Stress at home influences personal safety at work Published March 9, 2006 By Jennifer Brugman 60th AMW Public Affairs TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Many people don’t realize that stress is a safety issue. It has been noted that stress can cause chronic physical ailments if not addressed early. Mental health officials here state that stress can also be the source of work mishaps, and if left untreated, could result in serious mental and physical problems, even suicide. “It comes in to work whether you like it or not,” said 1st Lt. Elisha Parkhill, 60th Medical Operations Squadron clinical social worker. “Personal problems can often follow a person to their job, affecting their work performance.” She cites the example of a person who appears to not be paying attention on the job. Instead of just being inattentive, they may actually be dealing with stress. “It could be that something is going on at home and they are embarrassed or ashamed to let others aware of their situation – that’s where it’s important to use your Wingman,” Lieutenant Parkhill said. “Individuals who are under stress in their personal or professional lives often find it difficult to concentrate or focus on the task at hand,” said 1st Lt. Erika Best, social work resident. “This can make it quite difficult to be effective in your work, and could certainly result in safety hazards. You may pay less attention to the things happening around you because you are so distracted by your own thoughts or concerns. This is why daily self-care is so important. We all have to spend time each day taking care of ourselves and processing our problems or frustrations in order to ensure that we are both physically and mentally prepared to address the challenges set before us."Suicide is another stress-related mental health issue. “People don’t think of mental health as a safety concern, but suicide– that’s a safety hazard for [the suicidal] person and, potentially, for those around them,” Lieutenant Parkhill said. In order to reduce stress and prevent problems from becoming overwhelming, Lieutenant Parkhill recommends that people routinely spend time taking care of themselves, mentally and physically as well as looking out for one another. Take time to ask those hard, and for some, uncomfortable questions. Be concerned with what is going on in co-workers lives and assist them when warranted. “We’re so wrapped up in our jobs that it’s easy to neglect our own needs – emotionally, financially and physically,” she said. “There’s nothing wrong with taking some selfish time to distress and relax. Being aware of what your body is telling you when it comes to stress is a very important task. It is vital to ensure a long and healthy life.” Whether people enjoy running, arts and crafts or just taking a bubble bath, making the time to do something they enjoy can increase mental health. “It’s something people know, but don’t practice,” Lieutenant Parkhill said. When fun activities don’t help, Lieutenant Parkhill suggests people contact their family, friends or their Wingman or contact the Life Skills Clinic. “It will not have a negative impact on your career if you come in early,” she said. “There’s nothing wrong with needing someone to talk to. We don’t fix their problems for them. [Our job] is about empowering people to learn to control the situation on their own. Half of the time, just having someone to talk to alleviates the problem.” For more information, call Life Skills at 423-5174.