Why are we even talking about stress?

Online survey by Regus (global workplace service provider)

since global economic

Included 20,000 senior
downturn, nearly 70%
executives & business
Malaysian workers
owners across 95
experienced higher
countries
stress-related illness

48% of Malaysian Over 42% reported

respondents felt their sleeping less due to
stress levels had risen work worries

http://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2013/11/22/70-pct-of-malaysian-workers-see-increase-in-stress-related-
illness-says-survey/
 What’s happenin around us?
Study in SGH in 2000 (140 SN fr 15 units)

Top 5 stressful Coping

Job stress level
wards: strategy
• 83%normal • paed iso • 90%
• 10% low • Paed surg moderate
• 6.4% high • A&E • 14% high
• Labour ward • 0% in low
• ortho ward

http://ir.unimas.my/3705/1/Job%20stress%20among%20staff%20nurses%20at%20Sarawak%20general%20Hospital%20in%20Kuching%20division%20Sara
wak.pdf
 What is stress?

Reaction when facing excessive

pressure / other types of demand

when worry that they cant cope

"wear & tear" of our minds and body

is NOT AN ILLNESS but STATE

however, if stress becomes excessive and

prolonged, mental or physical illness may develop
 Work stress
• the adverse reaction people have towards
excessive pressures or other types of demand
placed on them at work
 types of stress

external internal
• physical
environment
•negative self
• social interaction
talk
• organizational • mind traps
• major life events • personality
• daily hassles traits
 physical environment
• noise
• Improper lighting
• heat
• confined spaces
 social interaction
• rudeness
• bossiness
• aggressiveness by others
• bullying
 organisational
• rules
• regulations
• deadlines
 major life evevnts

birth death lost job

marital status
promotion
change
 daily hassles
• mechanical breakdown
• family issues
 types of stress

external internal
• physical
environment
•negative self
• social interaction
talk
• organizational • mind traps
• major life events • personality
• daily hassles traits
 negative self talk
• pessimistic thinking
• self criticism
 Mind traps
• unrealistic expectations
• taking things personally
• exaggeration
• rigid thinking
 Personality traits
• perfectionist
• workaholics
 impact of stress

negative

positive
 negative stress
• contribute to complaints eg headache,
digestive problem, insomnia
• excessive/prolonged unrelieved
stressharmful effect on mental, physical
spiritual health
 positive stress
• motivation: provide stimulation to cope with
challenging situation
• provide sense of urgency and alertness
needed for survival when confronting
threatening situation
 general adaptation syndome
• alarm response
• adaptation
• exhaustion
 alarm response
• "fight or flight" response that prepares the
body for immediate action
 adaptation

• if source persists
• common phase
• not necessarily harmful
> unless stress turns negative
• must include periods of relaxation and rest to
counterbalance stress response
 exhaustion
• chronic stress
• body experiences 'adrenal exhaustion" leading
to decrease stress tolerance
• progressive mental and physical exhaustion
illness –>collapse
• there is no standard optimal level for all
people
• some more sensitive owing to experiences in
childhood, the influence of teachers, parents,
religion etc
• most stress we experience is self-generated
• depend on how we perceive stress
• recognizing that we create most of our own
upset is important step towards coping them
 physical symptom
• change in sleep pattern
• fatigue
• digestive problem
• headache
• sweating, trembling
• breathlessness
• palpitation
 psychological symptoms
• poor concentration
• difficulty in making decisions
• low mood
• irritability
• restless
 behavioural symptoms
• Alcohol abuse
• substance misuse
• smoking
• eating disorder
 related to diseases

cardiovascular
immunodepression diabetes mellitus asthma
disease
stress control

ABC strategy
 A= Awareness

- what causes you stress?

- how do you react?
 B= Balance
• how much can you cope with before it
become negative
 C=Control
• what can you do to help yourself combat the
negative effects of stress?
 stress management techniques
• change!
> thinking
> behaviour
> lifestyle
 thinking
• reframing
- change the way you look at things in order to
feel better about them
- lets look it another way
eg.
- i got rejected
- it's better that i tried and failed rather than not
try at all. maybe missing this opportunity may
lead me to a better one
 positive thinking
• stress cause vulnerability to negative thinking
so FORGET about rejection, despair, failure,
powerless
• focus on your strength
• learn from the stress you are under
• look for opportunities
 change behaviour
• be assertive
• organised
• ventilation
• humour
• diversion and distraction
Organized- prioritize & don’t overload
your mind

Make a list Learn to drop

- What Cut out time wasting unimportant
MUST/SHOULD/LIKE activities

Don’t waste time

Say no or delegate Set achievable goals
making excuses
 Problem
shared is
problem
half

ventilation

Writing
Support
diary or
network
notes
 Diversion & distraction

•Time out
•Get away from things that bother you
•Reduce stress level
•Allow time to calm down and think
logically (understand that difficult to
solve problem when you are too
stress)
 diet

Stop
relaxation
smoking
Change
your
Leisure
lifestyle Stop
alcohol

Proper
sleep
 Take home message
• Most stress is self
generated
• Positive & negative
stress
• AWARE
• BALANCE
• CONTROL (thinking,
behaviour, lifestyle)