Stress and Filipinos: the social and cultural dimensions of stress

In this topic will give as wide knowledge on why Filipinos get stressed and what is the ways needed to
manage stress through the article written by Dr. Michael Lim Tan

So first, who is Dr. Michael Lim Tan?

Michael Lim Tan is a Filipino medical anthropologist, veterinarian, and writer who is currently a professor
at the University of the Philippines Diliman.

Dr. Michael Lim Tan is also the author of the article "stress and the Filipino

So how do Filipinos really say they are stressed?

According to the article, Stress and the Filipino by Michael L. Tan, Filipinos do face many sources of
stress, around work and livelihood mainly. Overloaded by work or so may cause stress so as feeling
worry on our livelihood will contribute to stress.

So what are the examples of life stresses of a Filipino?

 Loss of a Job
 Death of loved one
 Divorce
 Education Pressure

The fact is that stress can so overwhelm people that they lapse into depression, resorting to destructive
behavior, directed toward the self, or toward others. Understanding this local context might help us
develop more culturally appropriate, and therefore more effective, ways to deal with stress.

So how are we going to cope up with stress?

According to Dr. Tan, stress management is a matter of helping people to recognize that the world, which
seems so stressful, can also be a source of joy and pleasure, fulfillment and renewal. Action by the
community can help make the stress more tolerable.

Culture can also affect the stress and coping process in four ways. First, the cultural context shapes the
types of stressors that an individual is likely to experience. Second, culture may also affect the appraisal
of the stressfulness of a given event.