CONFLICT IN WORK
Conventional wisdom (and research) says that good communication can improve relationships, increasing intimacy, trust and support. The converse is also true: poor communication can weaken bonds, creating mistrust and even contempt!
Here are some examples of negative and even destructive attitudes and communication patterns that can exacerbate conflict in a relationship. How many of these sound like something you’d do?
1. Avoiding Conflict Altogether:
Rather than discussing building frustrations in a calm, respectful manner, some people just don’t say anything to their partner until they’re ready to explode, and then blurt it out in an angry, hurtful way. This seems to be the less stressful route—avoiding an argument altogether—but usually causes more stress to both parties, as tensions rise, resentments fester, and a much bigger argument eventually results. It's much healthier to address and resolve conflict.
2. Being Defensive:
Rather than addressing a partner’s complaints with an objective eye and willingness to understand the other person’s point of view, defensive people steadfastly deny any wrongdoing and work hard to avoid looking at the possibility that they could be contributing to a problem. Denying responsibility may seem to alleviate stress in the short run, but creates long-term problems when partners don’t feel listened to and unresolved conflicts and continue to grow.
3. Overgeneralizing:
When something happens that they don’t like, some blow it out of proportion by making sweeping generalizations. Avoid starting sentences with, “You always…” and “You never…”, as in, “You always come home late!” or “You never do what I want to do!” Stop and think about whether or not this is really true. Also, don’t bring up past conflicts to throw the discussion off-topic and stir up more negativity. This stands in the way of true conflict resolution, and increases the level of conflict.
4. Being Right:
It’s damaging to decide that there’s a ‘right’ way to look at things and a ‘wrong’ way to look at things, and that your way of seeing things is right. Don’t demand that your partner see things the same way, and don’t take it as a personal attack if they have a different opinion. Look for a compromise or agreeing to disagree, and remember that there’s not always a ‘right’ or a ‘wrong’, and that two points of view can both be valid.
5. "Psychoanalyzing" / Mind-Reading:
Instead of asking about their partner’s thoughts and feelings, people sometimes decide that they ‘know’ what their partners are thinking and feeling based only on faulty interpretations of their actions—and always assume it’s negative! (For example, deciding a late mate doesn’t care enough to be on time, or that a tired partner is denying sex out of passive-aggressiveness.) This creates hostility and misunderstandings.
6. Forgetting to Listen:
Some people interrupt, roll their eyes, and rehearse what they’re going to say next instead of truly listening and attempting to understand their partner. This keeps you from seeing their point of view, and keeps your partner from wanting to see yours! Don’t underestimate the importance of really listening and empathizing with the other person!
7. Playing the Blame Game:
Some people handle conflict by criticizing and blaming the other person for the situation. They see admitting any weakness on their own part as a weakening of their credibility, and avoid it at all costs, and even try to shame them for being ‘at fault’. Instead, try to view conflict as an opportunity to analyze the situation objectively, assess the needs of both parties and come up with a solution that helps you both.
8. Trying to ‘Win’ The Argument:
I love it when Dr. Phil says that if people are focused on ‘winning’ the argument, “the relationship loses”! The point of a relationship discussion should be mutual understanding and coming to an agreement or resolution that respects everyone’s needs. If you’re making a case for how wrong the other person is, discounting their feelings, and staying stuck in your point of view, your focused in the wrong direction!
9. Making Character Attacks:
Sometimes people take any negative action from a partner and blow it up into a personality flaw. (For example, if a husband leaves his socks lying around, looking it as a character flaw and label him ‘inconsiderate and lazy’, or, if a woman wants to discuss a problem with the relationship, labeling her ‘needy’, ‘controlling’ or ‘too demanding’.) This creates negative perceptions on both sides. Remember to respect the person, even if you don’t like the behavior.
10. Stonewalling:
When one partner wants to discuss troubling issues in the relationship, sometimes people defensively stonewall, or refuse to talk or listen to their partner. This shows disrespect and, in certain situations, even contempt, while at the same time letting the underlying conflict grow. Stonewalling solves nothing, but creates hard feelings and damages relationships. It’s much better to listen and discuss things in a respectful manner.
This is a brief insight into addressing conflict with a colleague.
Resolving Conflicts with Colleagues
Think of a colleague/subordinate with whom you have an acknowledged conflict and analyse the situation using the following 4 Step process:
Step 1
Recognise the problem• Is the problem important enough to acknowledge?
Step 2
Try to understand each other’s position• Write down your own thoughts and feelings about the conflict.• Try to put yourself in the other person’s shoes and write down your perception of how the other person thinks and feels about the conflict and what thoughts or feelings he or she attributes to you.
Step 3
Discuss the problem• How would you define the problem? Would the other person’s definition of the problem differ? If so, how?• How do you think the other person perceives his or her own contribution, if any, to the conflict?• What is your perception of your own, if any, contributions to the problem?• Is there a hidden agenda? What do you think it is?• Is there any common ground between you? What is it?
Step 4
Resolve the problem• What is your preferred solution to the problem?• What are the advantages and disadvantages of your solution?• How would your solution be implemented? Would you use a third party?Have you ever had conflict with a Colleague and if so how did you deal with it?
Showing posts with label Health and Safety. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Health and Safety. Show all posts
Stress Buster
How to Bust Your Stress before it can Burst You?
Constant stress can ruin your spirit, your motivation level and may even lead to a condition called COD-Compulsive Obsessive Disorder. Stress in you corrupts your motivation and you may even start wondering whether the life that you are leading is a meaningful one or not.
Under stress, you are easily charmed towards negative attributes such as smoking, addiction to alcohol and procrastination. By resorting to alcohol, you will get a false relief and this debilitating trait will enable you to lose your self-confidence and inner strength. At certain level, you will even start questioning the very purpose of your life.
The effects of stress are well known and the moment you feel the stress, you must decide to do something to handle it, lest the stress will burst you. Stressors also capable of affecting your spiritual well being, which lead to suspicion, jealousy, poor interpersonal relationship and sexual problems.The effect of stress is a chain reaction that will lead you to loneliness and a sense of inadequacy.
Under stress, your concentration level will take a beating and this may lead to accidents in factory or on roads.Stress in your life cannot be avoided altogether. You must learn how to bust your stress before it can start affecting you. Normally when you are under stress, you may fail to notice that you are under stress. But, if you can carefully analyse, you will be able to differentiate your stressful situations from that your normal situations.
The first step that you should put forward is to tackle the stress at its initial stage itself. You are aware that there are so many stress-busting techniques and you can start practicing them to get rid of your stress. You should develop your knowledge about possible stressors that can set in stress in you and know the possible ways to cope with them.
Majority of your stressful situations can be converted to a pleasant one with a slight change in your attitude and a strong will. You can learn to take your stress in your stride and start looking the stressors as an opportunity to show your excellence.
If you analyse your mental attitude carefully, you will understand that the stress in you was caused more from your opinion about the situation than that of the stressor itself.In this twenty-first century, stress is the most common cause for many of your ailments today, and the same is likely to continue without any respite. Hence, your life will be a battle against stress on an ongoing basis.
Coping with your stress is an ongoing process and your attitude and ability to cope with stress should not come down at any point of time, lest stress can burst you before you can bust it
Mark Reddy
Constant stress can ruin your spirit, your motivation level and may even lead to a condition called COD-Compulsive Obsessive Disorder. Stress in you corrupts your motivation and you may even start wondering whether the life that you are leading is a meaningful one or not.
Under stress, you are easily charmed towards negative attributes such as smoking, addiction to alcohol and procrastination. By resorting to alcohol, you will get a false relief and this debilitating trait will enable you to lose your self-confidence and inner strength. At certain level, you will even start questioning the very purpose of your life.
The effects of stress are well known and the moment you feel the stress, you must decide to do something to handle it, lest the stress will burst you. Stressors also capable of affecting your spiritual well being, which lead to suspicion, jealousy, poor interpersonal relationship and sexual problems.The effect of stress is a chain reaction that will lead you to loneliness and a sense of inadequacy.
Under stress, your concentration level will take a beating and this may lead to accidents in factory or on roads.Stress in your life cannot be avoided altogether. You must learn how to bust your stress before it can start affecting you. Normally when you are under stress, you may fail to notice that you are under stress. But, if you can carefully analyse, you will be able to differentiate your stressful situations from that your normal situations.
The first step that you should put forward is to tackle the stress at its initial stage itself. You are aware that there are so many stress-busting techniques and you can start practicing them to get rid of your stress. You should develop your knowledge about possible stressors that can set in stress in you and know the possible ways to cope with them.
Majority of your stressful situations can be converted to a pleasant one with a slight change in your attitude and a strong will. You can learn to take your stress in your stride and start looking the stressors as an opportunity to show your excellence.
If you analyse your mental attitude carefully, you will understand that the stress in you was caused more from your opinion about the situation than that of the stressor itself.In this twenty-first century, stress is the most common cause for many of your ailments today, and the same is likely to continue without any respite. Hence, your life will be a battle against stress on an ongoing basis.
Coping with your stress is an ongoing process and your attitude and ability to cope with stress should not come down at any point of time, lest stress can burst you before you can bust it
Mark Reddy
TIME FOR CHANGE IN AN GARDA SIOCHANA
Garda Review in 2006 (UnEdited Version).
An Garda Siochana is the Irish Police Service. The Garda Review is a monthly journal issued to over 20,000 readers on a monthly basis through the Garda Representative Association.
Time for change
The work of An Garda Siochana can be highly stressful at times, and is one of the few jobs where one continually faces the effects of murders, violence, accidents and serious personal injury. Some of the duties of Gardaí can be inherently dangerous and others can suddenly become so. You can witness scenes of great trauma and are exposed to personal danger; routinely – yet it is evident that these incidents are handled and dealt with in a professional manner.
Occasionally a particularly bad episode or incident may linger and present problems for the individual. Even the most ordinary and mundane of jobs can become stressful at times. Members pledge an oath to conduct your duties without fear, favour, malice or ill will towards others. This in itself is both an honour and a burden, and carries with it a responsibility that goes far beyond the typical nine to five working day.
When you look around and ask yourself, does the responsibility of your position equal the level of support you receive? If you believe it does then you might like to stop reading now. It is my belief that An Garda Síochána requires a stand alone comprehensive therapeutic support service designed for members of the force; a service that offers each member and their families if required the opportunity to express any concerns and difficulties they may have. A service that will if possible attend scenes of trauma to provide you with support and information on accessing appropriate support, that will help co-ordinate or offer debriefing sessions along with your peer support service, all with confidentiality that meets strict professional standards.
This proposed service should represent a collection of on-going identified issues and present them to Garda management in order to bring about positive and lasting change for each individual member of the force and the organisation as a whole. I propose that all members who suffer trauma should be mandated to attend such therapy as a matter of course, in this way the stigma that exists within AGS in relation to therapeutic intervention will be lifted completly. I base this belief on research I carried out in October 2004 into The Need for a Confidential Support Service within An Garda Síochána, and on such research as the Health, Safety and Welfare in An Garda Síochána, commissioned by the Garda Representative Association (GRA) in 2003. The latter highlighted many health and safety concerns throughout the force.
I also base this belief on my experience, as I have worked in the caring profession for over twelve years - gaining extensive first hand experience of having to work through crisis and trauma, and over many years as a qualified therapist I have worked voluntarily with and helped people who suffer stress, Anxiety, False Allegation and Isolation in the workplace and life in general. The services that I am recommending are not only important to the overall health and welfare of each member of the force but is also a service that will benefit the organisation, as a healthier workforce makes for a better service all round.
“One way of anticipating risk and providing relief from stress is to offer counselling services”.
The work of An Garda Siochana can be highly stressful at times, and is one of the few jobs where one continually faces the effects of murders, violence, accidents and serious personal injury. Some of the duties of Gardaí can be inherently dangerous and others can suddenly become so. You can witness scenes of great trauma and are exposed to personal danger; routinely – yet it is evident that these incidents are handled and dealt with in a professional manner.
Occasionally a particularly bad episode or incident may linger and present problems for the individual. Even the most ordinary and mundane of jobs can become stressful at times. Members pledge an oath to conduct your duties without fear, favour, malice or ill will towards others. This in itself is both an honour and a burden, and carries with it a responsibility that goes far beyond the typical nine to five working day.
When you look around and ask yourself, does the responsibility of your position equal the level of support you receive? If you believe it does then you might like to stop reading now. It is my belief that An Garda Síochána requires a stand alone comprehensive therapeutic support service designed for members of the force; a service that offers each member and their families if required the opportunity to express any concerns and difficulties they may have. A service that will if possible attend scenes of trauma to provide you with support and information on accessing appropriate support, that will help co-ordinate or offer debriefing sessions along with your peer support service, all with confidentiality that meets strict professional standards.
This proposed service should represent a collection of on-going identified issues and present them to Garda management in order to bring about positive and lasting change for each individual member of the force and the organisation as a whole. I propose that all members who suffer trauma should be mandated to attend such therapy as a matter of course, in this way the stigma that exists within AGS in relation to therapeutic intervention will be lifted completly. I base this belief on research I carried out in October 2004 into The Need for a Confidential Support Service within An Garda Síochána, and on such research as the Health, Safety and Welfare in An Garda Síochána, commissioned by the Garda Representative Association (GRA) in 2003. The latter highlighted many health and safety concerns throughout the force.
I also base this belief on my experience, as I have worked in the caring profession for over twelve years - gaining extensive first hand experience of having to work through crisis and trauma, and over many years as a qualified therapist I have worked voluntarily with and helped people who suffer stress, Anxiety, False Allegation and Isolation in the workplace and life in general. The services that I am recommending are not only important to the overall health and welfare of each member of the force but is also a service that will benefit the organisation, as a healthier workforce makes for a better service all round.
“One way of anticipating risk and providing relief from stress is to offer counselling services”.
Prof. Michael Carroll
The research that I carried out was based on issuing a number of ‘stations questionnaires’, and interviewing a number of officers at a face to face level. I received a 91% response to my questionnaire, it is normally expected that a survey of this type would receive a level of around 5% response, the level of time and energy each of those surveyed took to express their concerns made for alarming reading.
Of those surveyed, 68% said they would use a confidential support service if offered one and 75% of those interviewed said they would also use such a service. Another question asked how you cope with stress? Nobody indicated they would seek support from senior officers, 36% indicated they have ‘a few drinks’, 29% said they would talk things through with their family or partner; while 41% indicated that they just get on with the job and hope it will pass.
All appear to be ways of coping with the stresses of the job - but some will in fact add to and may even compound such issues. This does not reflect the difficulties families may have in helping a member through such times of stress and upset. With 83% of those questioned in the survey said they felt fearful when working, all of those interviewed said they too felt fearful when working. Fear is a natural response to identified potential dangers. Another question asked ‘do you feel isolated from the public?’ and this yielded a 71% response indicating ‘yes’. This in itself directly affects the mission of the Garda as a service for the public.
It is a Garda’s mission to protect the personal dignity and human rights of the community. Surely each member should be respected and have their dignity protected as well?
The study commissioned by the GRA into the Health, Welfare and Safety in An Garda Síochána showed a damming picture of working conditions in ten stations throughout the country. Poor working conditions and environment will add to the level of stress, unhappiness and isolation. The nature of the job is stressful; most would be aware of this before joining and I am sure that it becomes increasingly more obvious as the career progresses. However, this does not take away from the fact that such an obvious stress-filled job should have sufficient and proactive counter measures of support through these times that cause concern. All of those interviewed said the job had become more stressful since they joined the force.
A definition of stress can be seen as “the non-specific response of the body to any demand made upon it.”
Dr. Hans Selye
In the case of Gardaí this demand may be the constant and real threat of violence and the changing needs of the working environment. Working time can be perceived as times of quiet boredom through to times of crisis and trauma. It’s the changes in environment that results in the body having to adapt; these changes are immediate and automatic and the resulting stress can help the person to perform and meet the challenges presented - or it can be negative and present in the form of distress which can make someone upset and unwell.
The research that I carried out was based on issuing a number of ‘stations questionnaires’, and interviewing a number of officers at a face to face level. I received a 91% response to my questionnaire, it is normally expected that a survey of this type would receive a level of around 5% response, the level of time and energy each of those surveyed took to express their concerns made for alarming reading.
Of those surveyed, 68% said they would use a confidential support service if offered one and 75% of those interviewed said they would also use such a service. Another question asked how you cope with stress? Nobody indicated they would seek support from senior officers, 36% indicated they have ‘a few drinks’, 29% said they would talk things through with their family or partner; while 41% indicated that they just get on with the job and hope it will pass.
All appear to be ways of coping with the stresses of the job - but some will in fact add to and may even compound such issues. This does not reflect the difficulties families may have in helping a member through such times of stress and upset. With 83% of those questioned in the survey said they felt fearful when working, all of those interviewed said they too felt fearful when working. Fear is a natural response to identified potential dangers. Another question asked ‘do you feel isolated from the public?’ and this yielded a 71% response indicating ‘yes’. This in itself directly affects the mission of the Garda as a service for the public.
It is a Garda’s mission to protect the personal dignity and human rights of the community. Surely each member should be respected and have their dignity protected as well?
The study commissioned by the GRA into the Health, Welfare and Safety in An Garda Síochána showed a damming picture of working conditions in ten stations throughout the country. Poor working conditions and environment will add to the level of stress, unhappiness and isolation. The nature of the job is stressful; most would be aware of this before joining and I am sure that it becomes increasingly more obvious as the career progresses. However, this does not take away from the fact that such an obvious stress-filled job should have sufficient and proactive counter measures of support through these times that cause concern. All of those interviewed said the job had become more stressful since they joined the force.
A definition of stress can be seen as “the non-specific response of the body to any demand made upon it.”
Dr. Hans Selye
In the case of Gardaí this demand may be the constant and real threat of violence and the changing needs of the working environment. Working time can be perceived as times of quiet boredom through to times of crisis and trauma. It’s the changes in environment that results in the body having to adapt; these changes are immediate and automatic and the resulting stress can help the person to perform and meet the challenges presented - or it can be negative and present in the form of distress which can make someone upset and unwell.
The reaction humans have to stress results in chemical changes in the body, the stimulant hormone adrenaline increases that pours into the blood stream with other hormones producing changes in our bodies designed to protect us, this can be seen as the ‘fight or flight response’ - it provides both the energy and strength needed to either stay and fight or to run away from the perceived danger.
Gardaí can face this response several times throughout each working shift; which I believe can increase the negative affects of stress. To control and help this there have to be changes; change in behaviour, beliefs, ways of thinking, lifestyle and subsequently environment.
When we deal with the causes of stress we can help elevate it, in the case of members of An Garda Síochána, one way of helping is to provide a service that allows the individuals a safe and secure place to work-through their perceptions and difficulties. This in turn can help to relieve the problems and symptoms and also help develop the understanding, awareness and coping skills of the individual, helping them to be more readily able to deal with the everyday and real stressors of the job.
The issues of stress and therapeutic support in police work are considered to be vital in many police forces throughout the world. In the UK they have a number of welfare associations catering for the needs of their officers. In the majority of forces throughout the UK there are internal counseling and therapeutic support services offering confidential support to those officers in specialist roles - and all serving members. These services are supported and funded by management and government alike.
In Sweden the welfare and well-being of rank-and-file police officers is vital to their modernisation process. They realize the high-risks associated with the policing profession. In September 2003, the National Police Board in Sweden outlined the need for psychosocial support for police officers and recognised the immense need for both crisis support and preventive measures in catering for the welfare of its officers. They realized that policing has an inherent risk attached to it that can’t be minimized, but they have increased their efforts and time into developing support services and therefore prevent and minimizing the detrimental effects of such situations.
In An Garda Siochana there is a committed team of only seven welfare officers; one sergeant and one inspector assigned to the welfare needs of over 12,000 members. This level of support is considered by management to be sufficient and consider the welfare needs of those working through such difficult situations to be well served by this complement.
The 2003 report into health, safety and welfare highlighted that even basic health and safety legislation from 1989 was not enforced in the Garda Síochána. The authorities in Sweden have prioritized these issues. Most recently in Northern Ireland, some 5000 claimants of the PSNI are taking legal action against the Chief Constable of the PSNI over the lack of psychological support being offered to those that suffered stress as a result of carrying out their duties. These cases will not centre on the extent of such trauma suffered, but whether the successive Chief Constables and police authority had a duty, in law, to care for their officers to protect them from trauma, or at least, from its consequences. (Quote)“…in Northern Ireland, some 5000 claimants of the PSNI are taking legal action against the Chief Constable of the PSNI over the lack of psychological support being offered to those that suffered stress as a result of carrying out their duties.”
This will highlight the need of both the management and government to take the issue of welfare and therapeutic Support more seriously. Hopefully this will add an incentive to move in line with the many police forces throughout the world - and that this will happen before officers here suffer enough to seek compensation like their colleagues in the North.
My research indicates a belief by some that members are not being respected, understood, appreciated or supported by management. One Garda anonymously stated, “Abused by the public, used by the state and hated by the media; while doing a job that none of them would do.” This embodies a view of a service that is in need.
“The most widespread negative effect of work on mental health is stress”
World Health Organization, Ministerial Conference on Mental Health.
The role of policing appears in general to be tough, strong and insular. Of those surveyed 71% said they would have difficulty sharing the issue of stress with their colleagues. This inability and difficulty for some to ask for support continues to perpetuate the perceived culture that you don’t need support. Sadly this attitude is old and redundant and it is up to you to change it. In the words of Martin Luther King, Jr. “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy”.
Were do you stand? Hoping it will pass, drinking or talking with friends or family. In my survey, 76% said they never feel supported in their jobs. I can tell you that the first line of organisational support should come from those in a position to effect change and offer support, the second line comes from the members themselves and the third line in this case comes from the public - who appear to judge members of the Force on a mixture of newspaper reports, rumour and innuendo; but have a responsibility to support their service and demand change if required.
Now, there has never before been so much written about the Gardaí, all seemingly negative and that must make the life of a Garda even more difficult. The work of Gardaí has also changed drastically over recent years there has been an increase in violent crime, drugs and firearms offences. Members are expected to meet these issues head-on with what appears to be little support. Even in the face of the research there continues to be little change in acknowledging that extra support is required.
Through it all members continue to provide a service that, for the majority of the public, is appreciated and respected. Yet this does not appear to be reflected in the treatment by those who can effect change. It is the firm belief of those who support you that the development of this type of support service is the start of this change. Members have many committed people working on your behalf in the form of welfare officers and the representative associations. Now is the time to work towards the positive and lasting change.
By Mark Reddy
This link is to the list of Executive Members of the GRA: http://www.gra.cc/executive.shtml
This is a link to a Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Site:
http://www.trauma-pages.com/trauma.php#SYMP
PLEASE CLICK ON ANY OF THE RELATED ARTICLES FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME IN CONFIDENCE ON STRESSKILLS@GMAIL.COM
HELP
HELP
Thin Blue Line Stretched by STRESS
Thin blue line stretched by stress
By Andy Dickenson
Police took almost 20,000 days off sick with stress over the last three years, costing the tax payer at least £1.2 million.
By Andy Dickenson
Police took almost 20,000 days off sick with stress over the last three years, costing the tax payer at least £1.2 million.
Rank-and-file officers said today they were "working themselves into the ground" then having to spend months off due to the strain.
Sussex officers took 18,755 days off between January 2004 to December 2006, due to stress, depression and mental fatigue - the equivalent to one officer being off work for 51 years.
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Based on the salary of a constable the force would have paid at least £1,181,400 to officers on sick leave - enough to pay the wages of about 20 extra PCs each year.
However, the real figure is likely to be much higher with staff being brought in to cover the absentees and National Insurance costs take into account.
Brian Stockham, chairman of the Sussex Police Federation, said the "wear and tear" of policing was a big issue.
But critics said the time taken off for stress was alarming given that forces are spending thousands on psychologists, psychiatrists and counsellors.
Figures, released under freedom of information laws, show that 6,466 days were lost to stress, anxiety and depression, in the last financial year alone.
This is the equivalent of every one of the force's 3,178 officers taking off two days a year.
Mr Stockham said some officers were so committed to cutting down crime in the region, their own welfare was being ignored.
He said: "You can understand these figures have a great relevance to the officers out there. There are a lot of officers who are doing themselves no good by working themselves into the ground".
"The nature of police work is that you are involved in confrontation regularly and it has a wearing effect." Improvements in detection rates and higher numbers of criminals being brought before the courts were all adding to the strain, he said.
Mr Stockham said: "Achieving those improved results costs in terms of human endeavour." Some of our people become so committed to the task that their own health and well-being are being ignored." Because of financial constraints we've not been able to support their welfare and that has a detrimental effect on moral.
"These officers are basically taking a lot of wear and tear."
Last year the Sussex force completed a stress poll among officers. All of the 62 per cent of staff who responded agreed their jobs were stressful.
Since the report extra resources are being pumped into stress awareness training and reviewing bullying and harassment policies.
Christine Melsom, founder of the anti-council tax campaign Is It Fair said: "Of course, the council tax payer is having to pay for all these things. I think the police should tighten their belts up a bit and cut down on all these absentees.
"I've long had the theory that if police officers are not well enough to go out on the beat surely they are able to do some very valuable work in the office, helping to cut back on the amount of civilians required."
Over the last financial year £45,000 was spent on the force's councelling scheme, open to all Sussex Police personnel and their partners.
But more needs to be done to stop bobbies pushing themselves too far, Mr Stockham said. He cited the case of one local officer who was being treated for stress and told by his psychiatrist he had "the worst case of professional burn-out he had ever seen".
Mr Stockham said: "Our officers may be delivering greater performances but we're suffering as a result. "But if you can't do confrontation you shouldn't be a copper. "I don't think the Sussex force is more stressed than any other in the police service. It goes hand in hand with the job."
A spokeswoman for Sussex Police said: "There are a variety of reasons why Sussex police officers take stress-related sickness absence, both work-related and personal.
"Through its Health, Safety and Welfare Unit, the force has specialist health and well being services available to its police officers to support them and their families in both aspects of stress-related sickness absence and also more pro-actively, to help them remain at work."
This Link will bring you to an article on Debriefing and PTSD. http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=7&hid=116&sid=698b07e7-4ecd-4fa6-baed-a4a154ccb9c0%40sessionmgr102
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Workplace Stress 'Article'
What is Workplace Stress?
Workplace stress is the harmful physical and emotional responses that occur when the requirements of the job do not match the capabilities, resources, or needs of the worker. Workplace stress can lead to poor health and even injury.
The concept of workplace stress is often confused with challenge, but these concepts are not the same. Challenge energizes us psychologically and physically, and it motivates us to learn new skills and master our jobs. When a challenge is met, we feel relaxed and satisfied. Thus, challenge is an important ingredient for healthy and productive work. The importance of challenge in our work lives is probably what people are referring to when they say "a little bit of stress is good for you.
Workplace stress is also referred to as job stress.
What Causes Workplace Stress?
Most people agree that workplace stress results from the interaction of the worker and the conditions of work. Views differ, however, on the importance of worker characteristics versus working conditions as the primary cause of workplace stress. These differing viewpoints are important because they suggest different ways to prevent stress at work.
According to one school of thought, differences in individual characteristics such as personality and coping style are most important in predicting whether certain job conditions will result in stress. In other words, what is stressful for one person may not be a problem for someone else. This viewpoint leads to prevention strategies that focus on workers and ways to help them cope with demanding job conditions.
Although the importance of individual differences cannot be ignored, scientific evidence suggests that certain working conditions are stressful to most people.
Job Conditions That May Lead to Stress
The Design of Tasks.
Heavy workload,
infrequent rest breaks,
long work hours and shiftwork;
hectic and routine tasks that have little inherent meaning, do not utilize workers' skills, and provide little sense of control.
Management Style.
Lack of participation by workers in decision- making,
poor communication in the organization,
lack of family-friendly policies.
Interpersonal Relationships.
Poor social environment and lack of support or help from coworkers and supervisors.
Work Roles.
Conflicting or uncertain job expectations,
too much responsibility.
Career Concerns.
Job insecurity and lack of opportunity for growth,
advancement, or promotion;
rapid changes for which workers are unprepared.
Environmental Conditions.
Unpleasant or dangerous physical conditions such as crowding, noise, air pollution, or ergonomic problems.
Workplace Stress Statistics (American Institute of Stress)
"(Job stress is "the 20th Century Disease")" United Nations National Report
75-90% of visits to primary care physicians are for stress related problems
1 million employees are absent on an average workday due to stress related problems
Less than 25% of Americans find their jobs extremely satisfying today.
78% describe their jobs as being stressful.
Stress costs $200 - $300 billion annually, as assessed by absenteeism, diminished productivity, employee turnover, accidents, direct medical, legal, and insurance fees, Worker's Compensation etc. That is equal to the total net profit of the fortune 500 companies.
60-80% of accidents on the job are stress related.
Workplace stress is the harmful physical and emotional responses that occur when the requirements of the job do not match the capabilities, resources, or needs of the worker. Workplace stress can lead to poor health and even injury.
The concept of workplace stress is often confused with challenge, but these concepts are not the same. Challenge energizes us psychologically and physically, and it motivates us to learn new skills and master our jobs. When a challenge is met, we feel relaxed and satisfied. Thus, challenge is an important ingredient for healthy and productive work. The importance of challenge in our work lives is probably what people are referring to when they say "a little bit of stress is good for you.
Workplace stress is also referred to as job stress.
What Causes Workplace Stress?
Most people agree that workplace stress results from the interaction of the worker and the conditions of work. Views differ, however, on the importance of worker characteristics versus working conditions as the primary cause of workplace stress. These differing viewpoints are important because they suggest different ways to prevent stress at work.
According to one school of thought, differences in individual characteristics such as personality and coping style are most important in predicting whether certain job conditions will result in stress. In other words, what is stressful for one person may not be a problem for someone else. This viewpoint leads to prevention strategies that focus on workers and ways to help them cope with demanding job conditions.
Although the importance of individual differences cannot be ignored, scientific evidence suggests that certain working conditions are stressful to most people.
Job Conditions That May Lead to Stress
The Design of Tasks.
Heavy workload,
infrequent rest breaks,
long work hours and shiftwork;
hectic and routine tasks that have little inherent meaning, do not utilize workers' skills, and provide little sense of control.
Management Style.
Lack of participation by workers in decision- making,
poor communication in the organization,
lack of family-friendly policies.
Interpersonal Relationships.
Poor social environment and lack of support or help from coworkers and supervisors.
Work Roles.
Conflicting or uncertain job expectations,
too much responsibility.
Career Concerns.
Job insecurity and lack of opportunity for growth,
advancement, or promotion;
rapid changes for which workers are unprepared.
Environmental Conditions.
Unpleasant or dangerous physical conditions such as crowding, noise, air pollution, or ergonomic problems.
Workplace Stress Statistics (American Institute of Stress)
"(Job stress is "the 20th Century Disease")" United Nations National Report
75-90% of visits to primary care physicians are for stress related problems
1 million employees are absent on an average workday due to stress related problems
Less than 25% of Americans find their jobs extremely satisfying today.
78% describe their jobs as being stressful.
Stress costs $200 - $300 billion annually, as assessed by absenteeism, diminished productivity, employee turnover, accidents, direct medical, legal, and insurance fees, Worker's Compensation etc. That is equal to the total net profit of the fortune 500 companies.
60-80% of accidents on the job are stress related.
PLEASE TAKE YOUR TIME TO WORK THROUGH THE RELATED ARTICLES AND LINKS AS THEY WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH ALL OF YOUR WORK RELATED ANSWERS.
Employers and Workplace Stress
Why should employers be concerned about workplace stress?
Stress is a normal occurrence. However, with increasing demands of work and home life, stress on the job is a problem causing physical, mental, and financial consequences for employers as well as employees. Studies show that stressful working conditions are associated with increased absenteeism, tardiness, and intentions by workers to quit their jobs—all of which have a negative effect on a company’s success. Employers, managers, supervisors, and business owners have many reasons to consider the stress level of their workers:
Financial
Stressed employees take more sick days and file more disability claims than do contented employees
Disgruntled employees often quit after extensive investment has been made in their training, and another person has to be trained in their place
Job stress can result in decreased productivity
Errors made by stressed workers can result in faulty products that cannot be sold, or worse, that fail after sale and lead to lawsuits
Emotional
Stressed workers may become depressed or angry
Alcohol or drug use increases as self-medication for distress, which in turn creates more problems
Safety
People who are overly stressed are less attentive and can accidentally damage equipment or injure themselves or others
At the extreme, stress can lead to violence, and management or co-workers can be hurt or killed – the term “going postal” has become part of the language expressing a murderous rampage as a result of job dissatisfaction
What is job stress?
A survey by St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Co. found that problems at work are more strongly associated with health complaints than are any other life stressor—more so than even financial or family problems. While challenges are a normal and satisfying part of work life, stress is not a necessary evil in the workplace. However, for many people stress has become synonymous with work.
According to The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), early warning signs of job stress include:
A. headache
B. sleep disturbances
C. difficulty in concentrating
D. short temper
E. upset stomach
F. job dissatisfaction
G. low morale
What causes stress in the workplace?
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is the federal agency responsible for conducting research and making recommendations for the prevention of work-related illness and injury. As part of its mandate, NIOSH is directed by Congress to study the psychological aspects of occupational safety and health, including stress at work. NIOSH works in collaboration with industry, labor, and universities to better understand the stress of modern work, the effects of stress on worker safety and health, and ways to reduce stress in the workplace. Through its research program in job stress and through educational materials, NIOSH is committed to providing organizations with knowledge to reduce this threat.
A report by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
The NIOSH report states that job stress results from both the characteristics of a worker and the working conditions, but that there are differing views as to which set of circumstances is the primary cause of job stress:
1. Individual characteristics – According to one school of thought, differences in personality and coping style of the worker are most important in predicting job stress. Thus, what is stressful for one person may not be a problem for someone else. This viewpoint leads to prevention strategies that focus on workers and ways to help them cope with demanding job conditions.
2. Working conditions – Scientific evidence suggests that certain working conditions are stressful to most people. Evidence from recent studies argues for a greater emphasis on working conditions as the key source of job stress and for job redesign as a primary prevention strategy.
Both viewpoints suggest ways to prevent stress at work, but NIOSH “favors the view that working conditions play a primary role in causing job stress.” The report cites the following job conditions that may lead to stress:
1. The design of tasks – heavy workload; infrequent rest breaks; long hours; and routine tasks that do not utilize workers' skills
2. Management style – poor communication in the organization and a lack of family-friendly policies
3. Interpersonal relationships – an unsupported social environment
4. Work roles – conflicting or uncertain job expectations; too much responsibility
5. Career concerns – job insecurity; lack of opportunity for advancement or promotion
6. Environmental conditions – unpleasant or dangerous physical conditions such as crowding, noise, air pollution, or ergonomic problem.
What are the health effects of job stress?
The nature of work is changing at whirlwind speed. When the requirements of the job do not match the capabilities, resources, or needs of the worker, harmful physical and emotional responses occur. Perhaps now more than ever before, workplace stress poses a threat to the health and safety of employees and to the health organizations responsible for their care.
According to NIOSH, many recent studies have looked at the relationship between job stress and physical and emotional problems. The report states: “Mood and sleep disturbances, upset stomach and headache, and disturbed relationships with family and friends are examples of stress-related problems that are quick to develop and are commonly seen in these studies. These early signs of job stress are usually easy to recognize. But the effects of job stress on chronic diseases are more difficult to see because chronic diseases take a long time to develop and can be influenced by many factors other than stress.”
NIOSH reports that evidence suggests workplace stress plays an important role in several types of chronic health problems, especially:
1. cardiovascular disease
2. musculoskeletal conditions
3. psychological disorders
The economic impact of these issues impacts not only the individual, but also the businesses that employ them: Health care expenditures are nearly 50% greater for workers who report high levels of stress.
What can managers or employers do to reduce stress at work?
To reduce stress at work, an individual should try to maintain a balance between work and family or personal life, a supportive network of friends and coworkers, and a relaxed and positive outlook. But it is also important that the workplace is a “healthy” organization. There are several ways to reduce stress in the workplace. While the employee may not have control over whether the workplace entirely supports a more stress-free lifestyle, possible changes can be made, or individuals can make an educated decision as to whether the workplace is right for him or her.
An understanding of the relationship between individual and organizational health
Recent research suggests that policies benefiting worker health actually benefit the bottom line. A healthy organization—one that has low rates of illness, injury, and disability in its workforce—is competitive in the marketplace. NIOSH research has found the following organizational characteristics to be associated with both healthy, low-stress work and high levels of productivity:
1. recognition of employees for good work performance
2. opportunities for career development
3. an organizational culture that values the individual worker
4. management actions consistent with organizational values
Stress prevention
According to the Journal of Applied Psychology, St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Company conducted several studies on the effects of stress-prevention programs in hospital settings. Program activities included:
employee and management education on job stress
changes in hospital policies and procedures to reduce organizational sources of stress
establishment of employee assistance programs
In one study, the frequency of medication errors declined by 50% after prevention activities were implemented. In a second study, there was a 70% reduction in malpractice claims in 22 hospitals that implemented a stress-prevention program but no reduction in claims in a matched group of 22 hospitals that did not implement stress prevention policies.
Stress management
Nearly one-half of large companies in the United States provide some type of stress-management training and Employee Assistance Plans (EAPs) for their workforces. Workers can learn about stress, time management, and relaxation. EAPs also provide counseling for employees with work or personal problems. Stress-management training can help to rapidly reduce stress symptoms such as anxiety and sleep disturbances. Such trainings are often easy to implement and provide, but NIOSH reports that:
1. The beneficial effects on stress symptoms are often short-lived
2. They often ignore important root causes of stress because they focus on the worker and not the environment
Organizational change
Companies that bring in a consultant to recommend ways to improve working conditions take the most direct approach in reducing stress at work. According to NIOSH, programs that identify the stressful aspects of a working environment deal with the root causes of stress at work. Such programs result in the design of strategies that target the identified stressors. However, such programs can involve changes in work routines, production schedules, or organizational structure. Often managers are uncomfortable with this approach.
Yet as the NIOSH report states, this strategy is key: “As a general rule, actions to reduce job stress should give top priority to organizational change to improve working conditions.” The report continues: “But even the most conscientious efforts to improve working conditions are unlikely to eliminate stress completely for all workers. For this reason, a combination of organizational change and stress management is often the most useful approach for preventing stress at work.”
http://www.peersupport.org/
Extracts taken from a Help Guide to Mental Health Issues.
A Report by
The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health
Stress is a normal occurrence. However, with increasing demands of work and home life, stress on the job is a problem causing physical, mental, and financial consequences for employers as well as employees. Studies show that stressful working conditions are associated with increased absenteeism, tardiness, and intentions by workers to quit their jobs—all of which have a negative effect on a company’s success. Employers, managers, supervisors, and business owners have many reasons to consider the stress level of their workers:
Financial
Stressed employees take more sick days and file more disability claims than do contented employees
Disgruntled employees often quit after extensive investment has been made in their training, and another person has to be trained in their place
Job stress can result in decreased productivity
Errors made by stressed workers can result in faulty products that cannot be sold, or worse, that fail after sale and lead to lawsuits
Emotional
Stressed workers may become depressed or angry
Alcohol or drug use increases as self-medication for distress, which in turn creates more problems
Safety
People who are overly stressed are less attentive and can accidentally damage equipment or injure themselves or others
At the extreme, stress can lead to violence, and management or co-workers can be hurt or killed – the term “going postal” has become part of the language expressing a murderous rampage as a result of job dissatisfaction
What is job stress?
A survey by St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Co. found that problems at work are more strongly associated with health complaints than are any other life stressor—more so than even financial or family problems. While challenges are a normal and satisfying part of work life, stress is not a necessary evil in the workplace. However, for many people stress has become synonymous with work.
According to The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), early warning signs of job stress include:
A. headache
B. sleep disturbances
C. difficulty in concentrating
D. short temper
E. upset stomach
F. job dissatisfaction
G. low morale
What causes stress in the workplace?
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is the federal agency responsible for conducting research and making recommendations for the prevention of work-related illness and injury. As part of its mandate, NIOSH is directed by Congress to study the psychological aspects of occupational safety and health, including stress at work. NIOSH works in collaboration with industry, labor, and universities to better understand the stress of modern work, the effects of stress on worker safety and health, and ways to reduce stress in the workplace. Through its research program in job stress and through educational materials, NIOSH is committed to providing organizations with knowledge to reduce this threat.
A report by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
The NIOSH report states that job stress results from both the characteristics of a worker and the working conditions, but that there are differing views as to which set of circumstances is the primary cause of job stress:
1. Individual characteristics – According to one school of thought, differences in personality and coping style of the worker are most important in predicting job stress. Thus, what is stressful for one person may not be a problem for someone else. This viewpoint leads to prevention strategies that focus on workers and ways to help them cope with demanding job conditions.
2. Working conditions – Scientific evidence suggests that certain working conditions are stressful to most people. Evidence from recent studies argues for a greater emphasis on working conditions as the key source of job stress and for job redesign as a primary prevention strategy.
Both viewpoints suggest ways to prevent stress at work, but NIOSH “favors the view that working conditions play a primary role in causing job stress.” The report cites the following job conditions that may lead to stress:
1. The design of tasks – heavy workload; infrequent rest breaks; long hours; and routine tasks that do not utilize workers' skills
2. Management style – poor communication in the organization and a lack of family-friendly policies
3. Interpersonal relationships – an unsupported social environment
4. Work roles – conflicting or uncertain job expectations; too much responsibility
5. Career concerns – job insecurity; lack of opportunity for advancement or promotion
6. Environmental conditions – unpleasant or dangerous physical conditions such as crowding, noise, air pollution, or ergonomic problem.
What are the health effects of job stress?
The nature of work is changing at whirlwind speed. When the requirements of the job do not match the capabilities, resources, or needs of the worker, harmful physical and emotional responses occur. Perhaps now more than ever before, workplace stress poses a threat to the health and safety of employees and to the health organizations responsible for their care.
According to NIOSH, many recent studies have looked at the relationship between job stress and physical and emotional problems. The report states: “Mood and sleep disturbances, upset stomach and headache, and disturbed relationships with family and friends are examples of stress-related problems that are quick to develop and are commonly seen in these studies. These early signs of job stress are usually easy to recognize. But the effects of job stress on chronic diseases are more difficult to see because chronic diseases take a long time to develop and can be influenced by many factors other than stress.”
NIOSH reports that evidence suggests workplace stress plays an important role in several types of chronic health problems, especially:
1. cardiovascular disease
2. musculoskeletal conditions
3. psychological disorders
The economic impact of these issues impacts not only the individual, but also the businesses that employ them: Health care expenditures are nearly 50% greater for workers who report high levels of stress.
What can managers or employers do to reduce stress at work?
To reduce stress at work, an individual should try to maintain a balance between work and family or personal life, a supportive network of friends and coworkers, and a relaxed and positive outlook. But it is also important that the workplace is a “healthy” organization. There are several ways to reduce stress in the workplace. While the employee may not have control over whether the workplace entirely supports a more stress-free lifestyle, possible changes can be made, or individuals can make an educated decision as to whether the workplace is right for him or her.
An understanding of the relationship between individual and organizational health
Recent research suggests that policies benefiting worker health actually benefit the bottom line. A healthy organization—one that has low rates of illness, injury, and disability in its workforce—is competitive in the marketplace. NIOSH research has found the following organizational characteristics to be associated with both healthy, low-stress work and high levels of productivity:
1. recognition of employees for good work performance
2. opportunities for career development
3. an organizational culture that values the individual worker
4. management actions consistent with organizational values
Stress prevention
According to the Journal of Applied Psychology, St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Company conducted several studies on the effects of stress-prevention programs in hospital settings. Program activities included:
employee and management education on job stress
changes in hospital policies and procedures to reduce organizational sources of stress
establishment of employee assistance programs
In one study, the frequency of medication errors declined by 50% after prevention activities were implemented. In a second study, there was a 70% reduction in malpractice claims in 22 hospitals that implemented a stress-prevention program but no reduction in claims in a matched group of 22 hospitals that did not implement stress prevention policies.
Stress management
Nearly one-half of large companies in the United States provide some type of stress-management training and Employee Assistance Plans (EAPs) for their workforces. Workers can learn about stress, time management, and relaxation. EAPs also provide counseling for employees with work or personal problems. Stress-management training can help to rapidly reduce stress symptoms such as anxiety and sleep disturbances. Such trainings are often easy to implement and provide, but NIOSH reports that:
1. The beneficial effects on stress symptoms are often short-lived
2. They often ignore important root causes of stress because they focus on the worker and not the environment
Organizational change
Companies that bring in a consultant to recommend ways to improve working conditions take the most direct approach in reducing stress at work. According to NIOSH, programs that identify the stressful aspects of a working environment deal with the root causes of stress at work. Such programs result in the design of strategies that target the identified stressors. However, such programs can involve changes in work routines, production schedules, or organizational structure. Often managers are uncomfortable with this approach.
Yet as the NIOSH report states, this strategy is key: “As a general rule, actions to reduce job stress should give top priority to organizational change to improve working conditions.” The report continues: “But even the most conscientious efforts to improve working conditions are unlikely to eliminate stress completely for all workers. For this reason, a combination of organizational change and stress management is often the most useful approach for preventing stress at work.”
http://www.peersupport.org/
Extracts taken from a Help Guide to Mental Health Issues.
How Much Stress Is Normal?
The truth is, everybody is different; if you're high-strung, your daily stress level will be greater than that of someone who is laid-back. A good way to judge if you're too tense is if your relationships, job and mental or physical health have deteriorated. Has your sleep or appetite changed? Do you still enjoy things that have given you pleasure in the past?
If any of those factors have shifted, you may be in stress overdrive, which means you need to pinpoint the source of your tension and, ideally, eliminate it. If your biggest thorn is something you can't get rid of, such as nagging in-laws, try to minimize your exposure.
Perhaps more vital is recognizing how you react to stress. Do you shut down or spread negativity? Once you have a handle on that, you can work on developing a healthier response, like releasing those bottled-up feelings at the gym or chatting with a supportive friend. Learning to prepare for stress can help, too. If talking to your landlord gets you riled up, put yourself in your comfort zone by listening to soothing music before you pick up the phone so you're less affected by the conversation. Remember, once you recognize the problem, you have the power to fix it.
If any of those factors have shifted, you may be in stress overdrive, which means you need to pinpoint the source of your tension and, ideally, eliminate it. If your biggest thorn is something you can't get rid of, such as nagging in-laws, try to minimize your exposure.
Perhaps more vital is recognizing how you react to stress. Do you shut down or spread negativity? Once you have a handle on that, you can work on developing a healthier response, like releasing those bottled-up feelings at the gym or chatting with a supportive friend. Learning to prepare for stress can help, too. If talking to your landlord gets you riled up, put yourself in your comfort zone by listening to soothing music before you pick up the phone so you're less affected by the conversation. Remember, once you recognize the problem, you have the power to fix it.
What is Mental Illness?
What is Mental Illness?
Mental illness can be defined as the experiencing of severe and distressing psychological symptoms to the extent that normal functioning is seriously impaired, and some form of help is usually needed for recovery. Examples of such symptoms include anxiety, depressed mood, obsessional thinking, delusions and hallucinations. Help may take the form of counselling or psychotherapy, drug treatment and/or lifestyle change.
Professor Anthony Clare, psychiatrist and broadcaster defines mental illness as follows:“A diagnosis of mental illness usually means in practice that:
a) A person is experiencing symptoms characteristically regarded as psychological, such as anxiety, depression, elation, hallucinations, delusions, obsessions, compulsions;
b) The symptoms are severe and disabling; that is to say, the individual is distressed by them, cannot function, and feels ‘unwell’. The layman’s term is ‘breakdown’ and it is a good one for it suggests that the individual’s normal ability to cope with stress or a setback has broken down, that he/she has lost the normal ability to ease tension, lift mood, regain control, cope;
c) The individual is so afflicted that he or she cannot ordinarily recover control without external help [be it by means of talking, listening and learning (psychotherapy, behaviour therapy), physical treatment, (drugs, ECT) and/or social interventions (attention to stresses at work, in the home, within marriage or relating to money, status, power)];
d) The ill health can be caused by genetic factors; by loss such as bereavement or unemployment or financial disaster; by catastrophic stress such as war, disasters like the Lockerbie air tragedy or the Stardust fire; by physical illness; or indeed, a combination of some or all of these factors.
e) Rarely is there a single cause of a psychiatric illness and rarely, too, a single treatment.”
Mental illness can be defined as the experiencing of severe and distressing psychological symptoms to the extent that normal functioning is seriously impaired, and some form of help is usually needed for recovery. Examples of such symptoms include anxiety, depressed mood, obsessional thinking, delusions and hallucinations. Help may take the form of counselling or psychotherapy, drug treatment and/or lifestyle change.
Professor Anthony Clare, psychiatrist and broadcaster defines mental illness as follows:“A diagnosis of mental illness usually means in practice that:
a) A person is experiencing symptoms characteristically regarded as psychological, such as anxiety, depression, elation, hallucinations, delusions, obsessions, compulsions;
b) The symptoms are severe and disabling; that is to say, the individual is distressed by them, cannot function, and feels ‘unwell’. The layman’s term is ‘breakdown’ and it is a good one for it suggests that the individual’s normal ability to cope with stress or a setback has broken down, that he/she has lost the normal ability to ease tension, lift mood, regain control, cope;
c) The individual is so afflicted that he or she cannot ordinarily recover control without external help [be it by means of talking, listening and learning (psychotherapy, behaviour therapy), physical treatment, (drugs, ECT) and/or social interventions (attention to stresses at work, in the home, within marriage or relating to money, status, power)];
d) The ill health can be caused by genetic factors; by loss such as bereavement or unemployment or financial disaster; by catastrophic stress such as war, disasters like the Lockerbie air tragedy or the Stardust fire; by physical illness; or indeed, a combination of some or all of these factors.
e) Rarely is there a single cause of a psychiatric illness and rarely, too, a single treatment.”
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