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Coping With Stress During Infectious Disease Outbreaks

What You Should Know

When you hear, read, or watch news about an outbreak of an infectious disease such as Ebola, you may feel anxious and show signs of stress—even when the outbreak affects people far from where you live and you are at low or no risk of getting sick. These signs of stress are normal, and may be more likely or pronounced in people with loved ones in parts of the world affected by the outbreak. In the wake of an infectious disease outbreak, monitor your own physical and mental health. Know the signs of stress in yourself and your loved ones. Know how to relieve stress, and know when to get help.

Know the Signs of Stress

What follows are behavioral, physical, emotional, and cognitive responses that are all common signs of anxiety and stress. You may notice some of them after you learn about an infectious disease outbreak.

YOUR BEHAVIOR:

ƒAn increase or decrease in your energy and

activity levels

Know When To Get Help

You may experience serious distress when you hear

ƒAn increase in your alcohol, tobacco use, or use of illegal drugs

ƒAn increase in irritability, with outbursts of anger and frequent arguing

ƒHaving trouble relaxing or sleeping

ƒCrying frequently

ƒWorrying excessively

ƒWanting to be alone most of the time

ƒBlaming other people for everything

ƒHaving difficulty communicating or listening

ƒHaving difficulty giving or accepting help

ƒInability to feel pleasure or have fun

about an infectious disease outbreak, even if you are at little or no risk of getting sick. If you or someone you know shows signs of stress (see list at left) for several days or weeks, get help by accessing one of the resources at the end of this tip sheet. Contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline right away
if you or someone you know threatens to hurt or kill him- or herself or someone else, or talks or writes about death, dying, or suicide.

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Toll-Free: 1-877-SAMHSA-7 (1-877-726-4727) | Info@samhsa.hhs.gov | https://store.samhsa.gov COPING WITH STRESS DURING INFECTIOUS DISEASE OUTBREAKS

Know How To Relieve Stress

You can manage and alleviate your stress by taking time to take care of yourself.

KEEP THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE:

Set limits on how much time you spend reading or watching news about the outbreak. You will want to stay up to date on news of the outbreak, particularly if you have loved ones in places where many people have gotten sick. But make sure to take time away from the news to focus
YOUR BODY:	on things in your life that are going well and that

ƒHaving stomachaches or diarrhea

ƒHaving headaches and other pains

ƒLosing your appetite or eating too much

ƒSweating or having chills

ƒGetting tremors or muscle twitches

ƒBeing easily startled

you can control.

GET THE FACTS:

Find people and resources you can depend on for accurate health information. Learn from them about the outbreak and how you can protect yourself against illness, if you are at risk. You may
turn to your family doctor, a state or local health

YOUR EMOTIONS:

ƒBeing anxious or fearful

department, U.S. government agencies, or an international organization. Check out the sidebar
on the next page for links to good sources of

ƒFeeling depressed

ƒFeeling guilty

ƒFeeling angry

ƒFeeling heroic, euphoric, or invulnerable

ƒNot caring about anything

information about infectious disease outbreaks.

KEEP YOURSELF HEALTHY:

ƒEat healthy foods, and drink water.

ƒAvoid excessive amounts of caffeine and

alcohol.

ƒFeeling overwhelmed by sadness	ƒDo not use tobacco or illegal drugs.

YOUR THINKING:	ƒGet enough sleep and rest. ƒHaving trouble remembering things	ƒGet physical exercise.

ƒFeeling confused

ƒHaving trouble thinking clearly and concentrating

ƒHaving difficulty making decisions

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Toll-Free: 1-877-SAMHSA-7 (1-877-726-4727) | Info@samhsa.hhs.gov | https://store.samhsa.gov COPING WITH STRESS DURING INFECTIOUS DISEASE OUTBREAKS

USE PRACTICAL WAYS TO RELAX:

ƒRelax your body often by doing things that

PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR BODY, FEELINGS, AND SPIRIT:

work for you—take deep breaths, stretch, meditate, wash your face and hands, or engage in pleasurable hobbies.

ƒPace yourself between stressful activities, and do a fun thing after a hard task.

ƒUse time off to relax—eat a good meal, read, listen to music, take a bath, or talk to family.

ƒTalk about your feelings to loved ones and

friends often.

ƒRecognize and heed early warning signs of stress.

ƒRecognize how your own past experiences affect your way of thinking and feeling about
this event, and think of how you handled your thoughts, emotions, and behavior around past events.

ƒKnow that feeling stressed, depressed, guilty, or angry is common after an event like an infectious disease outbreak, even when it does not directly threaten you.

ƒConnect with others who may be experiencing stress about the outbreak. Talk about your feelings about the outbreak, share reliable health information, and enjoy conversation unrelated to the outbreak, to remind yourself of the many important and positive things in your lives.

ƒTake time to renew your spirit through

meditation, prayer, or helping others in need.

Sources for Credible Outbreak-Related Health Information

Take care of your physical health to help lower your stress. Take a break to focus on positive parts of your life, like
connections with loved ones.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 1600 Clifton Road
Atlanta, GA 30329-4027

1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636) https://www.cdc.gov

World Health Organization
Regional Office for the Americas of the World Health Organization
525 23rd Street, NW Washington, DC 20037 202-974-3000 http://www.who.int/en

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Toll-Free: 1-877-SAMHSA-7 (1-877-726-4727) | Info@samhsa.hhs.gov | https://store.samhsa.gov

Helpful Resources

Substance Abuse and MentalHealth Services Administration (SAMHSA)
5600 Fishers Lane Rockville, MD 20857
Toll-Free: 1-877-SAMHSA-7 (1-877-726-4727) Email: info@samhsa.hhs.gov
SAMHSA Store: https://store.samhsa.gov

SAMHSA Hotlines
SAMHSA’s Disaster Distress Helpline
Toll-Free: 1-800-985-5990 (English and español) SMS: Text TalkWithUs to 66746
SMS (español): “Hablanos” al 66746 TTY: 1-800-846-8517
Website in English: https:// www.disasterdistress.samhsa.gov
Website in Spanish:https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/ disaster-distress-helpline/espanol

Treatment Locator

Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator Website: https://findtreatment.samhsa.gov/locator/home

SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Center

Toll-Free: 1-800-308-3515 Email: DTAC@samhsa.hhs.gov
Website: https://www.samhsa.gov/dtac

*Note: Inclusion of a resource in this fact sheet does not imply endorsement by the Center for Mental Health Services, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

SAMHSA’s National Helpline

Toll-Free: 1-800-662-HELP (24/7/365 Treatment Referral Information Service in English and español)
Website: https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

Toll-Free: 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) Toll-Free (español): 1-888-628-9454
TTY: 1-800-799-4TTY (1-800-799-4889) Website in English: https:// www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org
Website in Spanish: https:// suicidepreventionlifeline.org/help-yourself/en-espanol

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HHS Publication No. SMA14-4885 (2014)

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