STRESS AND YOUR MENTAL HEALTH Adegboyega Ogunwale MBBS
STRESS AND YOUR MENTAL HEALTH Adegboyega Ogunwale, MBBS, MSc, LLM, FWACP 08024398542 ogunwaleadeboyega@gmail. com 20/02/2021 ADEGBOYEGA OGUNWALE, FWACP 1
Introduction • Health has been defined by the WHO as a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing, and not merely the absence of disease. • The interaction between stress and health is multidimensional – stress affects all aspects of health. • The domain of health that is usually linked to stress is mental health. 20/02/2021 ADEGBOYEGA OGUNWALE, FWACP 2
What is mental health? • The World Health Organisation (WHO) has defined mental health as: – “a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her own community” 20/02/2021 ADEGBOYEGA OGUNWALE, FWACP 3
What is a career? • “an occupation undertaken for a significant period of a person’s life and with opportunities for progress” • “Long term or life-long job” • “professional progress” • From the Latin root “carrus” which means ‘wheeled vehicle’ 20/02/2021 ADEGBOYEGA OGUNWALE, FWACP 4
What is retirement? • “The action or fact of leaving one’s job or ceasing to work”. • “The period of a person’s life during which he/she is no longer working…” • It may be regarded as the “official” end of a career! 20/02/2021 ADEGBOYEGA OGUNWALE, FWACP 5
A complex system Career /Retire ment Mental Health Stress 20/02/2021 ADEGBOYEGA OGUNWALE, FWACP 6
What is stress? • Disturbance of the resting state of the mind and body. • Relates to “pressure” 20/02/2021 ADEGBOYEGA OGUNWALE, FWACP 7
Model of stress Response Perception Stimulus 20/02/2021 ADEGBOYEGA OGUNWALE, FWACP 8
Types of stress • • • Acute or chronic Physical, psychological, psychosocial Executive Technostress Burnout: someone in a state of fatigue or frustration brought about by devotion to a cause, relationship, …that failed to produce the expected reward – Freudenberger 20/02/2021 ADEGBOYEGA OGUNWALE, FWACP 9
Sources of Stress • Life events and changes (positive or negative) • Home front: roles, environment, relationships, FINANCE! • Work front: Work is deadlier than war (ILO, 2004): environment, psychosocial factors (power structure, demand of standards, meeting targets, fears about job stability, “underemployment”, RETIREMENT! • Demands of leadership generally • Individual differences – Personality: beliefs, thinking, attitude, etc. – Man is a product of experiences learned responses – Physical health ADEGBOYEGA OGUNWALE, FWACP 20/02/2021 10
The stress of Retirement Worth? Wealth What to do? 20/02/2021 Where to go? Whittled options? ADEGBOYEGA OGUNWALE, FWACP 11
Health and retirement: Dave et al, 2006 20/02/2021 ADEGBOYEGA OGUNWALE, FWACP 12
20/02/2021 Not all bad news… ADEGBOYEGA OGUNWALE, FWACP 13
Stress: friend or foe? • Yerkes-Dodson Law: “performance increases with physiological or mental arousal, but only up to a point. When levels of arousal become too high, performance decreases”. • An inverted U-shaped relationship between arousal (stress) and performance. • Stress is a tonic but could become a toxin! 20/02/2021 ADEGBOYEGA OGUNWALE, FWACP 14
• Recent data (Lupien et al. , 2007): effect of stress hormones on human cognition – longterm memories are better formed when there is mild elevation of stress hormones but this process is hindered by high levels of stress hormones. • Key mental functions affected by stress: attention, memory and problem-solving 20/02/2021 ADEGBOYEGA OGUNWALE, FWACP 15
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Overwhelmed finally! 20/02/2021 ADEGBOYEGA OGUNWALE, FWACP 17
Negative Effects of stress • Stress affects: – Thinking: poor concentration, impaired problem solving, memory may also be impaired, lack of self-esteem – Mood: sadness, anxiety, undue irritability – Behaviour: absenteeism, reduced productivity, aggressive conduct e. g. bullying; incompetence – Psychosomatic effects: may affect the heart, the intestines, respiratory system – Endocrine balance (hormones): Diabetes mellitus, infertility, sexual dysfunction – Musculoskeletal system – Immunity 20/02/2021 ADEGBOYEGA OGUNWALE, FWACP 18
How to recognise stress • Mood changes – Unexplained sadness, shame or guilt – Feelings of incompetence or being “overwhelmed” – A feeling of terror – undue irritability – Difficulty with controlling your emotions • • Vague physical complaints Poor sleep Persistent headaches Actual reduction in productivity and undue forgetfulness 20/02/2021 ADEGBOYEGA OGUNWALE, FWACP 19
Managing Stress • Innate resources: called ‘defence mechanisms’ e. g. denial, displacement, sublimation, humour, rationalisation, etc. • Acquired resources: Cognitive - SWOT, SMART goals; know yourself well! Skills – professional, problem-solving, social & communication, positive thinking • Acquired resources: Behavioural – be proactive, react less; seek support; use problem-solving strategies; avoid unnecessary props like psychoactive substances e. g. tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, even caffeine! 20/02/2021 ADEGBOYEGA OGUNWALE, FWACP 20
Managing Stress II • Lifestyle modification: – Balanced diet and healthy eating habits – Regular physical exercise – Avoid work overload – adopt the “Jethro initiative” i. e. delegation and shared responsibility; but avoid irresponsible abdication (may aggravate stress) – Establish equilibrium in terms of work and play – The role of rest – Restorative function 20/02/2021 ADEGBOYEGA OGUNWALE, FWACP 21
Take-home Points Stress is your friend but can become an enemy. Be your own “stressometer” Recognize your stress and stressors Deploy your coping mechanisms before you are overwhelmed and you lose balance. • Faith in God gives meaning and purpose to human life including your career. • • 20/02/2021 ADEGBOYEGA OGUNWALE, FWACP 22
Thanks for allowing me to stress you positively! 20/02/2021 ADEGBOYEGA OGUNWALE, FWACP 23
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