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Trauma Awareness Month Press Release - Coming Soon!

Mental health and stress management are important factors at any stage of life. In the United States, nearly one in five adults live with a mental illness (NIMH, 2021). The American Psychological Association reports that three out of four Americans experienced at least one stress symptom in the last month. Stress symptoms include lying awake at night, feeling nervous or anxious, irritable or angry mood, and fatigue (APA, 2017). 

Taking an active role in managing your overall wellbeing through self-care can improve mental and physical health, reduce stress, and increase resiliency during difficult times. When we do not take care of ourselves, other areas in our life may suffer. Not feeling well can affect how we handle difficult situations, our ability to cope, and how we treat others. Lack of sleep or feelings of exhaustion can increase our risk for error or injury at work, home, or on the roadways. 

References: 

National Institute of Mental Health, (2021). Transforming the understanding
and treatment of mental illnesses.  

Winerman, L. (2017, December). By the Numbers: Our Stressed-Out Nation, Vol. 48 (11), 80. American Psychological Association. 

Impact of Stress

The impact of stress is profound, research shows lackluster stress management results in higher injury prevalence. Injuries are likely to occur when the body endures stress because the immune system is weaker, muscles are tense, concentration is impaired, and self-confidence is lessened.  Focus and attentiveness are disturbed which can contribute to injury.  The effects of stress on the body and mind can make someone more likely to get injured or injure themselves (Swedan, 2003).

References:

Swedan, Nadya. (2003) Injury, Illness, and Stress. Family Education. Retrieved January 29, 2021

Interactive Assessments:

How stressed are you? Take a stress test offered by PsychCentral here. 

Are you experiencing any mental health symptoms? Learn more by completing an online screening at Mental Health America here.

Resources

• 5 Things You Should Know About Stress 
• Building Better Mental Health
• Coping with Stress 
• Stress
• Stress Effects on the Body
• Stress Symptoms: Effects on Your Body and Behavior
• Taking Care of Yourself 
• The Social Dilemma: Social Media and Your Mental Health

Sleep and Wellbeing

Sleep is anything but passive. Sleep is the time when your mind and body restores and heals. In order to do this, an average adult needs seven to nine hours of sleep (Sleep Foundation, 2021). 

Sleep is a part of your self-care practice. Sleep can impact both your and others' safety. Lack of sleep increases your reaction time to stimulus. In other words, sleep deprivation can put you at risk for unintentional injuries. Short reaction time in some professions (such as police, fire-fighters, and truck drivers) can mean the difference between life and death. 

References:

Sleep Topics. (2021). The Sleep Foundation. Retrieved January 11, 2021  

Interactive Assessment: Sleep Deprivation and Reaction Time Test

Are you sleep-deprived? To determine your reaction time, try the Ruler Test.

Instructions: 

This simple reaction time test allows you to see how long it takes you to catch a falling ruler. To start, have a friend hold a ruler on the highest measurement. Place your open thumb and forefinger slightly below the ruler, ready to catch it when the ruler falls. Then, have your friend drop the ruler while you catch it between your thumb and forefinger as quickly as possible.

Record the measurement where you caught the ruler. The lower the number, the quicker the ruler was caught and the higher your reaction time. For fun, switch positions with your friend and let them try, then compare your results. You can also compare your reaction time during different conditions, like with or without background noise. For more information, visit here.

Resources

• How Much Sleep Do I Need? 
• Sleep and Chronic Disease 
• Tips for Better Sleep  
• The Sleep Foundation
• Why Do We Need Sleep? 

The Real Effects of Burnout

Burnout is prolonged work-related stress that is not released. Burnout was originally coined in the 1970 such as doctors and nurses. Unfortunately, burnout is experienced by many people these days, not just the helping professionals. Burnout can lead to physical and mental exhaustion that can eventually lead to unintentional injuries at work and at home. The more you are burnout, the higher your risk of unintentional injuries (Ahola et al., 2013). 

References: 

Ahola, K., Salminen, S., Toppinen. Occupational Burnout and Severe Injuries: An Eight‐year Prospective Cohort Study among Finnish Forest Industry Workers, Journal of Occupational Health, March, 2014. Visit here.

Interactive Burnout Assessment:

Do you feel the effects of burnout? Try the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) Assessments on Mind Garden. The MBI Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS) is the original and most widely used version of the MBI that is designed for professionals in human services. You can find the MBI-HSS visit here.

Resources 

• Burnout an “Occupational Phenomenon”: International Classification of Diseases 
• Depression: What is Burnout?
• Job Burnout: How to Spot It and Take Action  
• Tips for Healthcare Professionals: Coping with Stress and Compassion Fatigue (Handout)

The Importance of Self-Care

Self-care does not need to cost a lot of money but should be an activity you enjoy and can do on a regular basis. Self-care can be simple like journaling or having a daily gratitude practice. For others, exercise such as walking or yoga can improve mood. Others may choose to follow a guided meditation app or breathe deeply for five minutes. Self-care can also mean making time for a hobby or learning to set boundaries by saying “no.” A few other factors to consider are the amount of sleep you are getting, food and beverage choices, and limiting time on social media or the news (Medline Plus, 2021).

Your self-care preference is just as individual as you. Take a moment to consider, what do I enjoy and how a self-care practice can improve my overall wellbeing? 

References:

How to Improve Mental Health. (February 17, 2021). Medline Plus. Retrieved January 14, 2021  

Interactive Assessment: Self-Care Quiz

How well are you taking care of yourself? Take this short quiz to see how you are doing on self-care.

Resources:

• Making Self-Care A Priority (Handout)
• Mindfulness Exercises
• Self-Care: 12 Ways to Take Better Care of Yourself 
• Self-Care Resource Center 
• Self-Care Tips During the COVID-19 Pandemic
• What Do We Mean by Self-Care?
• Why Routines are Important for Mental Health
• Why You Need a Self-Care Plan