Stress Management Discussed At Lunch And Learn

By Nancy K. Crevier

“It doesn’t matter how old you are, everyone has stress,” speaker Erica DeFrancesco told a well-attended Lunch and Learn forum at Ashlar on Tuesday, April 18. Ms DeFrancesco, of Masonic Healthcare Center in Wallingford, said that as an occupational therapist, she sees how interrelated the physical and mental states are. “When you are dealing with physical disabilities,” she said, “mental issues come up. There is a lot of stress with physical difficulties.”

Stress is defined as the “wear and tear” a body experiences in a continually changing environment, explained Ms DeFrancesco. Because everyone experiences stress in a different way, she said, it is important for each person to know the stressors that affect them. “Know the warning signs, know how to cope,” she said, and proceeded to help the audience identify stressors and shared with them several simple methods of alleviating stress.

When people think of stress, generally they think about “bad” stressors, or what she called, “dis-stress.” Dis-stress can include a lack of family, losing a job, health problems, death in the family, or the challenges of being a caregiver. Two common situations that create stress for senior citizens are feelings of loss of productivity and independence, she said. Losing the physical ability to get around and no longer having a driver’s license can exacerbate feelings of helplessness. Finances are one of the biggest stresses in life, no matter how old a person is, said Ms DeFrancesco.

However, even the good things in life can lead to stressful situations, Ms DeFrancesco said. Weddings, new jobs, promotions, moving, and new grandchildren are stressors that, while “good,” still can lead to the physical and emotional responses that indicate stress.

“Some people don’t even know when they are stressed,” said Ms DeFrancesco. Emotional symptoms of stress can include crying, feelings of anxiety, anger, and impatience. Tied into the emotional side of stress are the physical factors. A lack of sleep or too much sleep, headaches, changes in appetite, ulcers, and high blood pressure can indicate stress is playing a larger part in one’s life than it should.

Once stress is identified, coping methods to deal with it can be put in place. “Everyone needs support,” Ms DeFrancesco said. “It can be friends, family members, or even medical professional help. Some people feel comfortable talking to their minister.”

Maladaptive coping skills such as excessive alcohol consumption, overeating, and drug abuse offer only temporary relief to stressful situations. To successfully manage stress, optimism is a powerful tool.

A positive attitude is one of the most important coping skills a person can use to deal with the many stressors encountered in life, she said, to the agreement of many in attendance. “I read somewhere that a positive attitude can add seven years to a person’s life,” she shared.

When asked to list coping skills, the audience suggested laughter, faith, prayer, forgiveness, acceptance, exercise, deep breathing, pet therapy. and reading as effortless ways to distress. “Live in the moment,” recommended a voice from the crowd.

Ms DeFrancesco concluded her talk by saying, “Part of managing stress is accepting you are not perfect. We all make mistakes. Leave here vowing to try something you’ve heard here to relieve stress. Think about how you are going to start this day.”