On an emotional roller coaster ride

Living in Jamaica these days is like being in a hellish nightmare and though we are screaming and screaming we just can't wake up.

Scanning the radio talk shows, over the last nine months or so (when the controversial Christopher 'Dudus' Coke US extradition issue became topical) it is evident that part of the nightmare is this never-ending emotional roller coaster ride which is forced upon us by leadership that is inept and self-serving. The emotional pot has been boiling all this time and finally bubbled over, letting off steam last week in this unbelievable civil unrest in west Kingston.

We experienced constant internal conflict and confusion as we followed, sitting at the edge of our chairs, every twist and turn in this incredible plot surrounding the extradition matter. The best who-done-it mystery could not have prepared us for the surprising revelation by opposition member of parliament Dr Peter Phillips of hiring of a United States (US) law firm Manatt, Phelps & Phillips supposedly to lobby for changes in the extradition treaty with the US.

Then denial, grandstanding, deception, half-truths, lies, more denial then the bombshell - the admission by prime minister Bruce Golding that he sanctioned the hiring of the US law firm. More disbelief, disappointment, betrayal and sadness turned into anger which escalates quickly into loud cries from civil society for the prime minister's resignation. The feelings cut so deep that an acquaintance told me that she felt like she was jilted by her lover. The relationship had broken down, one party had to leave. Jamaicans deserve better. Each day is too unpredictable, unstable and uncertain.

Is this war real?

Then there were scenes of war. In the heights of the civil disturbance last week, a child, sounding like about six or seven years old, called a talk show asking the host, "Is this war real?" The shock, disbelief and fear portrayed in this simple question from a small child, is actually the prevailing mental state of the population - a nightmarish, surreal disbelief that makes us wonder, "Can all this really be happening?" After all, it's only supposed to happen in the movies. Another blow to our already fragile sense of safety.

On another radio programme last week, a woman caller complained to an alternative healthcare practitioner that ever since she has been watching the civil disturbance on television, she can't sleep well and she keeps on dreaming about the violence; perhaps a hint that some people have already moved beyond their own coping mechanisms.

Managing these stressful times

1. Recognise that the times are challenging for you and your family but also recognise that you have been through hardships before and came through okay on the other side. Pull on those internal resources.

2. Your emotional state has been affected by events of the past week, be patient with yourself.

3. Don't be afraid to find and ask for support from good friends, that's what real friends are for. They will listen to you and say "never mind" - a show of empathy.

4. Family meetings should be held to discuss the events in the country and should be used to reassure children that they are safe and that the adults will protect them. Play time is particularly important for children at this time.

5. Communicate your experience and feelings by talking or by keeping a diary.

6. Now more than ever you need to get your healthy lifestyle strategy in high gear. Eat well-balanced meals at regular times, get plenty of rest, follow an exercise programme and engage in 'distraction activities' such as listening to inspiring music. Relaxation techniques will help you sleep if you are experiencing ongoing difficulties with sleep.

7. Try not to make major life decisions at this time if they are going to add further stress to daily living.

8. Post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD is usually a delayed reaction to a traumatic event and not everyone will develop the condition. Individuals with prolonged reactions that disrupt relationships and daily function should seek professional help.

Eulalee Thompson is health editor and a professional counsellor; email: eulalee.thompson@gleanerjm.com.