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Stress Management
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Note: Much of the following information was taken from pages on our
"sister' website: BestDietForMe.com.
Summary & Comment
What does stress management
have to do with successful weight loss? A lot. as it
turns out. Stress is pervasive in our society today and levels
are rising, not getting better. A person’s state of mind and
psychological well being directly impacts their decisions about
food choices. People may eat more when stressed, or eat
"comfort" foods that hamper their weight loss efforts. If their
spouse or family or work situation causes them ongoing stress,
this is another obstacle to be overcome before successful weight
loss and weight maintenance can take place.
The psychological component of the
weight loss formula is just as important as the nutrition and
exercise components. That’s the whole basis behind Dr. Phil’s
best-selling diet book and weight loss program (Ultimate Weight
Solution). Tackle your inner self before beginning a weight loss
diet.
How Widespread
Is Stress?
The Seventh Annual Labor Day Survey
The vast majority of American
workers say they are stressed, more than a third say that their
job is harming their physical or emotional well-being, 42% say
job pressures are interfering with their family or personal
lives, and half report more demanding workloads than they had a
year ago.
Those are among the main
conclusions of "Attitudes in the American Workplace VII,"
the seventh annual Labor Day poll by the Marlin Company, a North
Haven, CT, workplace communications firm.
The telephone survey, conducted by
Harris Interactive, also showed that roughly half of workers
(48%) say that they at least sometimes have too many
unreasonable deadlines and/or too much work to do and that 42%
feel they sometimes, rarely or never have adequate control or
input over their work duties.
What causes the majority of stress
in your life?
28% said workplace demands; 21% family or personal demands; 42%
said both equally; 8% said neither, and 2 % said they don’t feel
stressed. Those who said that workplace demands cause the bulk
of their stress are much more likely to have high (i.e.,
negative) scores on the Workplace Stress Scale™ than those who
say more of their stress comes from family or personal demands.
Close to two-thirds of adults (64%)
say they take steps to control stress in their lives. The
largest number of Americans try to cope with stress by taking
their mind off their problems through passive leisure activities
such as watching TV, reading, or listening to music. Eight in
ten adults (82%) at least sometimes participate in these kinds
of activities to cope with stress.
Men and women clearly differ in the
way they cope with stress .
The biggest differences are women’s greater tendency to talk
with someone when they feel stressed (83% vs. 68%) and to go out
shopping (47% vs. 24%). Women are also more inclined than men to
say they watch TV, read, or listen to music to reduce stress
(88% vs. 77%). Men, however, are more likely than women to drink
alcohol (23% vs. 13%).
Insurers typically do not pay or
reimburse for stress management services (other than
psychiatrists or psychologists), and experts interviewed do not
see any change in this policy resulting from future health care
reform. Public and private health insurance currently provide
minimal or no coverage for anxiety disorders-- or for mental
healthcare in general--especially outpatient services.
Insurers will pay for specific
stress related conditions or complaints such as migraine
headaches, depression, etc. if the diagnosis is directly
related. For example, insurers will reimburse for things like
post-traumatic stress, physician-based programs, and
hypertension. They will not reimburse for things like yoga,
rolfing, or massage.
Approximately 22.7 million
Americans--8% of the population--will suffer from an anxiety
disorder at some point in their lives. Anxiety disorders are
among the most treatable of all psychiatric disorders. However,
only about one-third of those people suffering from an anxiety
disorder actually receive any treatment.
Who provides
stress reduction/management services?
The list is long and includes the
following…
stress
reduction clinics
licensed psychologists and psychiatrists
physical therapists
wellness programs offered by companies to their employees
EAPs
(employee assistance programs)
hospitals
health
risk appraisal companies
health
clubs
massage
services
books,
tapes, cassettes (self-help programs)
computer interactive services (software programs)
physicians - via the prescribing of anti-anxiety drugs
acupuncturists
hypnotists and hypnotherapists
social
workers
health
educators.
In the opinion of stress medicine
experts, stress management programs open and close every day,
and many of the techniques used by them have little or no
scientific basis at all.
Stress
Management Techniques Used
Stress management experts or
vendors use a variety of methods to relieve patients’ stress
levels. These methods may be used in one-hour or three-hour
sessions, "brown bag" sessions during lunchtime at the work
site, intensive weekend retreats provided for companies, or
lectures to large groups or at the professional’s office through
one-on-one weekly counseling sessions spanning 6-20 weeks.
Specific tools used may include:
Breathing techniques
Muscle relaxation
Biofeedback via
monitors/machines, or low-cost stress dot cards or other
heat-sensitive devices
Counseling in coping mechanisms
and problem-solving techniques
Focus group therapy
At-home materials: books, audio
cassettes, newsletters and workbooks
Hospital-Based
Stress Management Programs
Just how many hospitals in the
United States offer stress management programs is difficult to
determine. Many programs are inexpensive educational workshops
or seminars that span one or two sessions, rather than in-depth
8-week programs typical of weight loss plans. Generally, stress
management is included with a smorgasbord of health promotion
topics, including: weight loss, nutrition, CPR, back care,
health risk appraisals, and cholesterol screening--via health
fairs and lunchtime sessions.
In
BestDietForMe.com/Marketdata’s October 2002
report: The U.S. Weight Loss & Diet Control Market, we
estimated that 2,300 hospitals nationwide offered a low-cost
(average cost: $145) nutritional counseling program developed
in-house by hospital staff. Marketdata estimates that 50% of
this number are taking advantage of free or low-cost stress
management programs that are hospital-based, or 1.1 million
people. Stress management programs are more likely to be shorter
in duration, perhaps an evening or weekend workshop, usually no
more than one or two sessions. Contrast this with a six- to
14-week weight loss program. Consequently, the cost is much
lower, $50 or less. This is true for most, but not all
hospital-based programs.
Stress Management
Programs Provided by Health Clubs
A health club should be a natural
setting for educating people about stress management. At a club,
one usually finds a collection of people with a positive
attitude toward self-improvement. These persons are already
motivated to change their lifestyles or habits. However, it
appears from speaking to both clubs and vendors/consultants
serving them, that most health clubs are really behind the times
when it comes to offering stress management programs.
One of the fitness industry’s main
trade groups, IHRSA (International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub
Assn.) reported to
BestDietForMe.com/Marketdata
that, based on its survey of its more than 6,000 member clubs, a
total of 24% did provide a wellness/stress management program to
their members. Currently, there are 18,203 fitness clubs
operating in the United States.
Typically, a club will bring in an
outside stress "expert" to give a talk or presentation, and this
will be packaged along with weight loss, smoking cessation, and
other healthcare services, into a course spanning several weeks.
Programs and prices will vary widely, depending on the club and
the affluence of their members. The high-end clubs will usually
combine a stress reduction workshop into a total membership
package.
Based on
BestDietForMe.com/Marketdata’s
research and in-depth phone interviews, it seems as if the
typical one-day workshop, class or seminar attracts only 30-70
people per year, at an average cost of about $40. Most clubs we
spoke to said that they only offered the classes once or twice a
year.
Worksite Stress Management Programs
Today, there is nothing generic
about corporate stress reduction programs. A stress audit is
performed first to find out what the nature of the problems are,
and then a program is tailored to resolve those problems based
on resources available. Then a decision is made whether to
provide services in-house or go to the outside "vendor" or
expert.
Stress reduction techniques vary
greatly among companies, and stress reduction is usually
included as part of an EAP or other broader program .
Stress reduction has become the leading priority for many EAPs,
especially in California and other western states. Some
employers feel that exercise programs work best, while others
use meditation, muscle relaxation, and still others provide
counseling for work- and family-related problems (such as
parenting, legal and financial advice, and alcoholism). Most
employers prefer group sessions rather than individual
counseling for cost-effectiveness reasons.
HMOs are playing a major role in
health promotion programs of various types, including stress
management. An HMO may, for example, offer an employer’s workers
a lunch-time workshop, but for stress management, weight loss,
and smoking cessation, it’s more apt to provide a multi-session
behavior modification course.
Some Leading
Organizations in Stress Management
The
American Institute of Stress
124 Park
Ave.
Yonkers,
NY 10703
Contact:
Paul J. Rosch, M.D., Pres.
Phone: 914-963-1200
FAX:
914-965-6267
www.stress.org
Essi Systems, Inc.
70 Otis
St.
San
Francisco, CA 94103
Contact: Martha
Evans
Phone:
415-252-8224
www.essisystems.com
(workshops)
Institute of Stress Medicine
3020
Brock St. North
Whitby,
Ontario
Canada
L1N 5R5
Contact:
Dr. Naresh Kumar
Phone: 905-666-8747
The
Midwest Center For Stress And Anxiety
106 N.
Church St.
Oak
Harbor, Ohio 43449
Contacts:
Lucinda Bassett, David Bassett (has an infomercial, runs radio
ads)
Phone:
800-944-9460
Mind/Body Medical Institute
824
Boylston St.
Chestnut
Hill, MA 02467
Contacts:
Dr. Herbert Benson
Phone: 617-991-0102
New
York University
Stress Disorders Medical Services
c/o Reed
Moskowitz, MD
17 East
96th St., Suite 1B
New York,
NY 10128
Phone: 212-348-9187
Self-Programmed Control Center
11949
Jefferson Blvd., Suite 104
Culver
City, CA 90230
Contact:
Alfred A. Berrios, PhD.
Phone:
800-STA-CALM
The SPC Center’s main product is
the ever-present credit card-sized biofeedback card that changes
color based on your skin temperature. More than one billion have
been sold since 1982.
Stress Reduction Program at the University of Massachusetts
Medical Center
55 Lake
Avenue North
Worcester, MA 01655
Contact:
Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D.,Assoc. Professor of Medicine, Clinic
Director
Phone:
508-856-2656 |
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