Dealing with anxiety ahead of severe weather in Central Texas

Editor’s Note: The transcript of this live Q&A has been edited for brevity and clarity.

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A recent study released by Thriveworks, a mental health organization in Cedar Park, found that 32% of the people surveyed cited natural disasters or weather as a main source of anxiety.

As Central Texas soon sees temperatures drop into the 30s on Thursday, KXAN's Will DuPree and Avery Travis spoke to Licensed Professional Counselor Kathryn "Nin" Emery on managing that anxiety during extreme weather conditions.

Will DuPree: The winter weather headed our way could potentially bring dangerous conditions to parts of Texas. But you're not alone. If it also causes you some worry, a recent study found that natural disasters, including extreme weather conditions, are some of the top sources of anxiety for many people.

Avery Travis: Joining us now to talk about it is Kathryn "Nin" Emery, a Cedar Park-based licensed professional counselor. So thank you so much for being here. You work with Thriveworks, who is the group behind the study that we mentioned. And I want to start there. What was your reaction? The findings were, 32% of people surveyed cited those natural disasters or weather as a driver of anxiety for them.

Kathryn "Nin" Emery: It sounds like a lot, but I feel like as a mental health professional, it makes a lot of sense, given what we've recently been through in the past few years. Especially since these natural disasters or the severe weather events, impact our homes, our jobs, how we feel about family, a lot of sense of security and a lot of lack of control.

DuPree: We talked a little bit about their referencing what happened back in 2021 and 2023 both of us were here during that time. It certainly elicits certain feelings, as we remember back in those really tough times. But how much do those past incidents drive some of those feelings that people might have anxiety for?

Emery: I think that those are related, depending on what you went through, and particularly how much your body felt that stress of that moment, that's going to inform how the brain and the body react to oh gosh, do I have to prepare for another stressful event? The brain and the body are doing its best to protect you, but sometimes it runs on overdrive.

Travis: I think people fall into two camps. We were talking about it in the newsroom this morning, and I raised my hand, I said, I am one of these people where when we start talking about impending weather, I feel that anxiety right there. But what are some of the actual symptoms that if people aren't aware of, this is what they're experiencing, they might be feeling?

Emery: So that's tense muscle, stomach, chest, throat tightness. It's one thing to feel a little bit of anxiety while you're planning and prepping for the severe weather. It's another that you've been clenching your jaw so long that you've been getting headaches. Or that your breath has been so shallow for a couple of hours that you're actually starting to get a little light-headed So some of those more severe types of anxiety symptoms, if it's been prolonged.

DuPree: Now if someone is experiencing something like that. What are some of the tools that people can use to try to counteract that?

Emery: If it gets to the extreme level, or if you cannot seem to put down your worry? That's when we might want to talk to somebody that's more professional. But some general tips, it really helps to be prepared by listening to what you guys have been saying as we've been prepping for this, because when we start to have that trouble controlling the worry where the thoughts continue and continue, we can pump the brakes by literally talking to our brains.

I know it sounds a little much, but by saying, "Okay, brain, I know you're trying to love me. You're trying to make sure I'm safe, but I'm prepared. I've got this." So another way is to trust the process. So just like weather, emotions are temporary. The anxiety is going to come in and it's going to go, the severe weather event is going to come in and it's going to go. A lot of times we feel anxiety because we don't have control and we can't predict it, so focusing on what we can control in the moment. The present moment is where we have our power. So focusing on that.

And then the last thing I'd say is to rely on your community. So please go check on your elderly neighbors, your disabled neighbors, and if you feel like you have needs, like if you need batteries for that flashlight, go knock on that door, go ahead and connect.