Stress

If you live or work in a community with shale gas development (SGD), you may experience some of the environmental stressors related to the industry. Some issues that may cause stress include:

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• Noise, light, and vibration that accompanies drilling

• Air or water quality changes

• Increased truck traffic

• Uncertainty over the health of you and your family

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As with many environmental stressors, we are often powerless to avoid or change them. Interestingly, the powerlessness itself is also a stressor.

How do you know if your level of stress is a problem? If you are experiencing the following issues, you may be dealing with an unhealthy level of stress:

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• Struggling to fall asleep or stay asleep

• Eating more or less than usual

• Smoking, drinking, or using drugs more than usual

• Feeling short-tempered or irritable

• Feeling overwhelmed

• Worrying nearly all of the time

• Having problems concentrating or remembering things

• Struggling to make decisions

• Feeling more tired than usual

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You may also experience physical symptoms of stress, such as headaches or backaches, and your blood pressure may be elevated. Still not sure? Click here to take a quiz and find out about the level of stress in your life.

Children and Stress

Children may also feel the effects of environmental stressors, though the way they communicate about it may be different. Your child or teen may not use the word “stress.” Be alert to words such as “worried,” “annoyed,” or “angry.” Children and teens may also express stress by saying negative things about themselves like “I’m stupid,” or “no one likes me.” Behavioral and physical changes from stress may differ as well.

In young children, these behavior changes may indicate stress:

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• Acting moody or irritable

• Not participating in activities that they used to enjoy

• Saying that they are worried (about something or in general)

• Complaining more than usual about school

• Crying or being fearful

• Clinging to a parent or teacher

• Sleeping or eating too much or too little

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For teens, these behavior changes may indicate stress:

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• Avoiding parents

• Rejecting old friends for a new group

• Expressing hostility toward family

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Physical symptoms such as a stomachache or headache may also indicate stress. If your child has a clean bill of health from his or her health care provider, consider that frequent physical complaints may signal stress. Read more about stress in children and teens here.

What You Can Do

• Keep in mind that you do not need to deal with stress on your own. If you or your child may be experiencing stress, talk with your health care provider or contact EHP. Your family may also find it helpful to work with a licensed mental health professional, such as those from Climate Psychiatry Alliance, to help develop strategies to deal with overwhelming feelings of stress. 

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• Remember that even though you cannot eliminate all the stressors in your life, you can control your response to them. Negative reactions to stress include anger, overeating, and chemical dependency. Healthy ways to react to stress include being prepared for situations, getting enough sleep, deep breathing, and exercising. If you change your responses to stress, you can reduce the negative health consequences of stress.

Learn More:

• Mental Health America’s Ten Tools

• Apps to help you unwind and relax

• WebMD Stress Management Health Center