HLTH 4200 – STRESS MANAGEMENT

1. HLTH 4200 – STRESS MANAGEMENT Spirituality and Stress

2. What is Health? . . . a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. World Health Organization, 1947 . . . a quality of life, involving social, emotional, mental, spiritual and biological fitness on the part of the individual, which results from adaptations to the environment. Dubos, 1968

3. What is Health? . . . a state of dynamic balance - or more appropriately as a process of maintaining such a state - within any given subsystem, such as an organ, an individual, a social group, or a community. Noack, 1987 . . . the quality of people’s physical, psychological, and sociological functioning that enables them to deal adequately with the self and others in a variety of personal and social situations. Bedworth & Bedworth, 1992

4. More terms • Disease: The underlying defect or malfunction of the organism. • Illness: The presentation of visible symptoms. • Can you have an illness and still be healthy?

5. Dimensions of Health • Physical health • Emotional health • Social health • Mental health • Spiritual health

6. Physical Health • The physical condition of the body including blood pressure, heart rate, body composition, flexibility, agility, muscular strength and endurance and vital capacity • The foundation for the other dimensions of health

7. Emotional Health • The ability to feel and express the full range of human emotions, give and receive love, achieve a sense of fulfillment and purpose in life, and develop psychological hardiness

8. Social Health • The ability to perform the expectations of our roles effectively, comfortably, with pleasure, and without harming other people

9. Mental (Intellectual) Health • Encompasses the intellectual processes of reasoning, analysis, evaluation, curiosity, humor, alertness, creativity, logic, and memory • Making sound decisions and being able to think critically

10. Spiritual Health • A unifying force within individuals • Meaning in life • A common bond between individuals • Individual perceptions of faith • Has been called the force that unifies all other dimensions (physical, mental, social, and emotional) of health

11. What is “Wellness”? “ Wellness is the quality of life that includes physical, mental-emotional, family-social, and spiritual health.”

12. What is Optimal Health? Optimal health is the highest level of health possible under the current set of environmental conditions and capacity of the organism.

13. Reduction in risk for major diseases Improved quality of life Potential for greater longevity Improved self-image and self-esteem Improved physical appearance More satisfying sex life Higher energy levels = greater productivity Improved ability to resist infectious diseases Greater ability to manage and control stress Greater ability to concentrate and learn Improved cardio-respiratory functioning Benefits of Optimal Health

14. Benefits of Optimal Health • More personal control of your life • Increased muscle tone, flexibility and endurance • Increased levels of spiritual health, including feelings of oneness with self and nature • Improved social relationships

15. Optimal Health Physical Health Mental Health Optimal Health Social Health Emotional Health Spiritual Health

16. Religion and Spirituality • Spirituality: A person’s view of life’s meaning, direction, purpose, and connectedness to other things, other people, and the past and future • Religion: An external manifestation of spiritual experience. An organized entity in which people have common beliefs and engage in common practices relevant to spiritual matters

17. Meaning of Life • Who am I? • Why am I here? • Where am I headed? • Belief in a supreme being?

18. Judeo-Christian Beliefs and Stress Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

19. Judeo-Christian Beliefs and Stress And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, “what shall we eat? Or What shall we drink? Or What shall we wear? For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.

20. Judeo-Christian Beliefs and Stress But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6: 25-34

21. Seven Biblical Reasons Not to Worry • The same God who created life in you can be trusted with the details of your life • Worrying about the future hampers your efforts for today • Worrying is more harmful than helpful • God does not ignore those who depend on him • Worry shows a lack of faith in and understanding of God

22. Seven Biblical Reasons Not to Worry • There are real challenges God wants us to pursue and worrying keeps us from them • Living one day at a time keeps us from being consumed with worry.

23. Spirituality And Health

24. Do Spirituality & Health Mix? • Stress Intervention • Scientific applications? • Research by Larry Dossey • Does prayer work? • Does the denomination matter? • What is the general health status of religious people? • As a stress management tool

25. Primary Control Attempts to change a situation: similar to problem-focused coping Secondary Control Attempts to control oneself or one’s emotional reactions; similar to emotional-focused coping What is the Effect on Health? Control Theory

26. Intercessory Prayer • Prayers that seek intervention to either prevent an occurance or to help overcome it.

27. Studies by Pargament et al • Self-directing: individual perceives him/her as responsible for the outcome (dismisses God or nature) • Collaborative: individual works with God or nature to solve the problem

28. Deferring: turn it all over to God, relies on external forces to manage or cope the situation • Pleading: individual begs God to intervene and resolve • Self-directing & collaborative are associated with mental health while others feel it is best in situations where there is little control (surgery)

29. Social Support Theory • What types of support is garnered from attending a church/synagogue? • Draw on the strength of others • Network of professionals

30. Placebo Theory • Religion and Spirituality have no bearing what so ever on one’s mental and physical health - What do you think?

31. Spirituality, Health & Forgiveness • Complete questionnaire on page 147. • Do you have trouble forgiving a loved one? • Do you have a forgiving heart?