FROM STRESS

TO

SUCCESS

by Dr. Lee Aik Hoe Consultant Psychiatrist Pantai Medical Centre

Subang Jaya Medical Centre A. H. Lee Specialist Clinic

During the past month,

1 Were you a happy person?

2 Have you felt calm &

peaceful?

3 Have you been nervous?

4 Have you felt downhearted or

blue?

5 Felt so down that nothing

could cheer you up?

All of time ………..1

Most of the time…...2

A good bit of the time……………….. 3

Some of the time…..4

A little of the time…5

None of the time…..6

During the past month,

1 Were you a happy person?

2 Have you felt calm & peaceful?

3 Have you been nervous?

4 Have you felt downhearted o blue?

5 Felt so down that nothing could cheer you up?

Items 1 & 2, scored in reverse

Items 3, 4 & 5 scored as appears

Maximum score 30, Minimum score 5

Higher score better.

What is mental health?

• It is not merely the absence of mental illness, but a form of subjective well being, when individuals feel that they are coping, fairly in control of their lives, able to face challenges, and take on responsibility.

• It is the ability to adapt to change and to cope with adversity specific to the individual’s culture.

SOURCES OF STRESS

1. Self-personality, maladaptation2. Family - spouse children, parents in-laws3. Work - environment, rivalry, slow/fast, efficient / non-efficient, mismatch4. Outside - economic environment, stock market, financial, relationship5. Health - serious illness, handicap

TYPES OF STRESS - CLASSIFICATION

I PSYCHOLOGICAL - Most common SOCIAL - Fairly common PHYSICAL

II Acute Chronic Periodic

III Self-Personality Home Work Outside

PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS AND DISEASE - POSSIBLE

CONNECTIONS• Infections - virus

• Accidents - motor, industrial

• Substance abuse - alcohol, cigarettes, drugs

• Degenerative disease – atherosclerosis, heart, brain

• Malignancies - cancers

EFFECTS OF STRESS

Adrenaline effect:

• tenses our muscles preparing for a reaction

• raises blood sugar levels

• increases pulse rate and blood pressure

• increase our breathing rate

• dilate our pupils

• increase sweat

INDIRECT EFFECTS OF STRESS

• Poor work performance

• Increased use of tobacco, alcohol, food, sleeping pills

• Being asocial

• Illness behaviour

• Medical leave taking

SYMPTOMS OF STRESS I

Physical:• Muscular - tension headaches, gritting of

teeth, jaw pain, neckache, backache• Autonomic nervous system - migraine

headaches, dizziness, ringing in the ears, blushing, dry mouth, rashes, heartburn, chest pain, breathing difficulty, diarrhoea

SYMPTOMS OF STRESS II Mental:• Nervousness, anger, frustration, moodiness,

reduced/increased appetite, poor concentration, forgetfulness, indecisiveness

Behavioural:• Unusual behaviour, irritability, restlessness,

perfectionism, tiredness, suspiciousness, social withdrawal, sleep disturbance, smoking

STRESS AND SELF COPING MECHANISM

• Get out of stressful situation

• Avoiding stress

• Coming late to work / home

• Medical leave taking, absenteeism

• Increased use of alcohol, tobacco,

SHORT TERM PHYSICAL EFFECTS OF STRESS (I)

• Headache• Tension• Giddiness• Fainting spells• Carelessness in work• Gastric symptoms• Urinary symptoms• Heart symptoms

DE-STRESS NOT DISTRESS

• Stress can be a positive force in our lives.

• Stress is only harmful when we cannot control our response to it.

• Recognize early warning signs

• Take steps to reduce stressors

MANAGING PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS

Specific :• Problem identification• Problem-solving

Others :• Relaxation exercises, yoga, meditation• Exercise, jogging, swimming etc.• Games - tennis, golf, football, snooker etc.• Involvement in association, organizations,

activities

COPING WITH PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS

Prevention:

• avoid taking on too much

• think before commitment

• control greed

• diversify into a healthy balance of lifestyles

MENTAL HEALTH & WORK

• 15 - 30 % OF WORKERS WILL EXPERIENCE SOME FORM OF MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEM DURING THEIR WORKING YEARS - UK DEPT OF HEALTH

• 2 % OF WORLD’S POPULATION ARE AFFECTD BY SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS

Work is far more than a paycheck - it is a measure of our independence and comprises a

large part of our identities.

Work is about daily meaning as well as daily bread.

MENTAL HEALTH OF WORK BENEFITS

• Structure and meaning in our lives

• Status in society

• Sense of accomplishment

• Income and security

• Chance to socialize

• Sense of belonging

MENTAL HEALTH OF WORK

MODERN TRENDS

• High income = high expectation• Information overload• Long hours = less time for family / hobbies• Mobile phones / email = can’t go off duty• Single income insufficient• Recession = insecurity• Migrant workers

PROMOTION OF MENTAL HEALTH AT THE WORK PLACE

• Individuals with positive affective states think more efficiently and creatively and are more likely to engage in positive social behaviour.

• Employees who are more satisfied with life and work are more cooperative, punctual, take fewer sick leave and remain employed for longer periods.

PROMOTION OF MENTAL HEALTH AT THE WORK PLACE

• Companies in which employees reported greater workplace satisfaction, personal development through work and friendships at work report higher levels of customer satisfaction and loyalty, profitability, productivity and greater employee retention.

SOURCES OF STRESS Study by MIND Main causes of mental health problems:• Work stress 61 %• Loneliness 59 %• Bereavement 53 %• Traumatic events 52 %• Demands of modern life 50 %• Relationship problems 50 %

COPING WITH WORK STRESS I

Manage your workload• Set priorities• Manage time effectively• Delegate where possible and appropriate• Set limits to work and draw boundaries• Define problems precisely• Break work up into manageable units• Recognize your own worth

COPING WITH WORK STRESS II

Develop skills:

• Improve communication

• Learn to be more assertive

• Make decisions

• Plan your time - including your free time

• Decide your career goals

• Take advantage of training opportunities

COPING WITH WORK STRESS III

Physical fitness:• Eat a sensible diet• Get sufficient rest• Decide on some agreeable form of exercise and

make it a habit• Develop interests outside of work

EXERCISE - A HEALTH INDUCER, A STRESS REDUCER AND

A SELF-CONFIDENCE BOOSTER

The mental health of today’s workforce is one of the most valuable assets that a business can have in the intensely competitive world in which

we live and work.

Mental health is an important business issue

TYPES OF MENTAL DISORDER

• Anxiety

• Depression

• Psychosis

• Alcohol and Substance Abuse