While 9/11 crisis fades, uncertainty, fears do not
The fear, uncertainty, and acute stress that accompanied the events of 9/11 and the subsequent anthrax scare presented challenges to workplace health professionals unlike any they had ever faced. But as the memory of these events begins to fade and the acute phase of stress has ended, there is a new and more complicated challenge now facing them. Every day seems to bring a new headline indicating a potential terrorist threat or declaiming the government’s inability to protect us. This atmosphere of uncertainty continues to plague workers across the nation.
How serious a health problem does this present? In Israel, where the political climate is admittedly much more volatile, initial studies indicate that hypervigilance, which weakens the immune system, could have serious long-term health effects on Israeli citizens, increasing the incidence of cancers and heart disease.
What about here in the United States? "With a specific event [such as 9/11], you know what you are coping with," notes Don R. Powell, PhD, president of the Farmington Hills, MI-based American Institute for Preventive Medicine. "Sept. 11 created disruptions everywhere in society, and certain people who were closer to it are now still dealing with it in a major way. But with an ongoing situation, where you don’t know what’s going to happen, it’s insidious both in terms of its effects on individuals and performance and productivity at work."
Stress is stress
People may like some degree of change in their lives, but they tend to be creatures of the status quo — they like things to be controllable and normal, explains Powell. "Every time we have deviations or major changes in life, it’s almost like you are a pendulum. Sept. 11 was like someone took that pendulum all the way to the apex. Right now, we are swaying," he says. "Over time, it may slow down or start up when there’s a new threat."
Whether acute or pervasive, "stress is stress," notes Powell, and it has its impact on employee health and productivity. "People are worried about more than just terrorist acts," he says. "They are concerned about their family, they are watching their portfolios sink. The feelings people have about what’s going on causes distraction. While some degree of stress is good, when it gets to excessive levels, performance declines."
Has the added level of stress that appeared last fall totally gone away? "Absolutely not," Powell emphasizes. "It is clearly a lower level of stress, but higher than what might be called normative. What’s more, it’s ongoing and there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight. When we get the message from [Attorney General John] Ashcroft that we know it will happen again and we can’t do anything about it, that’s very scary."
Accordingly, he says, workers are more likely to evince stress-related symptoms — insomnia, eating too much or too little, perhaps even crying spells. "We’re not just talking about anxiety disorders," he says, "but we could see more cases of depression — starting to feel hopeless and helpless. This can even lead to suicidal feelings."
Certainly, says Powell, occupational health professionals can expect to see symptoms that emerge from physical responses such as constantly clenched jaws and more susceptibility to colds and other less illnesses. "You will also see increased absences due not only to physical ailments, but to mental health days," says Powell.
Strategies that help
There are a number of strategies occupational health professionals can employ to help offset these chronically elevated stress levels. "One good idea is to have support groups where people can express their feelings about what is happening in society and in the workplace," says Powell. "Human resources should be encouraged to be honest and open about the state of affairs in the company and any potential impacts on job security. Then of course, in addition to allowing an airing of feelings, you should sponsor stress management programs so employees can learn skills they need to cope with increased stress."
It’s true, Powell concedes, that employees cannot control what terrorists might do, and they know that, "But they can control how they respond. Relaxation techniques and learning not overexaggerate what the stress really is can help," he adds. "A big part of stress management is getting people to think differently, to not have distorted belief systems, to understand that while things may be out of control we do not necessarily have to respond the same way," says Powell. If your company has an employee assistance program), he adds, you should anticipate an increase in demand for such services. "If your counselors become overloaded, there may be a need for additional staff," he advises."
[Editor’s note: The American Institute for Preventive Medicine has recently published a booklet, Let’s Roll: Handling a Crisis and Moving Forward. To receive a preview copy, contact: AIPM, 30445 Northwestern Highway, Suite 350, Farmington Hills, MI 48334-3102. Telephone: (248) 539-3102. E-mail: [email protected].]
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