Presented by Dr. Krysia Mossakowski for Mental Health America of Hawai‘i

1. Presented by Dr. Krysia Mossakowski for Mental Health America of Hawai‘i

2. Live Your Life Well SM • Mental Health America’s “Live Your Life Well Program” is designed to help all of us improve our mental health (psychological well-being) • No matter where we are on the mental health spectrum • We all need to cope with stress • Today, we will discuss stress and ways to cope with it

4. Why Should We Try to Improve Our Mental Health? Because we have too much stress in our lives! • Research indicates that one-third of people rate their stress level as extreme • Fifty-one percent say a mental health professional could help . . . . . but only seven percent have sought help! • Eight out of 10 say the economy is a significant cause of stress American Psychological Association, Stress in America survey, 2008

5. How Do Mental Health Problems Affect Workers & Our Economy? • Depression itself has led to lost productive time among American workers which has been estimated to be in excess of $31 billion per year (Mental Health America, 2012). • Untreated and mistreated mental illness in general costs the United States $150 billion in lost productivity each year, and U.S. businesses foot up to $44 billion. • Workplace stress causes about 1 million employees to miss work each day. • Mental health conditions are actually the second leading cause of absenteeism.

6. Many of Us Feel Stress at Work • Unreasonable or unrealistic demands • Feeling a lack of control over your job • Being micromanaged • Change at the workplace without your input • Personality clashes with co-workers and/or your manager • Gossip • Not feeling supported by your manager • Discrimination, sexual harassment, and bullying • Job insecurity and competition for promotions • Boss is stressed out!  • Long hours

7. decreased immunity to disease cancer stomach problems poorer brain functioning Stress can also lead to serious mental health problems, especially depression and anxiety. How Stress Hurts Us • Chronic stress increases levels of cortisol “the stress hormone,” which can damage the body and mind • Prolonged stress can cause serious physical health problems: • high blood pressure • heart disease and stroke

8. Are You Experiencing Stress Overload? Some signs: • Do you have fatigue or trouble sleeping? • Headaches? • Loss of concentration? • Feel anxious, worried? • Problems with memory? • Difficulty making decisions, problems concentrating? • Inability to control anger; irritable; easily frustrated? • Increased use of alcohol, caffeine, cigarettes or drugs? • Increased or decreased eating? • Thinking often, repetitively, about what you need to do (worrying)? • Feel overwhelmed?

9. Stress Is Not Your Fault • Stress is a normal part of life (if you don’t have any stress, you’re dead!). • Stress in our daily lives and at work is inevitable. • What matters is how you cope with stress.

10. What Is “Live Your Life Well?”SM • A program of 10 action steps that each of us can take to protect and improve our mental health. • Our mental health affects our energy, productivity, and our overall health, and improves our ability to cope with every day problems.

11. Just as we brush our teeth or get a flu shot, we all must take care of – and pay attention to -- our mental health regularly.

12. 10 Ways to Live Your Life Well These 10 action steps are based on extensive research. Your life may feel too busy to add just one more thing! But even taking only one of these steps can reduce your stress and help you cope better with your busy life.

13. Tips for Connecting with Others: Create new social ties: Reach out to make friends at work, in the neighborhood, or online Strengthen existing personal relationships: Make (and keep!) more dates with friends or family, and focus on developing and maintaining supportive relationships with coworkers Join support groups or social/activities group: take hula, join a chorus, form a book club, join a sports team, take up paddling, find a support group for problems you are facing Live Your Life Well Tool 1: Connect with Others Research suggests that connecting with others: • Fights stress • Increases happiness • Improves physical health (and may even lengthen one’s life)

14. Foster optimism…. Think ahead to something good that’s going to happen . . . Enjoy the rainbows. . . Practice seeing the positive rather than the negative. . .Every night, think of three things that made you happy that day Practice gratitude .... Be thankful for what you have - your job, a roof over your head, your family, your friends, your pets, the ocean Try to avoid dwelling on worries and self-criticism Try to spend time with people who make you feel good about yourself Live Your Life WellSM Tool 2: Stay Positive Research suggests that thinking negatively can affect our mood, actions, and even our physical health.

15. Live Your Life WellSM Tool 3: Get Physically Active Exercise not only helps your body but helps your mood – i.e., your mental health • Decreases stress, anger and tension • Reduces anxiety and depression • Provides a greater sense of well being

16. Helping others can: Remind you that you're relatively lucky Help you feel connected to others, i.e., less isolated Help you feel needed, effective, generous – good about yourself! Take your mind off your own worries Add more meaning to your life Live Your Life WellSM Tool 4: Help Others Research indicates that those who help others: • Have less depression • Are calmer • Enjoy better physical health

17. How to tell if you’re not getting enough sleep: Am I often tired? Am I using caffeine to get through the day? Do I sleep well? Do I wake up feeling refreshed? Do I get drowsy while driving or watching TV? Live Your Life WellSM Tool 5: Get Enough Sleep Research shows poor sleep is linked to: • Increased depression and anxiety • Increased heart disease and stroke • More accidents • Obesity

18. Live Your Life WellSM How to Get Enough Sleep • Set regular bedtime • Decrease caffeine • “De-Stress” yourself before bedtime • Exercise • Get help for insomnia – medication and/or therapy

19. Laughing is good for you! It actually decreases pain, helps your heart and lungs, promotes muscle relaxation and reduces anxiety. Positive emotions can decrease stress hormones and build emotional strength. Leisure activities distract us from our problems and can make us feel more competent (by being good at them) Live Your Life WellSM Tool 6: Create Joy and Satisfaction Research suggests that positive feelings can: • support your resiliency -- ability to “bounce back” • boost your ability to solve problems • help you fight disease

20. Read funny books, watch comedies, bring comedian to workplace (major companies have done that) Play games Use music, art, nature to increase your joy Visit an art museum or a public garden Take a walk on the beach or a hike in the mountains Play with pets or children Go hear some music, see a play Get a massage (lomilomi) – perhaps from a friend or family member Try other relaxation techniques (meditation, yoga) Live Your Life WellSM How to Create Joy and Satisfaction

21. Ingredients for a healthy diet Follow USDA recommendations Don’t skip meals Snack well – healthy, not too often Limit alcohol Reduce caffeine Don’t over-diet Not too many plate lunches (never mind fast food) Live Your Life WellSM Tool 7: Eat Well • Research indicates that eating well can: • boost your energy • lower the risk of developing certain diseases • provide fuel to your brain • Positively affect mood-related body chemicals • Counteract the negative effects of stress on your body

22. Taking care of your spirit can give you. . . Beliefs that make you feel better A sense of purpose and meaning A way to understand suffering Connection with others Reminder of the good in the world and in people Live Your Life WellSM Tool 8: Take Care of Your Spirit Taking care of your spirit means connecting to whatever you consider meaningful or that you can deeply believe in. Research shows that this • can combat stress • can improve mental and physical health • may help you live longer A sense of gratitude is also good for the soul

23. -- Write about it! Writing about a difficult event reduces depression & improves physical health List your problems, identify the solutions, select a reasonably good (not necessarily perfect) solution, break it into concrete chunks, and make a plan. Get support. Talk it out. If it’s a workplace issue, talk to someone at work who can help. Live Your Life WellSM Tool 9: Deal Better with Hard Times Research has found that people who are able to do successful problem-solving in a stressful situation feel less depressed

24. Live Your Life WellSM Tool 10: Get Professional Help If You Need It • You may be experiencing various mental health problems – Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, eating disorder, anger management problems, depression, alcohol dependence, anxiety, suicidal thoughts • Treatment is effective – • For example, 80 percent of people treated for depression improve! • Successful treatment may involve – • Counseling . . . as well as • Medication to treat the symptoms

25. If you believe that you or someone you know could benefit from professional help (medication and/or counseling): Your Employee Assistance Program Call your insurance provider to see what kind of professionals they cover, what services, for what length of time; ask for referrals Go to the Hawai`i Psychological Association website and check out their directory of psychologists Go to your doctor and ask for medication and/or a referral Live Your Life WellSM Tool 10: Get Professional Help If You Need It

26. Go to a Community Health Center if you can’t find a mental health provider Call Mental Health America of Hawai`i to find out where you can get help, 9-4:30 daily: 521-1846 Go to the MHA website that has a Phone List of human services programs and agencies www.mentalhealth-hi.org Live Your Life WellSM Tool 10: Get Professional Help If You Need It

27. If you or someone you know gets in a severe & perhaps dangerous mental health crisis and/or could be suicidal: Call the Access Line and request a Mobile Crisis Outreach Team to come out to do an assessment (832-3100 on Oahu; 1-800-753-6879 Neighbor Isl.) Go to Queens or Castle Emergency Department Call the police if you feel there is any risk of harm Live Your Life WellSM Tool 10: Get Professional Help If You Need It

28. Thinking about doing all – or even just many - of these is overwhelming…. Choose one or two that feel do-able And take it from there! Live Your Life WellSM Don’t even think about doing all (or a lot) of these 10 action steps!

29. Live Your Life WellSM www.mentalhealth-hi.org Mental Health America of HI: • Help Line 9-4:30 daily • Local Finding Help Phone List with websites of human services agencies • “Finding Help Consumer Guide to Mental Health Services in Hawai`i” booklet available from MHA of Hawaii and on our website • Youth Bullying and Suicide Prevention • G.R.O.W. A. R.A.I.N.B.O.W. – creating safe spaces for gay/lesbian youth http://www.liveyourlifewell.org (national Mental Health America) • Tips for beating obstacles to making lifestyle changes • Success stories • Links to additional sources and resources • Sign up for newsletter or updates

30. Contact Mental Health America of Hawai‘i for more information, to find out how to get help for you or someone you care about, to find out more about our programs: 521-1846 info@mentalhealth-hi.org We also have a branch office on Maui: 808-242-6461