stress
distress
Stress is part of life. The danger
is when it affects you so much
that it wreaks havoc on your physical and mental
health.
Ever
since my brother-in-law got retrenched, he hardly talks to us and
stays in his room all day. How can we help
him?
Men’s traditional sense of
self-worth includes career success and being a good provider, so
it’s no surprise that they are affected deeply when they lose their
job.
One of the most basic differences between
men and women is how they respond to stress. Men often react with a
"fight-or-flight" response when confronted by stress. They react
with aggressive behaviour such as verbal conflict or they withdraw.
Anger, irritability and aggression are common symptoms that are
more socially acceptable than fear or crying.
A family member your brother-in-law trusts
should try and talk to him – just to let him know he is not alone.
He may want to be left alone for a while, but if he continues to
show signs of stress, perhaps that person could advise him to seek
professional counselling.
He’ll be taught stress management
techniques (see below). The doctor may also prescribe medications
such mild sedatives and antidepressants to alleviate some
symptoms.
dealing with
stress
Coping with stress will put
us in better physical and emotional health. These are some
ways:
1
manage your
time
We may feel stressed because
we do not manage our time effectively. Some strategies:
• set goals and prioritise them
• learn to delegate some of your tasks
• schedule time for breaks and relaxation
2
learn
to relax
A change of routine can be
helpful when you are feeling tense and tired. Breaks are important
for the body and mind to recharge.
3
avoid negative
thinking
What we say to ourselves
(self-talk) affects our mood. People who engage in negative
thinking tend to be more easily anxious or depressed. Examples are
mind-reading ("My boss hates my work") and perfectionist thinking
("I must do it perfectly or I might as well not even try"). Be
aware of unhelpful self-talk and learn to counter
it.
4 learn to say
"no"
It is sometimes difficult to
be assertive as we like to be obliging and helpful. Finding
ourselves trapped by obligations often results in feelings of anger
and helplessness. Learning to say "no" is very important – practise
your assertive response in front of a mirror. So is your body
language. Stand or sit up tall with your shoulders back and give
good eye contact; speak in a calm but firm tone of voice.
5 limit stressful
changes
It may not be wise to marry,
buy a flat and change jobs all within a year as this will cause
overwhelming stress, such as financial strain. Whenever possible,
limit the number of life changes within a short period of
time.
6 live a healthy
lifestyle
Eating
well-balanced meals and doing regular exercise can help the body
cope better with stress, while overeating or consuming excessive
quantities of alcohol and smoking lead to increased physical
stress.
7 get
social support
Try to find people who are good,
non-judgmental listeners you are at ease with and trust enough to
confide in. It is important to build healthy relationships with
family members, friends or community support groups.
how to spot
stress
Common physical
symptoms
• Aches
• fatigue
• dizziness
• heart
palpitations
•
shortness of breath
• nausea or upset stomach
• appetite
changes
•
constipation or
diarrhoea
•
frequent urination
• changes in sleep or sexual interests,
and
•
susceptibility to illnesses, like
flu.
Common emotional
symptoms
• Irritability
• excessive
worrying
•
feeling helpless and vulnerable
• change in
eating habits
•
difficulty sleeping
• moodiness, depression or constant
negativity
•
isolating
oneself
•
working harder, accomplishing less
increased use of alcohol/medications, and
• worsening
of psychiatric conditions.
blame it on
stress
Psychosomatic
disorders:
• Hypertension
• eczema
• heart
disease
•
tension headache
• peptic ulcer disease
• irritable
bowel syndrome, and
• general
ill-health.
Minor Psychiatric
Disorders:
• Anxiety
• depressive disorders
• hypochondriasis, and
• disturbed emotional and
social life.
"By virtue of their personality, thinking
patterns, life experience and social support, some people can take
more stress than others. If you find yourself easily getting into a
rage when you are normally rather controlled, this could be a sign
that you may need to slow down."
– Dr Angelina Chan, Consultant Psychiatrist
Trauma Recovery & Corporate Solutions, Changi General
Hospital
The
Trauma Recovery & Corporate Solutions (TRaCS) at Changi General
Hospital provides services to improve workplace mental health and
management of traumatic incidents through the provision of
consultation, training and psychological support services for
crisis management and treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder.
For corporate enquiries, call 6850-2987/3389 or visit
www.cgh.com.sg/corporate/tracs.asp.