Your Mind Your Body

One of the teachers in my daughter’s school was recently in an accident. While she was able to come back to work after a period of time, she looked different and had some limitations in what she could do. As we all know, accidents are common and injuries happen.

When accidents happen, it’s important to talk to kids honestly about what has occurred.

Graphic and detailed information is typically not needed. Brief, accurate, and age-appropriate information can be provided, followed by lots of time for questions and discussion about kids’ thoughts about the incident.

An example might be: “Mrs. Jones was in a bike accident.  She fell from her bike and hurt her neck and broke her leg. When we see her next week she will have a few bandages on her face, a cast on her leg and will be using crutches.”

This might be followed by something like this: “You know, accidents happen.  So that’s why we wear bike helmets and ride on the sidewalks.”

Some other things to be aware of:

• Some kids won’t seem to care about the person who has experienced the trauma.  That’s OK, we all deal with things differently.  They may show concern at a later time, or not at all.
• Kids may become very concerned about their own safety and the safety of their loved ones. For example, in the above case a child might be nervous to ride their own bike following the trauma. Brief re-assurance and a review of safety precautions (helmets, etc) are appropriate.
• Children who have a history of trauma may have a particularly hard time when a new trauma arises, even if it doesn’t concern them directly. In this case, providing extra time for open-ended discussion about the past and current trauma is important.
• Kids who show symptoms of depression or anxiety may benefit from talking to a mental health professional, including a school counselor or psychologist. Symptoms might include, difficulty sleeping, lack of interest in previously pleasurable activities, increased tearfulness, and isolation/withdraw.  Kids might also complain of physical ailments like stomach and headaches.

Photo by mikemcilveen (via Flickr)

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There has been a lot of buzz about the American Psychological Association’s recent Stress in America survey. Some question whether it really represents the state of the nation’s stress, others question whether or not we can really do anything about our stress, and some wonder if it even matters.

After all, everyone always has to deal with some stress, right?

Deborah Kotz of the Boston Globe’s Daily Dose questioned whether the APA’s survey results were accurate. She did her own (though admittedly unscientific) poll online.

Interestingly at the time I wrote this post, her results  mirrored those of the APA survey, and in fact, made the situation even more alarming. Her results indicated that 34.28 percent of Americans described themselves as extremely stressed, have gained weight and are having other health problems. And another 29.32 percent of Americans feel frazzled a lot and don’t believe they are dealing well with stress.

Her article has generated lots of comments by people frustrated at the lack of available services. The stigma they feel is attached to a diagnosis of mental illness and the cost of getting help. Others have pointed out the need for increased education about  stress and mental illness and the benefits to individuals and their families.

Here are some very important facts:

• People with serious mental illness have a 25-year shorter life span than those who do not. Three out of five of these people die of mostly preventable conditions, such as obesity and heart disease.
• Estimates are that 11 percent to 36 percent of primary care patients have a psychiatric disorder.
• One recent survey of mental health conditions in urban family medicine practices revealed that more than 40 percent of survey respondents met criteria for a mental health disorder. But, many come to the physicians’ offices with complaints of headaches and stomach issues such as irritable bowel. Too often patients are told to lose weight, take it easy or handed a prescription with no follow-up.

The American Academy of Family Physicians noted the following:

Psychiatric problems are a major health issue. In the United States, neuropsychiatric disorders have now surpassed other disorders such as cardiovascular diseases and malignant neoplasms as the number one cause of disability as expressed as disability-adjusted life years.

According to the most recent data available, mental health expenditures in the United States, expressed as a percentage of total health care expenditures, were more than 6 percent.

Most family practice physicians are not well trained to manage psychiatric issues. As a result, lots of unnecessary and very expensive medical tests are performed when psychotherapy might be what is needed.

So the answer is yes, stress matters! And yes, we need to learn to better manage our stress.

We need to learn about mental illness and make sure we provide and receive appropriate treatment. Financially, we can’t afford not to. The loss of life is so often unnecessary. There is no price to put on the life and unnecessary death of a loved one.

While I recognize that simply taking a bubble bath, as one person commented, will not solve the tremendous financial and family pressures that  people currently are facing, reducing our stress levels in areas where we have control–such as exercise, breathing techniques, massage, meditation and even bubble baths–can clear our minds so we are capable of making better choices and decisions and can be more resilient.

And remember: This is today. It does not mean things will be like this forever.

Photo by isabisa via Flickr

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When we are stressed we have higher levels of a chemical (cortisol) that damages our system. It’s like a little hammer chiseling away at our healthy insides. (Watch the effects of stress on the body with this cool graphic.)

The problem is that not everyone understands just how unhealthy this is on our physical health. Because of this, many people may be less likely to use stress management strategies that improve their health.

Have you looked at the recent findings of APA’s Stress in America survey? This survey highlights the negative impact of stress on physical health, and it shows that not all survey respondents were aware of the connection.

According to the survey,

“Although the majority of adults understand that stress has a strong impact on a person’s health,  a sizeable minority still think that stress has only a slight or no impact on their own physical health (31 percent) and mental health (36 percent).”

Notice that reference to mental health. Depression also comes into play. Research shows they are related, but it’s thought to be bidirectional. That means that the more depressed you are, the more you engage in unhealthy eating and physical activity habits; and the more you engage in these behaviors, the more depressed you become. It creates a vicious cycle from which it’s tough to break.

More from APA’s stress survey

Obesity and depression are often exacerbated by stress. Those who suffer from these conditions report that they are unable to take the necessary steps to relieve their stress or improve their health and, therefore, engage in maladaptive coping behaviors.

• People with depression (27 percent) or obesity (24 percent) are more likely than the general population (20 percent) to report feeling dissatisfied with their lives and less likely (76 percent for the general population vs. 69 percent for those depressed or obese) to report feeling satisfied with family relationships.
• Those with depression (33 percent) or who are obese (28 percent) are significantly more likely than the general public (21 percent) to say they do not think they are doing enough to manage their stress.
• As compared to the general public (11 percent), more people who are obese (34 percent) or depressed (22 percent) report that their disabilities or health issues prevent them from making positive changes in their lives (i.e., reducing stress and improving health).

The good news is that research shows that depression, obesity, and stress share common effective treatments. Each can be improved (i.e., increased positive mood, weight loss, and lower stress) by a variety of methods, including cognitive (the way we think) and behavioral (what we do) components.

Here are two techniques to help you started on the road to a happier, healthier, more relaxed life.

Rate your mood before and after an activity. Then, rate your feelings of accomplishment before and after this activity. Begin to recognize those that improve your mood (not just in the moment, but later on) and make you feel better about yourself.

You may find that some of your favorite activities (Friday morning trips to the donut shop or Tuesday night carryout pizza) may cause momentary happiness, but lower your self-confidence in making positive choices or decreased physical health that creates more stress and depressed feelings.

Move more and sit less. Research has linked higher BMIs (indication of overweight) with higher rates of screen time (time spent with TV, video games, cell phones, computer, etc). Make your goal simple. Say something like “I will get a few tasks accomplished before I plop down on the sofa and catch up on TV.” For kids, this could be as simple as having them pick up their belongings and engage in a productive, physical activity prior to watching TV or playing video games.

By starting with these two things, you may find that you are identifying activities that make you less stressed, help you get healthier, and improve your interactions with others. You’re putting down that stress chisel, and improving your mental and physical health.

Photo by practicalowl (via Flickr)

Filed under: Chronic Illness & Disease Management, Lifestyle & Behaviors, Stress, Weight Issues | 1 Comment »