PSYCHIATRY/REHABILITATION DEPTS.

PRESENTORS: HAULI KIYETI(Psychiatrist)

JOYCE KARAWA (Occupational Therapist)
CONTENTS
 Introduction
 Definitions of some terms
 Common causes of Mental Ill-Health at work place
(work related stress).
 Signs of work related stress
 Management
INTRODUCTION
 Work-related stress is a growing problem around the
world that affects not only the health and well-being of
employees, but also the productivity of organizations.
 Work-related stress arises where work demands of
various types and combinations exceed the person’s
capacity and capability to cope.
DEFINITION:
 Mental Health (WHO):
is defined as a state of well-being in which every
individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope
with the normal stresses of life, can work productively
and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her
or his community.
DEFINITION CT…
 Stress has been defined in different ways over the
years. Originally, it was conceived of as pressure from
the environment, then as strain within the person.

 The generally accepted definition today is one of

interaction between the situation and the individual.
DEFINITION CT…
 Stress:
is the negative emotional and physiological process
that occurs as individuals
try to adjust to or deal with environmental
circumstances that disrupt, or threaten to
disrupt, their daily functioning.
Mental Health Issues at work
place:
• Work-related stress can be caused by various events.
For example, a person might feel under pressure if the
demands of their job (such as hours or
responsibilities) are greater than they can comfortably
manage.
• Other sources of work-related stress include conflict
with co-workers or bosses, constant change, and
threats to job security, such as potential redundancy.
Some of the factors that commonly
cause work-related stress include:
• Long working hours
• Heavy workload
• Changes within the organization
• Tight deadlines
• Changes to duties
• Job insecurity
• Lack of autonomy- (freedom of choice/thought)
• Boring work
• Insufficient skills for the job
Some causes of work related stress ct..
 Over-supervision
 Inadequate working environment
 Lack of proper resources
 Lack of equipment
 Few promotional opportunities
 Harassment
 Discrimination
 Poor relationships with colleagues or bosses
 Crisis incidents, such as an armed hold-up or workplace
death.
The signs or symptoms of work-related stress can
be physical, psychological and behavioural.

Physical symptoms include:

 Fatigue
 Muscular tension
 Headaches
 Heart palpitations
 Sleeping difficulties, such as insomnia
 Gastrointestinal upsets, such as diarrhoea or
constipation
Psychological symptoms include:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Discouragement
• Irritability
• Pessimism- the feeling that things will turn out badly.
• Feelings of being overwhelmed and unable to cope
• Cognitive difficulties, such as a reduced ability to
concentrate or make decisions.
Behavioural symptoms include:

• An increase in sick days or absenteeism

• Aggression
• Diminished creativity and initiative
• A drop in work performance
• Problems with interpersonal relationships
• Mood swings and irritability
• Lower tolerance of frustration and impatience
• Disinterest
• Isolation.
 ???????????

WHAT WE NEED AFTER HAVING

WORK RELATED
STRESS??????????
Occupational Balance
WHAT IS YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF
OCCUPATIONAL BALANCE?
Occupational Balance
 Individual’s perception of having the right AMOUNT
of occupations and the right VARIATION between
Occupations.
Occupation
Any meaningful activity a person may do throughout
the course of a day including taking care of one
self(self-care), contributing to society through paid
and unpaid work(Productivity) and simply Enjoying
life (Leisure).
.
Leisure

Self-
Care
Productivit
y
Occupational Balance.
Wilcock (2006) defines it as:

“…engagement in occupation that leads to well-being.

For example, the balance may be among physical,
mental and social occupations; between chosen and
obligatory occupations; between strenuous and restful
occupations, or between doing and being”

- EQUILIBRIUM -
Balance
 Is about the relationship between a person, their
Occupation and their worlds.

 Occupational balance can always feel like and

impossible goal , especially for people who straggles to
give everything 100%.

 Working with the person in the present…

Occupational lives change over time.
WAY FORWARD
 Lets learn to priorities our activities.

 Protect your private/free time

Consider
 Hämmig and Bauer (2009)
Increased risk of mental illness if imbalanced.

 Balanced = Positive outlook, increased motivation

and overall better health and well-being.
.• Sometimes we feel guilt of not doing something
productive…
.

• Relax set time to do things you enjoy.

• Get time to Play your other Roles.

Occupational Balance – Key Studies
Matuska and Christiansen (2008)
Aimed to understand how people use their time
through asking participants about their roles. They
concluded that lifestyle balance could be the answer to
reducing stressors in daily life.

 Håkansson, Björkelund and Eklund (2011)

Occupational Balance + Meaning = Increased life
satisfaction.
Hints for the
Organization/Institution:
• It is important for employers to recognize work-
related stress as a significant health and safety issue.
A company/ Organization/ Institution can and should
take steps to ensure that employees are not subjected
to unnecessary stress, including:
• Ensure a safe working environment.
• Make sure that everyone is properly trained for their
job.
Hints ct….
• De-stigmatise work-related stress by openly
recognizing it as a genuine problem.
• Discuss issues and grievances with employees, and
take appropriate action when possible.
• Cut down on the need for overtime by reorganizing
duties or employing extra staff.
• Take into account the personal lives of employees and
recognize that the demands of home will sometimes
clash with the demands of work.
• Seek advice from health professionals, if necessary.
Remember the OLD saying:

“Find a job you love and you

will never work another
day in your life”
THANK YOU
 WORK HARD
 REST
 RELAX
 SOCIALIZE
 EXERSICE