My tips on how to stay calm during stressful situations

Early one morning a few weeks ago, I was in the bathroom drying my hair, which usually takes about 30 minutes every few days. I stood in front of the mirror with the dryer fan on high, hoping to get through the job as quickly as possible. My hair dryer is loud, so I usually stop it every few minutes to check on my husband, Arman, who has early-onset Parkinson’s disease — just in case.

I was about halfway through the lengthy process when I heard a loud bang. As I mentioned, the dryer is very noisy, so the bang must’ve been extremely loud for me to have heard it.

I immediately dropped the hair dryer, which crashed to the tile floor, and ran to the living room. It felt like hours before I reached him, although he was only 30 steps away. He was lying on the floor, and it looked like he barely missed falling onto the solid marble table next to the sofa. We were lucky.

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I panicked as I inspected him for broken bones or blood, neither of which I saw. I questioned him to find out how it happened only to discover that he was simply trying to turn the heat down on the thermostat. I cried out in fear and asked him why he wasn’t more careful, as if he could control the beast inside him that is Parkinson’s disease.

I helped Arman to his feet and guided him to the safety of his recliner. Once he was settled in, I could finally catch my breath. I apologized for my complete lack of control during the incident. That is my usual response, and we are both used to it.

After we had both calmed down, we discussed my intense overreaction to his falls. We talked about strategies that could help me stay in control during future incidents. And we came up with a workable plan that I used just this morning when he had another fall.

When I hear Arman falling in the future, here’s what I’ll do:

• Take two deep breaths before I move. Since Arman has already fallen, it shouldn’t matter if I take a moment to compose myself before helping him. This will enable me to assist him calmly and productively.
• Offer assistance without judgment and ask, “How can I help you?” I’ll help Arman to a safe and secure place without discussing the details. I’ll focus on attending to him and any injuries.

In times of stress, it helps to have a plan

Managing emotions and reactions during a stressful situation can be challenging. In the moment, it’s almost impossible to control your response unless you’re prepared in advance with a plan.

These two modifications really worked! They enabled us to successfully overcome a difficult moment. I’m hopeful I’ll be able to use these strategies during other types of stressful situations — fingers crossed.

Falls are inevitable with Parkinson’s disease, and unfortunately, there’s no way to avoid them altogether. The best thing we can do is to be prepared by having a plan in place and hope that we’re able to implement it at the right moment. As a caregiver, it is vital to me that we put together workable strategies to handle all types of issues that may come my way.

Note: Parkinson’s News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Parkinson’s News Today or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to Parkinson’s disease.