STRESS BUSTER: WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP: There's no need to feel isolated if you think you can't cope – often a visit
to the doctor can put you on the path to recovery, writes
SYLVIA THOMPSON
IRRITABILITY, APATHY, anger, depression, constant anxiety and worry, irrational behaviour, overwhelming tiredness, poor concentration, sleeplessness, severe headaches, neck and back pain
The above list includes the most common symptoms of stress we are all familiar with. But, what happens if you get them all together? What happens if you have an acute attack of stress that you can’t cope with? Where do you go for help?
People turn up at GP surgeries with these symptoms all the time, says Dr Mel Bates, spokesman for the Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP). “It may not be the ideal place to go, but the GP surgery is accessible and you get a same-day service,” he says.
Dr Bates admits that when someone turns up at their GP in an acute state of stress, they will need longer than an average appointment. “They may need time to vent their emotions and gather themselves afterwards so we can work out a treatment plan,” he says. He points to a recent initiative of the ICGP in which more than 400 GPs have received some training in cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT).
There are a number of interventions that can help even when we are pressed for time. Itis important to understand whether the stress is due to sadness, where someone is at a low ebb and has poor self-esteem, or whether it is due to anxiety and the person is suffering from panic attacks. It’s hugely important to normalise the distress because many people think that they are the only ones suffering from these symptoms.
Dr Bates says that GPs are generally less prejudiced about mental health problems than the general public. “What we need to do is to try to get the person over their own level of prejudice so that they can regain a level of mental fitness,” he says.
Mental Health Ireland is a voluntary organisation which some people turn to (and some workplaces contact) when someone is experiencing extreme stress reactions. “The term ‘nervous breakdown’ is still appropriate,” says Ted Tierney from Mental Health Ireland. “And you have to consider that one in four people will develop a mental health problem at some stage, most of which is stress-related.”
The organisation runs workplace workshops on mental health which look at how personal stress, workload and the work environment impact on individual and company wellbeing.
Dr Abbie Lane, consultant psychiatrist at the Dublin County Stress Clinic at St John of God’s Hospital, Stillorgan, says that the clinic is seeing just as many people as during the Celtic Tiger years, for the same problems and illnesses, but for different reasons.
“Before, people were coming to us because they were over-extended. Now, it’s the opposite – it’s because they don’t have enough going on and there are insecurities due to job loss, downsizing, etc,” says Lane.
“We see people who are experiencing high levels of stress for the first time in their lives and this can be very frightening,” she says. “There are many people who are trying to come to terms with changed circumstances. They may have to change their plans for retirement or they have lost their security for the future.
“It’s best if people come to us before the problem has become chronic so we can help them manage their stress levels,” she explains.
At the stress clinic, a treatment plan will include therapy and medication in the form of anti-depressants if they are deemed necessary. “We work out what therapy is most appropriate for the individual – Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, individual counselling, couple or family work and lifestyle management and relaxation training,” says Lane.
“We also encourage our clients to look at their diet, exercise, to consider meditation, to avoid alcohol, to keep up with family and friends, and to consider contacting a voluntary support agency,” she adds.
Some people seek out the help of a complementary therapist when they recognise physical symptoms are due to stress. “I see a lot of very stressed out individuals from every walk of life, but the majority of my patients are healthcare professionals,” explains Chinese medicine practitioner, Paul McCarthy.
McCarthy, who runs the Summerhill Clinic in Sandycove, Co Dublin, says that many people come to him when they have been reassured that their physical symptoms are not due to some underlying illness.
“They are often still in an acute state of anxiety and may have been over-examined and over-prescribed when I see them,” he says. “The stress in itself can cause over-activity of the nervous system, which results in palpitations, nausea and that becomes the focus of the anxiety,” he says.
Like many complementary therapists, McCarthy starts with a long initial appointment in which physical, emotional, mental and spiritual issues (if the client wishes) are discussed. Then, a treatment plan is worked out which will include a combination of acupuncture, herbal medicine and advise on lifestyle and diet.
“Some people will even have a dramatic result after one treatment. Chinese medicine can help someone feel more relaxed and energised at the same time,” he explains.
Stress buster: What you can do to help
Create a better awareness and acceptance of the milder and earlier stages of psychological distress.
This will give workmates, family members and friends a better opportunity to be supportive at a stage when it might be useful.
Help create a culture in workplaces and society at large where mental health problems can be discussed more openly.
Publicise the professional and voluntary services available to
people suffering from physical and psychological symptoms of stress in community centres, workplaces, pharmacies and health stores.
Consult with organisations such as Mental Health Ireland and the Stress Management Institute of Ireland on how to create a work environment conducive to good mental health.
