From the American Mental Health website, http://www.nmha.org/, an information sheet about coping with bereavement, http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/go/information/get-info/grief-and-bereavement/coping-with-loss/coping-with-loss:
FACT SHEET: COPING WITH BEREAVEMENT
In our hearts, we all know that death is a part of life. In fact, death gives meaning to our existence because it reminds us how precious life is.
Coping With Loss
The loss of a loved one is life’s most stressful event and can cause a major emotional crisis. After the death of someone you love, you experience bereavement, which literally means “to be deprived by death.”
Knowing What to Expect
When a death takes place, you may experience a wide range of emotions, even when the death is expected. Many people report feeling an initial stage of numbness after first learning of a death, but there is no real order to the grieving process.
Some emotions you may experience include:
Denial
Disbelief
Confusion
Shock
Sadness
Yearning
Anger
Humiliation
Despair
Guilt
These feelings are normal and common reactions to loss. You may not be prepared for the intensity and duration of your emotions or how swiftly your moods may change. You may even begin to doubt the stability of your mental health. But be assured that these feelings are healthy and appropriate and will help you come to terms with your loss.
Remember — It takes time to fully absorb the impact of a major loss. You never stop missing your loved one, but the pain eases after time and allows you to go on with your life. (Included in a call out box)
Mourning A Loved One
It is not easy to cope after a loved one dies. You will mourn and grieve. Mourning is the natural process you go through to accept a major loss. Mourning may include religious traditions honoring the dead or gathering with friends and family to share your loss. Mourning is personal and may last months or years.
Grieving is the outward expression of your loss. Your grief is likely to be expressed physically, emotionally, and psychologically. For instance, crying is a physical expression, while depression is a psychological expression.
It is very important to allow yourself to express these feelings. Often, death is a subject that is avoided, ignored or denied. At first it may seem helpful to separate yourself from the pain, but you cannot avoid grieving forever. Someday those feelings will need to be resolved or they may cause physical or emotional illness.
Many people report physical symptoms that accompany grief. Stomach pain, loss of appetite, intestinal upsets, sleep disturbances and loss of energy are all common symptoms of acute grief. Of all life’s stresses, mourning can seriously test your natural defense systems. Existing illnesses may worsen or new conditions may develop.
Profound emotional reactions may occur. These reactions include anxiety attacks, chronic fatigue, depression and thoughts of suicide. An obsession with the deceased is also a common reaction to death.
Dealing with a Major Loss
The death of a loved one is always difficult. Your reactions are influenced by the circumstances of a death, particularly when it is sudden or accidental. Your reactions are also influenced by your relationship with the person who died.
A child’s death arouses an overwhelming sense of injustice — for lost potential, unfulfilled dreams and senseless suffering. Parents may feel responsible for the child’s death, no matter how irrational that may seem. Parents may also feel that they have lost a vital part of their own identity.
A spouse’s death is very traumatic. In addition to the severe emotional shock, the death may cause a potential financial crisis if the spouse was the family’s main income source. The death may necessitate major social adjustments requiring the surviving spouse to parent alone, adjust to single life and maybe even return to work.
Elderly people may be especially vulnerable when they lose a spouse because it means losing a lifetime of shared experiences. At this time, feelings of loneliness may be compounded by the death of close friends.
A loss due to suicide can be among the most difficult losses to bear. They may leave the survivors with a tremendous burden of guilt, anger and shame. Survivors may even feel responsible for the death. Seeking counseling during the first weeks after the suicide is particularly beneficial and advisable.
Living with Grief
Coping with death is vital to your mental health. It is only natural to experience grief when a loved one dies. The best thing you can do is allow yourself to grieve. There are many ways to cope effectively with your pain.
Seek out caring people. Find relatives and friends who can understand your feelings of loss. Join support groups with others who are experiencing similar losses.
Express your feelings. Tell others how you are feeling; it will help you to work through the grieving process.
Take care of your health. Maintain regular contact with your family physician and be sure to eat well and get plenty of rest. Be aware of the danger of developing a dependence on medication or alcohol to deal with your grief.
Accept that life is for the living. It takes effort to begin to live again in the present and not dwell on the past.
Postpone major life changes. Try to hold off on making any major changes, such as moving, remarrying, changing jobs or having another child. You should give yourself time to adjust to your loss.
Be patient. It can take months or even years to absorb a major loss and accept your changed life.
Seek outside help when necessary. If your grief seems like it is too much to bear, seek professional assistance to help work through your grief. It’s a sign of strength, not weakness, to seek help.
Helping Others Grieve
If someone you care about has lost a loved one, you can help them through the grieving process.
Share the sorrow. Allow them — even encourage them — to talk about their feelings of loss and share memories of the deceased.
Don’t offer false comfort. It doesn’t help the grieving person when you say “it was for the best” or “you’ll get over it in time.” Instead, offer a simple expression of sorrow and take time to listen.
Offer practical help. Baby-sitting, cooking and running errands are all ways to help someone who is in the midst of grieving.
Be patient. Remember that it can take a long time to recover from a major loss. Make yourself available to talk.
Encourage professional help when necessary. Don’t hesitate to recommend professional help when you feel someone is experiencing too much pain to cope alone.
Helping Children Grieve
Children who experience a major loss may grieve differently than adults. A parent’s death can be particularly difficult for small children, affecting their sense of security or survival. Often, they are confused about the changes they see taking place around them, particularly if well-meaning adults try to protect them from the truth or from their surviving parent’s display of grief.
Limited understanding and an inability to express feelings puts very young children at a special disadvantage. Young children may revert to earlier behaviors (such as bed-wetting), ask questions about the deceased that seem insensitive, invent games about dying or pretend that the death never happened.
Coping with a child’s grief puts added strain on a bereaved parent. However, angry outbursts or criticism only deepen a child’s anxiety and delays recovery. Instead, talk honestly with children, in terms they can understand. Take extra time to talk with them about death and the person who has died. Help them work through their feelings and remember that they are looking to adults for suitable behavior.
Looking to the Future
Remember, with support, patience and effort, you will survive grief. Some day the pain will lessen, leaving you with cherished memories of your loved one.
Page last updated: 03/12/2007
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Monday, February 11, 2008
Inuit in the Arctic and Suicide Rates
From the News section of the Toronto Star, Monday, January 7, page A4, an article about Inuit people in the Arctic and suicide rates:
SHIFT AWAY FROM LAND LINKED TO SUICIDE RATE
Study of Inuit finds first generation born in towns started trends
Bob Weber
The Canadian Press
New research comparing suicide trends in different Arctic regions offers fresh insight into the roots of a social dysfunction that snuffs out the lives of dozens of young Inuit every year - and suggests there is hope for a turnaround.
In a newly published article in the journal Aboriginal Issues, reseacher Jack Hicks correlated suicide rates among Inuit in Alaska, Nunavut and Greenland with the period when governments encouraged them to move off the land and into communities.
In all three countries, suicide rates began to rise among the first generation born in towns - the sons and daughters of those who had grown up on the land.
The trend began in north Alaska in the 1960, in Greenland in the 1970s and in Nunavut in the 1980s.
"It's a quite distinct time period in all these places, and it's the same order in which 'active colonialism' occurred - the period when the national governments really began to impact on the lifeways of their Inuit population," said Hicks, an Iqualuit-based PhD candidate at the University of Greenland.
Historically, Inuit suicide rates were quite low. Hicks said records suggest there was only one suicide in what is now Nunavut in the entire 1960s. As well, suicide tended to be concentrated among the old and sick.
But the 1960s marked the last gasp of traditional culture, before all Inuit were moved into commuities.
Now Nunavut's suicide rate is 11 times the national average, and suicide claims the lives of about two dozen Inuit every year, mostly young men.
In Greenland, suicide began to increase among young men born after 1950, the same year the Danish government began its program of modernizing the territory.
"It's the children of the modernization period," said Hicks.
Neither Canada nor Alaska has comparable records for Inuit from that era. But because tuberculosis treatment was one of the first government services to be offered in those areas, Hicks was able to use the decline in deaths from TB as an index of government intervention.
Hicks maintains that moderization and suicide must be linked.
SHIFT AWAY FROM LAND LINKED TO SUICIDE RATE
Study of Inuit finds first generation born in towns started trends
Bob Weber
The Canadian Press
New research comparing suicide trends in different Arctic regions offers fresh insight into the roots of a social dysfunction that snuffs out the lives of dozens of young Inuit every year - and suggests there is hope for a turnaround.
In a newly published article in the journal Aboriginal Issues, reseacher Jack Hicks correlated suicide rates among Inuit in Alaska, Nunavut and Greenland with the period when governments encouraged them to move off the land and into communities.
In all three countries, suicide rates began to rise among the first generation born in towns - the sons and daughters of those who had grown up on the land.
The trend began in north Alaska in the 1960, in Greenland in the 1970s and in Nunavut in the 1980s.
"It's a quite distinct time period in all these places, and it's the same order in which 'active colonialism' occurred - the period when the national governments really began to impact on the lifeways of their Inuit population," said Hicks, an Iqualuit-based PhD candidate at the University of Greenland.
Historically, Inuit suicide rates were quite low. Hicks said records suggest there was only one suicide in what is now Nunavut in the entire 1960s. As well, suicide tended to be concentrated among the old and sick.
But the 1960s marked the last gasp of traditional culture, before all Inuit were moved into commuities.
Now Nunavut's suicide rate is 11 times the national average, and suicide claims the lives of about two dozen Inuit every year, mostly young men.
In Greenland, suicide began to increase among young men born after 1950, the same year the Danish government began its program of modernizing the territory.
"It's the children of the modernization period," said Hicks.
Neither Canada nor Alaska has comparable records for Inuit from that era. But because tuberculosis treatment was one of the first government services to be offered in those areas, Hicks was able to use the decline in deaths from TB as an index of government intervention.
Hicks maintains that moderization and suicide must be linked.
Friday, February 8, 2008
Lobotomy Doctor - Miracle Maker or Monster
From the Friday, January 18, 2008, Toronto Star, Living section, page L2, an article about a documentary about the doctor who started using lobotomies in dealing with mental illness:
Ice Pick Surgery
A MIRACLE WORKER OR A MONSTER?
Documentary looks at legacy of doctor who pioneered lobotomies to treat mental illness
Stuart Laidlaw
Faith and Ethics Reporter
With ambition blinding him to both critics and his own failures - including patients who died on the operating table - Dr. Walter Freeman inserted an ice pick into the skulls of almost 3,000 people, swished the cold steel instruments about "like a windshield wiper" and earned a reputation as the world's top lobotomist.
A new PBS television documentary looks at the legacy of the man hailed as an angel of hope by some, but as a monster by most.
"This is a man who believes he is born to medical genius," Andrew Scull, University of California sociology professor, says in the PBS documentary The Lobotomist airing Monday evening.
The story might have taken place decades ago in post-war America, filmmaker Barak Goodman says, but it is a reminder of how easily things can go astray when overzealous researchers combine with a press hungry to report the next miracle cure, and with families desperate to alleviate a loved one's suffering.
"It's a really great cautionary tale," Goodman says in a phone interview. "The dynamic that was at play then is something that we need to be wary of today."
Freeman was able to do his work at a time when patients did what doctors told them. There was little in the way of informed consent before doctors prescribed procedures, leaving doctors great freedom to try new techniques.
Today, patients must be told of the risks before they agree to treatment, and ethics boards at both hospitals and research facilities keep an eye on the work being done. If you've ever wondered why such things are needed, The Lobotomist offers a chilling answer.
Freeman, grandson of pioneering brain surgeon William Keen, was driven to make his own mark in the medical world. After stumbling onto an obscure study by Portuguese neurologist Egas Moniz in 1936, he knew he had his answer.
Working at one of the U.S.'s largest mental hospitals, St. Elizabeth's in Washington, D.C., Freeman expanded on Moniz's work severing neurological links in the brain to completely detach the frontal lobe from the rest of the brain.
It came to be known as a lobotomy. At first, he had to work with a neurosurgeon named James Watts in a lengthy and complicated procedure that involved operating rooms, specialized equipment and full surgical staff. Freeman would sit on a stool directing the action.
He later came up with a method to reach into the brain through the eye cavity, and no longer needed Watts. For years, he was hailed as a hero, feted by the medical establishment, the press and the families of his patients for offering a simple solution to great suffering.
Freeman simply pulled back the eyelid, inserted an ice pick above the eye, tapped it with a hammer to get it into the brain cavity, swerved it back and forth and pulled it out. The same was then done to the other eye, and the patient was sent home within hours - wearing sunglasses to mask the two black eyes.
"The first ice picks came out of our kitchen drawer," recalls Freeman's son, Franklin.
The procedure could be done anywhere; an examination room, an office, or surgical theatre. Freeman once went to a hostage taking, performing a lobotomy at the scene as police held the suspect down. Patients were often awake during the procedure, and told by Freeman to perform mental tasks such as reciting the alphabet or the Lord's Prayer so he could measure his progress.
"He had kind of a perverse need to shock people," Elliot Velenstein, a neuroscience professor at the University of Michigan, says in the film.
Freeman had his ticket to fame. He toured the U.S. teaching others, sure to have the local press on hand to write stories about him and his work. Deemed "surgery of the soul" by The New York Times, reporters hailed the lobotomy as a miracle cure for mental illness.
"The next thing you know, you have this story out there not of damaging the brain, but of plucking madness from the brain. And it's such a story of promise," Robert Whitaker, author of Mad in America, says in the film.
Families, including the Kennedys, flocked to him and those he taught for help. Freeman himself lobotomized more than 2,900 people, including a 4-year-old. But by the late 1940's, more than 5,000 ice pick lobotomies were being performed across the U.S. annually.
As criticisms began to mount that the cure was worse than the illness and not as safe as heralded, Freeman bullied on, convinced of his discovery's importance even as the evidence built up against it.
By the late 1960s, with drugs becoming the preferred treatment for mental illness, lobotomies fell into disrepute, taking Freeman's reputation with it. He died in 1972, still trying to prove the effectiveness of the procedure. Goodman says the story, however, is far from over.
"What's really interesting is why the wider community allowed it to happen. What was the failure there? Why was there no oversight? And that's what we can learn from," Goodman says.
"There will always be Walter Freemans. The key is how to prevent Walter Freemans from getting their hands on too many patients."
The Lobotomist airs Monday, 9 p.m., PBS.
Ice Pick Surgery
A MIRACLE WORKER OR A MONSTER?
Documentary looks at legacy of doctor who pioneered lobotomies to treat mental illness
Stuart Laidlaw
Faith and Ethics Reporter
With ambition blinding him to both critics and his own failures - including patients who died on the operating table - Dr. Walter Freeman inserted an ice pick into the skulls of almost 3,000 people, swished the cold steel instruments about "like a windshield wiper" and earned a reputation as the world's top lobotomist.
A new PBS television documentary looks at the legacy of the man hailed as an angel of hope by some, but as a monster by most.
"This is a man who believes he is born to medical genius," Andrew Scull, University of California sociology professor, says in the PBS documentary The Lobotomist airing Monday evening.
The story might have taken place decades ago in post-war America, filmmaker Barak Goodman says, but it is a reminder of how easily things can go astray when overzealous researchers combine with a press hungry to report the next miracle cure, and with families desperate to alleviate a loved one's suffering.
"It's a really great cautionary tale," Goodman says in a phone interview. "The dynamic that was at play then is something that we need to be wary of today."
Freeman was able to do his work at a time when patients did what doctors told them. There was little in the way of informed consent before doctors prescribed procedures, leaving doctors great freedom to try new techniques.
Today, patients must be told of the risks before they agree to treatment, and ethics boards at both hospitals and research facilities keep an eye on the work being done. If you've ever wondered why such things are needed, The Lobotomist offers a chilling answer.
Freeman, grandson of pioneering brain surgeon William Keen, was driven to make his own mark in the medical world. After stumbling onto an obscure study by Portuguese neurologist Egas Moniz in 1936, he knew he had his answer.
Working at one of the U.S.'s largest mental hospitals, St. Elizabeth's in Washington, D.C., Freeman expanded on Moniz's work severing neurological links in the brain to completely detach the frontal lobe from the rest of the brain.
It came to be known as a lobotomy. At first, he had to work with a neurosurgeon named James Watts in a lengthy and complicated procedure that involved operating rooms, specialized equipment and full surgical staff. Freeman would sit on a stool directing the action.
He later came up with a method to reach into the brain through the eye cavity, and no longer needed Watts. For years, he was hailed as a hero, feted by the medical establishment, the press and the families of his patients for offering a simple solution to great suffering.
Freeman simply pulled back the eyelid, inserted an ice pick above the eye, tapped it with a hammer to get it into the brain cavity, swerved it back and forth and pulled it out. The same was then done to the other eye, and the patient was sent home within hours - wearing sunglasses to mask the two black eyes.
"The first ice picks came out of our kitchen drawer," recalls Freeman's son, Franklin.
The procedure could be done anywhere; an examination room, an office, or surgical theatre. Freeman once went to a hostage taking, performing a lobotomy at the scene as police held the suspect down. Patients were often awake during the procedure, and told by Freeman to perform mental tasks such as reciting the alphabet or the Lord's Prayer so he could measure his progress.
"He had kind of a perverse need to shock people," Elliot Velenstein, a neuroscience professor at the University of Michigan, says in the film.
Freeman had his ticket to fame. He toured the U.S. teaching others, sure to have the local press on hand to write stories about him and his work. Deemed "surgery of the soul" by The New York Times, reporters hailed the lobotomy as a miracle cure for mental illness.
"The next thing you know, you have this story out there not of damaging the brain, but of plucking madness from the brain. And it's such a story of promise," Robert Whitaker, author of Mad in America, says in the film.
Families, including the Kennedys, flocked to him and those he taught for help. Freeman himself lobotomized more than 2,900 people, including a 4-year-old. But by the late 1940's, more than 5,000 ice pick lobotomies were being performed across the U.S. annually.
As criticisms began to mount that the cure was worse than the illness and not as safe as heralded, Freeman bullied on, convinced of his discovery's importance even as the evidence built up against it.
By the late 1960s, with drugs becoming the preferred treatment for mental illness, lobotomies fell into disrepute, taking Freeman's reputation with it. He died in 1972, still trying to prove the effectiveness of the procedure. Goodman says the story, however, is far from over.
"What's really interesting is why the wider community allowed it to happen. What was the failure there? Why was there no oversight? And that's what we can learn from," Goodman says.
"There will always be Walter Freemans. The key is how to prevent Walter Freemans from getting their hands on too many patients."
The Lobotomist airs Monday, 9 p.m., PBS.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Dealing with Stress
From the Health Canada website, http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/iyh-vsv/life-vie/stress_e.html, an article about taking care of your mental health by learning about dealing with stress:
Mental Health - Coping With Stress
The IssueStress is a fact of daily life and is the result of both the good and bad things that happen. Too much stress can cause serious health concerns, but there are many ways of dealing with stress that can reduce your risk.
Background
Stress can come from major events in life such as getting married or changing jobs, or from minor daily incidents, such as job pressures or holiday planning. The things that cause you stress may not be a problem for someone else. If you did not feel stress of some sort, you would not be alive. Good stress, such as winning a game or going on vacation, can make you feel more involved and energized. But the negative effects of too much stress associated with being under pressure can affect your health.
When you find an event stressful, your body undergoes a series of responses. These come in three stages:
Mobilizing Energy
Your body releases adrenaline, your heart beats faster and you start to breathe more quickly. Both good and bad events can trigger this reaction.
Consuming Energy Stores
If you remain in the mobilizing energy stage for a period of time, your body begins to release stored sugars and fats. You will then feel driven, pressured and tired. You may drink more coffee, smoke more and drink more alcohol. You may also experience anxiety, negative thinking or memory loss, catch a cold or get the flu more often than normal.
Draining Energy Stores
If you do not resolve your stress problem, your body’s need for energy will become greater than its ability to provide it. At this stage, you may experience insomnia, errors in judgement and personality changes. You may also develop a serious illness such as heart disease or be at risk of mental illness.
Symptoms of Stress
Signs that you are over-stressed may include:
- Feelings of irritability, sadness or guilt
- Change in sleep patterns
- Change in weight or appetite
- Difficulty in concentrating or making decisions
- Negative thinking
- Loss of interest, enjoyment or energy in something you used to enjoy
- Restlessness
- Health Effects of Stress
While some people may appear to thrive on it, stress is considered to be a risk factor in a great many diseases, including:
- heart disease
- some types of bowel disease
- herpes
- mental illness
Stress also makes it hard for people with diabetes to control their blood sugar.
Stress is also a risk factor in alcohol and substance abuse, as well as weight loss and gain. Stress has even been identified as a possible risk factor in Alzheimer's Disease.
Severe stress can cause biochemical changes in the body, affecting the immune system, leaving your body vulnerable to disease.
Minimizing Your Risk
Here are several strategies to help you deal with stress.
Understanding stress
- Notice and remember when you experience the signs of stress. This will help you figure out what triggers stress in you. It may be:
- Major events such as getting married, changing jobs, moving your home, getting divorced or coping with the death of a loved one
- Long term worries such as financial problems, your children’s future, your job or an ongoing illness
- Daily hassles such as traffic jams, rude people or machines that don’t work.
Coping with stress
Because everyone is different, there is no single way to cope with stress. However, there are a number of approaches you can try to deal with short and long term stress.
- Identify your problems. What is causing your stress? It can be your job, a relationship or another source altogether. Is an unimportant surface problem masking a deeper one? Once you know what the problem is, you can do something about it.
- Work on solutions. Start thinking about what you can do to relieve the problem. Take control over the issues you can manage. This might mean looking for another job, talking with a health professional about personal problems or a financial counsellor. Also ask yourself what will happen if you do nothing. Once you make some changes to deal with the issue, you will take pressure off yourself.
- Talk about your problems. Friends, work colleagues and family members may not know you are having a hard time. If you talk to them about it, it may help in two ways. First of all, just by venting your feelings, you will relieve some stress. Secondly, they may suggest solutions to your problems. If you need to talk to someone outside your circle of family and friends, speak to your family physician or contact a mental health professional.
- Learn about stress management. In addition to health professionals who specialize in stress, there are many helpful books, films, videos, courses and workshops available to help you learn stress management techniques.
- Reduce tension. Physical activity is a great stress reducer. Walk, do some exercises or garden to relieve your stress. There are also relaxation exercises you can learn that will take the pressure off, such as deep breathing and stretching your whole body. Tension meditation and progressive relaxation are techniques that work for many people.
- Take your mind off your problems. By reading, taking up a hobby or becoming involved in sports, you can give yourself a `mental holiday’ from stress. It will also give you distance from your problems, so that they become easier to solve.
- Try not to be too hard on yourself. Stress can cause lots of negative thinking. You may notice yourself saying things like “I can’t, won’t, should, must”. Be realistic. Find realistic solutions you can achieve in steps that will bring success.
Stress prevention
Once you have lowered your stress level, there are techniques that will help prevent it from building up again.
- Make decisions. Worrying about making a decision causes stress.
- Avoid putting things off. Make up a weekly schedule that includes leisure activities as well as things you must do.
- Delegate to others. Let others take on some of the tasks you have set yourself so that you are not trying to do everything yourself.
- Keep your thinking positive and realistic.
Government of Canada's Role
The Government of Canada works to help Canadians maintain and improve their mental health, including coping with stress. Within its jurisdiction, the Government of Canada works to:
- generate and disseminate knowledge, and support both knowledge generation and dissemination activities undertaken by other organizations
- strengthen the capacity of the primary health care, home care and acute care sectors to effectively deliver mental health programs and services
provide leadership and governance
- develop social marketing campaigns
- conduct surveillance on health trends in the population
In 2007, the federal government provided funding to establish and support a Mental Health Commission to lead the development of a national mental health strategy.
Need More Info?
For more information on stress, contact the following.
The Mental Health Promotion Unit, Public Health Agency of Canada
Health Canada's Mental Health section
The Canadian Health Network,click on “Mental Health”
The Canadian Mental Health Association
Or contact the local Canadian Mental Health Association in your community, listed in the phone book
Canadian Psychiatric Association
The National Network for Mental Health
The Canadian Psychological Association
The Mood Disorders Society of Canada
For additional articles on health and safety issues go to the It's Your Health Web site.
You can also call toll free at 1-866-225-0709 or TTY at 1-800-267-1245*.
Original: August 2007
Date Modified: 2008-01-07
Mental Health - Coping With Stress
The IssueStress is a fact of daily life and is the result of both the good and bad things that happen. Too much stress can cause serious health concerns, but there are many ways of dealing with stress that can reduce your risk.
Background
Stress can come from major events in life such as getting married or changing jobs, or from minor daily incidents, such as job pressures or holiday planning. The things that cause you stress may not be a problem for someone else. If you did not feel stress of some sort, you would not be alive. Good stress, such as winning a game or going on vacation, can make you feel more involved and energized. But the negative effects of too much stress associated with being under pressure can affect your health.
When you find an event stressful, your body undergoes a series of responses. These come in three stages:
Mobilizing Energy
Your body releases adrenaline, your heart beats faster and you start to breathe more quickly. Both good and bad events can trigger this reaction.
Consuming Energy Stores
If you remain in the mobilizing energy stage for a period of time, your body begins to release stored sugars and fats. You will then feel driven, pressured and tired. You may drink more coffee, smoke more and drink more alcohol. You may also experience anxiety, negative thinking or memory loss, catch a cold or get the flu more often than normal.
Draining Energy Stores
If you do not resolve your stress problem, your body’s need for energy will become greater than its ability to provide it. At this stage, you may experience insomnia, errors in judgement and personality changes. You may also develop a serious illness such as heart disease or be at risk of mental illness.
Symptoms of Stress
Signs that you are over-stressed may include:
- Feelings of irritability, sadness or guilt
- Change in sleep patterns
- Change in weight or appetite
- Difficulty in concentrating or making decisions
- Negative thinking
- Loss of interest, enjoyment or energy in something you used to enjoy
- Restlessness
- Health Effects of Stress
While some people may appear to thrive on it, stress is considered to be a risk factor in a great many diseases, including:
- heart disease
- some types of bowel disease
- herpes
- mental illness
Stress also makes it hard for people with diabetes to control their blood sugar.
Stress is also a risk factor in alcohol and substance abuse, as well as weight loss and gain. Stress has even been identified as a possible risk factor in Alzheimer's Disease.
Severe stress can cause biochemical changes in the body, affecting the immune system, leaving your body vulnerable to disease.
Minimizing Your Risk
Here are several strategies to help you deal with stress.
Understanding stress
- Notice and remember when you experience the signs of stress. This will help you figure out what triggers stress in you. It may be:
- Major events such as getting married, changing jobs, moving your home, getting divorced or coping with the death of a loved one
- Long term worries such as financial problems, your children’s future, your job or an ongoing illness
- Daily hassles such as traffic jams, rude people or machines that don’t work.
Coping with stress
Because everyone is different, there is no single way to cope with stress. However, there are a number of approaches you can try to deal with short and long term stress.
- Identify your problems. What is causing your stress? It can be your job, a relationship or another source altogether. Is an unimportant surface problem masking a deeper one? Once you know what the problem is, you can do something about it.
- Work on solutions. Start thinking about what you can do to relieve the problem. Take control over the issues you can manage. This might mean looking for another job, talking with a health professional about personal problems or a financial counsellor. Also ask yourself what will happen if you do nothing. Once you make some changes to deal with the issue, you will take pressure off yourself.
- Talk about your problems. Friends, work colleagues and family members may not know you are having a hard time. If you talk to them about it, it may help in two ways. First of all, just by venting your feelings, you will relieve some stress. Secondly, they may suggest solutions to your problems. If you need to talk to someone outside your circle of family and friends, speak to your family physician or contact a mental health professional.
- Learn about stress management. In addition to health professionals who specialize in stress, there are many helpful books, films, videos, courses and workshops available to help you learn stress management techniques.
- Reduce tension. Physical activity is a great stress reducer. Walk, do some exercises or garden to relieve your stress. There are also relaxation exercises you can learn that will take the pressure off, such as deep breathing and stretching your whole body. Tension meditation and progressive relaxation are techniques that work for many people.
- Take your mind off your problems. By reading, taking up a hobby or becoming involved in sports, you can give yourself a `mental holiday’ from stress. It will also give you distance from your problems, so that they become easier to solve.
- Try not to be too hard on yourself. Stress can cause lots of negative thinking. You may notice yourself saying things like “I can’t, won’t, should, must”. Be realistic. Find realistic solutions you can achieve in steps that will bring success.
Stress prevention
Once you have lowered your stress level, there are techniques that will help prevent it from building up again.
- Make decisions. Worrying about making a decision causes stress.
- Avoid putting things off. Make up a weekly schedule that includes leisure activities as well as things you must do.
- Delegate to others. Let others take on some of the tasks you have set yourself so that you are not trying to do everything yourself.
- Keep your thinking positive and realistic.
Government of Canada's Role
The Government of Canada works to help Canadians maintain and improve their mental health, including coping with stress. Within its jurisdiction, the Government of Canada works to:
- generate and disseminate knowledge, and support both knowledge generation and dissemination activities undertaken by other organizations
- strengthen the capacity of the primary health care, home care and acute care sectors to effectively deliver mental health programs and services
provide leadership and governance
- develop social marketing campaigns
- conduct surveillance on health trends in the population
In 2007, the federal government provided funding to establish and support a Mental Health Commission to lead the development of a national mental health strategy.
Need More Info?
For more information on stress, contact the following.
The Mental Health Promotion Unit, Public Health Agency of Canada
Health Canada's Mental Health section
The Canadian Health Network,click on “Mental Health”
The Canadian Mental Health Association
Or contact the local Canadian Mental Health Association in your community, listed in the phone book
Canadian Psychiatric Association
The National Network for Mental Health
The Canadian Psychological Association
The Mood Disorders Society of Canada
For additional articles on health and safety issues go to the It's Your Health Web site.
You can also call toll free at 1-866-225-0709 or TTY at 1-800-267-1245*.
Original: August 2007
Date Modified: 2008-01-07
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