WELL+BEING
Feeling stressed? These methods might help you manage
written by LINDA HARKCOM Even before COVID-19, stress was a normal part of most people’s lives, but the challenges brought about by events of the past year have caused the stress levels of many people to rise dramatically. Not properly dealing with stress can be detrimental to one’s physical and mental health. Luckily, there are many methods to manage it. Chiropractic care Marc Gamerman of the Chiropractic, Acupuncture and Massage (CAM) Center of Hagerstown has been a doctor of chiropractic medicine for 35 years. He said that over the past year, he has treated teachers, parents, students, school administrators, hospital nurses and other individuals on the front lines affected by COVID-19. “All have been through a rough year,” Gamerman said. A licensed massage therapist for 19 years, the CAM Center’s Susan Lundquist said she has witnessed a definite increase in clients since the pandemic began. “Prior to COVID, I was 80(%) to 90% booked with clients. I
am now currently 100% booked three to four weeks out for appointments,” Lundquist said. Julie Sutton, a licensed acupuncturist at the CAM Center, said stress is exhibited differently by everyone. “It seems that people have a general feeling of being overwhelmed with distance learning, working from home, grief due to loss of loved ones or even loss of time spent with loved ones, missing family and friends, increase in substance abuse and alcohol,” Sutton said. Lundquist sees many clients who suffer from chronic neck, shoulder and TMJ (temporomandibular joint) pain due to stress. “In addition, over time, chronic stress has led many clients to suffer from increased anxiety and depression,” Lundquist said. Sutton reported seeing people who are suffering from sleep issues, body pain, weight gain, recurring chronic issues, grief and fear. A licensed massage therapist for 19 years, Susan Lundquist has noticed a definite increase in clients seen at the Chiropractic, Acupuncture and Massage (CAM) Center of Hagerstown since the pandemic began. Submitted photo
