Serious Discussion-Stress and Psych Disorders- Page 23

[iflitifloat]

Posted: 2/28/06 at 11:00am

I think both are good topics. If I had to pick one to go be first, I'd go with stress and psych disorders.

[NYadgal]

Posted: 2/28/06 at 11:01am

I was just talking about the importance of understanding world religions with someone yesterday...

It stemmed from a conversation about the history of the Anglican/Episcopal church and the roots of it's break from Catholicism and the issue of authority.

So, I think the subject of dialogue between religions is fascinating.

[NYadgal]

Posted: 2/28/06 at 11:03am

oops - I didn't see iflit's post.

Yes, stress and psych disorders is a great topic.

(we can save the religious one for tomorrow, which coincides nicely with Ash Wednesday!)

[smartpenguin78]

Posted: 2/28/06 at 11:14am

Ok, I can start out with a little bit.

I will start with a bit of my thought on a "universal scale" refering to our society at large.

I think that it has to do, at least in part, with the lack of discernable concrete goals in the modern world. Life was "harder" for most people in centuries past, but they were not "stressed" in the same way. They had a measurable goal, that could be celebrated, which was actually surviving the day, or keeping their family alive.

Today for most of us, although sadly no all, that is no longer a consideration. So we have an ever increasing series of goals, that never have a true place to stop and overlook the past accomplishments. For some it builds to such a frenzy that we lose track of any acomplishments.

As each of the newer and more advanced ways to communicate arrises, there is buildup of both supposed "down time" and expectations. So we are constantly involved in some form of information gathering, and always expected to continue on to the next.

Even the methods to destress are filled with the dread of expectation of more, better, and faster. We are left, lost, alone and afraid. Or violent and reactionary. Either way we are on edge and near an explosion, or implosion.

[bwaysinger]

Posted: 2/28/06 at 11:24am

Wow, Peng, you really said a mouthful. I would have to agree that expectation plays the biggest part in stress today, both our expectation of certain things and the expectation of others of us.
Nothing ever seems to quite meet those expectations and the result is a madcap moment that leads to that spiral down.
More to say, but must post now and hide from the boss.

[iflitifloat]

Posted: 2/28/06 at 11:29am

I agree. The parameters of what we think we know about our lives are subject to change at a moment's notice.

I remember being terrified, as a child, when the air raid sirens were tested. (This was during the era of Nikita "we will bury you and your children" Kruschev...) As an adult, in the space of a couple of months, I had to adjust my psyche to incorporate the very real, no longer abstract, threats of airplanes being flown into buildings in my "backyard" and the probability of attacks with hideous biological agents. And the natural disasters befalling the world...tsunamis, earthquakes...seem so much larger than they used to. Now, I'm not sure if they, for the most part, ARE really bigger, or if it just seems that way due to the omnipresent media coverage. One also has to factor in that as population density increases in any given place, disasters will affect more people.

I am a positive person by nature. I have never doubted my ability to find the glass half full, or the silver lining in a bad situation, but it is much more difficult than it used to be. I've found myself having to struggle not to be taken over by clinical depression more than once.

My mom grew up with the realistic expectation that life would "better" for me than it was for her. I want to believe the same for my children, but sometimes I worry whether there will be a functional world left for them to live in...

And there you have *some* of the roots of my stress...

[Jane2]

Posted: 2/28/06 at 11:44am

It's amazing how much damage stress can do to the body. I'm talking about mental as well as physical stress. We all know that when a part of the body is physically stressed, damage to that area may be an expected consequence.

I think less obvious than physical stress and its effects is mental stress and its effects on the immune system. When we're in a lowered state of immunity, we're more vulnerable to whatever germs are going around and hence to contracting disease.

I'm using myself as an example. During the last several years of teaching, I was in a high state of stress. I couldn't even begin to list everything about the job that contributed to it. Let's just say I was extremely unhappy and angry most of the time. I found myself constantly coming down with colds and generally never feeling well. This was the main reason for my retiring at a young age and foregoing much of my pension money. I felt that I had to leave to improve my health.

I was right because after retiring, almost all my stress was gone, I became much more content in life, and hardly got sick.

I used myself as an example, but I think it's somewhat agreed that when faced with illness, a positive state of mind can help us in our recovery from disease. There are probably those who disagree with this theory, but I can't completely dismiss it.

[kissmycookie]

Posted: 2/28/06 at 12:31pm

I've witnessed panic attacks right on the street.

[Jane2]

Posted: 2/28/06 at 12:35pm

That was probably me.

I'm sorry, I don't mean to make light of the subject. Panic attacks are the most frightening things I've ever experienced.

[kissmycookie]

Posted: 2/28/06 at 12:41pm

Oh, I agree. They're terrifying, when undergoing one.

And yet, I wonder how much can get slipped by using one as an excuse. I realize that stresses are individual matters as well.

I'm just reminded of the story of that one of our posters, brdlwyr has brought up before, where his admin assistant takes time off from stress induced by seeing a mouse in her house.

[Jane2]

Posted: 2/28/06 at 12:46pm

Oh, I know what you mean. We had a teacher who annually took off two six- week stretches for what she called "her pressure".

[kissmycookie]

Posted: 2/28/06 at 1:03pm

Six weeks?

[Jane2]

Posted: 2/28/06 at 1:16pm

six weeks TWICE! I guess it's hard to prove that someone isn't suffering from high blood pressure. She got away with it every single year.

[wexy]

Posted: 2/28/06 at 1:29pm

I evaluate disability claims for Social Security so I see all sorts of stuff every day.

[smartpenguin78]

Posted: 2/28/06 at 1:32pm

I think if you have such control over it to communicate and ask for time off for "pressure" it is not the same. For me I never know I am having a panick attack until it is too late. Then I become even more immobilized by the fear of admitting that something is wrong.


wexy, I don't even want to get started on that Social security denied my mother disability for her "mental symptoms that are inconsistent" we got the letter a few weeks After she died of brian cancer.

I am very much in the camp of trying to help and not trying to judge.

Updated On: 2/28/06 at 01:32 PM

[Jane2]

Posted: 2/28/06 at 1:42pm

"I think if you have such control over it to communicate and ask for time off for "pressure" it is not the same."

I'm not sure I get what you're saying. It's not the same as what?

[smartpenguin78]

Posted: 2/28/06 at 1:57pm

It is not actually having a panic attack, or at least not such a severe one.

[Jane2]

Posted: 2/28/06 at 2:00pm

OH, I see, thanks. No, I was talking about a woman who took time off each year for her blood pressure issues.

[smartpenguin78]

Posted: 2/28/06 at 2:01pm

Blood pressure- brain pressure about the same. Especially for a teacher.

[Jane2]

Posted: 2/28/06 at 2:05pm

LOL, yeah, I can relate. But this woman was a joke already. She took the exact same six weeks off in the winter, and the same six weeks in the spring each year. All the other teachers would try to guess where her time shares were located!

[bwaysinger]

Posted: 2/28/06 at 2:10pm

besides stress, what about depression? I let a LOT of environmental/physical concerns cause depression in me and I'm never even aware I'm depressed until AFTER the episode has passed.
one was a very frustrating professional dry spell that had me so depressed I would go half a week or more without leaving my apartment.

[Jane2]

Posted: 2/28/06 at 2:13pm

Wow, I have experienced the exact same thing-only with anxiety. I could get through the most trying and traumatic event with flying colors, and then a few days later, I'd get a delayed reaction. the only way I could figure it out is that the body's coping mechanism sets in to help us get through the stressful event, and it isn't until later on, when we don't need that coping mechanism, that we first experience the effects.

[DayDreamer]

Posted: 2/28/06 at 4:28pm

Jane... back to your first post re: stress and illness... back in '96 I had a VERY stressful job, working long hours, lots expected from me, and I set my standards quite high at work. On top of that, I already have a compromised immune system. Needless to say, I got VERY sick and wound up not working for 1 1/2 years.

Now, even though I'm still dedicated to my job, and do a good job, I see my job as just that... my job. I will not let another job put me in the hospital. Just not worth it.

One of the ways stress manifests itself with me is anxiety as well. Apparently I've been a very anxious person practically all my life... part of it no doubt growing up in an alcoholic environment. I will deal with things that others can't, yet the most banal things will keep me up at night and unable to cope.

[smartpenguin78]

Posted: 2/28/06 at 4:43pm

The interplay between stress and depression is also really interesting. Last Spring, I knew I was riddled with anxiety, to the point of immobility. So I got medication for it. It was only then that it became apparent that I was also in a severe depression. Which caused me many additional problems, not the least of which being my refusal to take the medicine anymore. Of course now my intense fear of being attacked makes me not go back to the doctor. Although I know none of it is logical, the fear is real and paralizing.
It is incredibly painful to think about in most cases.

Although alternatives such as mediation, and relaxation therapy have been working for me lately.

[Jane2]

Posted: 2/28/06 at 4:45pm

Yep DD, I totally relate to what you're saying. I think it's wonderful that you have the presence of mind and the self discipline to view your job as just that. I'm taking it that when you walk out the door, you leave the job behind for the rest of the day. Oh, if I were only able to do that, but the stress stayed with me all the time.

About anxiety-I don't want to take up space here on my story about panic and anxiety that happened to me in the past. I'm sure we could compare notes!