| 30 October 2009
Many businesses and workers are being put under even greater strain as they try to cope with the ever-increasing rate of worker absenteeism or poor work performance due to “work-related stress”. In addition, the effects of stress, anxiety and depression in the home are stretching many families and relationships beyond breaking point. But are we dealing with stress, depression and anxiety the right way? Or are we just covering up the symptoms of stress with a chemical straight jacket while ignoring the cause.
If you think about it, does it make sense that you or I are stressed because of a lack of Prozac in my bloodstream? Then why do we continually get prescribed pills to deal with stress?
I have been confused why the mental health experts and support groups are at pains to convince us that anxiety and depression are diseases. They say that anxiety and depression are caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain giving us an inability to feel happy.
Many doctors continue to blindly hand out these so-called happy pills despite a major recent study that demonstrates that anti-depressant medications have no significant effect...
Professor Irving Kirsch and his team came to this conclusion following an analysis of 47 major clinical trials1 (both published and unpublished) involving the use of anti-depressants. It is also interesting to discover that only the trials with the most favorable results for the drugs were published. (Subsequently, the regulatory authorities only saw the published studies!)
The truth is that anxiety and depression are emotions. They are emotions that we do. I put it to you that we do not suffer depression and anxiety. We do depression and anxiety. People that say that they are suffering from stress, depression or anxiety have simply got into the habit of doing those emotions. Just like any skill that you haven’t done for a long time, how to do emotions like happiness can be forgotten over time.
Many of you that are doing a mental illness or have a friend or relative doing a mental illness may be offended by my suggestions, thinking that I am trivializing mental health issues or re-casting a stigma around mental health. To those people I say that I am speaking from experience. I am very familiar with the impact of mental health challenges. My own stepbrother committed suicide and two other stepsiblings have attempted suicide. Ten years ago I personally mastered the skill of doing anxiety and panic attacks and was on the verge of a nervous breakdown (although I now describe it as a nervous breakthrough).
During an immensely challenging 12-month period and with the help from a lot of people and without any medication I successfully retrained my patterns of thinking. I am not saying this to impress you. I am saying this to impress upon you that everyone has the ability and capacity to learn how to exert control over their emotions.
Rather than looking for a drug-based solution for stress, depression and anxiety, surely it makes more sense to look for an emotional-based solution for an emotional problem. Look at developing the skills of being happy and being calm and relaxed. But how do you learn how to be happy and relaxed when you are so used to being stressed and uptight?
I chose to observe and study from friends, relatives and work colleagues who had busy, challenging lives but were also happy and relaxed. I asked them questions about how they coped in certain situations and I copied many of their approaches.
I watched movies about people who had overcome adversity. I read biographies about people whom I really admired.
To me, happiness and optimism are priceless skills that I believe surpass any form of technical training. Happy, optimistic people not only help to encourage a more enjoyable work environment but they are also an invaluable resource in helping show others how to more effectively manage stress.
References: 1. I. Kirsch, B.J. Deacon, T.B. Huedo-Medina, A. Scoboria, T.J. Moore et al, ‘Initial Severity and Antidepressant Benefits: A Meta-Analysis of Data Submitted to the Food and Drug Administration’, Public Library of Science Medicine ,2008, vol.5, no. 2,
