In troubled times, mental health hygiene is more vital than ever

In troubled times, mental health hygiene is more vital than ever

 

As an organization that advocates for not only the physical needs of those with spinal cord injury/disorders (SCI/D) but also the emotional and psychological wellbeing of individuals with SCI/D, ASCIP’s Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA) committee holds close our commitment to advocacy for patients and their communities. We acknowledge how collective trauma can impact many of those in the SCI/D community that have experienced violence firsthand as well as those of us who provide care. Our brains tend to engage in behavioral patterns in response to life events and trauma is no exception. Recent exposure to, or witnessing/hearing about, trauma events can trigger renewed experience of historical traumatic events. With these trauma triggers, come the memories and emotions that accompany them. The complexity of the dynamic interplay between mind and body triggers the fight-flight-freeze-fawn part of our nervous system. Add in multiple triggers daily, and we have an exhaustion of emotional internal resources and physical energy.

Unfortunately, we live in a time in which we are frequently exposed to traumatic imagery and events, both at home and abroad. The mental health effects of such events are very real experiences for our fellow global citizens and the humanity in us hurts for them. These events can create a type of moral and personal injury in individuals who find that their Just-World Theory has been revealed to be a fallacy. While there may be a moral value of “bearing witness” to these events, it is important to make sure that we take care of ourselves so that we can continue to show up for our communities, our trainees, our patients, and ourselves.

Mental health hygiene is important for remaining healthy and functional throughout daily life. It is essential during times of high stress, such as traumatic events and the holiday season.2 Through social media, television, news websites, and social dialogue, many people are experiencing vicarious trauma or secondary traumatization. The American Counseling Association defines vicarious trauma as ‘the emotional residue of exposure to traumatic stories and experiences through work; witnessing fear, pain, and terror that others have experienced; a preoccupation with horrific stories told to the professional. Symptoms of vicarious trauma can include apathy, detachment, hopelessness, anhedonia, impatience, sleep disturbances, hypervigilance, anxiety, and withdrawal.’ 1

According to a survey conducted by Healthline, 62% of respondents described their stress level as ‘very or somewhat’ elevated during the holiday season. Among the stressors identified included increased time spent engaging in family dynamics, financial concerns, and balancing self-care. Our brains respond to holiday stress as an immediate threat. The holiday season brings with it more tasks to keep track of as well as a greater number of responsibilities, which requires the brain’s prefrontal cortex to work overtime. This time period of heightened & prolonged stress can overload the brain’s capacity to accommodate the multitude of additional life tasks, potentially leading to a decrease in memory efficiency, slowed production of neuroplasticity, and can lead to existing brain cells to dying off. 2, 3

Most recently seen in the COVID-19 pandemic, many healthcare professionals have found themselves processing similar life stressors as their patients at the same time. When this phenomenon occurs, it has been shown to reduce the emotional therapeutic distance that many healthcare workers utilize to engage in the necessary patient care. That is to say, healthcare workers and patients processing similar life stressors at the same time can lead to such things as burnout or vicarious trauma. Vicarious trauma among healthcare workers was found across the world during the COVID-19 pandemic. Interestingly, with vicarious trauma can come “vicarious resilience” when attended to at the individual and systemic levels. 4

The ASCIP (IDEA) committee has developed a list of curated trauma-informed resources for those experiencing the effects of global, local, and holiday distress.

- Setting boundaries (e.g., time, physical, emotional) with work, family, and friends.

- Control your exposure to social media and the news. You can do this by setting time limits and muting alerts on your cellphone Balance out your mind’s exposure to stressful events (e.g., thegoodnewsnetwork.org; funny animal videos, standup comedy etc.)

- Engage in mindfulness exercises (e.g., diaphragmatic breathing for minimum of 2 minutes, positive imagery etc.)

- If you have a private office, put on low soothing sounds in the background that have been shown to reduce stress levels (e.g., nature videos, rain, binaural beats.) Hint: if you find yourself getting sleepy during these quiet moments, it could be a good sign that your body needs more rest. Build in time to rest (even 5 minutes)

- Ensure adequate sleep

- Exercise (e.g., going out for a ten minute walk, using the stairs rather than the elevator, park further away from the grocery store so you can walk more)

- Consuming more daily fruits and vegetables, as applicable.

- Limit alcohol consumption- it negatively affects our brain’s dopamine

- Consume more water, as applicable. Our heart rate can become elevated when we are dehydrated, which adds to physical stress.

- Strongly consider seeking out a mental health professional for additional support. Since the pandemic, many mental health clinicians now offer virtual options so you can have a session in the comfort of your home or car (not while driving.)

- Strive to surround yourself with individuals who can speak to the positive side of things as well, so that you can glean support rather than increasing worry and depletion of personal strength.

 

Most importantly, we would like to invite everyone to reflect on the personal accomplishments and professional achievements you have done in the past year. This time of year is abundant with joy and connection, and we encourage you to seek it out, especially if you feel the stress. If you feel lacking in community, volunteer at an organization or reach out to others who may share in your isolation. Diversity in our world is to be honored, celebrated, and shared. We encourage you to welcome the cultural strengths around us, with humility and respect, as we open our hearts and minds for the hope of a more inclusive world.

 

Article written by: Samantha Harfenist, PsyD (she/her); Jessica Whitchurch, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC (she/her/hers) ; Ellia Ciammaichella, DO, JD (she/her); Tricia Hicks, LSW, Med. (she/her); Sigmund Hough, PhD, ABPP/rp (he/him/his); Jeffrey Jaramillo, MSDPT (he/him/his); Jeff Leonard, ; Katharine Tam, MD (she/her/hers); Florian P. Thomas, MD, PhD (he/him); and Jillian Walker, MS, OTRL, ATP (she/her/hers)

Work Cited

1. https://hms.harvard.edu/news-events/publications-archive/brain/holiday-stress-brain
2. https://www.counseling.org/docs/default-source/trauma-disaster/fact-sheet-9-- vicarious-trauma.pdf 3. Parul, A. M., Singh, S., Singh, S., Tiwari, V., Chaturvedi, S., Wahajuddin, M., Palit, G., & Shukla, S. (2021). Chronic unpredictable stress negatively regulates hippocampal neurogenesis and promote anxious depression-like behavior via upregulating apoptosis and inflammatory signals in adult rats. Brain Research Bulletin, 172, 164–179. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brainresbull.2021.04.017
3. https://www.thechicagoschool.edu/insight/from-the-magazine/vicarious-trauma-in health-care-workers-in-the-age-of-covid-19/

 

 

How to cite this work:

Harfenist, S., Whitchurch, J. Ciammaichella, E., Hicks, T., Hough, S., Jaramillo, J., Leonard, J., Tam, K., Thomas, F. P., & Walker, J. (2023, December, 14). Re: In troubled times, mental health hygiene is more vital than ever [Electronic mailing list message]. Retrieved from https://www.multibriefs.com/briefs/ASCIP/ASCIP121423.php