By JOHN EBY
Dowagiac Daily News

An estimated 43 percent of adults suffer health effects from stress, with 75 to 90 percent of all office visits stress-related, Borgess-Lee Memorial Hospital’s educator told Dowagiac Rotary Club Thursday noon.

Ann Turner, RN, BSN, speaking at Elks Lodge 889 as the guest of Joy Strand, hospital administrator and chief operating officer, said stress links to six leading causes of death – heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents, liver disease and suicide.

Stress manifests through such behavioral signals as nervous habits – foot tapping, nail biting – smoking, swearing, yelling, violent outbursts, fidgeting, excessive drinking or drug use and crying.

“If someone tells me they have no stress in their life,” Turner’s reaction would be doubtful disbelief because “stress is everywhere” and it’s not always negative – the birth of a baby, your daughter announcing her engagement, buying or selling a house.

Change is inevitable, “but don’t try to build a house before you lay the foundation,” Turner said.

“Don’t try to be Superman or Superwoman or to be all things to all people. Take it one step at a time, visualize what you’d like your life to be, then figure out a plan to get you there and make sure you have time for hobbies you enjoy, like going to a movie. Share your feelings with others. Be positive and flexible and don’t say can’t. Learn to laugh. Listen to music. Soak in a hot, soapy bath and when you smile or give a compliment, mean it. When you don’t mean it, people know.

“We are in charge of our attitudes.”

To manage stress in everyday life, people need to identify stressors and to discuss their effects and to learn ways to reduce them.

Three types of stress are acute, episodic and chronic.

Acute, the most common, can be thrilling and exciting in small doses, but exhausting if too much.

Usually short-term, acute stress’s common symptoms are emotional distress, anger, anxiety, depression and pain.

It’s very treatable and manageable in small amounts. It could be brought on by an illness in your family or something unexpected, from an auto accident to a flat tire or winter slide-off.

Episodic stress happens more frequently – weekly or monthly.

“That can be double-booking your schedule like a doctor every 15 minutes when you’ve got a lot of things going on,” Turner said, triggering a short temper, irritability, anxiety and tenseness at the sign of something unscripted.

Maybe you’re just a Type A personality.

Interpersonal relationships suffer at work and at home.

Chronic stress “goes on day to day to day” and feels so overwhelming it risks being ignored because it is so familiar.

“These are the people with grinding stress because they have to take care of Mom. It wears them down over time. A person never sees a way out of a miserable situation or a light at the end of the unnel. They give up searching for a solution to their problem,” Turner said. “We hear people refer to ‘burnout’ or being ‘overwhelmed.’ ”

Stress is expensive. Health care costs account for 8 percent, or $6.2 billion of total health care bills, according to an October 2000 study.

One in four people in a 2004 poll stated they have taken a “mental health day” to relieve pent-up work stress.

Workplaces have grown incredibly stressful in response to recession realities such as layoffs, downsizing and bankruptcies.
Employees are asked to perform unfamiliar tasks and are working harder and longer to maintain current economic status.
Increased tension and uncertainty are “now everyday emotions,” Turner said.

Workplace stress stirs a potent sense of powerlessness.

Employees bemoan too much responsibility and little authority and cling to jobs they can’t stand because hunting for new ones doesn’t seem plausible.

Those who lose jobs are further at risk for physical illness, marital strain, anxiety and depression.

“There are more auctions,” Turner said. “People who can’t make the payments abandon their homes and leave town. There are all kinds of scary stuff going on. As employers, there’s probably no way around it because you have to do what you can to keep your businesses going, but all of these people are very scared.

“They won’t say anything because they don’t want to make any waves. Businesses that one day say they’re doing great, the next week they call everyone in and say, ‘Guess what? We’re locking the doors.’ They don’t even let employees know, so a lot of people are terrified. You hear a lot, ‘I don’t have time to make a change. Tomorrow.’ Sometimes tomorrow needs to be today.”

In addition to the general  lack of balance between work or home or deadening monotonous jobs, people in “helping professions,” from medicine and nursing to teaching and counseling or police work experience the highest burnout rates.

“Another job I think would be really hard would be bill collectors making collection calls,” with phones slamming down in their ear all day. “It would take a lot out of you,” Turner said.

Burnout signs can be cynicism and sarcasm at work, lost ability to experience joy, dragging yourself to work and having a hard time getting started.

Maybe you’re tired of co-workers asking, “Are you okay?”

Especially if your disillusionment interferes with sleep habits or appetite.

“When was the last time you went and played golf or met a friend for lunch?” Turner asked.

“Something you really enjoyed, instead of coming home and (collapsing) in front of the TV? I’ve heard people say, ‘I hate those people I see walking’ because they don’t have the time to walk. Look for causes. ‘That’s not my job’ versus ‘what can I do to help?’ could be dysfunctional workplace dynamics.”

Stress that robs you of sleep can result in foggy thinking and lack of concentration and place you on a path to Type 2 diabetes, decreased immune system response, cancer, infections and colds, as well as accelerating the aging process.

“You’re not 20 anymore. Roll back your day instead of stacking it. Sleep is underrated. Six to eight hours are very important. That’s why mattress ads are so prevalent. People are so geared up during the day they can’t relax. They’re looking for good rest. It’s like buying new clubs when you have trouble with your golf swing,” the nurse said.

Don’t try to fall asleep after stimulating exercise or watching horror movies.

Avoid caffeine, alcohol and nicotine and don’t overeat or retire hungry at bedtime.

“Smoking can be a major source of stress” – especially trying to quit what is a “social” habit.

“I don’t smoke, but cigarettes are extremely expensive,” Turner said. “They’re very angry and irritable, so give them some slack. Now you can’t hang out in bars and smoke. They might have to get new friends.”

It’s a “myth” that stress is the same for everybody, she said. “Everyone has a personal way to deal with things.”

As educator for staff, patients and the public, Turner oversees a free women’s health fair with 35 vendors which coincides with Mother’s Day weekend.

Another free service is a monthly diabetic support group which meets the first Thursday, including June 3.

She coordinates cardio-pulmonary resuscitation for the hospital, teaching CPR, training instructors, of which there are five within Borgess-Lee and about 25 outside the hospital. She also teaches first aid and assists the safety officer with “decon” training in the event of a chemical disaster.

The hospital has a decontamination tent.

“We’re also gearing up for a multitude of things going on in July,” she said.
Cancer-fighting Relay is “Luau for Life” and takes place July 17-18 at APEX, the Athletic and Physical Education CompleX (track) behind Dowagiac Union High School. “(Summer in the City) is the last weekend in July and we will be downtown. Steve’s Run goes on that weekend. The week after that is the Cass County Fair. There is also a health fair at the Council on Aging in September.”

A licensed cosmetologist as well as a nurse, Turner likes to do programs for cancer patients, “Look Good, Feel Better.”