Stress takes its toll

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In a time when stress levels are growing and work-related worries are at an all-time high, an increasing number of people need help managing their anxiety.

But trying to find help, local officials said, isn't always a simple task.

While there are options for people who need a mental health break, they often come with a cost and strict guidelines for enrollment.

Michael McCartan, executive director of St. Clair County Community Health, said his agency has received an increased number of calls in recent months looking for help. In many cases, he said, his staff is forced to refer those people elsewhere.

"With the funding situation and criteria for eligibility to qualify for programs so rigid, unless people are at risk of hospitalization, there aren't that many programs out there for anybody," McCartan said. "One of the great tragedies is that the programs are least available to people who need the services the most."

Laura Kenny, a therapist and licensed master social worker at Port Huron Hospital, agreed resources can be limited but said there are options for people who need a breather.

Those options range from living in the moment to eating healthy and perhaps even enjoying the calming influences of Lake Huron and the St. Clair River.

Greg Warsinski, 41, of Port Huron knows the effects of work-related stress all too well.

He was laid off from an auto supplier two months ago and watched higher-ups get laid off before that.

Warsinski said he has been trying to stay positive.

"I find my favorite music and listen to it," Warsinski said. "I try to avoid all negativity. If people are talking negative, I just walk away. It's not worth it."

Looking for a job is stressful enough, he said. When he applies for a job, Warsinski said he is competing against hundreds of people.

"I am always fighting depression," Warsinski said.

The stresses of the auto industry have forced Amy Balogh, 25, of Port Huron to look for a job in another field.

The independent contractor is used to being without an everyday job but is looking for something more stable.