PPT 14 Leisure and Mental Health Emotions and Stress.pdf.pdf

2

1. MULTIDIMENSIONAL MODELS OF WELLBEING
vDifferent domains of individual wellness interact with, and influence each other
vThere are social and environmental factors that influence our wellbeing
vLeisure (and the multifaceted components of) can serve as an intervention for improving wellbeing
Center for Disease Control

2. EMOTIONAL HEALTH
ØComponents of…
ØPositive self-esteem
ØPositive self-concept
ØResilient (ability to deal with stress)
ØAbility to control emotions and associated behaviors
ØLeisure is a major contributor to emotional
wellbeing…
Examples?
Source: Krous’ Recreation and Leisure in Modern Society

3. FUN
vDefined as intense pleasure and
enjoyment
vFrequent by-product of fun that can
often occur during leisure engagements
vLaughter
vLinked to:
vSocial bonding/increased intimacy and
immediate stress relief
Source: Krous’ Recreation and Leisure in Modern Society

4. MASLOW’S HIERARCHY
Self Actualization
vDrive to grow and develop
vTo master something
vTo reach full potential
vCan be reached in both work and leisure
Is Self-Actualization the same as Flow?
(remember “Flow” lecture: when challenge and skill synch)

5. HAPPINESS
Frequent positive affect, high life satisfaction, and
infrequent negative affect (Lyubomirskyet al., 2005)
Happy people…
vSelf-report having more, in general
vHave more friends and social connections
vHave superior work outcomes
vHave more energy
vHave more “Flow-like” experiences

6. HAPPINESS AND WELLBEING
Wellbeing:
“A state of successful, satisfying, and productive engagement with one’s life and the realization of one’s full physical, cognitive, and social-emotional potential” (Carruthers & Hood, 2007)
World Health Organization’s definition: “when someone realizes his or her own potential, they can cope with the normal stresses of life, they can work productively and fruitfully, and they are able to make a contribution to her or his community.”
Happiness is central to wellbeing…
When people experience wellbeing, they also experience happiness and are satisfied with most aspects of their lives…
Sources: Krous’ Recreation and Leisure in Modern Society; Lyubomirskyet al., 2005

7. THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS
Research suggests…
~50% of happiness can be attributed to genetics
vLittle room for changing
~10% environmental factors
~40% is up to us and our behaviors
Sources: Krous’ Recreation and Leisure in Modern Society; Lyubomirskyet al., 2005

8. CLASSICAL APPROACH TO EMOTIONAL HEALTH
Classical psychology: focus on the negative, problems with the human mind
­Anxiety, depression, obsession, paranoia, etc.
­Addresses symptoms
Main goal: To bring patients from negative mental state to normal
50

9. POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY
Positive psychology: Going beyond “normal”
­Emphasizes strengths/assets
Main goal: How do we make people flourish?
­What experiences or activities give people satisfaction in their lives? What makes us happy?
505

10. AUTHENTIC HAPPINESS
Authentic happiness (Seligman): Three main components of happiness in our lives
1.Pleasure: Short-term, momentary experience that feels good
2.Engagement: Deeper involvement with family, work, friends, etc.
3.Meaning: Finding a purpose, being a part of something bigger than ourselves
Seligman argues that “pleasure” is the
least consequentialto long-term happiness
­How engaged we are, and how successful we are at finding a larger purpose

11. THE HEDONIC TREADMILL
Hedonic Treadmill:gains in happiness are temporary, because we quickly adjust
back to normal, set happiness state…
Suggests that our set point of happiness remains relatively constant throughout our
lives

12. HEDONIC TREADMILL
Examples in or beyond leisure?
Play example: You get a new toy as a young kid
­A short spike in happiness
­That wears off quickly
Consumerism: the constant acquisition of material goods in order to gain
happiness/satisfaction
People who spend money on experiences, notthings are happier overall (Gilovich)

13. CHANGE YOUR HAPPINESS “SET POINT”
Engagement: Deeper involvement with family, work, friends, etc.
Meaning: Finding a purpose, being a part of something bigger than
ourselves
vThe trait most strongly associated with long-term increases in life satisfaction is a persistent commitment to pursuing altruistic goals
vFigure out your strengths and find ways to deploy them…(Seligman)
Pursing acts of kindness will actually promote “pleasure” (Seligman’s
first component of Positive Psychology)

14. CHANGE YOUR HAPPINESS SET POINT
Practicing certain virtues, thinking patterns
­Gratitude visit: Personally thanking an individual you
owe a debt of gratitude to
­Blessings/Fortunate list: Writing down three things that
went well and why on a daily basis
*Doing things that are intrinsically motivated,
and consistent with your interest and values

15. TRY IT: 1 MINUTE BREAK
1 minute:
Write down a list of three things that went well today or over the weekend, and
identify why.
­Did you do something? Did someone else?
­OR
1 minute:
Next write a short “thank-you” note to someone to whom you owe a debt of gratitude
(2-3 sentences).

16. RELATIONSHIP TO LEISURE?
Leisure can be a “pathway” to emotional health
Three main pathways:
1.Leisure as intervention
2.Leisure outcomes
3.Leisure landscapes

17. 1. LEISURE AS INTERVENTION
Specifically and intentionally using leisure as a tool to enhance
emotional health
­Therapeutic recreation: deliberately using recreation to enhance health
Other examples?
Ex: Choosing to go for a run to “get away”
Ex: Reading a book to find relaxation

18. INTERVENTION ACTIVITY:
1.Rate your level of happiness right
now:
2.“intervention”
3.Rate your level of happiness
again:
A.Not very happy
B.A little bit happy
C.Moderately happy
D.Very happy
E.Extremely happy

19. 2. LEISURE OUTCOMES
Emotional health is an outcome or byproduct of leisure participation
Leisure in this instance not used in a deliberate fashion as an intervention
­Motivated to participate for some other reason
Examples?
Starting an exercise program
­Motivated to lose weight, increase fitness level
­Subsequently feel happier, more energetic, less stressed

20. 3. LEISURE LANDSCAPES
The context where leisure takes place, can contribute to emotional health
­Not simply the physical characteristics of a place
All the things associated with a context:
­The social connections
­Emotions it makes us feel
­Memories

21. LEISURE LANDSCAPE EXAMPLE: GILDA’S CLUB
A place where men/women/kids impacted by cancer can join
together
­Building physical, social, emotional support as a supplement to medical care
­Support groups, workshops, camps, social activities in a comfortable place
Benefits cited by participants:
­Refuge from the stress caused by cancer
­Friendships, emotional support
­Therapeutic effect of the overarching experience

22. DISCUSSION POINT
Revisit your earlier response to the $10,000
question…
Answer the following:
­Do you change anything based on what we’ve
learned today?
­Why or why not?

23. FUTURE DIRECTIONS: BIG QUESTIONS
vHow do we apply what we know about individuals to larger
populations/cultures?
vIn the future what will the role of leisure be as a tool in our
communities to enhance emotional health?
­Addressing disparities experienced by marginalized groups
­Seek social justice in our society
­Promote healthy lifestyle choices
vHow do we avoid the pitfalls of the hedonic treadmill

24. RECAP:
vDifferent domains of individual wellness interact with, and influence each
other
vThere are social and environmental factors that influence our wellbeing
vLeisure (and the multifaceted components of) can serve as interventions for
improving wellbeing
vFun and Happiness are important components of emotional wellbeing
(frequently achieved through leisure)

25. RECAP:
vBe cognizant of the Hedonic Treadmill and be mindful of
resetting your happiness
vLeisure as a pathway to emotional health:
­Interventions
­Outcomes of leisure
­Leisure landscapes

26. RESEARCH CASE STUDY
Study of 140K Americans found that people are
happiest when they spend ~6-7 hours per day
socializing
People who are alone more frequently report higher
levels of stress, and lower levels of happiness (than
those that report regular socialization)
There is a weekend effect ---people experience
substantially less stress and more happiness during
their weekends…
Source: Harter & Arora “Social Time Crucial to Daily Emotional Wellbeing in US”

27. DISCUSSION POINT
Are you happier and less stressed during the weekend?
Is there an anticipation effect?
If so…
­What words would you use to describe that emotion?
­What environments led to less stress?
­Was it an environmental factor (e.g., outside, weather, indoors, comfortable, etc.)?
­Was it a social factor?
­Was it a specific activity (please do not include Taboo Leisure)?
­Was it leisure?
Turn to 3-4 neighbors and discuss

28. HOW IS WORK AND PLAY CHANGING?
Weisure–the blurring of work and leisure (coined by sociologist Dalton Conley)
Think about your major, your anticipated career, and your leisure pursuits.
How many of you feel that you’ll experience ‘Weisure’, and if so, what positions/fields?
Pure
Leisure
Leisure-
Work
Work-
Job
Pure
Work
Pure
Job
Leisure-
Job
Source: Krous’ Recreation and Leisure in Modern Society

29. NOW ON TO STRESS…
On a scale of 1 to 5, how stressed are you feeling today?
1.Not at all stressed
2.A little bit stressed
3.Somewhat stressed
4.Very stressed
5.Extremely stressed
Discuss:What is the role of stress in differentparts of your life?
How does it make you feel?

30. STRESS
Stress is pervasive: A life without stress is impossible
­Key is to manage stress in a positive fashion
Constructive use of leisure can be an effective tool for the management and
reduction of stress

31. STRESS
What is stress?
“Our response to events that disrupt, or threaten to
disrupt, our optimal level of functioning”
When something changes in the environment around us, or a
situation arises that requires us to react, we experience stress
­Chronic stressors take place or persist over time
­Acute stressors are short-term or a single event

32. WHAT STRESSES US OUT?
What are some of the biggest stressorsin your daily lives?
­School related (e.g. homework, class)?
­Work related (e.g. being at work, having obligations)?
Stressors are more likely to impact health and wellbeing when they are chronic,
highly disruptive, and perceived as uncontrollable
­Catastrophes/disasters
­Chronic illness
­Bad relationships

33. BIOLOGICAL STRESS
Stress is a biological reaction of the autonomic nervous system(ANS) to a stressor
The sympathetic nervous systemtriggers the “fight or flight” response
­Release of hormones such as cortisol
­Dilated pupils, increased heart rate, quicker breathing, tensed muscles
Parasympathetic nervous systemreturns the body to homeostasis

34. PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS
Stress is also a psychological feelingof strain and pressure
We experience stress when we do not believe our resources are enough to meet the demands of a situation
Some stress is necessary in our lives, and some is perceived positively
­Distress: negative psychological stress (e.g. awkward social interactions)
­Eustress: positive psychological stress (e.gfeeling anxiety before receiving a public reward, getting
pumped up for an athletic event)

35. PHYSIOLOGICAL STRESS
Elevated hormones can cause a variety of stress induced physiological issues…
vHeadaches
vIncreased heart rate
vStomach ache
vVisible blotching
vInsomnia
vLack of sex drive
vEtc., etc…

36. CONSEQUENCES
Consequences of chronic stress can be physiologicalandpsychological
­Gastrointestinal distress
­Reduced immune response
­Hypertension
­Anxiety
­Depression
Chronic or mismanaged stress can
reduce your quality of lifesignificantly

37. STRESSRESEARCH AND PENN STATE
Stress and Health Lab
https://sites.psu.edu/stresshealth/
Stress, Health and Daily Experiences Lab (SHADE)
https://sites.psu.edu/shadelab/

38. 50
60
70
80
90
100
110
Arrival
Baseline measures
Rest
Initial Cortisol Measure
Rest
Speech Task InstructionsSpeech Task PreparationMoving to Speech RoomGiving Speech (TSST)First minute of TSSTStart of Video - Sound
Noise #1
Video sound 1st minute postVideo sound 2nd minute post
Noise #2
Post-noise #2
Heart Rate
Heart Rate
Stressful speech
Soundscapes video (and noise)
Average Herat Rate
Natural Sounds Can Have Restorative Affects…

39. STRESS AS STUDENTS…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCm7HH9fNjU

40. HOW DO YOU TYPICALLY REDUCE STRESS?
Healthy? Or unhealthy?
Short-term relief, or more than 24 hours?
What is the single activity that most helps you reduce stress in a healthy manner?
Discuss, discuss…

41. ROLE OF LEISURE
Leisure can play a role in the stress management process
1.Prevention or resilience building
2.Managing daily stress
3.Coping with major life events

42. 1. PREVENTION/RESILIENCE –STOPPED HERE
Proactiveapproach: Engaging in freely chosen, enjoyable activities increases our
resilienceto psychological and physiological consequences of stress
Three key assets for resilience:
1.Social support
2.Self-determination
3.Physical fitness

43. 1. RESILIENCE: ASSET BUILDING
1. Social support:If we feel that social support is available to
us, we are buffered against the effects of stress
­Social leisure activities build networks, strengthen relationships, provide
friendship
2. Self-determination:When we feel control over the things
that happen to us, we experience less stress
­Leisure is freely chosen and under our control
3. Fitness: Greater fitness provides
resilience to causes and symptoms of stress

44. REVISIT ----WHAT STRESSES US OUT?
What are some of the biggest stressorsin your daily lives?
­School related (e.g. homework, class)?
­Work related (e.g. being at work, having obligations)?
Stressors are more likely to impact health and wellbeing when they are chronic,
highly disruptive, and perceived as uncontrollable
­Catastrophes/disasters
­Chronic illness
­Bad relationships

45. 1. REFLECTION: ASSET MAPPING
Choose a meaningful leisure pursuit in your life
Describe how it facilitates, or does not facilitate:
­Social support
­Self-determination
­Physical resilience
What is a change you could make in your leisure
life to increase your resilience to stress?

46. 2. MANAGING DAILY STRESS
Reactiveapproach: Participation in enjoyable, freely chosen activities to reduce stress
What is an activity you do, or one you could do, that plays a significant role in managing or reducing daily stress?
Some activities support stress reduction more effectively than others
­Nature-based recreation
­Physical activity
­Relaxing leisure (passive or recuperative)

47. 3. MAJOR LIFE EVENTS
Major negative life events may disrupt all aspects of individual’s life
­Routines
­Relationships
­Self-identity
­Societal position
Examples?
Unexpected loss of a job
­What you do on a daily basis
­Your peer and friend groups
­How you see yourself (“useless”
­How society sees you (“unemployed”)

48. 3. LEISURE IN MAJOR LIFE EVENTS
When faced with serious negative situations, leisure may seem insignificant or
unattainable
In coping with seismic events, leisure can be relevant as
A.A source of positive distractionand escape
B.A source of hopeand self-identity
C.In promoting personal transformation

49. A-LEISURE AS A SOURCE OF DISTRACTION
When a significant negative event turns our lives upside down, leisure can help us
take “me-time”
­Substitute positive feelings for the negative ones
­Provide mental distance from the event
­Put the problem in perspective
Type of activity and companions are less important than taking the time to do
something for oneself
­Active or passive
­Alone or with others

50. B-LEISURE AS HOPE AND IDENTITY
A means to move on from event, providing individuals with
­Reminders that there are good things in life
­The affirmation that they have strengths and skills
­Something to anticipate or look forward to
Loss of leisure activities or identity a consequence of negative
life event
­Loss of ability to do something
Rebuilding leisure identity post-trauma can help restore
individual identity

51. C-LEISURE AS SELF-TRANSFORMATION
If we have to remake ourselves post-trauma, leisure can provide a place to start
­When life’s challenges seem insurmountable, the manageable goals of leisure activities and the lack of
consequences can provide healing
Therapeutic recreation:
­Purposeful use of leisure to promote healing
­Link to video

52. 3. LEISURE IN MAJOR LIFE EVENTS
Reflect on a significant major negative event in your own life.
­Did your leisure life change as a result?
­Did leisure play a role in helping you recover from that?
Think about the potential role of leisure as
A.A source of positive distraction and escape
B.A source of hope
C.A means of restoring self-identity
D.In promoting personal transformation

53. RECAP
Stress is the response to life events that challenge us
­Biological and psychological
There are serious short and long-term consequences to stress
Leisure can play a significant role in helping build resilience to
stress, manage it in the short-term, and promote healing