Video: Help dealing with “recession depression”
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Fact Finder: Recession Depression
Help for people under stress from trying to cope with the economy
An operator at the 211 helpline in Birmingham gives community resource information to people who find themselves in need of medical and financial assistance
Lynne Jones, Producer
Jamey Bryan, Photographer/Editor
Published: May 7, 2009
Updated: May 8, 2009
The number of people out of work in Alabama is shocking compared to this time last year.
The U.S. Department of Labor reports Alabama has more than 2.1 million people in the labor force.
In March of 2008, the state’s unemployment rate was 4.3, with 92,445 people out of work.
One year later, look at the jump: the rate was One year later, look at the jump: the rate was 9%, with more than 193,000 people unemployed.
Many people are facing layoffs who never thought they’d go through a job loss. With mounting bills and no income in sight, the emotional strain is taking a huge toll on families.
But there are resources many people don’t know about which can help with “recession depression.”
Earl Salery is under a lot of pressure. He’s lost his job, house and healthcare. He’s been out of work for three months. “I was working at a detail shop, but I guess people didn’t have money to get a carwash.”
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To keep his health in check, Salery turned to M-Power Ministries in Avondale. M-Power is the only free medical clinic in Birmingham. Doctors and nurses volunteer their time. The patient count usually drops of around March, but not this year.
Salery said having a resource like this has made a huge difference to him. “This takes a lot of stress off me to get my medicine and see about my health needs.”
UAB Clinical Psychologist Josh Klapow, Ph.D. has a practice in Birmingham. He said these economic times affect people in many different ways, not just emotionally, “Stress associated with losing your job wears you down physically.”
Dr. Klapow said if you want to survive the recession, even a job lost, you have to keep your head straight or stress wins. “It also decreases your ability to deal with the rest of your life, family, friends, etc, so psychological emotional help is paramount in a tough situation, particularly if it’s an economic situation.”
But how do you get psychologic help and pay the bills, feed the family, etc., if you don’t have enough money?
First, you could dial 211 from anywhere in the state. That call puts you in touch with hundreds of resources through the United Way.
Drew Langloh is the President and CEO of the United Way of Central Alabama. “Those calls can be anything from utility assistance to rent assistance, food is a big one. There’s been an increase in questions like ‘where can I go to get food for my family’ all the way up to ‘where can I find daycare for my child. Those kids of calls.”
The operators of 211 have a thick book full of agencies able to help anyone in need, even if you’ve never needed help before. And more people are reaching out.
Their calls have increased 30% or more since September. Some weeks the number of calls are doubled from the previous year.
Langloh said, “It’s not always a handout, but if you call 211, we’ll work hard to find something to get the help that you need.”
Mike Fowler works next to door to the United Way at the Birmingham Crisis Center, another great resource. He said, “This year, we’ve had more calls about financial aid than probably the first three years put together.”
Crisis Center operators also have a lot of resources with the just the click of a mouse to help anyone needing financial or emotional support – 24 hours, 7 days a week.
Fowler said, “Many can’t pay their water bill, can’t pay the utilities, can’t pay rent, don’t have medical insurance. We have wonderful resources in this city they don’t know about.”
Robbin Grayson, a Licensed Professional Counselor with Grayson and Associates said, “People are experiencing all kinds of symptoms of stress from the economy, and they may not even realize it. They’re having trouble sleeping, they may feel angrier than usual, and aren’t able to identify why. This can lead to marital problems. So it’s important to identify the source of the stress, talk about it with someone, and develop a plan to address it.“
John Douglass with Pastoral Care and Counseling just lost his fulltime job a few months ago, so he is having to practice what he preaches to his patients. His advice, “Actually getting out at church, soccer game, baseball field, out amongst other people. Once you are among other people, you can hear someone else’s story. That allows you to say, I can relate to that story. I’m experiencing that right now, too.
You may meet someone like Matt Hardin, who just lost a job he’s had for ten years. After three days without blood pressure medication, he finally found out about M-Power, and went there for help.
Hardin said this experience is one he never expected and harder than anything he’s ever faced. “It’s very difficult, but it came down to me having to take my medicine or i would die. So sometimes you have to suck up your pride and do what you have to do, but it’s very difficult for me to take a handout for anything.
Matt told us after that interview that he was about to spend his first night technically homeless. We told him about the united way’s 211 line, so hopefully he’s getting more help to get him back on his feet.
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