Dan's Papers - September 12, 2008

Greenport's Eastern Long Island Hospital Helps Create Program To Stop Worriers From Worrying

Everybody does it. Maybe even the birds and the bees and a few educated fleas do it. Worry. Especially this time of year.

Youngsters worry their new teachers will be mean. Translated? Teach will give homework. Older folks worry about paying the soon-to-arrive fuel bills. Or lowering the thermostat to 60 degrees. Perhaps we're all a little worried about the upcoming presidential election. We've got a young guy and a not-so-young guy. I wish we had a middle guy.

Now they say worry isn't good for your health. And worry gives you wrinkles and grey hair. I happen to have some of those wrinkles and a bit (a lot) of grey hair. I certainly don't want any more. So I signed up for WHY WORRY.

That's a one-hour workshop held at Human Resources Center in Mattituck. It was close to home, so I didn't have to worry about the cost of gasoline. And because it was held in the middle of the day, I'd no worries about night driving. But I still could worry. Like if I arrived late maybe I wouldn't get a parking spot. Or maybe someone would recognize me at the workshop and immediately think I was worried about a terrible problem at home.

In reality, I just wanted to tell you about the workshop in case you're a worrier. So I left my house 45 minutes early for the ten-minute drive to Mattituck. That's how come I was early and met the two leaders of the workshop before any other participants arrived. Colleen Merlo and Juliet Frodella were eating their lunch when I walked into the center's activity room. I was worried they'd resent my intrusion but they were gracious and gave me a lot of information.

It seems a Physical/Mental Health Integration Grant was awarded by New York State Department of Mental Health. Suffolk County, Southold Town, Greenport's Eastern Long Island Hospital and South Oaks Hospital in Amityville got together to whip up programs like WHY WORRY. Truthfully, I'm worried I got that right. I think so.

Anyway, this workshop had several goals, according to Juliet who is affiliated with ELIH. Like showing the "impact of mental health on physical health" and suggesting ways to handle worry.

I looked around the room for some North Fork worriers. There was Dave Gunselman of Southold in a bright yellow shirt. He seemed pretty relaxed to me. Matter of fact, Dave said he came to the workshop just in case he ever did worry. This workshop could be a "preventative," he said. OK. So much for Dave's worries.

Then there was Joyce and Chet Skwara from Peconic. Side-by-side they sat, seeming to have not a care in the world. They laughed as they told stories of long-ago potato farms on the North Fork. No worries as far as I could see.

Well, maybe Mattituck's Edna Schaedel had some worries. Nope. She was just excited and happy because only a few days before the workshop she'd been given a certificate of appreciation by the center for 15 years of enthusiastic support.

I decided to listen closely to Juliet and Colleen (Colleen represented Suffolk County Mental Health Association). I'd learn not to worry about not being able to spot a worrier.

Juliet said a little worry could sometimes be a good thing. Like if you're worried whether your mums will bloom this fall, you'll get out in the garden and weed and water. But if you worry all the time, make a "mountain out of a mole hill," then you have a problem. But one that can be handled, even eliminated, if you do some of the things Juliet and Colleen suggested.

Eating sensibly and exercising are important. There are other things you can do, too. Deep breathing helps. And while you're breathing, a few diversionary activities are great. Crafts, a jig saw puzzle, watching a movie, listening to music. All that good stuff.

Juliet said "dumping on friends" helps. That sounded pretty awful to me but then she explained most of us need someone to tell our troubles to. However, Juliet warned us to pick a person we can trust.

I want to thank Juliet and Colleen for making the North Fork an even more serene place. Why, I went home and I wasn't worried about what to make for dinner. A neighbor had invited us over for a cookout.