TOPIC 3 - Taking charge of one's health.pdf

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1. TOPIC 3 : TAKING
CHARGE OF ONE’S
HEALTH
HUM312

2. MANAGING AND CARING FOR THE SELF
SELF-CARE istheactionthat
individualstakeforthemselves,onbehalf
ofandwithothersinordertodevelop,
protectmaintainandimprovetheirhealth,
wellbeingandwellness.

3. Why is Self-Care Good for People?
✓Empoweringpeoplewiththeconfidenceandinformation
tolookthemselveswhentheycan
✓Helppreventsillinthelongterm
✓Cantakecareoftheirminorailments
✓Reducingthenumberofconsultationsandenabling
healthpersonneltofocusoncaringforhigherrisk
patients
✓Manageslongtermconditionsandprovidingnew
services
✓Morecosteffectiveuseofstretchedresourcesallows
moneytospentwhereitismostneededandimproved
healthoutcomes.
✓Increasedpersonalresponsibilityaroundhealthcare

4. STRESSORS AND RESPONSES
WHAT IS STRESS?
➢Stressisthebody’sreactiontoanychangethat
requiresanadjustmentorresponse.Thebodyreacts
tothesechangeswithphysical,mental,andemotional
responses.Stressisanormalpartoflife.Youcan
experiencestressfromyourenvironment,yourbody,
andyourthoughts.Evenpositivelifechangessuchas
apromotion,amortgage,orthebirthofachild
producestress.

5. STRESSORS AND RESPONSES
STRESSORS
➢Stressorsareeventsorconditionsinyour
surroundingsthatmaytriggerstress.
➢Stresscanbepositiveornegative,dependingonthe
situation.Positivestressorscalledeustressmay
includeanupcomingwedding,theholidaysor
pregnancy.Ontheotherhand,negativestresscalled
distressresultsinthefull-blownstressresponse.If
continuous,negativestresscanleadtolossof
productivity,healthproblemsandexhaustion.

6. STRESS RESPONSE
➢Thestressresponseor“fightorflight”responseisthe
emergencyreactionsystemofthebody.Itisthereto
keepyousafeinemergencies.Thestressresponse
includesphysicalandthoughtresponsestoyour
perceptionofvarioussituations.
➢Whenthestressresponseisturnedon,yourbodymay
releasesubstanceslikeadrenalineandcortisol.Your
organsareprogrammedtorespondincertainwaysto
situationsthatareviewedaschallengingor
threatening.

7. FIGHT OR FLIGHT
➢Thefightofflightresponsemakesyourheartbeatfaster.Youmight
feelverynervous,makingitdifficulttobreathe.
➢Shortterm,thefightorflightresponsecauseschangesthatallowyou
tohandlesuddenstressfulevents.Whenyoufacefearorevenrecalla
stressfulorfrighteningeventfromthepast,theresultinghormonal
changessuper-chargeyourbodytoastateofhigharousal.This
preparesyouforaction.
➢Butlongtermstresscanbeparticularlydifficult.Whenstress
hormonesstayelevatedovertime,thereisagradualandsteady
streamofharmfulchangestothebody.Longtermstresscansuppress
theimmunesystem,whichmayleadtothedevelopmentofdiseases.

8. PHYSICAL RESPONSES
✓Increased heart rate Nausea
✓Weight Gain Dry mouth
✓Constipation Weight loss
✓Muscle Twitching Weakness
✓Low Energy Diarrhea
✓Tight Chest Trembling
✓Dizziness Chills
✓Stomach Cramps Sweating
✓Insomnia Choking Feeling
✓Headache Leg cramps
✓Muscle aches

9. EMOTIONAL AND THOUGHT RESPONSES
✓Restlessness Insecurity
✓Agitation Anxiety-Stress
✓Worthlessness Depression
✓Hopelessness Guilt
✓Defensiveness Anger
✓Racing thoughts Intense thinking
✓Nightmares Expecting the worst
✓Sensitivity Lack of motivation
✓Numbness Rigidity
✓Mood swings Forgetfulness
✓Decreased Concentration Intolerance
✓Preoccupation

10. BEHAVIORAL RESPONSES
✓Avoidance
✓Neglect
✓Increased Smoking
✓Poor Appearance
✓Increased Spending
✓Decreased Eating
✓Nail Biting
✓Increased Talking
✓Sexual Problems
✓Decreased exercise
✓Aggressive speaking

11. SOURCES OF COPING AND STRENGTH
✓Become Aware of your Stressors and Reactions
Beforeyoucanreducenegativeeffectsofstress,youhaveto
findoutwhatcausesyourstressandhowyoucope.Onetool
thatcanhelpismindfulness,whichisapracticeofbecoming
moreawareofwhat’sgoingoninyourbody,mind,andthe
environmentaroundyou.Ratherthanrunningbacktoahabitual
patternoravoidingorobsessing,mindfulnessallowsyouto
simplybepresentandnoticewhat’shappeningrightnow,giving
youthespacetochoosethebestwaytorespond.

12. STRESS SYMPTOMS
✓Physicalcomplaints(stomachaches,headaches,chestpains,
nauseaanddiarrhea,andasensationofnumbnessortingling
inyourhands,armsandface)
✓Problemsgettingalongwithfamilymembers,friendsand
teachers.
✓Changesinbehaviorathome(shorttemper,unexplained
anger,cryingfornoreason)
✓Regression–behaviorthatisnotageappropriate.
✓Dysfunctionalsleeppatternsincludingnightmares,toolittle
sleep,difficultyfallingasleeporevenoversleeping.

13. STRESS SYMPTOMS
✓Communicationdifficultyorpersonalitychangessuchas
becomingwithdrawnorrequiringmuchmoreattentionthan
usual.
✓Impatience
➢Ifyouareexperiencingafewofthesesymptoms,chances
arethatyourlevelstressishigh.Ifleftuntreated,stresscan
leadtopermanentfeelingsofhelplessnessand
ineffectiveness.

14. PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS
✓Dizzinessorgeneralfeelingofbeingoutofit.
✓Generalachesandpains.
✓Grindingteeth,clenchedjaw
✓Headaches
✓Indigestionoracidrefluxsymptoms
✓Increaseinorlossofappetite
✓Muscletensioninneck,faceorshoulders
✓Problemssleeping
✓Racingheart
✓Coldandsweatypalms
✓Tiredness,exhaustion
✓Trembling/shaking
✓Weightgainorloss
✓Upsetstomach,diarrhea
✓Sexualdifficulties

15. MANAGING STRESS
✓Identifythesourcesofstress
Trytofigureoutwhat’scausingyourstresssymptoms.Maybeyouare
overextended(toomanycommitments)andfeelfatiguedandirritable.
Onceyouidentifythesourcesofstress,trytominimizetheseasmuch
aspossible.
✓SocialSupport
Confidants,friends,acquaintances,co-workers,relatives,spousesand
companionsallprovidealife-enhancingsocialnetandmayincrease
longevity.It’snotclearwhy,butthebufferingtheoryholdsthatpeople
whoenjoycloserelationshipswithfamilyandfriendsreceive
emotionalsupportthatindirectlyhelpstosustaintheattimesof
chronicstressandcrisis.

16. MANAGING STRESS
✓Taketimeout
Beforeyoureachyourbreakingpoint,taketimeoutfor
solitude.Taketimetonurtureyourself,awayfromthecares
andresponsibilitiesoftheworld.Findtimeforinnerstrength
andemotionalhealing.
✓SetLimits
NeverhesitatetosayNObeforeyoutakeontoomany
commitments.Especiallyifyouarebalancingworkand
family,it’simportanttoprioritize.Sayingnocanhelpbring
yourstresstoamanageablelevelandgiveyoumorecontrol
overyourlife.

17. MANAGING STRESS
✓Exercisedaily
Exerciseisthoughttoincreasethesecretionofendorphins,
naturallyproducedsubstancesinthebrainthatinducefeelings
ofpeacefulness.Manystudiesshowthatexercise,alongwith
theboostedendorphinlevels,reallydoesincreaseconfidence
andself-esteemandreducetension.Exercisealsoactsasa
displacementdefensemechanismforthosewhoarestressed
out.
Whatdoesthatmean?Ifyou’veeverwalkedforseveralmiles,
youknowhowharditistothinkofyourproblemswhenyour
mindisfocusedonwalking.

18. MANAGING STRESS
✓Adjustyourattitude
Weoftenrespondtostressfuleventsinwaysthatarenot
particularlyhelpful.Sometimesourattitudesbecome
negative,defeatistorworrisomewhichsanmakeitdifficult
tomindfullydealwithstress.Ifthissoundsfamiliartoyou,
knowthatsimplyadjustingyourattitudecanreducestress.
Researchsuggeststhatifyouapproachasituationasa
challenge,ratherthanathreat,youdon’ttriggerthestress
responsesthatcandamagehealth.

19. STRESS AND THE FILIPINOS: THE
SOCIAL AND CULTURAL DIMENSIONS
OF STRESS
“Sure, Filipinos are resilient but this
doesn’t necessarily mean we don’t
feel stress”
`-Michael L Tan.

20. HOW DO WE SAY WE’RE STRESSED IN
FILIPINO?
Wedon’thaveawordinanyofourPhilippinelanguagefor
stressandbeingstressed.Butthatdoesn’tmeanweFilipinos
don’teverexperiencestress.
Wefeelitallthetimeandweseeitproducingillnesses,both
physicalandmental,bothfleeting(asinhavingtoruntothe
toilet)andserious,life-threateningones.Becausestress
affectsthebody’simmunesystem,wecansayallailmentsare
inonewayoranotherstress-related,fromasthmatosingaw
(cancersores)tocardiovascularailmentsandeveninfectious
diseases.

21. HOW DO WE SAY WE’RE STRESSED IN
FILIPINO?
Notenoughbeingdonetounderstatingstressinitslocal
context,yetstressismediatedthroughculture:fromthevery
natureofthestressors,tothewayswerespondtothestress.
Understandingthislocalcontextmighthelpusdevelopmore
culturallyappropriate,andthereforemoreeffective,waysto
dealwithstress.

22. STRESSORS ARE NOT UNIVERSAL
Forexample,wesay“noise”isstressful,butwhatexactlyis
noise?
Culturally,wehavedifferentthresholdsforthesesounds.
SomepeoplefromadifferentcountryfindthePhilippines
too“noisy”,thejeepneys,thearcadegamesinmalls,even
thewaypeopletalk.Yettheyhavenoproblemstuninginto
hardrockmusicontheiriPods.

23. FILIPINOS’ SOURCES OF STRESS
Beyondthesesensorystresses,weFilipinosdofacemany
sourcesofstress,aroundworkandlivelihoodmainly.Farmers
worryaboutdroughtandtyphoons.
Ruralorurban,weallfacethestressesoffamily,perhapsmore
sothaninWesterncountries.Weliketosaywearefamily-
oriented,withrelativesalwaysonhandtohelpout.Butthe
extendedFilipinofamilycanbestressfultoo,withallits
obligations.Filipinooverseas,fromHongkongdomesticworkers
tophysiciansintheUnitedStates,whopostponedreturning
homeforyearsbecausetheydreadthejeepneyloadsofrelatives
waitingforpasalubong(gifts).

24. FILIPINOS’ WAY OF OVERCOMING
STRESS
Therearepowerdimensionstoallthis,suchas
thosefoundingender.Contrarytostereotypes
aboutwomenbeingmoreexpressive,Filipinasare
actuallymorepronetodealingwithstressful
situationsthroughtiis(endurance)andkimkim
(repression)
Whileit’susualformenhavingagoodtime,
bringingoutthebeerandtoastingtheirproblems
away,whiletheirwomenlookforwaystomake
endsmeet.

25. FILIPINOS’ WAY OF OVERCOMING
STRESS
Men,too,areexpectedtokeeptheirfeelingsin
check,butmoreoutpfmasculinevaluesof
strengthandstoicism.Menaregenerallynot
allowedtocry,muchlesstogointohysterics;and
thisprobablyhelpstoexplainwhymoremen
sufferfromcardiovasculardisease.

26. FILIPINOS’ WAY OF EXPRESSING STRESS
ManyFilipinoswillexpresstheirstressbycomplainingaboutrecurring
headachesorabdominalpains,accompaniedbydizziness,nausea,fatigue.
Doctorsusedtodismisstheseasbeingallinthemind,butithasbecome
clearthephysicalpainanddistressmaybequitereal,thatthepent-up
stressisexpressedthroughthebody.
Thesevaguesymptomshavebeenlabeledas“somatizationsyndrome”and
areoftenhardtotreat,partlybecausemedicalprofessionalstillhaven’t
figuredoutthebiologicalprocessesinvolved.Culturally,too,peoplemay
attachlabelsthatdon’tquitereflecttheactualpartofthebodythat’s
affected,aswhentheysaythatthey’resufferingfromnerbyosornerves.
Nerbyosdoesn’tnecessarilymeanbeingnervous;it’softenhypertensionor
highbloodpressure,forexample,andahealthprofessionalorcaregiver
maymisstheproblem.

27. FILIPINOS’ WAY OF MANAGING
STRESS
Ultimately,stressmanagementisamatterofhelping
peopletorecognizethattheworld,whichseemsso
stressful,canalsobeasourceofjoyandpleasure,
fulfillmentandrenewal.Thetherapiesbeingdangled
aroundaremeantasappetizers,waysofinducingthe
depressedthepersontogarnerenoughstrengthand
couragetore-engagenotjusttheworld,butlifeitself.

28. TAKING CARE OF THE SELF: THE
NEED FOR SELF CARE AND
COMPASSION
Wesometimesuse“self-care”asaproxyfor“self-
compassion”Butthey’reactuallydifferentconcepts.
Self-compassion is regardingyourself
compassionately.
Self-care,bycontrast,istreatingyourself
compassionately.Thetwotermssound
interchangeable,buttheycontainathinkingversus
doingdistinction.

29. SELF-CARE
Self-carehasbeendefinedasprovidingadequateattentionto
one’sownphysicalandpsychologicalwellness.Beyond
beinganaspirationalgoal,engaginginself-carehasbeen
describedasan“ethicalimperative”
SELF-COMPASSION
Self-compassionisanactoflove,understanding,and
acceptance.
Ifyou’veeverberatedyourselfovermistakesor
shortcomings,you’llknowhowitfeelstolackself-
compassion.Thesamegoesforanytimeyou’vetriedto
drownyoursorroworignoreitwitha“stiffupperlip”
mentality.

30. Peoplecangothroughthemotionsofself-care
withouthavingself-compassion.Similarly,they
canviewthemselvescompassionatelyandstillnot
takecareofthemselves.Thetwoconcepts,though,
needtoworktogether.
Self-carewithoutself-compassiondischargesa
debt,usuallywithsufferingsomewhereelse.Self-
carewithself-compassionisagiftthatdoesn’t
havetobeearnedorrepaid.

31. “Treat yourself as if you
were a loving mother
holding their child”
-Buddha

32. CREATINGCOMPASSION
Developingapositiveself-attitudeisimperativeforahealthy,
happylife.It’spartofthereasonthatthemindfulnessmovement
tookoff–havingagoodlifemattersmost.Thatisthepromisethat
theprivatizationofmindfulnesssellsus.
STEPTOSELF-CARE
Thenextsteptoself-careisdevelopingself-compassion.Untilwe
canacknowledgefailuresandmistakes,movingtowardsahappier
selfwillalwaysremainelusive.Rightnow,eachofushasthe
languagetotreatourselveswithcompassion.It’sthesamewaywe’d
respondtothoseclosesttousintheirtimeofanguish.Weallneed
todirectthatattitudeinward.It’stheidealsolutiontoconfronting
andovercomingourfaults.

33. “If your compassion
doesn’t include yourself, it
is incomplete”
-Jack Kornfield