presents the Latina Personal Power Program Module 1: Know Yourself Welcome to the National Hispana Leadership Institute 2011 webinar series with: Boosting Your Mental Health: Coping with the Pace of a Hectic World About NHLI The National Hispana Leadership Institute is the premier leadership organization preparing Latinas for positions of national influence, public policy impact, and to contribute to the advancement of the Hispanic community. www.nhli.org
Transcript
presents the Latina Personal Power Program
Module 1: Know Yourself
Welcome to the National Hispana Leadership Institute 2011 webinar series with:
Boosting Your Mental Health: Coping with the Pace of a Hectic World
About NHLIThe National Hispana Leadership Institute is the premier leadership organization preparing Latinas for positions of national influence, public policy impact, and to contribute to the advancement of the Hispanic community. www.nhli.org
Boosting Your Mental Health - Coping with the Pace of a Hectic World
Maribel Quiala, LCSWOctober 12, 2011
The Hispanic Woman’s Silent Struggle
• Hispanics use mental health services far less than other ethnic and racial groups.
• Hispanics in need of help may turn to family or community members. Some may not know the symptoms of mental health problems or know when to get help.
• Latinas are more likely than other women to suffer from depression.• Many women do not seek help for depression because there is a social
stigma in the Hispanic culture surrounding mental illness.
Stigma & What to do about itStigma occurs when a person is judged based
on a personal trait or experience. 1. Get treatment: You may be reluctant to admit you have a
condition that needs treatment. Don’t let the fear of being “labeled” with a mental illness prevent you from seeking help.
2. Don’t let stigma create self-doubt & shame: You may have the mistaken belief that your condition is a sign of personal weakness or that you should be able to control it without help.
3. Don’t isolate yourself: If you have a mental illness, you may be reluctant to tell anyone about it. Have the courage to confide in someone. Reach out.
4. Don’t equate yourself with your illness: You are not an illness. 5. Join a support group
Symptoms of Depression
PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS:1. Sleeping to much or too little.2. Weight loss or excessive overeating & weight gain.3. Persistent physical symptoms that do not respond to treatment, such as
headaches, digestive disorders, & chronic pain.4. Decreased energy over an extended period of time.
MENTAL SYMPTOMS:5. Loss of interest or pleasure in activities.6. Persistent sad, anxious, or “empty” moods.7. Restlessness and/or irritability.
EMOTIONAL SYMPTOMS:8. Feelings of hopelessness and/or pessimism.9. Feelings of guilt, worthlessness and/or helplessness.
Stress & Mental Health
• Stress happens for many reasons. Stress can be brought about by a traumatic accident, death, or emergency situations. Stress can also be a side effect of a serious illness or disease.
• There is also stress associated with daily life, the workplace & family responsibilities.
• As women, we have many roles: spouse, mother, caregiver, friend, and/or worker.
• With all we have going on in our lives, it seems almost impossible to find ways to de-stress.
• IT IS IMPORTANT TO FIND A WAY! YOUR MENTAL HEALTH DEPENDS ON IT!
Common symptoms of stress include:
HeadachesSleep disordersDifficulty concentratingShort-temperedUpset stomachJob dissatisfactionLow moraleDepressionAnxietyToo much multi-tasking
You’re not alone!
Coping Skills
• Many people lack healthy coping skills whether they seek treatment or not.
• HEALTHY coping skills include: talking about feelings, taking a time-out, deep breathing techniques, going for a walk, or journaling.
• UNHEALTHY coping skills include: use of drugs and/or alcohol, self-harm behaviors, isolation, avoidance of others, and other compulsive behaviors such as over-eating, sex, and gambling.
How do you to deal with problems?
Most Effective Coping Skills:
• Confront the problem (brainstorm possible solutions).
• Seek information (learn more about the problem, see an expert).
• Set priorities (spend your energy on the most important things (like your health!).
• Re-define your goals (figure out what you really want).
• Seek support (share with friends, accept feedback, help, & encouragement).
Other Ways to Deal With Problems
Moderately effective coping skills:
• Humor (laugh it off, try to see the lighter side).• Reduce tension (sleep more, exercise, treat yourself to a cup of coffee/tea, pamper
yourself).• Share responsibilities (rely on others to help you).• Withdraw (remove yourself temporarily from the problem, step back).• Vent (“blow off steam” to someone in an appropriate way).
Least effective coping skills:
• Forget about it (don’t worry, try not to think about it).• Wait for the worst (Expect the worst).• Give in (accept everything without questioning).• Be passive (expecting and wait for others to save you).• Act out (lash out and strike back at other or self).• Blaming (taking all the blame or blaming other for the problems).• Abuse substance (drugs, alcohol, over-eating, etc.)
Proven Stress Reducers• Breathe in and out throughout the day, &
before during and after high-pressure situations.
• Schedule a realistic day.• If an especially “unpleasant” task faces
you, do it early in the day & get it over with. Procrastination can be stressful.
• Try to be more flexible.• Do one thing at a time.• Learn to delegate and ask questions.• Allow yourself time everyday for privacy,
quietness, & introspection.• Get enough sleep and DON’T forget to take
a lunch break.• Count your blessings!• Say “No!” and mean it.• Accept that we live in an imperfect world.• Unplug your phone when you want to take
a long bath, meditate, sleep, or read.
Surrender
• Surrender simply means “to let go”. As humans,we often try to maintain complete control of various aspects of our lives. When events or situations don’t go how we expected them to, we often experience a “loss of control” that may stir up uncomfortable feelings such as anger, anxiety, or depression.
• Surrender means that we stop fighting and we start listening to those who want to help us.
• When we surrender, we start accepting the people, places, and situations in which we have limited or no control over.
• As we surrender, we start taking responsibility for our own actions & focus on our role within these situations.
Acceptance• Sometimes we find it difficult to
accept the way our life has turned out, the problem we face, & the mistakes we made in the past.
• Not accepting yourself can lead to increased depression, anxiety, worry, & even substance abuse problems.
• Even if you are happy with yourself that does not mean you can’t continue to grow & improve your life.
Self-Esteem• Self-esteem is crucial & is a cornerstone of a
positive attitude towards living.
• It affects how you think, act & even how you relate to or treat other people. It allows you to live life to your potential!
• Low self-esteem means poor confidence &that also causes negative thoughts. These thoughts could lead you to give up easily rather than face challenges. Low self-esteem could lead you to finding negative or unhealthy ways of making yourself “feel good” such as drugs/alcohol or even unhealthy relationships.
• High self-esteem leads us making positive choices, taking better care of ourselves, & gives us the ability to better handle life’s daily stressors.
10 Ways to Love Yourself & Boost Your Self-esteem
1. Stop ALL criticism: Criticizing yourself over mistakes in the past does not change them. Begin to accept yourself as you are. Criticizing yourself leads to poor self-esteem & approving of who you are leads to high self-esteem.
2. Don’t scare yourself: Stop terrorizing yourself with your thoughts. Find images & memories that are pleasant & focus on those and allow your scary thoughts to switch to pleasant ones.
3. Be gentle, kind, and patient: As you learn new ways of thinking, be patient & treat yourself as you would treat someone you really love. Even if you don’t believe it quite yet.
4. Be kind to your mind: Self-hatred is hating your own thoughts. Don’t be hard on yourself for having low self-esteem, instead gently challenge your negative thoughts.
5. Praise yourself: Praise builds up your inner spirit. Praise yourself & tell yourself for you are doing great with EVERY Accomplishment no matter how small.
6. Support yourself: When you are in need, it is strong to reach out to others for help.7. Be loving to your negatives: Acknowledge that you have negatives & now find new positive ways to
work on them.8. Take care of your body: Learn about exercise, nutrition, & what your body needs to be healthy. Find a
hobby you enjoy & go for it!9. Mirror work: Look at yourself daily and say, “I love you”. Learn to forgive yourself. Talk to yourself in
kind ways.10. Love yourself: Start working on it TODAY! It’s never to late to learn to love yourself!
MYTH: There’s no hope for people with mental illnesses.FACT: There are more treatments, services, & community support systems than ever before, and more
are in the works. People with mental illnesses lead active, productive lives.
MYTH: Mental illnesses don’t affect me.FACT: Mental illnesses are surprisingly common; they affect almost every family in America. Mental
illnesses do not discriminate – they can affect anyone!
MYTH: Mental illnesses are brought by a weakness of character.FACT: Mental illnesses are a product of the interaction of biological, psychological, and social factors.
MYTH: People with mental illnesses cannot tolerate the stress of holding down a job.FACT: All jobs are stressful to some extent. Anybody is more productive when there’s a good match
between the employee’s needs & the working condition, whether or not the worker has a mental health problem.
MYTH: Once people develop mental illnesses, they will never recover.FACT: Studies show that most people with mental illnesses get better, & many recover completely!
MYTH: Therapy & self-help are a waste of time. Why bother when you can just take a pill?FACT: Treatment varies depending on the individual. A lot of people work with therapists, counselors,
friends, psychologists, psychiatrists, nurses, & social workers during the recovery process. They also use self-help strategies & community supports. Often they combine these with some of the most advanced medications available.
Healthy Ways to Have Fun
RelaxationSense of humorLeisure timeRecreational activitiesHobbiesVolunteer activitiesMaking time for yourselfExerciseSanity in midst of severe emotional
distress.
Barriers to having fun:
Poor time managementOverly serious attitudeLack of perspective regarding
responsibilitiesNever had healthy role models for
having funToo busyLack of financial resourcesLack of permission from self, partner,
family or othersMisconceptions about what fun is
10 Tips for Improving Personal Success
1. Stop making excuses and take charge of your decision & responsibilities.2. Pay daily attention to your goals. Set clear & realistic goals.3. Finish what you start no matter how small.4. Be confident in your abilities & work on decreasing self-doubt.5. Practice your skills over & over again until they become automatic.6. Ask questions if you don’t understand a task.7. Work on social & communication skills.8. Be aware of negative thinking patterns & practice ways of changing them.9. Better manage your emotions & don’t allow tasks to overwhelm you.10. Be patient with yourself. Remember PROGRESS NOT PERFECTION!
ALWAYS make time for YOU!
Practice Caring for yourself. (Think of this as an order from your doctor, so you don’t feel guilty!)
NO MATTER how busy you are, you can set aside at least 15 minutes of each day in your schedule to do something for you - like taking a bubble bath, going for a walk, or calling a friend.
Depression & StressDuring the Holidays
• Unwelcome guests like depression & stress can affect your health and ruin your holidays.
• Planning ahead, being realistic, delegating tasks & seeking support during the holidays are good tools to help decrease depression & your level of stress.
• Most people find themselves in a whirlwind of demands – work, family, shopping, cleaning, parties, caregiving for the elderly or kids on school break, cooking, funerals, visiting the sick, decorating, studying, etc. Whew! So much for peace, love, joy, & the pursuit of happiness, right?!?
Tips to Alleviate Holiday Depression & Stress
• Budget: Before going shopping, decide how much money you can afford to spend on gifts. Stick to your budget. If you do not , then you could feel anxious and tense and upset for months afterwards as you struggle to pay off the debt.
• Plan: Plan ahead, and set a schedule for shopping, cooking, visiting friend & family, partying, exercising, etc. Allow extra time for travel so that when you’re sitting in traffic you do not increase your anxiety level & stress out.
• Say “NO”: NO to the things that you truly do not want to engage in. NO to the activities you have no desire in participating in. NO to those family members or so-called friends you truly do not want to visit. Say YES to the things and activities that truly fill your spirit and soul.
• Stick to healthy eating :Do not go overboard on sweets, alcohol, sodas & carbs.
• Take a break!• Be aware of your feelings: It is alright to cry or to express your feelings. You do not have
to be happy simply because it is the holiday season.
• Accept that things are not always going to go as planned!
Seek help: Get support if you’re feeling sad or isolated – from family members, friends, community, social services agencies or your religious group. If you are find you are extremely sad, angry, anxious, unable to cope, constantly arguing, isolated, & any of these are exhibited over several weeks, PLEASE talk to someone!
Sources: US Census Bureau: Health Insurance Coverage 2009: Highlights. Received September 16, 2010; Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured, “The Uninsured: A Primer,” October 2009
More Than 8 In 10 Uninsured AmericansCome From Working Families
% of US Population Uninsured: 17%
Total Uninsured in the US (2009): 50.7 million
Minority groups disproportionately affected (% uninsured by ethnic group):
Group NationalWhite 15.8%Asian Amer. 17.2%African Amer. 21%Hispanic 32.4%
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Pfizer Helpful Answers: Helping patients in need
get access to Pfizer medicines
PHA is the largest and most extensive patient assistance program in the industry – over 100 Pfizer medicines covered – including our newest and established products. Millions of prescriptions provided to patients in need every year:
Pfizer Helpful Answers (PHA) is a family of assistance programs for the uninsured and underinsured who need help getting Pfizer medicines.
These programs provide Pfizer medicines for free or at a savings to patients who qualify. Some programs also offer reimbursement support services for people with insurance.
5 year data: 2006-2010
Patients Helped 4.5 million
Rx’s Distributed 44 million
WAC Value $5.6 billion
1-866-706-2400www.PfizerHelpfulAnswers.com
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Partnerships are critical to helping us spread the word of all the help that is available
League of United Latin American Citizens: Conducting training events about patient assistance programs trough Latinos Living Healthy Initiative
National Association of Hispanic Nurses: Conduct a series of training events throughout the country focusing on Hispanic nurses.
Global Healthy Living Foundation: Conduct minority group health forums throughout NY metro area. Multiple ethnic groups targeted: Chinese, Hispanic, Russian, African American
National Hispana Leadership Institute:Conduct outreach to key opinion leaders through the only national leadership development program in the United States focused on future Latina leaders.
Partnership Examples Advocate Resources
www.PfizerHelpfulAnswers.com
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