stress

Managing ADHD: Medication, Psychotherapy, and the Potential of Music Therapy

The ABCs of ADHD

ADHD is a prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder that primarily manifests in childhood and often continues into adulthood and is characterized by difficulties in maintaining attention, controlling impulsive behaviors (acting without considering the consequences), and excessive levels of activity.[1] It impacts approximately 11 percent of children attending school; in over 75 percent of cases, symptoms persist into adulthood. Although individuals with ADHD have the potential for success, it is crucial to identify and treat the condition appropriately and in a timely manner. Without proper intervention, ADHD can lead to significant consequences, including academic difficulties, strained family relationships, emotional distress, challenges in forming and maintaining social connections, substance misuse, involvement in delinquent behaviors, accidental injuries and difficulties in employment. Early identification and timely treatment play a vital role in mitigating these potential effects.[2] There are a number of intervention methods for people who experience symptoms of ADHD.

Common Treatments

Two common treatments for ADHD include medication and psychotherapy. 

Medication

ADHD medication is used to address the symptoms such as hyperactivity and impulsiveness.[3] 

Types of ADHD Medication Include:[4]

  • Stimulants

  • Non-stimulants

  • Antidepressants 

Stimulants, such as medications containing methylphenidate or amphetamine, are the usual primary prescriptions for ADHD. These stimulants seem to enhance and stabilize the levels of neurotransmitters, which are brain chemicals responsible for various functions.[5] However, stimulants are classified as controlled substances, implying that they possess the risk of being misused or leading to substance use disorders.

Additional medications utilized in ADHD treatment consist of non-stimulant options (e.g., atomoxetine) and certain antidepressants (e.g., bupropion).[6] While non-stimulants are prescription medications, unlike stimulants, they are not classified as controlled substances. As a result, the risk of improper use or dependency is lower with non-stimulant medications. These medications function by elevating the levels of norepinephrine in the brain. Healthcare providers may prescribe non-stimulant medications either on their own or in conjunction with a stimulant for managing ADHD. 

Antidepressants are also used to treat symptoms of ADHD. The antidepressants commonly prescribed for ADHD primarily target the levels of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain.[7] While atomoxetine and antidepressants have a slower onset of action compared to stimulants, they can still be viable choices when stimulants are not suitable due to health issues or when the side effects of stimulants are too severe for someone.[8] 

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy is frequently utilized alongside medication to address mental health conditions. Depending on the situation, medication might be the more appropriate choice in some cases, while psychotherapy may be the preferred option in others.[9] 

Psychotherapy can assist people with ADHD in various ways:[10]

  • Enhancing time management and organizational abilities 

  • Teaching techniques to minimize impulsive behavior 

  • Fostering improved problem-solving skills 

  • Dealing with past academic, work, or social challenges 

  • Boosting self-esteem

  • Learning methods to strengthen relationships with family, co-workers, and friends

  • Developing strategies to manage anger effectively

The typical forms of psychotherapy for ADHD treatment include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), marital counseling and family therapy. CBT involves a structured approach to teach skills for behavior management and transforming negative thought patterns into positive ones. It aids in handling life challenges like school, work, or relationship issues and also addresses other mental health conditions such as depression or substance misuse.[11] Marital counseling and family therapy aim to assist family members in coping with the challenges of living with someone who has ADHD. They provide tools and techniques to improve communication and problem-solving skills within the family dynamic.[12] 

Music Therapy

There is another form of psychotherapy that can be utilized for treatment of the symptoms of ADHD known as music therapy. Music therapy is a form of psychotherapy that follows a systematic process of intervention. The therapist employs musical experiences and the relationships that evolve from them as dynamic catalysts for promoting health in the client.[13]

During a music therapy session, a patient may:[14]

  • Create music

  • Sing music

  • Listen to music

  • Move to music

  • Discuss lyrics

  • Play an instrument

Music plays an inherent role in the human experience, eliciting responses related to pulse, rhythm, breathing, movement and a wide array of emotions. These deep connections with music can persist even in the face of disabilities and illnesses. As a result, music therapists and counselors can effectively use music to assist individuals, both children and adults, who have diverse needs arising from various causes such as learning disabilities, mental and physical illnesses, physical and sexual abuse, stress and terminal illnesses. Through interactive musical experiences, emotional, cognitive and developmental needs can be addressed.[15] The ADHD brain exhibits reduced levels of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that plays a crucial role in motivation, attention, working memory, and focus. Music has the unique ability to activate both hemispheres of the brain, facilitating comprehensive brain engagement, allowing the activated components to collaborate more effectively and potentially strengthen over time. Consequently, this process enhances motivation and improves the capacity to concentrate.[16]

A number of studies have highlighted the positive effects of music therapy on people with ADHD. One study conducted by Zhang et al. (2017) aimed to assess the effectiveness of music therapy in improving attention, behavior, and social skills in children and adolescents with ADHD. Music therapy was associated with a significant reduction in hyperactivity and impulsivity, and improvements in attention, social skills, and academic performance.[17] Another study by Park et al. (2023) investigated the effects of music therapy as an alternative treatment on depression in children and adolescents with ADHD by activating serotonin and improving stress coping ability. The results showed that both music therapy and pharmacotherapy were effective in reducing depression symptoms.[18]

If you are interested in finding out if Music Therapy can benefit you, you can access the American Music Therapy Association’s provider link here

If you or someone you know has or suspects that they have ADHD, please reach out to a licensed mental health professional (e.g., a psychotherapist, psychologist or psychiatrist) for guidance and support.

Contributed by: Ananya Kumar

Editor: Jennifer (Ghahari) Smith, Ph.D.


References

1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). What is ADHD?. CDC.

https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/facts.html#:~:text=ADHD%20is%20one%20of%20the,)%2C%20or%20be%20overly%20active

2 Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. (2023). About ADHD - Overview. CHADD. https://chadd.org/about-adhd/overview/ 

3 Mayo Clinic. (2023). Adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/adult-adhd/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20350883#:~:text=and%20certain%20medications-,Treatment,they%20don%27t%20cure%20it

4 Cleveland Clinic. (2022). ADHD Medication. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/11766-adhd-medication

5 Mayo Clinic

6 Ibid.

7 Cleveland Clinic

8 Mayo Clinic

9 Bhatia, Richa. (2023). What is Psychotherapy?. American Psychiatric Association. https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/psychotherapy

10 Mayo Clinic

11 Ibid.

12 Ibid.

13 Zhang F, Liu K, An P, You C, Teng L, Liu Q. Music therapy for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and adolescents. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017 May 2;2017(5):CD010032. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD010032.pub2. PMCID: PMC6481398.

14 Music Therapy. (2020). Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/8817-music-therapy

15 Zhang (2017)

16 Attention Deficit Disorder Association. (2022). Can Music Therapy Help with ADHD?. ADDA. https://add.org/can-music-therapy-help-with-adhd/

17 Zhang (2017)

18 Park, J. I., Lee, I. H., Lee, S. J., Kwon, R. W., Choo, E. A., Nam, H. W., & Lee, J. B. (2023). Effects of music therapy as an alternative treatment on depression in children and adolescents with ADHD by activating serotonin and improving stress coping ability. BMC complementary medicine and therapies, 23(1), 73.

Stress Management for Students: Unveiling Coping Strategies & Creative Outlets

Adverse Effects of Stress

Stress is a feeling that most people experience at some point in their life. Students are especially prone to experiencing the negative effects of stress when they feel overworked, sleep deprived and overwhelmed. Symptoms of stress are demonstrated in our bodies, mental state, mood and behavior and have a prominent effect on our day-to-day lives. 

The Mayo Clinic notes that symptoms of stress can manifest in a variety of ways, such as:[1]

It is important to be able to recognize the symptoms of stress in order to effectively manage the cause.[2] 

Common Stressors

Students encounter a number of ongoing stressors, which involve the typical day-to-day challenges they face. Both high school and college students commonly report experiencing continuous stress related to their education, specifically academic-related stress. Pascoe and Parker (2020) found that this stress stems from factors such as the pressure to achieve high grades and concerns about receiving poor marks.[3] A 2017 survey conducted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) across 72 countries involving 540,000 student respondents aged 15-16 revealed that, on average, 66% of students feel stressed about receiving low grades and 59% worry that tests will be difficult. Additionally, the survey found that 55% of students experience high levels of anxiety regarding school testing, even when adequately prepared. Furthermore, 37% of students reported feeling “highly tense” while studying.[4] 

With the prominence of social media in the lives of today’s students, news and world events are more readily available, thus providing additional stress in the lives of students. Information about politics, school shootings, and war are readily available, adding additional stress in their lives as they perceive the world they live in as “unsafe.”[5] Additionally, media can push unhealthy and unrealistic body images as well as idealistic lifestyle expectations on young minds, warping their sense of reality and leaving them feeling inadequate in comparison. While it is important for students to be informed, today’s teens have much more information at their fingertips than ever before, thereby exacerbating their stress. Since the many pressures and events that incite feelings of stress often cannot be avoided, people engage in utilizing coping mechanisms; however, not all coping mechanisms are healthy.[6] 

Unhealthy Coping Methods

As stress levels continue to rise in student populations, a number of unhealthy coping mechanisms have become increasingly popular. Harvard Health (2012) notes that some common methods of dealing with stress involve doing activities that help one put aside their worries for some time (e.g., constantly sleeping, binge-watching television, alcohol consumption and taking illegal drugs.[7] New York University (2015) found that alcohol and marijuana were common relaxers utilized by students for temporary relief from the daily pressures in their lives.[8] Additionally, temporary relief tends to be found through over- or under-eating, smoking, and engaging in a whirlwind of social activities in an attempt to avoid facing their problems. Unfortunately, a buildup of stress can lead to a person lashing out at others and increased violent behavior. On the surface, these coping mechanisms may seem to offer relief; however, many of these actions are not effective at relieving pressure and can actually exacerbate the stress one already feels to a higher degree. Fortunately, there are a number of creative methods of coping with stress that have a positive effect on students.[9]

Effective and Creative Outlets

Art

Art can be used to mitigate feelings of stress and anxiety. Specifically, art therapy is a type of psychological intervention that utilizes various artistic mediums and the individual's creative expression to facilitate the therapeutic exploration and comprehension of emotions – ultimately resulting in the creation of artwork. It is both a natural and enjoyable way for students to manage their stress.[10] Research conducted by Zaidel (2014) on the influence of art and active creativity on the brain indicates that patients who engage in newly discovered creative outlets often experience elevated dopamine levels. Dopamine, a neurotransmitter frequently depleted in individuals suffering from anxiety, depression, and excessive stress, tends to increase through the practice of art therapy. As a result, art therapy emerges as a beneficial option for individuals dealing with high stress levels, as it can effectively raise dopamine levels and promote a sense of happiness and well-being in patients.[11]

Music

Another effective outlet for stress is music. Listening to music offers a stress-reducing effect by influencing both the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and the autonomic nervous system. A study published by the Cambridge University Press (2021) indicates that music demonstrated a decrease in cortisol levels (a well-known biomarker of stress) and a reduction in sympathetic activity (reflected in lower heart rate and blood pressure).[12] 

Different compositional elements of music (e.g., melody, rhythm, tonality and frequency) seem to influence individual relaxation responses. While most studies have used classical music, these effects have been observed across various music genres. High-frequency music, particularly at 528 Hz, appears to play a significant role in stress relief. Lata and Kourtesis (2021) note that music with this frequency can lower cortisol levels and increase oxytocin levels, regulating stress response and social bonding.[13] 

Meditation

Meditative practices can also relieve stress experienced by students. The Mayo Clinic describes meditation as a simple and inexpensive method of relaxation that doesn’t involve any materials or equipment to participate. Meditation is classified as a form of complementary medicine that involves the connection between the mind and body. By engaging in meditation, individuals can achieve a profound sense of relaxation and cultivate a calm state of mind.[14] During meditation, one directs their attention to clearing away the influx of chaotic thoughts that often clutter the mind and contribute to stress. This practice has the potential to improve both physical and emotional well-being, fostering a sense of overall balance and tranquility. Meditation can serve as a tool for relaxation and stress management by redirecting one’s focus towards calming elements. Through meditation, one can develop the ability to maintain inner peace and a centered state of mind.[15] 

Furthermore, the benefits of meditation extend beyond the duration of the practice, itself. It can help individuals navigate their daily lives with a greater sense of composure. Yoga is a well known form of meditation utilized to cultivate both physical flexibility and mental tranquility through a sequence of poses and controlled breathing exercises. By engaging in specific postures that demand balance and concentration, attention is redirected away from the demands of a stressful day and towards the present moment.[16]

Exercise

Medical professionals consistently encourage maintaining an active lifestyle as the positive effects of physical exercise have been widely recognized (e.g., improving physical health and combating illness). Exercise is also regarded as essential for preserving mental well-being and can alleviate stress. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America (2022) notes that exercise has significant efficacy in reducing fatigue, enhancing alertness and focus, and improving overall cognitive function.[17] This research is supported by a 2015 study conducted van der Zwan et al., which compared a number of stress intervention methods and indicated physical activity was effective in reducing stress in the sample group.[18] This can be particularly beneficial when stress has depleted one's energy or ability to concentrate. When stress impacts the brain, affecting its numerous neural connections, the rest of the body experiences the repercussions as well. Exercise and other forms of physical activity stimulate the production of endorphins(a natural pain-relieving chemical in the brain) and also contribute to improved sleep, subsequently reducing stress levels.[19]

Psychotherapy

If creative outlets for stress reduction are not enough to mitigate the extreme levels of stress one is experiencing, psychotherapy can be used alongside or in place of creative outlets for stress reduction. Psychotherapy, also known as talk therapy, encompasses a range of therapeutic approaches designed to assist individuals in recognizing and modifying distressing emotions, thoughts and behaviors.[20] People often turn to psychotherapy when coping with intense or prolonged stress caused by work or family circumstances, the bereavement of a loved one, or challenges within relationships or family dynamics. Various forms of psychotherapy and interventions have demonstrated efficacy in addressing mental health disorders. Frequently, the treatment approach is customized to suit the particular case someone is experiencing. This involves identifying techniques for managing stress and formulating targeted problem-solving strategies.[21] 

There are a number of evidence-based approaches in psychotherapy that aid in dealing with stress:

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

  • Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) 

Both CBT and ACT are evidence-based psychotherapies utilized to help people manage symptoms of stress. CBT places greater emphasis on modifying or rectifying one's negative thoughts in order to relieve distress while ACT focuses more on transforming the way our personal experiences (e.g. thoughts, emotions, memories, and physical reactions) function and increasing our psychological flexibility, so that they no longer have a hold on us.[22,23] MBSR utilizes meditation principles to assist individuals in developing a heightened awareness of the influence negative thoughts have on their physical sensations.[24]

While beneficial for students, any of the afore-mentioned creative outlets and therapies can be useful for the general population experiencing stress, as well.

If you or someone you know is experiencing extreme stress and/or anxiety, please reach out to a licensed mental health professional (e.g., a psychotherapist, psychologist or psychiatrist) for guidance and support.

Contributed by: Ananya Kumar

Editor: Jennifer (Ghahari) Smith, Ph.D.

References

1 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2021). How Stress Affects Your Body and Behavior. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-symptoms/art-20050987  

2 Ibid.

3 Michaela C. Pascoe, Sarah E. Hetrick & Alexandra G. Parker (2020) The impact of stress on students in secondary school and higher education, International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 25:1, 104-112, DOI: 10.1080/02673843.2019.1596823

4 Ibid.

5 Simmons, A. (2019). As Teen Stress Increases, Teachers Look for Answers. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/teen-stress-increases-teachers-look-answers/ 

6 Columbia University. (2021). Is social media threatening teens’ mental health and well-being? Columbia University Irving Medical Center. https://www.cuimc.columbia.edu/news/social-media-threatening-teens-mental-health-and-well-being 

7 The President and Fellows of Harvard College. (2012, August 4). Watch Out for Unhealthy Responses to Stress. Harvard Health. https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/watch-out-for-unhealthy-responses-to-stress 

8 New York University. (2015). NYU study examines top high school students’ stress and coping mechanisms. NYU. https://www.nyu.edu/about/news-publications/news/2015/august/nyu-study-examines-top-high-school-students-stress-and-coping-mechanisms.html

9 Harvard Health

10 Sage Neuroscience Center. (2021, July 27). How Art Can Help Relieve Stress. Sage Neuroscience Center. https://sageclinic.org/blog/art-relieve-stress/#:~:text=How%20Can%20Drawing%20and%20Painting,%2C%20depression%2C%20and%20excessive%20stress  

11 Zaidel DW. Creativity, brain, and art: biological and neurological considerations. Front Hum Neurosci. 2014 Jun 2;8:389. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2014.00389. PMID: 24917807; PMCID: PMC4041074.

12 Lata, F., & Kourtesis, I. (2021). Listening to music as a stress management tool. European Psychiatry, 64(S1), S609-S609. doi:10.1192/j.eurpsy.2021.1621

13 Ibid.

14 Mayo Clinic. (2022). Meditation: A simple, fast way to reduce stress. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). 

https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/meditation/in-depth/meditation/art-20045858

15 Ibid.

16 Ibid.

17 Anxiety and Depression Association of America. (2022). Physical Activity Reduces Stress. ADAA. https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/related-illnesses/other-related-conditions/stress/physical-activity-reduces-st#:~:text=Exercise%20and%20other%20physical%20activity,your%20body%20to%20produce%20endorphins.

18 van der Zwan, J.E., de Vente, W., Huizink, A.C. et al. Physical Activity, Mindfulness Meditation, or Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback for Stress Reduction: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback 40, 257–268 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10484-015-9293-x

19 Anxiety and Depression Association of America

20 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2023). Psychotherapies. National Institute of Mental Health. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/psychotherapies  

21 Ibid.

22 Guarna, J. (n.d.). Comparing ACT and CBT. Association for Contextual Behavioral Science. https://contextualscience.org/comparing_act_and_cbt#

23 Wersebe H, Lieb R, Meyer AH, Hofer P, Gloster AT. The link between stress, well-being, and psychological flexibility during an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy self-help intervention. Int J Clin Health Psychol. 2018 Jan-Apr;18(1):60-68. doi: 10.1016/j.ijchp.2017.09.002. Epub 2017 Oct 17. PMID: 30487911; PMCID: PMC6220909.

24 Johns Hopkins Medicine. (2023) Stress Busters: 4 Integrative Treatments. The Johns Hopkins University. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/stress-busters-4-integrative-treatments

Exploring the Mechanisms, Popularity & Health Implications of Vaping

How Does Vaping Work?

Vaping imitates the act of smoking by utilizing battery-powered devices that produce an aerosol resembling water vapor. However, this aerosol contains not only nicotine but also flavorings and over 30 additional chemicals. When inhaled, the aerosol enters the lungs, allowing the nicotine and chemicals to enter the bloodstream. A single vape pod contains the same amount of addictive nicotine as 20 cigarettes. Vaping conditions the brain to anticipate higher nicotine levels, leading to a stronger desire to vape.[1]

Initially, vape devices resembled traditional cigarettes, but more recent models have taken on different forms, such as resembling a USB flash drive or a compact pod. Vaping devices vary in their appearances, yet they share fundamental components, including a battery, sensor and atomizer/flavor cartridge.[2]

Targeted Age Group

As numbers for cigarette smoking have been on the decline for the past year, the popularity of vapes, a type of e-cigarette, has exploded in the United States, especially in younger generations. Johns Hopkins Medicine conveyed that over two million middle and high school students admitted to the use of vapes in 2022, with 80% of them using flavored e-cigarettes.[3] The Texas Health and Human Services notes that the teenage brain is particularly vulnerable to the impact of nicotine, making it more challenging to quit vaping and raising the likelihood of teens transitioning to smoking tobacco cigarettes due to nicotine addiction.[4]

Vaping devices have gained immense popularity among teenagers, becoming the most prevalent form of nicotine used among youth in the United States. A 2020 report from the National Institute on Drug Abuse indicates that many teens are unaware that vaping cartridges contain nicotine and mistakenly believe they only contain flavoring.[5] The widespread availability of these devices, captivating advertisements, a wide range of e-liquid flavors, and the perception that they are safer than traditional cigarettes contribute to their appeal among this age group. Moreover, their concealable nature, lacking the distinct odor of tobacco cigarettes, and their ability to be disguised as flash drives make them easier for teens to hide from teachers and parents.[6]

Why do People Vape?

The idea that vaping is less harmful than smoking has made it especially popular to young audiences, who do not see negative repercussions from the devices and often do not even know they contain nicotine.[7] According to the CDC, some vaping devices advertise themselves as not even containing any nicotine despite being found to have it.[8] The popularity of vaping makes it extremely accessible to young people, and teenagers are especially susceptible to the idea of doing something because those around them choose to participate. The CDC adds that one of the most common reasons provided for beginning to vape by middle and high school students in the United States was that they had a friend who used vapes. Further, most participants added they continued to vape due to feelings of stress, depression and anxiety.[9]

Negative Health Effects

While there is a belief that vaping is significantly better for health than smoking cigarettes, this is not necessarily true. Vaping can be linked to a number of lung injuries and even deaths as a large number of harmful chemicals have been identified in these devices. Nicotine, found in both traditional cigarettes and e-cigarettes, serves as the main active component and possesses a strong addictive nature. It generates a desire for smoking and can lead to withdrawal symptoms if the craving is ignored. Johns Hopkins Medicine notes that nicotine is considered a toxic substance, capable of elevating blood pressure, triggering a surge in adrenaline levels, accelerating heart rate, and augmenting the risk of experiencing a heart attack.[10]

effects on the brain

Additionally, the use of nicotine during adolescence can pose risks to the developing brain, which continues to mature until approximately the age of 25. Nicotine consumption during this stage can potentially harm the regions of the brain responsible for attention, learning, mood regulation and impulse control.[11] In the process of forming memories or acquiring new skills, the brain establishes stronger connections (synapses) between its cells, and the adolescent brain constructs synapses at a faster rate compared to adult brains. However, nicotine alters the normal formation of these synapses. Furthermore, the use of nicotine during adolescence may also heighten the likelihood of future addiction to other substances.[12]

easing Anxiety?

The CDC found that when asked why they vape, one of the most common responses youth will provide is that it, “helps ease their feelings of stress, anxiety or depression”. However, continuous use of an e-cigarette can actually exacerbate these feelings.[13] Nicotine-containing e-cigarettes exert an impact on various major systems within the body. For instance, vaping stimulates increased dopamine activity in the brain's reward pathway, elevates heart rate and blood pressure, and potentially disrupts the functioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. These physiological changes, in turn, have psychological implications for addiction, cognition, mood and anxiety.[14]

The use of nicotine salts in e-cigarettes enhances the efficiency of nicotine delivery, potentially increasing their addictive nature. Vaping may also result in short-term enhancements in cognitive performance, as nicotine has the ability to improve memory and attention. Users of e-cigarettes often report mood-enhancing and anxiety-reducing effects, although Tattan-Birch & Shahab (2020) note these may be actually attributed to the relief of withdrawal symptoms.[15] Symptoms of nicotine withdrawal encompass irritability, restlessness, feelings of anxiety or depression, sleep difficulties, impaired concentration, and intense cravings for nicotine. In an attempt to alleviate these symptoms, individuals may continue using tobacco products and associate their feelings of relief with the act of vaping rather than withdrawal. Teenagers may resort to vaping as a means to cope with stress or anxiety, inadvertently perpetuating a cycle of nicotine dependency.[16]

If you or someone you know is struggling with anxiety and/or nicotine addiction, please reach out to a licensed mental health professional (e.g., a psychotherapist, psychologist or psychiatrist) for guidance and support. Click here to see our interview on the role of social anxiety in addiction as well as how Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) can be effective methods at overcoming substance abuse.

Contributed by: Ananya Kumar

Editor: Jennifer (Ghahari) Smith, Ph.D.

References

1 Texas Health and Human Services. (2023). What is Vaping? Texas Department of State Health Services. https://www.dshs.texas.gov/vaping/what-is-vaping#:~:text=Vaping%20simulates%20smoking.,cross%20over%20into%20the%20bloodstream.

2 Ibid.

3 Blaha, M. J. (2022). 5 Vaping Facts You Need to Know. Johns Hopkins Medicine.  https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/5-truths-you-need-to-know-about-vaping

4 Texas Health and Human Services

5 NIDA. 2020, January 8. Vaping Devices (Electronic Cigarettes) DrugFacts. Retrieved from https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugfacts/vaping-devices-electronic-cigarettes

6 Ibid.

7 Johns Hopkins Medicine

8 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). Quick Facts on the Risks of E-cigarettes for Kids, Teens, and Young Adults. CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/basic_information/e-cigarettes/Quick-Facts-on-the-Risks-of-E-cigarettes-for-Kids-Teens-and-Young-Adults.html

9 Ibid.

10 Johns Hopkins Medicine

11 CDC

12 Ibid.

13 Ibid.

14 Tattan-Birch, H., & Shahab, L. (2020). The Psychobiology of Nicotine Vaping. In Psychobiological Issues in Substance Use and Misuse (1st Edition). Routledge. 

15 Ibid.

16 CDC

Chronic Stress & Memory Erosion

The Bright Side of Stress?

Stress is a necessary human experience that keeps us alive.[1] It can be defined by the physical and mental responses we use to combat stressors experienced in our lives, such as threatening situations, insecurity, a tumultuous relationship or academic and work responsibilities.[2] We learn from previous stressors (e.g., avoiding sketchy alleyways we know of, or the signs of “red flags” in a relationship.) These adaptations are how short-term stress can beneficially inform our memory and subsequent learning. Stress-induced fears, anxieties and physiological signals cause us to react to danger or threats so that we know how to avoid a stressor again.

When the brain processes an imminent stressor, the sympathetic nervous system and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis react to release adrenaline and glucocorticoids.[3] The sympathetic nervous system activates physiological responses for a fight or flight response. For example, pupils dilate and heart rate increases. The HPA axis regulates the stress response through structures such as the hypothalamus and hippocampus, an important structure for memory, via steroid hormones like cortisol.[4] By a negative feedback loop, the hippocampus’ cortical receptors are activated for the memory and biological learning of a stressful event.[5] As a result, memory is improved following an acute stress response so that our learning is improved for future similar stressful situations.[6,7] 

When Stress Becomes Problematic

While research indicates that short-term or acute stress can promote behavioral adaptations and improve spatial memory, in the same study by Lin et al. (2022), prolonged durations of stress led to behavioral and cognitive impairment in animal models.[8] Relatedly, in humans, long periods of stressful life events lead to cognitive and memory declines in older adults.[9] Additionally, prolonged (i.e., chronic) stress can increase risk of disease and mortality.[10,11] 

Chronic stress causes the body to be constantly out of balance (i.e., allostasis) in response to trying to restore balance (i.e., homeostasis) through energy expenditure.[12] The cumulatively created effect of chronic stress is referred to as allostatic load (when allostasis is repeatedly activated with a lack of adaptation or conclusion of the stress response.)[13] These chronic and repeated stress responses increase cortisol, which negatively affect components of memory (like navigation and long-term memory retention), and structurally damages neurons necessary for memory.[14,15] This leads the human body to be in a constant state of neurological disruption that is not restored, resulting in negative impacts on one’s memory.[16-22]  

Despite these negative health impacts, chronic stress remains an extremely common experience. According to the American Institute of Stress (2022), 94% of American workers say they are stressed at work while 55% of Americans report that they are stressed during any given day.[23] While some degree of stress in life is vital, an allostatic load can decrease well-being and cognition, and should be reduced to promote one’s health and overall life.

What Chronic Stress Looks Like

Chronic stress has particularly negative effects on the hippocampus (related to forming and sustaining memory), amygdala (related to emotional regulation) and neurons in the prefrontal cortex (related to problem-solving and planning).[24] Duman (2004) notes that by using physical restraints on rats, chronic stress was found to decrease neuron length and branching in the hippocampus.[25] Furthermore, increased glucocorticoid circulation leads to decreased neural plasticity (i.e., when neurons adapt and connect to process or establish information), and decreased growth of neurons in the hippocampus.[26] Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) signaling, a marker of neural plasticity, is also reduced in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus following chronic stress.[27] 

Chronic stress essentially impairs memory consolidation and retrieval, making reactivating and forming new information more difficult and less frequent.[28] Memory for spatial and navigating information was found to be impaired due to chronic stress, as well.[29] The body’s homeostatic regulation in response to a prolonged stressor additionally causes chronic neuroinflammation.[30] For these reasons, allostatic load leads to an increased risk of developing certain disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and neurodegeneration; these risks increase with age and cortisol levels.[31] 

Signs of chronic stress include:[32-34]

  • Emotional dysregulation

  • Decreased memory for events, general knowledge and navigation

  • Social withdrawal

  • Depressive symptoms

  • Increased anxiety and constant worrying

  • Fatigue or low energy

  • Immune system dysregulation and impaired disease resistance

  • High blood pressure

  • Digestive problems

 When chronic stress becomes persistently life-impairing, it can be a significant factor in several disorders, such as those involving anxiety, emotional disruption and cognitive problems. Stress-related cognitive impairment is found in several conditions and disorders:

  • PTSD symptom severity is associated with cognitive decline.[35] 

  • Chronic stress is a risk factor for dementia.[36]

  • In middle age, those with depression and high allostatic load have a higher risk of cognitive decline.[37] 

  • Childhood psychological stress (i.e., childhood poverty) is associated with a greater risk for anxiety-related symptoms and allostatic load in adolescence and adulthood with intensity relating to the duration of the allostatic load.[38] 

  • Impaired memory in depressed individuals is often attributed to chronic stress and its duration.[39]

Those with anxiety and mood disorders tend to experience psychological stress for lengthy periods. This is why high allostatic load is a factor for memory problems as the brain’s hippocampal neurons atrophy or degenerate and plasticity is disrupted by exhausted homeostatic energy expenditure. 

Perceptive Differences 

While individuals with mood or anxiety disorders are more vulnerable to chronic stress and memory impairment, stress responses can still vary by person and are not exclusive to those who experience such disorders. Chronic stress itself is also not a disorder, but a comorbid risk factor for memory impairment that can look different for everyone.

Internal beliefs vary per individual and are subjective, causing certain situations to be stressful to some and not to others, and leading to varied effects on memory. For example, students’ perceived high stress is found to be partially reliant on low self-efficacy (i.e., belief in self-success) and high emotional attention.[40] Additionally, high stress and cortisol levels lead to worsened memory performance such as declarative memory (i.e., memory for general knowledge and events), and cortisol is found to be in higher levels in females than males.[41,42] This is because cortisol levels are impacted by ovarian hormones such as estrogen.[43] Therefore, higher baseline cortisol levels may lead to high cortisol release when responding to stress.[44] For such reasons, cortisol administration is a way of inducing depression in animal models in addition to physical and social stressors due to chronic exposure. Other individual differences (such as age) may impact perceived stress as in older adults; egocentric stressors (e.g., self-health and financial stressors) were found to be detrimental to cognitive functioning as opposed to non-egocentric stressors.[45] 

Societal stressors may also impact the rate and intensity of the stressors that different groups face. For example, individuals of a sexual minority often experience increased impairment in psychosocial adaptation and overall quality of life likely due to negative stereotyping or stigma consciousness.[46] Menhinick & Sanders (2023) note that fear of violence is also an imminent physical stressor that many LGBTQ+ individuals and racial minorities experience, which can induce chronic stress, depression and PTSD.[47] 

Solutions to Mitigate and Overcome Chronic Stress

Several methods can be employed to tackle chronic stress. A social-psychological approach may look at the stressors that arise from social norms. From such a perspective, effortful social change can alleviate minority stress and threats, which removes the fault from the individual experiencing the neurological effects of stressors and targets the creation of the stressors themselves, such as violence and microaggressions arising from biases.[48] 

In terms of regenerating neurological functioning, Hernandez & Brinton (2022) found that allopregnanolone (a neurosteroid) may activate the GABA-chloride complex and can help to promote neurogenesis or the formation of neurons in the brain.[49] Relating to diet, Szala-Rycaj et al. (2023) found that chicory root insulin and topinambur powder, when supplemented long-term, can alleviate anxiety and cognitive disorder-like symptoms that were induced through chronic stress in animal models.[50] Additionally, Duman (2004) notes that antidepressants such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have been shown to reflect a reversal of neuron atrophy in the hippocampus and promote neural plasticity as well.[51] Note: it is important not to start or stop taking any medications or supplements without first discussing them with your physician and/or pharmacist.

Several evidence-based psychotherapies are effective at preventing and overcoming the effects of chronic stress. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is an approach that focuses on the awareness of mental states and thoughts with particular effectiveness for mood and anxiety disorders.[52] Mindfulness-Based Therapy (MBT) additionally reduces stress through attention to physical experiences and meditation.[53] This modality directly targets psychological stress reduction by promoting relaxation and building mindfulness skills. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is effective in treating stress-related disorders such as PTSD, anxiety, and depression by utilizing cognitive-restructuring of negatively-formed or maladaptive thoughts and behaviors that cause stress.[54] 

Due to the variety of potential stressors that one can experience and the individuality of perceived stress responses, it is possible that a combination of stressor-targeting and personal psychological support is necessary for both avoiding chronic stress and memory impairment, in addition to recovering from chronic stress. In everyday life, acute stress is beneficial for memory and the body, but chronic stress that takes both physical and psychological forms should be avoided as much as possible. Lowering chronic stress may further be promoted through prioritizing safety, relaxation, nutrition, time in nature, engaging in therapy to find ways to cope with stressors, and decreasing time on social media.[55] 

Moreover, this responsibility to avoid chronic stress is not always carried solely by the individual but is also held by a network of people that socially impact each other’s lives every day. In order to reduce the negative memory and health effects of chronic stress, both the individual and the environment by which they interact should be addressed. Stress and memory research continues to rapidly evolve, and may eventually be able to determine how to quantify, possibly by time and neural information, dangerous amounts of allostatic load on the brain and the processes of memory.  

If one is experiencing prolonged or chronic stress that is impacting daily life and overall well-being, please reach out to a licensed mental health professional (e.g., a psychotherapist, psychologist or psychiatrist) for guidance and support.

Contributed by: Phoebe Elliott

Editor: Jennifer (Ghahari) Smith, Ph.D.

References

1 Hadany, L., Beker, T., Eshel, I., & Feldman, M. W. (2006). Why is stress so deadly? An evolutionary perspective. Proceedings. Biological sciences, 273(1588), 881–885. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2005.3384

2 American Psychological Association. (2023). Stress. In APA Dictionary of Psychology. https://dictionary.apa.org/stress?amp=1 

3 Lenart-Bugla, M., Szcześniak, D., Bugla, B., Kowalski, K., Niwa, S., Rymaszewska, J., & Misiak, B. (2022). The association between allostatic load and brain: A systematic review. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 145, 105917. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2022.105917

4 Peavy, G. M., Salmon, D. P., Jacobson, M. W., Hervey, A., Gamst, A. C., Wolfson, T., Patterson, T. L., Goldman, S., Mills, P. J., Khandrika, S., & Galasko, D. (2009). Effects of chronic stress on memory decline in cognitively normal and mildly impaired older adults. The American journal of psychiatry, 166(12), 1384–1391. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.2009.09040461

5 Ibid.

6 Lenart-Bugla et al. (2022)

7 Peavy et al. (2009)

8 Lin, L., Zhang, J., Dai, X., Xiao, N., Ye, Q., & Chen, X. (2022). A moderate duration of stress promotes behavioral adaptation and spatial memory in young C57BL/6J mice. Brain Sciences, 12(8) doi:10.3390/brainsci12081081

9 Peavy et al. (2009)

10 Bobba-Alves, N., Juster, R. -., & Picard, M. (2022). The energetic cost of allostasis and allostatic load. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 146 doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2022.105951

11 Selye, H. (1950). Stress and the general adaptation syndrome. British medical journal, 1(4667), 1383–1392. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.1.4667.1383

12 Bobba-Alves et al. (2022)

13 Lenart-Bugla et al. (2022)

14 Akan, O., Bierbrauer, A., Kunz, L., Gajewski, P. D., Getzmann, S., Hengstler, J. G., Wascher, E., Axmacher, N., & Wolf, O. T. (2023). Chronic stress is associated with specific path integration deficits. Behavioural brain research, 442, 114305. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114305

15 Kirschbaum, C., Wolf, O. T., May, M., Wippich, W., & Hellhammer, D. H. (1996). Stress- and treatment-induced elevations of cortisol levels associated with impaired declarative memory in healthy adults. Life sciences, 58(17), 1475–1483. https://doi.org/10.1016/0024-3205(96)00118-x

16 Peavy et al. (2009)

17  Bobba-Alves et al. (2022)

18 Lenart-Bugla et al. (2022)

19 Prieto, S., Nolan, K. E., Moody, J. N., Hayes, S. M., Hayes, J. P., & Department of Defense Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (2023). Posttraumatic stress symptom severity predicts cognitive decline beyond the effect of Alzheimer's disease biomarkers in Veterans. Translational psychiatry, 13(1), 102. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-023-02354-0

20 Perlman, G., Cogo-Moreira, H., Wu, C. -., Herrmann, N., & Swardfager, W. (2022). Depression interacts with allostatic load to predict cognitive decline in middle age. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 146 doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2022.105922

21 Duman R. S. (2004). Neural plasticity: consequences of stress and actions of antidepressant treatment. Dialogues in clinical neuroscience, 6(2), 157–169. https://doi.org/10.31887/DCNS.2004.6.2/rduman

22 Kirschbaum et al. (1996)

23 The American Institute of Stress. (2022). What is Stress? https://www.stress.org/daily-life 

24 Lenart-Bugla et al. (2022)

25 Duman (2004)

26 Ibid.

27 Ibid. 

28 Lenart-Bugla et al. (2022)

29 Akan et al. (2023)

30 Craddock, T. J. A., Michalovicz, L. T., Kelly, K. A., Rice, M. A., Jr., Miller, D. B., Klimas, N. G., . . . Broderick, G. (2018). A logic model of neuronal-glial interaction suggests altered homeostatic regulation in the perpetuation of neuroinflammation. Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience, 12 doi:10.3389/fncel.2018.00336 

31 Palego, L., Giannaccini, G., & Betti, L. (2021). Neuroendocrine response to psychosocial stressors, inflammation mediators and brain-periphery pathways of adaptation. Central Nervous System Agents in Medicinal Chemistry, 21(1), 2-19. doi:10.2174/1871524920999201214231243 

32 National Institutes of Health. (2022). Stress. In The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/stress 

33 Mariotti A. (2015). The effects of chronic stress on health: new insights into the molecular mechanisms of brain-body communication. Future science OA, 1(3), FSO23. https://doi.org/10.4155/fso.15.21

34 Yaribeygi, H., Panahi, Y., Sahraei, H., Johnston, T. P., & Sahebkar, A. (2017). The impact of stress on body function: A review. EXCLI journal, 16, 1057–1072. https://doi.org/10.17179/excli2017-480

35 Prieto et al. (2023)

36 Ibid.

37 Perlman et al. (2022)

38 De France, K., Evans, G. W., Brody, G. H., & Doan, S. N. (2022). Cost of resilience: Childhood poverty, mental health, and chronic physiological stress. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 144 doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2022.105872 

39 Dillon, D. G., & Pizzagalli, D. A. (2018). Mechanisms of Memory Disruption in Depression. Trends in neurosciences, 41(3), 137–149. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tins.2017.12.006

40 Navarro-Mateu, D., Alonso-Larza, L., Gómez-Domínguez, M. T., Prado-Gascó, V., & Valero-Moreno, S. (2020). I’m not good for anything and That’s why I’m stressed: Analysis of the effect of self-efficacy and emotional intelligence on student stress using SEM and QCA. Frontiers in Psychology, 11 doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00295

41 Kirschbaum et al. (1996)

42 Wolf, O. T., Schommer, N. C., Hellhammer, D. H., McEwen, B. S., & Kirschbaum, C. (2001). The relationship between stress induced cortisol levels and memory differs between men and women. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 26(7), 711–720. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0306-4530(01)00025-7

43 Edwards, K. M., & Mills, P. J. (2008). Effects of estrogen versus estrogen and progesterone on cortisol and interleukin-6. Maturitas, 61(4), 330–333. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.maturitas.2008.09.024

44 Wolf et al. (2001)

45 De France et al. (2022)

46 Dispenza, F. (2023). Chronic illness and disability among sexual minority persons: Exploring the roles of proximal minority stress, adaptation, and quality of life. Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity, doi:10.1037/sgd0000642

47 Menhinick, K. A., & Sanders, C. J. (2023). LGBTQ+ stress, trauma, time, and care. Pastoral Psychology, doi:10.1007/s11089-023-01073-z

48 Riggs, D. W., & Treharne, G. J. (2017). Decompensation: A novel approach to accounting for stress arising from the effects of ideology and social norms. Journal of Homosexuality, 64(5), 592-605. doi:10.1080/00918369.2016.1194116

49 Hernandez, G. D., & Brinton, R. D. (2022). Allopregnanolone: Regenerative therapeutic to restore neurological health. Neurobiology of Stress, 21 doi:10.1016/j.ynstr.2022.100502

50 Szala-Rycaj, J., Szewczyk, A., Zagaja, M., Kaczmarczyk-Ziemba, A., Maj, M., & Andres-Mach, M. (2023). The influence of topinambur and inulin preventive supplementation on microbiota, anxious behavior, cognitive functions and neurogenesis in mice exposed to the chronic unpredictable mild stress. Nutrients, 15(9) doi:10.3390/nu15092041

51  Duman (2004)

52 Wersebe, H., Lieb, R., Meyer, A. H., Hofer, P., & Gloster, A. T. (2018). The link between stress, well-being, and psychological flexibility during an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy self-help intervention. International journal of clinical and health psychology : IJCHP, 18(1), 60–68. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijchp.2017.09.002

53 Hofmann, S. G., Sawyer, A. T., Witt, A. A., & Oh, D. (2010). The effect of mindfulness-based therapy on anxiety and depression: A meta-analytic review. Journal of consulting and clinical psychology, 78(2), 169–183. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0018555

54 Hofmann, S. G., Asnaani, A., Vonk, I. J., Sawyer, A. T., & Fang, A. (2012). The Efficacy of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: A Review of Meta-analyses. Cognitive therapy and research, 36(5), 427–440. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-012-9476-1

55 National Institutes of Health. (2022). Stress. In The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/stress

Deactivate Stress by Implementing CBT

Why Am I So Overwhelmed?

Stress is an unfortunate, yet inevitable, reaction to the pressure of life experiences that exceed one’s coping abilities. Work-related stress is one of the most prevalent experiences of heightened cortisol levels. However, several other areas of life can bring about feelings of stress such as relationships, health-concerns, bereavement, and difficulties with children.[1] Prolonged feelings of stress can have an impact on one’s behavioral, physical, and psychological health. For instance, heightened levels of stress can cause:[2]

While it is normal to experience stress during one’s life, an excessive amount of cortisol (i.e., the stress hormone) can lead to physical and psychological illness if not handled properly.[3] 

One way of understanding the origin of one’s stress is to analyze how specific personality traits and attitudes influence an individual’s ability to cope with stressors. For example, the concept of “locus of control” by Rotter (1960) suggests that individuals' perception of control over their lives has a significant impact on their behavior.[4] Individuals with an internal locus of control perceive themselves as having more power over their actions and greater understanding of what they can control in life. Whereas, individuals with an external locus of control perceive that they have little to no control over what happens in life and can potentially chalk negative events up to being unlucky.[5] When stressful situations maifest for external locus of control individuals, they are more likely to face the experience with a negative mindset such as, “Bad things always happen to me, I can’t cope anymore,” instead of deciding what they can do about it. 

The Power of CBT

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a well-researched and evidence-based approach used to treat a range of mental health issues (e.g., depression, anxiety, substance use and eating disorders).[6] Cognitive theory suggests that a link exists between one’s feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. Therefore, CBT is utilized to help clients change problematic thinking patterns and in turn positively impact one’s feelings and behaviors.[7] Research has investigated the influence of CBT approaches on daily stressors. For example, a study by Barrett and Stewart (2021) investigated the efficacy of CBT in reducing work-related stress by instructing participants to identify occupational stressors as well as maladaptive patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving when responding to stress. CBT techniques were found to significantly decrease both stress and burnout among employees.[8] 

The American Psychological Association (2023) notes that CBT helps to reduce symptoms of stress through numerous techniques, including:[9] 

  • Gaining understanding of the link between thoughts and behaviors

  • Identifying and eliminating cognitive distortions

  • Developing problem-solving skills

  • Increasing self-confidence

  • Facing one’s fears

  • Learning to calm one’s body and mind

Daily CBT Practice

While CBT is best and ideally done under the guidance of a licensed mental health professional, there are steps individuals can take on their own to potentially reduce or lessen symptoms of stress. For instance, journaling is one activity that helps to identify feelings and thoughts that can lead to problematic behaviors. Being present and writing down thoughts can lead to a more logical understanding of thought patterns, potentially breaking the cycle of cognitive distortions.[10] Moreover, relaxation techniques such as meditation and yoga have been shown to target muscle tension and chronic pain. Clinical Psychologist, Michael Messina (2023), notes that incorporating breathwork and meditation into one’s daily practice can minimize overall anxiety and everyday stressors.[11] 

Eliminating Cognitive Distortions

Cognitive distortions are exaggerated patterns of thought not based on facts or logic. Distortions often perpetuate a negative filter for one’s perspective of themself and others.[12] For example, “Polarization” is a cognitive distortion that shows up as all-or-nothing thinking and causes one to view situations in terms of absolute. Polarization can lead to dwelling on mistakes or assuming that one will never be able to succeed instead of acknowledging an error and trying to move past it.[13] 

The unraveling of cognitive distortions is a primary goal of CBT that can be accomplished without the help of a therapist. Cognitive distortions must be identified and challenged to effectively reduce harmful automatic thoughts.[14] Once cognitive distortions have been identified, cognitive restructuring can take place by questioning how the distorted thoughts originally took root and why they are believed. For example, if a belief exists that having a high-paying job is the only way to be a respectable person, it is likely that the believer will think that they cannot be respected by others without a high-paying job. Instead of accepting faulty beliefs that lead to negative thoughts about oneself, one should stop to consider what actually makes a person “respectable,” including perspectives that have not been considered before.[15]

Other common examples of cognitive distortions include:[16]

  • Control Fallacy - Either feeling responsible for everything in your own life and other people’s lives, or feeling no control over anything.

  • Catastrophizing - Jumping to the worst possible conclusion in every scenario no matter how improbable it may be.

  • Overgeneralization - Turning one negative event into a never-ending pattern of loss and defeat. The terms, “always,” “never,” “everything,” and “nothing” tend to be frequent in one’s train of thought.

  • Shoulds - Having ironclad rules you set for yourself and others with no exceptions.

  • Discounting the Positive - Actively rejecting and invalidating good things that happen in your life.

To reduce the prevalence of cognitive distortions in one’s daily thought process, it is helpful to:[17] 

  • Become Aware - Step away, become present, and focus on your thought process.

  • Replace Absolutes - Replace absolute words like “always,” “never,” “everything,” and “nothing” with “sometimes”.

  • Avoid Labels - Instead of labeling yourself as “lazy,” consider, “I just didn’t clean today.” One action does not have to define you.

  • Look for the Positive - Think of three positive aspects per situation to build a new habit of thinking positively.

  • Invalidate Negative Thoughts - Investigate and question the validity of your thought process and realize that thoughts are not facts.

If feelings of stress are chronic and impact one’s everyday life, steps should be taken to reduce such negative experiences by contacting a licensed mental health professional for further guidance.[18]

Contributed by: Tori Steffen

Editor: Jennifer (Ghahari) Smith, Ph.D.

1 Puertas-Gonzalez, J. A., Mariño-Narvaez, C., Romero-Gonzalez, B., Sanchez-Perez, G. M., & Peralta-Ramirez, M. I. (2022). Online cognitive behavioural therapy as a psychological vaccine against stress during the COVID-19 pandemic in pregnant women: A randomised controlled trial. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 152, 397–405. https://doi-org.ezproxy.snhu.edu/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.07.016

2 Mayo Clinic. (2021). How stress affects your body and behavior. Stress management. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-symptoms/art-20050987

3 Puertas-Gonzalez et al., (2022)

4 Lopez-Garrido, G. (2023). Locus of Control Theory in Psychology: Definition & Examples. Simply Psychology. https://www.simplypsychology.org/locus-of-control.html

5 Puertas-Gonzalez et al., (2022)

6 American Psychological Association. (2023). What is cognitive behavioral therapy? American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/ptsd-guideline/patients-and-families/cognitive-behavioral 

7 Ibid.

8 Barrett, K., & Stewart, I. (2021). A preliminary comparison of the efficacy of online Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) stress management interventions for social and healthcare workers. Health & Social Care in the Community, 29(1), 113–126. https://doi-org.ezproxy.snhu.edu/10.1111/hsc.13074

9 American Psychological Association (2023)

10 Messina, M. (n.d.). Practice cognitive behavioral therapy at home. Dr. Messina & Associates: Clinical Psychologists. https://www.drmessina.com/blog/practice-cognitive-behavioral-therapy-at-home

11 Ibid.

12 Ackerman, C. (2023). Cognitive distortions: 22 examples and worksheets. PositivePsychology.com. https://positivepsychology.com/cognitive-distortions/#experts-cognitive-distortions

13 Hartney, E. (2022). 10 cognitive distortions you'll learn about in therapy. 10 Cognitive Distortions That Can Cause Negative Thinking. Very Well Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/ten-cognitive-distortions-identified-in-cbt-22412

14 Ackerman, C. (2023). CBT techniques: 25 cognitive behavioral therapy worksheets. 9 Essential CBT Techniques and Tools. https://positivepsychology.com/cbt-cognitive-behavioral-therapy-techniques-worksheets/#cbt-tools

15 Ibid.

16 Hartney (2022)

17 Ackerman (2023) Cognitive distortions

18 Mayo Clinic (2021)

Marginalized Groups & Telework: Transforming Workplace Culture

Covid-19:Working from Home

Three years into the pandemic, the average American’s workday has significantly changed. Remote work, which emerged for many companies as the needed response to the mounting cases of COVID-19, now appears to be here to stay. Pew Research Center found that prior to the pandemic, only 17% of Americans worked from home.[1] But their follow-up study found that by the end of the pandemic’s first year, over 71% of people were engaged in remote work; from 2021 to 2023 these numbers have remained steady and a 2022 study by Phillips noted 74% of surveyed workers expect remote work to endure.[2,3] In particular, marginalized groups are embracing the teleworking boom as minorities face a greater risk of microaggressions, pay gaps, and other forms of discrimination in office environments.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN DEMOGRAPHICS IN WORKPLACE NAVIGATION

Remote work has created a new consideration: Even if I enjoy my job, do I enjoy being physically there? For the average person, the answer is “No.” Only 21% of White and 3% of Black Americans are interested in returning to the office full-time, favoring a hybrid or full-time remote schedule. Further, Latinx and Asian Americans report experiencing a higher sense of belonging within their work culture when they are able to work hybridly or remotely. In a 2021 survey of 100,000 workers conducted by the Future Forum, results showed that 80% of Black, 78% of Latinx, and 77% of Asian respondents wanted a flexible working experience, either through a hybrid or remote-only model.[4]

Much of the apprehension racial minorities feel towards returning to full-time office culture comes in response to many of the unwritten professional biases that favor White American values and can leave people of color to face discrimination and exclusion.[5] According to the Stanford Social Innovation Review, regardless of industry, American work spaces tend to promote certain cultural norms: speak in standard English, communicate without an accent and with little emotion, and adhere to Western standards of dress such as straight hair and heteronormative clothing.[6] For the straight, White American male, these expectations began in child-rearing and many felt a seamless transition into the workforce. However, rooting professionalism in the dominant Western culture compounds stress for minorities, many of whom find themselves code-switching in daily interactions with peers and at the brunt of frequent verbal or behavioral slights (e.g., “You speak so well” to a person of color, or “You’re very demanding” to a female leader).[7]

Commonly referred to as microinvalidations or microaggressions, these behaviors are aimed at racial, ethnic, and gender-nonconforming minorities; while they may be short-lived and even unintentional, they represent larger implicit biases and in the long-term they impact minorities’ self-image, sense of belonging within a space, physical and mental health.[8] In a study by Hall & Fields (2015) of American Indians, individuals who were victims of microaggressions reported feeling tension, anxiousness and digestive issues such as reflux disease and GI conditions.[9] A study conducted by Torres & Driscoll (2010) found that microaggressions are also extremely disruptive to one’s work: the energy a person expends deciding if comment was a slight against them takes away from other potentially important, work-related tasks.[10]

Remote work, then, can act as a protective barrier from microinvalidations or microaggressions, allowing for marginalized communities to work without the distractions that can be detrimental to both their health and productivity.  

Differences amongst demographics in managerial roles further explain why marginalized groups feel less attached to in-person work. 2021 Census data found that 67% of managers are White Americans; Hispanic, Asian, and Black Americans collectively hold less than 25% of managerial roles and only 10% of managers identify as LGBTQ+.[11] Further, minorities and female employees make up the majority of blue-collar and service jobs, both of which are often highly physical forms of employment that further limit these marginalized groups’ access to remote jobs.[12] With limited managerial roles, women, people of color, and other minorities have less representation in decisions within their companies, and as a result, they often feel less inclined to be physically present in the workspace. 

DIFFERING VIEWS ON TELEWORK AMONG LEADERS 

Nearly seven-in-ten employees (68 percent) said they would rather look for a new job than return to the office, according to a 2023 survey from Clarify Capital (a financial consultancy in New York City that surveyed more than 1,000 remote workers).[13] However, some CEOs and other business leaders of high profile companies have come out with arguments in favor of workers returning to the office. Disney’s Bob Iger, Starbucks’ Howard Schultz, and Goldman Sachs’ David Solomon are a few of the CEOs who spokehave come out in early 2023 requiring workers to spend a dedicated number of weekly hours in the workplace.[14] Cumulatively, their arguments in favor of on-site labor are a call to return to normalcy. Of the challenges COVID-19 has brought senior leadership, managers cite decentralized management, challenges to accountability, and the limitations that come alongside distance collaboration as major impediments to meeting their end-of-year goals.[15]

Conversely, some company leaders are coming forward as advocates for working from home. Facebook’s CEO Mark Zuckerburg explained midway through 2022 that he would spend at least half of his year working from home, attributing his ability to accomplish more on a daily basis and spend more time with his family to remote work.[16] Elsewhere, Twitter, Spotify, and Kaiser Permanente are also embracing remote work for its positive impact on work productivity and employee satisfaction. Working from home is a transformational change that can cause disagreements between employees and managers, but the managers that accommodate and adapt to workers’ needs are already seeing more success in employee retention and satisfaction.[17] 

CHANGING THE WORKSPACE FOR URBAN & RURAL WORKERS THROUGH TELEWORK

Remote work even has the potential to build a sense of community and lessen social isolation in rural communities and regions facing economic decline.[18] Between 10 to 25 percent of adults in rural areas experience anxiety and depression; in addition to limited local access to mental health treatment, the financial burdens of unemployment and limited job market often exacerbate their mental health issues. With the introduction of remote work comes employment opportunities for these individuals, who are no longer limited geographically and require little more than internet access and a space within their home, local library or coffee shop to work. Thus, rural remote workers gain comparable employee benefits to those of their commuting counterparts, but often without the added stressors of a high monthly gasoline bill, wear and tear on their vehicle (or comparable high public transportation costs), an extensive work wardrobe and extended time away from family.

Further, with remote workers remaining in their original communities, their salaries in-turn stimulate the local economy, often creating new jobs and encouraging economic growth. The phenomenon of the growing workforce in rural areas became so popular during the pandemic that it was coined “Zoom towns”, with cities like Moab, Utah and Jackson, Wyoming experiencing record migration and revenue.[19]

Remote work’s positive impact is also felt in the urban employee, whose access to remote jobs also becomes an opportunity to relocate from a heavily congested area, and evade stressors such as pollution, long commutes, and constant stimuli.[20] While racial and ethnic minorities make-up about 43% of the American population, they comprise only 22% of the rural population while 48% inhabit urban regions.[21] City living comes with a variety of mental and physical challenges, exposing its inhabitants to heightened risks of elevated stress levels, respiratory issues, cancer, and depression.[22] In the long term, leaving urban populations has the potential to extend an individual’s lifespan and quality of life, and telework offers a clear route to this healthier lifestyle.

WORK CULTURE IS ADJUSTING, AND FOR THE BETTER

Workplace dynamics provide a window into larger societal issues and are also a key space to identify solutions for these disparities. Embracing remote work is just one example of the opportunity to do so. Addressing the array of experiences workers of different backgrounds face is also a step in the direction of creating organizations that value diversity, equity, and inclusion, and in doing so company leaders prove to marginalized workers that they are valued team members. As society continues to embrace remote work as the new-normal, managers and workers alike will continue to revisit its impact on productivity, eliminating disparities, and building a better work culture.

Contributed by: Kate Campbell

Editor: Jennifer (Ghahari) Smith, Ph.D.

References

1 Parker, K., Horowitz, J.M., Minkin,R. How the Corona virus outbreak Has-And Hasn’t- Changed the Way Americans Work. Pew Research Center Website. 2020. https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2020/12/09/how-the-coronavirus-outbreak-has-and-hasnt-changed-the-way-americans-work/. Accessed March 14, 2023.

2 Ibid.

3 Phillips, T. The Ultimate List of Remote Work Statistics. Code Summit Website. 2022. https://codesubmit.io/blog/remote-work-statistics/. Accessed March 21, 2023. 

4 United Nations. (2022). 3rd Meeting, 15th session of the Forum on Minority Issues. United Nations Website. https://media.un.org/en/asset/k1f/k1fx05gdea. Accessed March 17, 2023.

5 Gray, A. The Bias of “Professionalism Standards.” Stanford Social Innovation Review Website. 2019.  https://ssir.org/articles/entry/the_bias_of_professionalism_standards. Accessed March 21, 2023.

6 Ibid. 

7 Ibid.

8 Montoya, E. The Effects of Microaggressions on One’s Health. University of California, Irvine Medicine Website. 2021. https://sites.uci.edu/morningsignout/2021/03/09/the-effects-of-microaggressions-on-ones-health. Accessed March 14, 2023.

9 Hall, J.M., Fields, B.“It’s Killing Us!” Narratives of Black Adults About Microaggression Experiences and Related Health Stress. Global Qualitative Nursing Research. 2015;2. doi:10.1177/2333393615591569

10 Torres L., Driscoll M. W. (2010). Racial microaggressions and psychological functioning among highly achieving African-Americans: A mixed methods approach. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 1074–1099.

11 Hall, J.M., Fields, B.“It’s Killing Us!” Narratives of Black Adults About Microaggression Experiences and Related Health Stress. Global Qualitative Nursing Research. 2015;2. doi:10.1177/2333393615591569

12 Ibid.

13 Mayer, K. Will Employees Quit if They are Forced Back into the Office? SHRM Website. 2023.https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/benefits/pages/will-employees-quit-if-they-are-forced-back-into-the-office.aspx. Accessed March 18, 2023.

14 Ugincius, L. Is a return to the office inevitable? Should it be? Virginia Commonwealth University Website. 2023. https://news.vcu.edu/article/2023/01/is-a-return-to-the-office-inevitable-should-it-be

15 Ibid.

16 Stropoli, R. Are We Really More Productive Working from Home? Chicago Booth Review Website. 2021. https://www.chicagobooth.edu/review/are-we-really-more-productive-working-home. Accessed March 20, 2023. 

17 Mayer (2023)

18 Reynolds, B.W. The Mental Health Benefits of Remote and Flexible Work. Mental Health America Website. 2020. https://mhanational.org/blog/mental-health-benefits-remote-and-flexible-work. Accessed March 21, 2023.

19 Potter, L. (2020, October 14). The rise of ‘Zoom Towns’ in the rural west. The University of Utah Magazine.https://magazine.utah.edu/issues/summer-2021/zoom-towns/

20 Hoffman, E. Stress and the City: Is Your City Making You Sick? Life Intelligence Website.  (2020). https://www.lifeintelligence.io/blog/stress-and-the-city-is-your-city-making-you-sick. Accessed March 26, 2023.

21 United States Department of Agriculture. (2020). Racial and Ethnic Minorities made up about 22 percent of the rural population in 2018, compared to 43 percent in urban areas. 

https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/chart-gallery/gallery/chart-detail/

22 Hoffman (2020)

Achieving Work-Life Balance: A Q&A with SAS Therapists

Beatdown, Balance or Blend?

Finding the right work-life balance is necessary for achieving fundamental mental health. Achieving the right balance may seem impossible at times; remote-work (while often beneficial with many upsides) also leads to workers being continually accessible. Harvard Business Review notes that one year into the pandemic, many companies were surprised that their standard metrics for productivity remained high, despite the work being conducted remotely.[1] According to an internal study of Microsoft employees in 2021, while they felt their productivity was up, the downside was that nearly half reported working longer hours, 54% felt overworked and 39% indicated they felt exhausted.[2] This lack of balance is damaging: Forbes notes the compounding stress from the never-ending workday can hurt one’s relationships, health and overall happiness.[3]

But it doesn’t have to be this way. The work-life dichotomy has always been misleading in the notion that work is “simply the thing we do for a paycheck” while life comprises the space between showing up at the office. When work engages people, it can be life-affirming.[4]


Generational Balance Shifts

The term work-life balance didn’t come into popular use until 1986; while still in use, the original meaning no longer fits current circumstances. Starting in the mid-70s, after witnessing the downsizing of many companies and subsequent loss of their parents’ jobs, Gen X workers discovered ways to leverage technology and reimagine how work and the workplace should look. In doing so, they were able to begin to shift the needle towards greater work-life balance.

Unfortunately, Gen Xers had difficulty truly balancing work and home-life and felt that in order to succeed professionally, “work had to come first.” At this point in time, the best they could hope to achieve was to build a workplace that had enough flexibility to allow for shifting priorities and personal needs.[5]

Fast-forward to the Millennial mindset, and things look quite different. Best described as work-life integration, Millennials have not achieved better work-life balance and have actually broken down the walls between the professional and personal spheres of life. Contrary to those employed in the 70s and prior, Millennials tend to not invest themselves in one company for the entirety of their career, especially as companies can no longer be counted on to take care of a person into their retirement. Many seek to craft careers in the gig economy and pursue part time or flexible work arrangements. While this may sometimes be out of necessity, others elect this lifestyle choice to experience multiple roles and explore different paths in pursuit of finding their purpose.

The Gen Z workplace identity is still in process of development as they navigate an ever-changing economy. Like Millennials, they have not experienced the expectation and normalcy of working for one company for the entirety of their adulthood. One of the biggest differences occurring within the Gen Z generation is the acknowledgment that not only can they not expect a pension, but that Medicare and Social Security may not be supportive or existent when they retire.[6]

Moving beyond work-life integration and to pursue work-life options, Gen Z appears to strongly value employment stability. Similar to Millennials, they are very interested in establishing a career with employers who offer professional growth and development. However, unlike Millennials, they aren’t pursuing multiple jobs in order to find their purpose: they are generally pursuing stable careers while cultivating side projects that could one day develop into revenue streams. As Fortune notes, the aspirations of this cohort veer toward the practical.[7]

Image Source: Canva

 

Flexibility is Key

More than two years after remote work became the new standard, flexibility remains highly sought-after among the workforce. CNBC reported a recent study conducted by Future Forum which surveyed more than 10,000 workers across the globe. They found that 94% of respondents desire a flexible work schedule; this ranked second only to compensation when determining workplace satisfaction.[8] Research conducted by Glassdoor (2020) found that the companies highest-rated for work-life balance have embraced flexible work via arrangements such as: flextime, remote-work and unlimited PTO.[9]

 

Developing Self-Care

The American Psychological Association (APA) notes several self-care strategies to promote physical and emotional self-care as well as overall quality of life.[10]

  • Know Your Limitations - Realize when you need to say “No,” and when it’s time to step back and take a break. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, that’s often a good indicator that you are at your limit.

  • Develop a Social Support Network - Support networks at work and at home tend to lead to less work-home conflict at home. Supportive peer groups can occur via consultation groups, informal sharing with friends and colleagues as well as via personal psychotherapy.

  • Develop Interests Outside of Work - Hobbies, volunteering and/or engaging in activities such as exercise or travel can relieve stress and help achieve balance.

  • Don't Let Work Take Over Your Life - Be careful not to let your workplace role define you; those who identify with multiple roles tend to be healthier than those identifying with one role (as long as the multiple roles are not overwhelming).

  • Embrace Flexibility - Setting aside time for various responsibilities requires discipline as well as flexibility. This can come in the form of working different times of the day out of the typical 9-5 in order to prioritize what is important in one’s life as well as handle unexpected occurrences such as an illness, deadline, new opportunity, etc.

  • Seek out a Supportive Work Environment - Both employees and employers can benefit from supportive work-life balance programs, such as flexible scheduling and childcare or eldercare. In addition, organizations that offer alternative work arrangements tend to lessen work-family conflicts while promoting organizational commitment and job satisfaction.

  • Adopt a Long-Range Perspective - Work-life balance looks differently for each person, dependent on each individual's life and career stage. Keeping things in perspective and creating long-term balance is important. While we may not be able to balance every day as we desire, the goal is to keep the week or month balanced as much as possible.

Additionally, Forbes.com notes six strategies one can use to promote better work-life balance; these include:[11]

1. Letting Go of Perfectionism - While many overachievers develop perfectionist tendencies at a young age, it’s easier to maintain that perfectionist habit when demands are limited to school, hobbies and possibly an after-school job. As we grow up, life gets more complicated and responsibilities multiply. At this point, perfectionism often becomes out of reach; striving for perfectionism across all facets of life as an adult can lead to a decline in mental health. Instead of “perfectionism”, a more-attainable level of “excellence” should be sought-after.

2. Unplug - While technology has helped our lives in many ways, including the ability to work remotely in many cases, it has also led to expectations of constant accessibility. Work and phone notifications when someone is otherwise off the clock can cause disruptions in down-time and take away from the potential to recharge and destress. 

3. Exercise and Meditate - Exercise is effective at reducing stress and can, at times, help someone get to a meditative state. If limited in time, even a five-minute meditation session in the morning and night can make a difference. Additionally, one may try incorporating deep breathing exercises during a lunch break or before bed. The key is to find something relatively easy that can be incorporated into one’s life to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, such as deep breathing, grounding your senses in your present surroundings (i.e., mindfulness). By activating the parasympathetic nervous system, a sense of calm can be felt, reducing stress and anxious feelings.

 4. Limit Time-Wasting Activities and People - By identifying what’s most important in one’s life, firm boundaries can be drawn to protect and prioritize those people and activities. This list will differ for everyone and should be reflective of what is most important to you and not based on expectations of others. Once these priorities are defined, the excess can be trimmed from one’s schedule (e.g., limiting mindlessly scrolling through social media and lessen interactions with those who make you feel as though you are wasting your time.) It is not selfish to focus on the people and activities that reward you the most.

5. Change the Structure of Your Life - By stepping back and looking at your life, you may find there are ways that you can do things that make life easier. Just because you (and perhaps your family) have gotten into a certain habit or routine does not mean that habit/routine will be best long-term, especially as roles and other responsibilities shift over time. By redefining who does what, when things get done and how they get done may lead to less stress, greater organization and overall happiness for those involved.

6. Start Small. Build from There. - Change doesn’t have to be revolutionary to occur; evolutionary changes can lead to great things. Crash diets fizzle out, New Year’s resolutions are forgotten within a few weeks and a sudden all-or-nothing ideal can sometimes lead to a big crash. Marathons aren’t conquered without long-term, dedicated training. If you’re trying to rewrite a script in your life (such as by working less hours, eating healthier, exercising more) understand and accept that it’s ok to start slowly and just “do better” than you did the previous week. By building upon small steps, it will be easier to commit to lifestyle changes and stick to those changes long-term.

Q&A

SAS THERAPISTS DISCUSS WAYS TO MAINTAIN GOOD MENTAL HEALTH AND WORK-LIFE BALANCE

1. How do you “turn off” work and stop thinking about it when you’re off the clock?

It definitely is struggle in our current times to draw hard and fast boundaries between work and personal life. With remote work being a feature of our collective lives, work has begun to permeate our home lives/personal spaces in a very real way. In addition, the demands that seem to be made of working professionals is that because they are working remote or from home, they “should” be available at all hours that the work/company needs them to be. With this recognition, we can begin creating distance between these two aspects of our lives by recognizing how we are reacting to our work environment. Are we assuming an urgency that isn’t present? Are we responding to urgency created by others that we don’t need to? I think once we have a more realistic understanding of the consequences of drawing good boundaries between work and personal time, it becomes easier to defend those boundaries. Giving yourself some time to transition between work responsibilities and home responsibilities is also necessary. Learning to approach your thoughts from a place of observation rather than engagement can often be helpful in turning the volume down on work related thoughts in times/spaces you don’t want to be thinking about them.” (Priyanka Shokeen, Ph.D.)

“I have found a mindful perspective towards intrusive work thoughts to be helpful: I try to notice when I am still thinking about work, and reassure myself that ‘that thought doesn't need you right now’ or ‘work will be waiting for you tomorrow morning, you can let it wait until then.’ Sometimes it can be helpful to write myself a note if I am worried I will forget to do something later, as this allows me to trust that I can let it fade from my attention now without negative consequences.” (Case Lovell, LMHC)

“I don’t think there is a singular answer to this or any of the other questions here; each one is dependent on a person’s context. Sometimes it is appropriate (and enjoyable) to think about work during off hours. Sometimes it is unnecessary and unpleasant. Perhaps the questions are ‘How do you turn off work when you don’t want to be thinking about work, don’t need to be thinking about work, and aren’t enjoying thinking about work?’ Or maybe you are simply asking *me* how I turn off work mode and enjoy my life when I am away from my desk?

I know that if I don’t take time out to care for myself, then I will eventually burn out and be of no use to anyone (including myself). I know it is in my best interests, and therefore in the interests of those who depend on me and my work, to take care of myself. Engaging in hobbies, being active, spending time with friends and family, resting, laughing, sleeping, eating, and living refills my capacities and gives me the energy and perspective I need to be effective at work. Self care allows me to come back with fresh eyes and to more engage fully with my my work.” (Jim McDonnell, LMFT)


2. How can you stop feeling guilty about taking vacation time and actually take time off of work?

“I think this is a unique feature of the society we currently occupy where taking a break inspires guilt. I always encourage people to reflect on what is it that is triggering their guilt? Often times it’s the thought that you may be leaving colleagues with more work. In those times I think it is important to recognize that if your team/company is held up by either being unfair to you (in that you cannot legitimately take a break) or unfair to your colleagues (in that their lives will necessarily become worse if you take a vacation) then asking yourself if this is the place you want to be a part of. More often than not, it is also an overestimation to say that you taking a vacation will necessarily make life difficult for others. Having these conversations with yourself can provide the space to examine what it is that you are reacting to.” (Priyanka Shokeen, Ph.D.)

“My sale's pitch to myself is always that I do my best work when I am taking the best care of myself, and so I owe it to my work to be taking the time off I need to stay refreshed and engaged. Like any kind of routine maintenance, it requires stepping back from productivity in the short term, but it prevents catastrophic breakdown in the long term!” (Case Lovell, LMHC)

“Again, there is no singular answer to this question. As a therapist, I would want to know more about why taking time off creates feelings of guilt. The guilt could be coming from a person’s prior life experience, it could come from non-verbal cues in the workplace, it could come from comparisons to others in their life who don’t have vacation, etc.

Regardless of the reasons for the guilt, it is important to remember that taking time off is part of a good self care routine. Vacation time is there to be used. It is there to prevent an individual from burning out, and in the long run benefits both the organization and the individual.” (Jim McDonnell, LMFT)


3. Conversely, how can you best handle guilt/pressure when you cannot take time off and your family/friends want you to?

“I think this situation also requires a closer examination. Is it that you cannot take time off or that asking for it is difficult/anxiety-provoking/uncomfortable? Similarly, when your friends and family want you to take time off and you know that that is not an option, having conversations with them about how both parties can have their needs met. Communication about what it is that you expect from the other person, what you can provide to them to meet their expectations and what you would need from them in order to function well are all necessary topics to touch upon.” (Priyanka Shokeen, Ph.D.)

“For me personally, it has helped to communicate to my personal connections why my work is important, not just to the world but to me. It might be hard to hear that a loved one is not taking time to be with us if we believe that this time is spent in the pursuit of company profits or the arbitrary demands of a boss, but easier to feel good about them investing their time to feel productive and fulfilled, or to feel pride in the way they are supporting their family, or to feel accomplished in pursuing their long term career goals.” (Case Lovell, LMHC)

“I would start by reflecting and validating the family member or friend’s desire to spend time with me, reframing their request from one where I feel like I am letting them down to one where I feel valued and wanted. I would let them know how much they mean to me and how much I would love to spend time with them were I able. I could also request that they trust that I want to spend time with them and will do so when I am able.” (Jim McDonnell, LMFT)


4. What’s the best way (or ways) to maintain a healthy separation between work and one’s personal life to keep things professional, but without seeming cold/aloof in the work environment?

“I think this is a difficult one to tread because regardless of what you think you’re doing right and respectfully, other people also have their own perceptions, informed by their own biases of what’s happening in their environment. That is to say, your healthy boundary may rub someone the wrong way. Which is not to say you shouldn’t have your boundaries. I think instead it means that approaching a conversation about these boundaries from a non-defensive space. For example, if someone in the workplace has a problem with you not immediately responding to their emails, having a conversation with them informing them that it isn’t feasible or possible for you to respond or be present every moment and if there was a specific time during which they could direct all their urgent questions so you know how to differentiate between immediate vs non immediate matters.” (Priyanka Shokeen, Ph.D.) 

“Firm and consistent boundaries do not have to be harsh or aggressive! It can be difficult, especially when it goes against work culture, but finding ways to warmly but unapologetically communicate one's boundaries is worth doing.” (Case Lovell, LMHC)

“How we are perceived in the workplace is not completely in our control. We have influence but not total control over how we are perceived.

Developing an identity that includes work, family, friends, play, hobbies, and self care is vital. Doing so can help us feel more confident when establishing and maintaining boundaries between work and non-work and allows us to remain engaged and present with those at work without losing ourselves in our work identity.” (Jim McDonnell, LMFT)


5. If someone is working excessive hours and/or has a highly stressful job, what are the best ways for them to find “me time” and recharge to stay healthy?

“Again, the question of why someone is working excessive hours is important. Is that the expectation from your job? Is it the amount of work you’re being asked to handle alone? I think recognizing the need for “me time” is step one to creating a set-up where you can actually pursue it. Being mindful of what you’re putting your body through every day is also crucial. Getting in a 20 minute walk during the day is as important as a free weekend and one cannot replace the other. It is also important to not expect “productivity” during these “me times”. If you are working 80 hours a week, your weekend isn’t enough for you to rest and cook and finish that book you’ve been thinking about and clean the house and so on. Recognize the limits of your time and your energy and prioritize activities during your rest times.” (Priyanka Shokeen, Ph.D.) 

“This is of course not the only answer to this question, but one approach to try might be to start with consistency: Don't focus on what time you can take when you get to your vacation or even when you get to the weekend, rather what can you do every day to recharge? Even if this is just for 5 minutes, having a way to recharge every day can often feel more sustainable.” (Case Lovell, LMHC)

“Setting and maintaining firm boundaries between work and non-work hours is crucial in situations like this. Most of us simply can’t expect to work every waking hour for our entire lives. Sometimes we have to work long hours, sometimes we are on a stressful project. And sometimes the ‘sometimes’ is all the time. In these cases, setting and maintaining boundaries between work and non work hours is crucial. You need time to sleep, eat, and engage in some forms of self care. That might mean logging off at a particular time every day regardless of the status of a project. It might mean scheduling a massage for yourself on a regular basis. It might mean making sure you are getting in some time to exercise a few times a week.

Most of us won’t stay with one company for our entire lives. This means that at some point in the not too distant future, you will change jobs. Don’t sacrifice your mental, physical, and emotional health for something that is transient.” (Jim McDonnell, LMFT)


6. Do you have any other words of advice for those concerned about their work-life balance?

“People often expect themselves to be able to achieve a work-life balance all on their own and that might be a bit of a fallacy. Recognize the kind of support you need in order to achieve and maintain this balance and draw on your support systems.” (Priyanka Shokeen, Ph.D.) 

“The right balance between work and life is not anything that can be defined for you, it has to be the balance that is right for you as an individual, and it may shift over time. If you are struggling to figure out how to balance your work and your life priorities, I have found focusing on my core values to be a helpful way to clarify what is important to me, and thus what priorities I should be focusing on holding time for.” (Case Lovell, LMHC)

“Most of us will be working for many years, so it is important to look at the long game when it comes to work life balance. Remember - no one is going to make you take care of yourself at work. Often times the company we work for will take as much of us as we will give, and then some. It is therefore imperative that we learn how to set and maintain boundaries, process and understand negative emotions with regards to work, tolerate some distress, engage in restorative self care, and communicate with our fellows.” (Jim McDonnell, LMFT)


Contributed by: Jennifer (Ghahari) Smith, Ph.D.

Priyanka Shokeen, Ph.D., Case Lovell, LMHC & Jim McDonnell, LMFT

Editor: Jennifer (Ghahari) Smith, Ph.D.

REFERENCES

1 Teevan, J. Harvard Business Review. Let’s Redefine “Productivity” for the Hybrid Era. Updated 2021. (accessed 11-15-2022) Let’s Redefine “Productivity” for the Hybrid Era (hbr.org)

2 Ibid.

3 Lee, D.J. Forbes. 6 Tips for Better Work-Life Balance. Updated 2014. (accessed 11-16-2022) 6 Tips For Better Work-Life Balance (forbes.com)

4 DeSantis, C. Fortune. The myth of ‘work-life balance’ is a generational illusion. (accessed 11-16-2022) The myth of 'work-life balance' is a generational illusion | Fortune

5 Ibid.

6 Ibid.

7 Ibid.

8 Smith, M. CNBC. The 10 best U.S. companies for work-life balance, according to Glassdoor. (accessed 11-15-2022) Glassdoor: top U.S. companies for work-life balance in 2022 (cnbc.com)

9 Stansell, A. Glassdoor. Burning out? These are the Highest Rated Companies for Work-Life Balance During COVID-19. Updated 20202. (accessed 11-16-2022) https://www.glassdoor.com/research/companies-work-life-balance/

10 American Psychological Association (APA). (n.d.) Tips from Practitioners on Finding Work-Life Balance. (accessed 11-20-2022) https://www.apaservices.org/practice/ce/self-care/balance

11 Lee (2014)

Denying Fate: Envisioning an Answer to Burnout in Play

unsplash-image-FtZL0r4DZYk.jpg

“Working 9 to 5, what a way to make a living

Barely getting by, it's all taking and no giving

They just use your mind, and they never give you credit

It's enough to drive you crazy if you let it”[1]

Introduction

“9-5” by Dolly Parton, a hit that has remained popular to this day, is upbeat, bouncy, and extremely easy to dance to. However, the content of the song itself is not quite so lighthearted. For many working adults in this country, a 9-5 job indeed has the potential to be crazy-making despite barely getting one from bill to bill. Parton, in her more recent song based on the 1980 classic, sings that she staves off the craziness with her passions after work, from 5-9, by doing “somethin’ that gives life its meanin,’”[2]. For many, however, that is not an easy feat: If the “crazy” in question is one of burnout, one is precisely incapable of doing more. We may associate the “crazy” Parton mentions in this song with burnout, a truly maddening condition that can be extremely debilitating if not treated.

The symptoms of burnout can include utter physical and emotional exhaustion, a lack of motivation or general desire, or an incapacity to empathize or care about things as one once did. These effects can take over every part of one’s life. To address this intensity and immense scope, there is no shortage of self-help books and blog posts devoted to burnout, written by everyone from psychologists to mommy-bloggers. Some jobs offer vacation benefits or required sabbaticals to force people to take a break and deal with their symptoms of burnout. Despite widespread efforts to teach people how to recognize the signs of burnout and what to do about it, it seems to continue unabated.

One reason may be burnout itself: Who has the bandwidth to work on their overwork? Another reason could be a culture of fatalism/cynicism. In conversations about burnout, both clinically and colloquially, there is the tendency to talk about the condition as a seemingly inevitable state we all should expect in our adult and working lives. I aim to combat that trend. In what follows, I propose framing burnout as something that is not inevitable. Thus, rather than merely asking how to mitigate or manage it, I inquire how one might go about preventing it. Play, with its immersive qualities, will become a main focus. First, however, I will track the origins of burnout in our economic and social history to point out that burnout has an origin before which it was not commonplace. This can teach us what contributes to the condition and help counteract the narrative of inevitability. Another narrative deserving our scrutiny is the framing of burnout as an inconvenience, another hurdle to getting work done, as opposed to a severe health hazard. Within this narrative, burnout poses as a mere distraction from our productivity, and its insidious effects on our health goes unrecognized. Understanding why burnout occurs is essential as the condition has legitimate and long-lasting effects on people’s well-being. Research focused on trying to understand the experience of burnout shows us that, if not attended to and dealt with soon, people’s physical and mental health may be at permanent risk. The concern, then, is not that we are simply neglecting our health, which we could easily take care of if only we made the time to do so. Rather, our concern should be about whether we even have the time and capacity to attend to the symptoms of our burnout amidst our overworked schedules. As we track the origins of burnout in American society, our concern crystallizes: we have reached an alarming unconscious consensus that our health is no longer an actual priority that necessitates time, especially not when that time could be used for work. As burnout is a matter of health outcomes and not simply work habits, we need to look at solutions to burnout as life-saving treatments, not further optimizing practices.

If the debilitating aspects of burnout come from an overworked, industrialized work-life balance, perhaps an answer to burnout necessitates a total restructuring of the schedule itself. I argue that play is one such way in which we can protect against burnout, which makes it a healthy activity and not a mere frivolity. Playing is not always regarded as a legitimate activity for adults, especially for working adults with careers and/or families to maintain, yet this perspective may directly stem from and feed into the unhealthy pursuit of optimization that makes burnout flourish. If we manage to convince ourselves that work must always come first and therefore convince ourselves that play is, by definition, superfluous, we are also managing to remove from our lives a major way to prevent and relieve stress. Play is not only fun but restorative, with results that directly combat the negative effects of burnout in both the mind and body. Where burnout exhausts the body and depletes its resources, leaving a person sicker and potentially permanently weakened, play reinvigorates; where burnout darkens hope and motivation, leaving a person feeling unmoored and pointless, play holds them and reopens the door to their future. Additionally, when we examine what play affords us both physically and psychologically, there can be no denying that play is inherently healthy alongside delightful. Where burnout depletes and destroys a person’s will, play has the potential to reinvigorate and rebuild a person’s mind and body. Whereas burnout is unhealthy and a byproduct of a dangerous work ethic, play is healthy and a surprisingly accessible and preventative treatment to burnout’s pains.

Conditions Contributing to a Burnt-out Community: A Playless Society

At some point in this country’s history, we began prioritizing work over play and leisure, to the point that our social fabric, our physical health, and mental well-being have suffered. The history of burnout is a surprisingly long one, and it is inextricably tied to U.S. economic history. At the tail-end of the Great Depression, the American Dream offered hope to an impoverished workforce by promising that with just enough work, with just enough time and struggle and grit, any man could make it big. Coming from the mouths of the wealthy, this message seemed to have reliable endorsement It does not matter if you have a higher education (drop out of Harvard, even), and it does not matter if you have an office space or social standing (as long as you have a garage) – if you have a dream and a will, you can have it all. For people so far from having it all, this was an incredible message, and it was a message that made the pain they felt at the end of each day mean something. Buying into the American Dream, devoting any and all of one’s time to working, giving up thought of anything else was easy when the promise of leisure and luxury lay on the horizon. However, people working towards their American Dreams did not foresee another world war that put massive strain on fighting- or working-aged people, nor could they foresee the onset of the Vietnam War a generation later. While World War II severely impacted psyches in its own way, the Vietnam War is directly linked to burnout in that this war-ravaged people both overseas and at home.

In 1973, Dr. Herbert J. Freudenberger coined the term “burnout” to attempt to describe his own experiences of working in multiple therapeutic positions and feeling utterly exhausted after working with traumatized soldiers for over twelve hours a day. Dr. Freudenberger, who sometimes worked 14-15 hours a day and who devoted his time to trying to help traumatized soldiers at the height and end of the war, could only describe the fatigue and futility he was feeling as utterly burning out. Drawing from the experience of chronic drug users, he associated his own symptoms with those of someone addicted to drugs: higher impulsivity, increased risk taking, a looser grasp on the reality currently at hand, etc.[3] Dr. Freudenberger worked with soldiers dependent on medication/heroin to survive the atrocities they faced in the war and who “burned out” on these drugs. The efforts to transition these men back into working society only compounded the effects of the war, generating even greater stress and panic. Beyond Freudenberger’s own experience of burnout, society was facing a widespread risk of its own burnout due to the social climate of the time. Other people who had never even experienced the war, but who had experienced other traumas, reported similar symptoms to the veterans of the war. The more traumatized communities became, the more they burned out, for they were trying to work and engage in a society from a much more precarious position than a non-traumatized peer.

Despite the decades separating us now from the economic and social instability of the 70s, we are still burning out at an alarming high rate. In 2019, Anne Helen Petersen published a book called The Burnout Generation based on her article in Buzzfeed, in which she used this term to characterize her own and other millennials' experience in the workforce. Seen as lazy, spoiled, and childish by older generations, millennial adults struggled to gain their footing in an entirely different economic world than that of their parents. Petersen, although her job did not necessarily suffer much, felt drained, frozen, and unable to do much of anything in other aspects of her life. Petersen realized that she and her peers were too exhausted to do anything because they were working all the time, a message that Petersen saw implicitly and explicitly urged on her since she was young.[4] Now, decades after the war and following multiple economic recessions, many people work so much because not only are they paying for the material goods they may like to possess, the government services they contribute to for the theoretical betterment of every person, but they are also paying the cost of merely living. It is expensive to live, especially when one is not born into any wealth, so this conundrum of why we forsake play for work cannot be put on the shoulders of the individual. While that complicates the question immensely, it does not stop us from asking it. Rather, we must redirect our question towards someone – or something – else. How we pose such a question and when is a matter for an entirely different discussion, so we must return to the main point at hand: we spend so much time working because we must live. When play does not put food on the table, it must take a backseat to the “real” work that can. But this distinction is inherently where our interests lie: What does play provide, since it does not give us the immediate ability to pay the cost of living? Alongside the move towards emphasizing work over everything leisurely, relegating play to a more frivolous position has stripped play of its therapeutic and health-related qualities. In the face of economic utility that seeks to optimize life to the highest financial benefit, even health takes a place on the back burner. For the people struggling to find their footing after the Depression at the expense of their own time and breath, for the veterans of traumatic wars, for the twenty-something-year-olds today who have to choose working an extra shift to make rent over taking a day to rest, health has always come behind profit and productivity. Living in such a way has physical and psychological consequences on a person that need to be proactively addressed.

Research on the Hazard of Burnout in Different Aspects of Adult Life

Conversations about burnout in clinical studies often look at healthcare workers and physicians to ascertain the effects of the condition, because this is a population that consistently works extremely long hours and is almost always understaffed or under-supported. If the conditions leading to burnout include an extremely imbalanced work/play life and a debilitating lack of support, real and perceived, then physicians may be textbook cases for burnout in American society. Now, more than ever, the examination of physician burnout has significant weight as physicians continue to work amidst the global COVID-19 pandemic. The rise of burnout has increased seemingly exponentially since the pandemic began for all workers, even those working from home, but healthcare workers have had to take on a major brunt of the effort in keeping communities afloat. For people working on frontlines during the ongoing pandemic, especially those working in intensive care and specifically COVID-19 units, working has become a legitimately traumatic event. Physicians work day after day in 80-hour weeks to fight off the disastrous effects of the virus in sick patients, but the never-ending influx of critical patients and the steady death rate has started taking its toll on healthcare workers. In September 2020, a study conducted by the American Psychiatric Association concluded that nearly 36% of front-line physicians had symptoms akin to those of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, including but not limited to nightmares, flashbacks, and constant panic attacks.[5] Research on the long-term effects of physician burnout prior to the pandemic have been eye-opening, but these results may hold even more weight now as we continue to move through more unprecedented times. 

Previous Research

Burnout has increasingly become the focus of clinical research recently due to the sharp increase of reported cases in working-class adults. Just as Petersen noted in her book and article, more working-class adults entering the workforce have reported experiencing exhaustion, mental health issues, and an alarming decrease in their energy and motivation. With the previous generation starting to retire out of the workforce, burnout sweeping through the remaining and incoming employees is a huge risk to optimal productivity. However, research around burnout has not only focused on studying this experience for the aid of maintaining the workforce but also out of deep concern for people’s long-term well-being. Recently, researchers have observed and tracked multiple health conditions related to burnout, and these conditions may have permanent and severe impacts on people’s lives. The risk of harm necessitates immediate attention and action as these studies reveal a credible risk to people’s physical, psychological, and social health.

Studies have shown that being burnt-out for extended periods of time is associated with cardiovascular diseases, increased pain, a lowered immune system, sleep disorders, and generally poor health habits.[6] A systematic review of 31 studies focused on burnout specifically in physicians found that burnout was a “recognized workplace hazard”[7] that necessitates ongoing proactive measures on both administrative and individual levels. This review compiled a list of symptoms and outcomes of burnout from the 31 studies, most of which reported emotional exhaustion or depersonalization as a major symptom. The outcomes of these studies seem to indicate that “hazard” is describing burnout lightly, as studies reported a range of outcomes from “decline in job satisfaction” and the “intention to leave job” to “body pain” and “daily alcohol consumption”, a “decline of empathy towards patients,” and “medical mistakes” (in which patients were harmed).[8] The words cardiovascular diseases and sleep disorders already carry a fearful weight, but the possibility of decreasing empathy in physicians who people depend on to care for their health and safety is especially frightening. With a reported difference in empathy levels, we can see that burnout not only affects the body but also our psychosocial capacity to be in relation to each other. As many pop-psychology blogs about burnout say, maintaining social connections is extremely important for mediating the effects of burnout – with decreased empathy, though, these relationships may possibly be at risk.

Outside the healthcare field, burnout in the workplace is correlated with workplace conflicts or bullying, which compound other outcomes of burnout in a potentially vicious cycle.[9] Research has also shown that burnout has adverse effects on teachers and students in various disciplines, so much so that the outcomes of burnout in teachers compounds the outcome of burnout in their students.[10] Parental burnout is also prevalent, the outcome of which includes possible addiction and sleep disorders, relational/social conflicts between family members, and an increased risk of neglect and abuse of the child.[11]

Current Implications

There has been a tremendous amount of research on the outcomes of burnout and their potentially devastating effects on our lives, but the startling results and conclusions of these studies still raise the question: What do we need to do to stop people from burning out? Out of all the previously mentioned studies and reviews looking at varying fields and aspects of adult life, burnout has been shown to reduce people’s ability to connect with or even care for each other, as well as diminish people’s capacity for satisfaction in their own lives and potential futures. While the possible physical effects of burnout need to be seriously considered, the potential for burnout to disrupt or damage our ability to see each other as people, to care for each other and help each other, needs to be given more weight in our consideration of burnout’s place in adult life. Most of these studies conclude by calling for precautions to be built into the organization of the workplace: preventative measures that try to ensure people are not working for too long at once, to safeguard against interpersonal conflicts, and to hold administration accountable. All these solutions, however, still act within a theoretical framework in which burnout is localized in the workplace or classroom itself. When the answer to burnout lies in better staffing and scheduling, or better workplace benefits and support networks, or even better accountability measures for when all else fails, we seem to be missing a crucial part of the picture: hat makes people susceptible to burnout prior to working at all?

As not every physician, teacher, student, employee, parent, etc. experience symptoms of burnout, we can most likely say that burnout is not a universal inevitability of being an adult, although it may feel otherwise when the effects of burnout affect so many of us. If it’s not universal, what essentially inoculates someone from developing burnout or at least lessens the symptoms of burnout? A Harvard study asked similar questions in 2016, concluding that practices that foster empathy, compassion, and that work towards shifting one’s perspective away from a hypercritical, over-productive mindset help stave off the effects of burnout.[12] Better empathy, compassion, and an improved mindset are ideal but listing these and having these are two different things, which brings us to consider what tangible actions we can take to bring us closer to our goal of preventing burnout. It is with this question that we turn now to discuss play, which is presented here as a tangible and feasible option for preventing burnout.

Playing Again: Play as a Potentially Life-Saving Option

The Surprising Benefits of Play

The health outcomes of chronic and seemingly normalized burnout should push us to look into what we can do to mediate the health risks posed by burnout or, better yet, focus on addressing the deeper conditions contributing to a workforce/lifestyle that continuously burns people out. The previous studies listed various ways of mediating the effects of burnout to help employees feel more able to work or continue in their roles without any more hiccups, but these solutions act more as retroactive remedies for burnout than plans to avoid burnout in the first place. For a solution to our larger burnout problem, and not the problems posed by burnout, we need to explicitly call into question the optimization-based mindset that has, for decades now, deemed it normal and even necessary to have a life built solely around work at the expense of leisure or play (specifically work that contributes, produces, and culminates in some aid for the larger community). Many articles that propose an answer to burnout, some quick and easy fix at little to no cost, that is not inherently accessible, calling people to leave work or simply add one simple task to their day. Taking breaks, building in time for breathing exercises or mindfulness practices, planning after-hour destress events with friends are all actions that a) force us to try and further stretch ourselves to make time for more tasks in our already over-scheduled agendas and b) do nothing to address the fact that we are overscheduled at all. It is not natural, nor should it be considered natural, for people to live their adult lives with chronic pain, stress, and health issues — the very existence of these health risks should tell us that there is nothing natural about working the way we do. What we need to start doing instead, then, is move towards a new framework that disrupts our impulse to optimize our lives to a detrimental point — we need to sort out our priorities and give weight back to play. It is much easier to say this than do this, and it’s worth noting that such a solution requires a massive collective effort, but every large and organized change has to start somewhere, even if that origin seems small.

We can start reprioritizing play in our lives by reconsidering the way we conceive of play’s role in our lives as we age. Play is often thought of as mostly something from children’s lives, such that a child plays while an adult does not. Most definitions or explanations of the word “playful” include some sentiment along the lines that being playful is not being very serious or being in some way childish. Relegating play to just our earlier stages of development cuts us off from the continued and long-lasting benefits play offers for our emotional and physical health. Rather than viewing play as something we grow out of, it may be more beneficial to conceive of play as something that grows with us — play does not have to nor should it look the same to a person when they are two and when they are twenty-two, and that is because the goal of play has to change according to our lives in the playful moment. As a toddler, my goal is to learn how to walk, so I may play by rolling around and toddling from place to place. At twenty-two, I am almost proficient in walking, to say the least, so my play will not look like rolling around on the ground — instead, it may look like reading fantasy novels to better equip my imagination. Just because my play now does not involve full-body activity, nor does it involve toys like blocks or dolls or tea parties, does not make my play any less playful. After all, I am still inherently engaging in a game through which I learn something for and about myself that I will then take with me into future moments.

Play & Health, Physical and Mental

As an adult, play is not only a form of developing skills or learning about my own capabilities as play also has tangible and necessary healing effects that make playing an inherently healthy act. When we play, our minds and bodies take up activities that have beneficial effects on many of our internal systems. Play has been shown to physically reduce the effects of stress in children’s bodies, and considering the physical outcomes of burnout that call our attention and research to the experience in the first place, we should inquire more about play’s possible benefits to physical health. Playing directly affects a child’s neurological development; the same brain regions essential for learning, engaging, and acting as agents in their environments are involved in play: the prefrontal cortex (responsible for most of our executive function such as planning, thinking/working memory, processing, etc.), the amygdala (the center of fear-processing and memory as well as risk assessment), as well as many other regions of the brain.[13] During childhood development, when these brain regions are in their initial stages of growth, play helps the brain develop at a faster rate and with more complexity than brains of children who play less. With such complexity, skills like creativity and critical thinking may come quickly and with more dimension.

For adults whose brains may be nearing or already reached the end of their development, play does not lose its neurobiological importance. With the brain, especially as we age and our neural pathways start to deteriorate, it is a matter of “use it or lose it.” Play acts as a way of practicing and maintaining brain function so that our cognitive functions deteriorate at much slower rates, and we may continue to be creative or imaginative for longer and with barely less dimension. Play is not only a neurological stress reliever, but also a psychological and social relief. In children, play is often a stress-relieving activity in which they are able to have a sense of control or predictability, especially when the rules of the game come from their own minds.[14] For adults, play can also function as a psychological stress reliever by giving us the ability to create a stage on which we write the scripts and control the movement of the players, whether those players be our own person or crochet hooks or soccer balls. Control and predictability both offer a sense of relief, especially when the stressor is an apparent or felt powerlessness and futility that we often see in working. 

Play is similar to mindfulness or gratitude exercises that both call for continued practice and ultimately lead to positive habit-forming outcomes. Playing is a self-revitalizing act that makes future playing easier and more accessible. It may seem arduous to try and plan a life fuller of play, especially considering how packed our schedules already seem without this added task. Play, however, resists scheduling and demands spontaneity or else our playful actions become yet another added obligation we have to fill before we have completed our day. How then, does play become part of our lives? At first, we may have to plan in times to play, just as specialists and blog posts call for scheduled breaks into long workdays, but with play, this planning will soon fall away.

One need only look to children for a sense of this. Children, for whom play is routine, the world is not simply the world as we see it; the living room is not just a room, chairs not simply chairs, but instead a fortress, or perhaps a ballroom, or something equally as fantastical. When children play, and especially when they do so with their whole mind and body, every coming moment is a moment of massive potential for playful activity, and the world itself holds more space for play than before. Left in any sort of room, a playful child can make anything out of the space, and it is because they have learned to see the world around them as an inherently playful place. In such a place, possibilities of emotions, actions, and lives are endless, so if children can see the world like this, what is stopping adults? When we play — when we fully let ourselves play and give ourselves up to the possibilities held within play — we fundamentally change. These shifts may be imperceptible yet impactful, for these changes reposition us within our lives to become more capable of play. That stressful day, those piling-up work assignments, the ache in the back that you just cannot shake: these will all still be there after we finish playing, but we ourselves have been able to reposition ourselves to experience these frustrations and pains differently. Play is self-sustaining and self-revitalizing, so while it may be a chore to start playing, it will not take much to keep the ball rolling at fantastical speeds.

Making (and Taking) Time for Play

Scheduling play into our lives sounds easy in practice and yet is rarely so simple. One place in which we may have already created the possible space for play is the therapy session. Play is a valid therapeutic method, and it is especially favored in the therapeutic care of children, so why could it not benefit adults needing therapy as well? Play is a way of practicing using our imagination, a way of letting the boundaries of reality fall away without making ourselves tumble as well. From this creative, unlimited space, we are able to have a level of distance from daily life stressors that allows us to reimagine our lives and imagine a way to get there. While the constraints of our society and environments may have something to say in contention with what we imagine in therapeutic play, the inherent use of imagination and creativity blows open our lives to the option of getting through life’s stressors. What “therapeutic play” looks like may be vague, but not necessarily unattainable — in fact, many therapeutic conversations could be considered a form of play. Oftentimes, playing is easier or more enjoyable when we have someone to play with, either as some kind of companion within the game or a model for the game. Dialogic therapeutic conversations, in which both client and therapist actively take part in and open themselves up to whatever the session’s conversation may be, can be a form of play that embodies this inclination towards playing with as well. Drawing from previous conceptions of play, philosopher Hans-Georg Gadamer discusses play in his work, Truth and Method, as an event of suspension and immersion.[15] To Gadamer, play is an active moment which, in order to enter into successfully, requires the player to let themselves become part of the game. In this moment, the hard delineations of the self blur with the play itself. These delineations, although important for the most part, may make people more susceptible to burning out by profoundly isolating them from any inoculative experiences. The merging that occurs in play brings the players to a space in which all of their external ties (the obligations, anxieties, and all that cause the player to build such rigid walls in the first place) are temporarily suspended. This suspension may lead to a much-needed point of catharsis for the players. This play is dynamic and marked by an exchange, either between the player and the play or between players themselves, and this can be found in mutual dialogue. When therapeutic sessions center dialogue between client and therapist, a conversation that asks both people to make themselves open to giving up their firm positions distinct from each other, the healing effects of play may be found.

In creating a clinical environment in which the goal is true dialogue, in which both parties are equally immersed and reciprocating of the other, both client and therapist are able to play around with life stressors while supporting each other in a mutually beneficial event. Therapeutic dialogue can yield more self-understanding and healing because it does not depend on the constraints of diagnostic analyses or protocol-driven techniques. Rather, what makes therapeutic play and dialogue effective is the suspended distance it provides both client and therapist from which both parties may come to a better understanding. As opposed to a more sterile or clinical session, in a playful session, there is the potential for something more to happen other than conversation, and it is this potentiality that may hold a deeper healing quality than the label of mere “talk therapy” can capture. Additionally, incorporating and acknowledging play within therapy helps to bolster the fact that play is a necessary action for someone’s health. Just as medical doctors prescribe medications for illnesses in the body, prescribing or practicing play from a therapeutic perspective emphasizes play as a legitimate treatment for burnout and stress-related illnesses. It may seem arbitrary to prescribe a “dosage” of play because the notion of a daily prescribed amount of play may seem to detract from the spontaneity that makes play playful, but just as mentioned before, this prescription could be the needed push towards self-sustaining treatment. A “prescription” of play for burnout also signifies to us that burnout is something that can be treated, and those who are burnt out are not doomed to a prognosis of feeling apathetic and lost for the remainder of their lives. Although the underlying social and economic organization of our lives work hard to remove any capacity for play from our lives in favor of productive work, we do not have to be fated to be cogs in a machine that will eventually break. Rather, attending to and making time for our needs to play breaks us out of the sharply limited spaces given to us as adults and blows our futures wide open. Instead of living lives defined by work and the fatigue it brings onto our shoulders, we are meant for something more, something fun.

Contributed by: Neha Hazra

Editors: Jennifer (Ghahari) Smith, Ph.D. & Jerome Veith, Ph.D.


References

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[3] Lepore, J. (2021, May 17). Burnout: Modern affliction or human condition? The New Yorker. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/05/24/burnout-modern-affliction-or-human-condition

[4] Petersen, A. H. (2019, January 5). How millennials became the burnout generation. Buzzfeed. https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/annehelenpetersen/millennials-burnout-generation-debt-work

[5] Weiner, S. (2021, June 29). For providers with PTSD, the trauma of COVID-19 isn’t over. AAMC. https://www.aamc.org/news-insights/providers-ptsd-trauma-covid-19-isn-t-over

[6] Salvagioni, D.A.J., Melanda, F.N., Mesas, A.E., González, A.D., Gabani, F.L., & Maffei de Andrade, S. (2017) Physical, psychological and occupational consequences of job burnout: A systematic review of prospective studies. PLOS ONE, 12(10): e0185781. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0185781

[7] Azam, K., Khan, A., & Alam, M. T. (2017). Causes and adverse impact of physician burnout: A systematic review. Journal of the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan, 27(7). p. 7.

[8] Azam, 2017, p. 6.

[9] Srivastava, S., & Dey, B. (2020). Workplace bullying and job burnout: A moderated mediation model of emotional intelligence and hardiness. International Journal of Organizational Analysis, 28(1), 183-204.

[10] Madigan, D. J., & Kim. L. E. (2021). Does teacher burnout affect students? A systematic review of its association with academic achievement and student-reported outcomes. International Journal of Educational Research, 105. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2020.101714

[11] Mikolajczak, M., Brianda, M. E., Avalosse, H., & Roskam, I. (2018). Consequences of parental burnout: Its specific effect on child neglect and violence. Child Abuse & Neglect, 30, 134-145. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2018.03.025

[12] Wiens, K., & McKee, A. (2016, November 23). Why some people get burned out and others don’t. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2016/11/why-some-people-get-burned-out-and-others-dont

[13] Siviy, S.M. (2016). A brain motivated to play: Insights into the neurobiology of playfulness. Behaviour. 153: 819-844. PMID 29056751 DOI: 10.1163/1568539X-00003349

[14] Gunnar, M. (2020, September 23). Play helps reduce stress. Minnesota Children’s Museum. https://mcm.org/reducing-the-effects-of-stress-on-your-child/

[15] Gadamer, H. (2013). Truth and method. Bloomsbury Academic.