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Coping with Financial Stress
Coping With Financial Stress
January 19, 2010
Kathleen Ashton, Ph.D.
The Cleveland Clinic Foundation
APA Public Education Campaign Liaison,
Ohio Psychological Association
Cleveland Psychological Association
Coping With Financial Stress
• Identify effects of financial stress
• Learn effects of stress on the body and
health
• Learn hands-on techniques to cope with
stress
Coping With Financial Stress
What is Mind/Body Health?
Mind/Body Health is the effective
balance of physical and psychological
health
Stress
Stress
• Overwhelming feelings of lack of
control over our environment and an
inability to change things
• Stress is pervasive, persistent and
insidious because it stems from
psychological rather than physical
threats (American Institute of Stress)
Coping With Financial Stress
• Financial stress
• Joblessness at 10%
• 80% of Americans report (2008)
• 50% report unhealthy coping
• Eating
• Alcohol
Stress
Stress and Your Body
•Stress is normal and can be optimal
for certain performance related tasks.
•Stress becomes a problem when:
• it interferes with a person’s ability to
do daily life tasks
•it impacts health in a dangerous or
risky way.
Stress
The Facts About Stress
• Stress is linked to the six leading causes of
death--heart disease, cancer, lung ailments,
accidents, cirrhosis of the liver, and suicide
• 43% of all adults suffer adverse health effects
from stress
("The Stress Solution: An Action Plan to Manage the Stress in Your Life", Lyle H. Miller, Ph.D., and Alma
Dell Smith, Ph.D.)
• Two-thirds of all office visits to family
physicians are due to stress-related
symptoms (American Academy of Family Physicians)
Stress
• Stress affects your body
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Adrenaline increases
Muscle tension increases
Heart rate and blood pressure increase
Breathing increases
Blood flows to your large muscle groups
http://www.apa.org/flash/helpcenter/anato
my/index.aspx
Stress
Stress and the Immune System
Stress
Affects Cytokines
Affects Hormones
Infection
Stress
Stress & Emotional-Wellbeing
Depression
• 20% of US population experiences an
episode of depression in their lifetime
Anxiety
• 19 million American adults
Stress
Symptoms of Stress
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Feeling overwhelmed
Anxious
Mood swings
Short temper
Rundown and tired
Headaches and body aches
Tightness in muscles
Back and neck pain
Stress
Additional Reactions to Stress
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Anger
Depression
Heart palpitations
Irregular menstruation cycles
Loss of sexual function
Loss of sexual desire
Stress
Coping With Financial Stress
• Coping With Stress
• Take stock of what you already do to cope
with stress
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Exercise
Religion/Spirituality
Talking to Social Supports
Pleasurable Activities
Relaxation
Coping With Financial Stress
• Deep Breathing
• Deep breathing targets using the
diaphragm (i.e., belly breathing)
• Shown to reduce blood pressure, help
sleep, help with pain
Coping With Financial Stress
• Coping With Financial Stress
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Identify your stressors and make a plan.
Examine your priorities.
Talk about your worries.
Recognize unhealthy coping strategies
Substitute healthy for unhealthy ways
to manage stress.
Coping With Financial Stress
• Coping With Financial Stress
• Consider how your stress might be
affecting your kids
Coping With Financial Stress
• Conclusions
• Use healthy coping strategies
• Identify how stress is affecting your health
• Increase coping
• Get help when needed
• Anxiety, depression, insomnia, and substance abuse
are all signs that you may need professional help
Referral Sources
• Cleveland Psychological Association
• http://www.clevelandpsychology.org/
• Ohio Psychological
Association
• http://www.ohpsych.org/
Stress
Free materials and information
on referrals are available online:
www.APAHelpCenter.org, or
by calling 1-800-964-2000
.