Don’t worry, be happy

Tracey L. Briggs, MA, Supervisor

Employee Wellness

Like the song lyric says, “Don’t worry, be happy,” but you know it isn’t always that simple! We all worry or get scared at times. It’s human nature. But if you feel extremely afraid an inordinate amount of the time, or if you repeatedly feel panicky, you may need to seek assistance. Anxiety disorders, which include panic attacks, post-traumatic stress disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder, are among the most common behavioral health issues, affecting roughly 40 million American adults each year. Thankfully, there are numerous therapies to help with anxiety and stress disorders.

There are three components to any stress reaction, affect, behavior, and cognition, commonly called the ABCs. Affect is how you feel; it refers to your emotional response to a particular situation. Behavior is what you do; for example, it can include tensing your jaw, tapping your foot, pacing, or overeating. Cognition refers to the thoughts you have when you are stressed; for example, while stuck in a traffic jam on the way to work and thinking, “I’m going to miss my work deadline and get fired.”

If you are experiencing these feelings, you are not alone. You have access to an array of mental health resources at UNM, including the Employee Assistance Program, Counseling, Assistance, and Referral Services (CARS). Their licensed professional staff promotes a healthy work-life balance by providing on-site services to assist UNM employees with concerns, including relationship difficulties, anxiety, stress and job burnout, depression, eldercare, coworker conflicts, alcohol or other drug abuse, managing change, grief and loss issues and preparing for retirement to name just a few. Schedule an appointment to meet with a licensed counselor, and services are always complimentary.

Therapy Assistance Online (TAO) is a self-paced, self-help online program available on your smartphone, tablet, and desktop for managing stress, anxiety, and depression. ALL campus students, staff, and faculty have access to self-help assessments and modules that can improve mental health in a variety of areas. Mood, anxiety, interpersonal relationships, substance abuse, and stress can all be addressed by providing skills in mindfulness, communication, problem solving, and much more!

Beginning July 1, UNM medical plan participants will see reduced co-pay costs for mental health and substance abuse services. Each visit will incur a co-pay equivalent to a PCP visit, ensuring that cost is not a deterrent to plan participants seeking and receiving services.

Benefits & Employee Wellness is offering you a way to increase resilience to live your best life by facilitating the Working with Positivity course. In acknowledging your personal strengths and uncovering what is good in yourself and others, you can build skills to help you manage negative thoughts and behaviors that surface when you are under stress. You can register for the 12-week summer course which begins on Tuesday, July 12.

Above all, you have skills and resources to help you when you are experiencing pressure that impacts your well-being. Be sure you acknowledge and seek care for what you are experiencing. Tap into the numerous UNM resources that are just a click away.