Volcano Erupts – Stress Explodes
I write about stress all the time – from a professional point of view but today I write as a ‘victim’ of stress. I am meant to be working with a group of people at Fairbanks but our Volcano ‘god’, Mt Redoubt, is very unhappy. Two large eruptions yesterday, one sending ash up to 66,000 feet, have created chaos. Flights canceled, people rushing to get safety gear for themselves and their houses, trying to find air filters for their vehicles. All of our friends have volcano kits – masks, flashlights, candles, eye protection, plenty of water – and we have to fill up any cracks or holes that might let ash into our house.
All of this adds considerable stress to one’s life – I’m not complaining. Living in Alaska is amazing – the Iditarod, the snow, the wonderful fishing, the climate, the people. In some strange way, even having to deal with volcanic eruptions adds a touch of spice to life in The Last Frontier.
OK I’m lucky – this is not a huge deal but the situation does create extra stress; it requires me to make quick decisions, contact people, re-arrange timetables. If I can handle stress easily and productively, this will not be problematic. But what if I like predictability and certainty? Then my stress escalates. Anyway, I’ll re-read my articles on managing stress and play the wait-and-see game.
There are two ways to cope with stressors like these. I can focus on my emotions, get upset and worried, grieve about lost opportunities, get anxious about missed opportunities, even get mildly depressed. Emotion focused coping, as it is called, is a useful coping strategy as long as it does not overtake action. I encourage people to honor their emotions, however, we have to do things. I have to email the folk I was meeting; I have to set up alternative technology for what was to be a whole-day seminar. I have to arrange for materials to be emailed. I have to prepare new Powerpoints. I have to work with my team to set up either video conferencing, or Skype, or video share on Elluminate) a web based teaching tool). All of these arrangements require action – the planful, problem solving form of coping.
Oddly enough, both of these are essential coping mechanisms. But, in their own way, each adds a particular form of stress. Emotion focused coping adds internal stress (grieving, worry, anxiety, depression) while problem solving requires creative stress, organizational stress, even an emotional element – will it work?
All of this because the Alaskan volcano god decided to let us know he (or she) was unhappy. OK – so Mt Redoubt is NOT a god – just joking. It really is a vent formed by movement of the earth’s tectonic plates; a vent that permits the escape of gases, ash, and molten rock that reside below the earth’s crust. God or natural force – today it has caused me some additional work stress.
Warm regards
Dr Jeff
For the team at Mighty Digital Downloads
PS Get the impact from the Youtube video below!
Dr Jeff, a psychologist, writes about workplace stress, personal stress, interpersonal stress, and how to manage stress. On his blog,http://www.drjeffbailey.com, he answers questions from readers. He works hard to make his articles practical and helpful and all of his articles are based on sound research evidence and extensive clinical experience. Please go to his Dr Jeff blog to get your free report on stress.
Tags: manage stress, managing stress, reduce stress, relationship stress, relieve stress, stress at work, stress relief, work stress, workplace stress
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