Coping with Stress and Depression

Agenda
• How to identify signs of stress
• What are ways to reduce stress
• What is mindfulness-based stress reduction
• How to identify when it’s more than stress
• What are anxiety and depression
• How and where to get help
 Viewer Activity

 Consider: What causes you the most stress?

 Stress is a fact of life, but it can be managed
Definition of stress

Stress is your body's

way of responding to
any kind of demand. It
comes from the strains
of day-to-day life or
acute events.
Signs of Stress
 Digestive problems
 Tense muscles and aches
 Racing heartbeat and
restlessness, sweating
 Skin problems
 Getting sick more
frequently
 Irritability, quick
temper
 Worried, anxious
thoughts
 Forgetfulness, problems
concentrating
 Less interest in sex
 Menstrual or fertility
problems
 Drinking more alcohol,
 How stress impacts the body

You have a “fight or flight” response

 Adrenaline and other body chemicals
are released
 Good for short spurts, not long term
 Chronic stress without healthy release has
long-term consequences to physical and
emotional health
Chronic stress can take a toll

Increased vulnerability to
 Infections, viruses  Heart conditions
 Sleep problems  Weight gain or loss
 Anxiety  Infertility
 Depression  Compromised glucose
 GI problems control (diabetes)
How do you cope with stress?
 Healthy ways and unhealthy ways
Strategies for coping with stress

 Relax deliberately and breathe

deeply
 Eat well, with a healthy, balanced
variety of foods
 Stop smoking
 Limit coffee and alcohol
 Exercise and move your body
 Sleep long enough to feel rested
 Set limits
 Spend time with others
 Laugh and sing
 Practice spirituality
 Focus on your goals
Rationale for reframing

Reframing negative thoughts can help us:

• Turn them into positive possibilities
• Reduce stress and improve mood
Reframing

What nourishes you?

Reframing

Inventory your personal attributes

Practice gratefulness

 I recognize

 I acknowledge

 I appreciate
Mindfulness-Based Stress
Reduction (MBSR)

Mindfulness means paying

attention in a particular
way—deliberately, in the
present moment, and
without judgment
Benefits of MBSR
 Decreases the negative effects of stress
 Some success easing other health
problems
 MBSR is a lifestyle change, more
effective in the long run

The MBSR program was founded in 1979

by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn, U-Mass Medical
Center; now offered at centers and
clinics nationwide
Ways to practice MBSR

 Meditation
 Yoga
 Tai chi
 Other body-centered meditative
approaches

By increasing awareness in
a conscious way, you can
work through your stress
Commit to reducing stress
For your eyes only, jot down one or two things you
can do starting tomorrow (maybe even tonight?)
to help manage your stress—at home and at
work.

“ commit to:
 [doing what?]
 [by when?].”
Remember to breathe!
Beyond
Stress
Anxiety or clinical
depression
Do you know
someone who is
anxious or
depressed?
These are medical conditions

Clinical depression and anxiety:

 Affect people of any age, gender, race, income level
 Are treatable medical conditions
 80% of people improve with treatment
 Are often biologically based
 Like diabetes or heart disease
 What is anxiety?

Excessive dread, fear, or worry

that is intense and ongoing
Who has anxiety?

Anxiety is very common:

• 12% of adults in the
Philippines suffer from
anxiety disorders*
Signs of anxiety disorders
• Irrational feelings of fear, • Irritability
uneasiness, dread • Sweating
• Excessive worry • Fatigue
• Impaired concentration or • Headaches and stomach
selective attention problems
• Feeling restless or on • Insomnia
edge • Repetitive/compulsive
• Heart palpitations or racing behaviors (checking, counting,
heartbeat washing)
• Avoiding activities or • Nervousness
people
• Easily startled or jumpy
• Bothered by normal
surrounding noise
or conversation
What is clinical depression?

 A treatable medical
condition
 Affects people
regardless of gender,
race, income level, age
 More than sadness or
“the blues”
Who has clinical depression?
Common
• About 5.3% of Filipino adults are depressed1
• 17.8% of teens will experience depression by
adulthood2
If untreated, can lead to suicide
• 30% attempt suicide, and half of those take their lives3
 Depression—what others notice
• Talking very negatively
• Acting without concern
for others
• Abusing alcohol or
drugs
• Picking fights, being
irritable, critical, or mean
• Withdrawing from
people
• Having trouble at work
• Talking suddenly about
separation or divorce
• Complaining of medically
unexplained aches and
pains
• Eating or sleeping too
much or too little
• Behaving unusually or
uncharacteristically
 Common sign

Abusing alcohol and drugs

9% of full-time workers—about 12.7 million people
—have problems with alcohol consumption.*
*2011 National Survey on Drug Use and Health,
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Markers of depression

For at least 2 weeks:

• Feeling miserable,
depressed, sad, empty, or
irritable
• Losing interest or pleasure
in most activities

Thinking of death or
suicide
- Seek help
immediately
Help and Resources
Where to go for help

• Employee Assistance Program at your company

• Your doctor (get a referral)
• Mental health clinician (e.g., psychiatrist, psychologist,
social worker, psychiatric nurse, family therapist)
• Complete an online screening, give to your clinician to
get a full evaluation
Learn More, Get Support

Nonprofit organization helping families recognize

and cope with depression and bipolar disorder
to get people well and prevent suicides

Visit Families for Depression Awareness at

www.familyaware.org
Audio Podcast Series

Depression in the Family

• Signs of Depressive Disorders
• Diagnosis and Treatment
• Helping a Family Member
• Caregiver Burnout
• Family Communication
• How to Find and Pay
for Treatment
• Family History
Mental Health Family Tree
Care for Your Mind

Bringing people with mood

disorders and their families into
a conversation about mental
health care system and how to
fix it
• Collaboration with Depression and
Bipolar Support Alliance
• www.CareForYourMind.org
 Coping with Stress Training

 Stress is top health concern among

employees
 Depression training helps employers
reduce the cost of untreated or poorly
treated depression

We can present a company-specific webinar or

in-person workshop to employees

We also have a Coping with Stress Workshop,

including Facilitator’s Guide, so you can
present the workshop to your company,
community group, or other organization
Thank you!