Economy Project: Mental Health

By Sam Baker, KERA Morning Edition Host

Dallas, TX –

In a recent Economy segment, the director of the 211 help referral line in Tarrant County said there had been an increase in calls for referrals concerning mental health. A number of those referrals went to Mental Health Association of Tarrant County. Dr. Lee LeGrice is executive director. She told KERA's Sam Baker many of those calls related to the economy stemmed from loss of health insurance and job losses.

Dr. LeGrice: When you lose your job, other things in your life start to unravel. You may be at risk for losing your house or losing your car. A lot of times that financial stress adds to a lot of stress in the family. A lot of folks are at risk for domestic violence or child abuse. They may be making decisions that they wouldn't be making if their finances were in better shape.

Sam: So what do you tell them then when they come to you seeking help?

LeGrice: First and foremost is that there is help available. A lot of the folks that we talk to are feeling very hopeless and helpless. Just excessively worrying

Sam: Thinking they are totally on their own about

LeGrice: Exactly.

Sam: rectifying this situation as opposed to knowing that there is some place to turn.

LeGrice: That there is help. Providers in the community who offer counseling, who offer support groups. Psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers who can then visit with that person and better understand: what are they experiencing? Not only maybe they're experiencing a loss of a job, but they may also have depression or anxiety. So getting help and knowing that help is available is probably first and foremost.

Sam: I imagine recognizing maybe that you need help is equal.

Navigate the recession with KERA! Get tips on avoiding foreclosure, access job resources and more at kera.org/economy. LeGrice: Worrying is a normal part of life. I mean we all have some amount of worry and some amount of stress and some amount of stress is a good thing because that motivates us. But too much stress and too much worrying can be a bad thing and the point that people need to be thinking about is: Is this impacting my ability to function? Does it impact my ability to get to work? Does it impact my ability to look for work? Does it impact my ability to get along with my family members? Get my kids to school? Treat my children and my friends and family with respect? Be able to solve problems without getting violent or getting excessively irritable and angry? So really looking at whether or not it's impacting my ability to function is a sure indicator.

Sam: Are there things that a person can just do on their own or maybe just keep in mind to maybe coop with stress?

LeGrice: Keeping a consistent schedule. Eating regularly. Not eating too much and not missing your meals is very important. Exercising regularly is probably one of the best ways to coop with stress. Exercise is a natural way for your brain to produce endorphins which helps you manage stress. Also sleeping, it's very important that your body gets the rest that's necessary to regenerate so that you can get up and handle the next day. One of the other things that people do when they're excessively feeling stressed is they isolate and so ensuring that you have the support system that you have friends, family, neighbors that you are connected with helps people feel a part of something.

Dr. Lee LeGrice is executive director of Mental Health Association of Tarrant County. There's more on this and other economy-related issues at kera.org/economy.

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