Published: May 15, 2008 11:40 pm            

Presentation offers tips to curb stress

No. 1 tip: Laughing with family and friends

TERRE HAUTE — Michele Slater, youth director of administration and education for Mental Health America of Vigo County, began her Thursday speech in the Vigo County Public Library with a fun fact to lighten the mood in the stress informational.

She stated that she channeled the movie “Ghostbusters” for inspiration when naming her speech “Stress: Whatcha Gonna Do When it Comes for You.”

Slater’s presentation, part of the library’s May Brown Bag program, was largely geared toward stress reduction and awareness, and offered tips and informed the audience about the serious health issues extreme stress can lead to.

She also kept the attendees active. Patrons jotted down coping skills, offered testimonials and even left the Lower Level Meeting Room with homework as they were handed notecards for daily inscription of three positive things they experienced each day for a week.

When opening her presentation, Slater said the No. 1 way to relieve stress is laughing with family and friends.

This statement hit home for a retired medical doctor in the audience who lives with her husband and daughter, seeking out volunteer work to fill the void that retirement and the loss of family have left in her life. She said when she closes her eyes, she can see better days, days when she had a family.

“I try to think of home when I feel sad because I don’t have much family here,” she said. “I kind of daydream. I think about the days when my family was still here, and many of them are gone now. I think about the days when I was really happy.”

Slater comforted the former doctor.

“Positive self talk can make a huge difference,” she said, before speaking with the doctor after the presentation about possible volunteer work.

Ann Loney, who attended the presentation, also paralleled stress relief to home life.

“When I had my daughter, I knew all my attention needed to be focused on her,” Loney said. “So I would leave all my work things in the car, never took my briefcase in the house and would take 10 minutes to change my clothes to help switch roles.”

Slater’s speech also offered awareness and information based on studies conducted by Mental Health of America. Slater said 1 in 3 people lives with extreme stress based on the national survey. Her handouts also listed the possibility of an increased risk of diabetes, a rise in blood pressure or heart attack in extreme cases of stress.

She said she believes it is important to spread the word about the dangers of stress, and she practiced what she preached.

“Extreme,” Slater said, when asked how important awareness is. “On a scale of 1 to 10, it would definitely be 10. And I have my own list of 10 coping skills to relieve my stress.”

DeAntae Prince can be reached at (812) 231-4214 or deantae.prince@tribstar.com.



Stress Prevention

• Aerobic exercises

• Getting enough sleep

• Maintaining a proper diet

• Proper time management

• Making daily journal entries



Effects of Stress

• Disparity in appetite

• Rashes, itching or hives

• Disorganization and confusion

• Excessive anxiety or nervousness

• Increased anger, frustration and hostility

Source: The American Institute of Stress

        

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