Juan Esqueda has a lot on his mind and a lot less in his lump-sum retirement nest egg.
And he's taken on a part-time job.
How does the 65-year-ol Yucaipa resident handle the stress of the economy?
Esqueda breaks out his brushes, sets up a canvas and works on his art. And twice a week he meets with a group of artists at a local Starbucks or Barnes & Noble. They talk mostly about art, laugh and leave their worries behind. Esqueda is using two techniques to overcome stress in his life. He is maintaining friendships and engaging in a hobby, which is a big stress reliever. Kathryn Vannauker, a licensed marriage and family therapist with a practice in Upland, said in these worrisome times, It is important to focus on the parts of your life (that) are going well right now, be it your family, social life or health.
"Give these aspects of your life (some) time and nurture them too, instead of focusing solely on the problem of an impending lay off, or the loss of a job. If you focus solely on the problem, no t only are you likely to feel more depressed, but other areas of your life may start to suffer too." Many others are not coping so well.
For all too many, the downturn is turning homes into battlegrounds.
"People forget that they need to turn to each other for support instead of placing blame," said Pat Avery, director of clinical services for Pasadena-based Foothill Family Services, a mental-health provider. Foothill Family Services is just one of the many Southland agencies working for the econo-stressed � those consumed with worries about their job, or dealing with job loss � plus housing, money issues and how bad it's going to get. The Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health's 24-hour, seven-day-a-week Access Center hot line, has experienced a 30 percent increase in calls during recent months, said Ken Kondo, public information officer. These calls are not only about mental-health issues but also about request for information about renters' assistance, help with trying to get in touch with banks and lenders, seeking information about job fairs and training programs. "This is new to us. We normally handle calls that are interested in mental health needs."
The department is developing a committee to see what it can do to collaborate with information and referral services when people call the Access center, said Kondo, who works from the department's San Gabriel Valley location. Avery noted that her agency is being squeezed by increasing demand for services. More people are requesting fees be waived. And there is that looming prospect of reduced donations throughout the year as people hold onto their money.
In San Bernardino County, Department of Behavioral Health Director Allan Rawland said the county "recognizes the severity of the current budget crisis and its impact on both county and contract operations. "The Department of Behavioral Health, as part of the county system, is working the County Administrative Office and the Board of Supervisors in addressing this fiscal crisis."
Ruben Gallegos and Kitty Galt, two outreach specialists with Arcadia-based Pacific clinics, a large mental-health service provider, said numbers are up about 25 percent at a cold weather shelter in Pasadena. Many residents have returned from previous years and have significant mental-health issues
But most newcomers to the shelter are not the traditional homeless. They are people who had jobs until the downturn.
Now they are newly homeless, like the case of several restaurant workers who were let go because fewer people are dining out, they said.
"These people were living from paycheck to paycheck and they suddenly found themselves homeless and unprepared," Galt Said.
Another change in the face of homeless people at the shelter are renters who were evicted when the property went into foreclosure.
"Being suddenly homeless is challenge enough to make anyone mentally unstable," said Susan Mandel, executive director of Pacific Clinics, which operates more than 80 clinics in San Bernardino, Riverside, Los Angeles, Orange and Ventura counties. The agency recently opened a "drop-in" house in Irwindale for the growing ranks of teenagers and young adults who now find themselves homeless, as their parents can't afford to support them. Calls to Pacific Clinics' L.A. area programs have recently increased by about 30 percent, she said.
"The whole mental-health system is severely under-funded. Going into these times, we will truly not be able to support the services required by those in need."
Steps to help cope with the loss of a job
Dr. Justin Dalai, medical director of the San Bernardino County Department of Behavioral Health, wants family and friends of someone about to lose their job to understand what they may be going through. He offers some tips to help.
For those who find they are about to lose their jobs:
EFFECTS ON INDIVIDUALS- Feeling of helplessness and hopelessness.
- Low self-esteem, feeling like a failure.
- Embarassment.
- Alcohol and substance abuse
- Relapse of pre-existing mental health conditions, for example, mood disorders and anxiety disorder.
- Exacerbation of the existing medical conditions, for example high blood pressure, diabetes, etc.
- Increased incidence of suicidal behavior.
- Domestic abuse tends to increase during periods of unemployment.
- Family members as a unit also suffer financially as well as emotionally and psychologically.
ACTIONS WHICH MAY HELP
When you first learn that you are going to lose your job:
- Remain calm, do not yell at your employer as you may need them for a job reference.
- Keep in mind that other good hard working people have lost their jobs and have grieved.
- Changes are you lost your job because of economic reasons beyond your control.
- Do not blame yourself.
- Overcome negative feelings, they can interfere with your job search.
- Counseling
- Training/re-training
- Be honest with your family and explain the situation to your children.
- Obtain support from relatives and friends.
- Good social support is important and may help individuals dealing with unemployment issues.
- Try to stay positive.
- Talk to friends for support, it's an opportunity to grieve.
- Friends may be able to assist with child care, allowing you time for job search.
- Ask your friends if they know of any job openings.
Courtesy of the Pasadena Star-News, Whittier Daily News, San Gabriel Valley Tribune Staff Writer: Jim Steinberg