you vulnerable to sickness), raise blood pressure, and trigger heart problems, among other conditions. • Mental and Emotional – When you’re feeling down or depressed because of stress, or maybe irritable or hyperreactive, these symptoms can impact relationships and your ability to find joy in them. Similarly, if you’re constantly obsessing about worst-case scenarios and are often entertaining negative or hopeless thoughts, you’ll be more likely to self-isolate in relationships. • Spiritual – When you lose a friend or coworker to COVID-19 or the world seems to be falling apart, the ensuing shock, grief, and existential paralysis can give way to a full-blown spiritual crisis. People of faith should consider re-engaging with the spiritual supports available to them.
Confidential Support for When You’re Overwhelmed If you’re experiencing any of these types of stress and are feeling overwhelmed, first remember that you’re not alone and there is help. 1 in 4 American workers find themselves in complex situations with untreated mental health issues. What you’re going through is very common, and the ATU International is not just sensitive to this reality but also fully invested in your mental health and dedicated to helping you
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October - November - December 2020 | IN TRANSIT
