Essential Grace Magazine April, 2021 1|E ss en ti al Gr a ce Mag azi ne
Vol. 1 Issue No. 8
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Dear Reader I trust that you are adjusting to the cooler weather. It has come sooner than most expected but it is welcome all the same. Seasons are a great reminder of the fluidity of life. In the month of April, one of the themes that are highlighted in the mental health and wellbeing world is Stress Awareness. We all need to be more aware of stress and anxiety in our own lives as well as understanding what stress is and what it looks like so that we can treat it better in ourselves and others around us. I guess this is even more so in the era of COVID
19. Taking care of ourselves has never been more important and highlighted as it is now. Malawians, enterprising as ever – have moved more and more into the outdoors in the effort to exercise, to release stress, to connect with others, and to socialize. You just need to go out into one of the hills or mountains in your area before the sun rises on a weekend and
you will meet countless groups of people from different walks of life sweating and huffing their way up or already coming down. It has become the thing to do. Something I am personally happy to see because it serves so many purposes all at once.
Our cover feature this month is Colby Mughogho, one of the more prominent tour and adventure organizers in Malawi. His company Adventures with Colby is making touring our beautiful country and discovering the adventures that lie waiting all around us more accessible. Whether you have always wanted to try camping with your family on an Island on
Lake Malawi, or exploring mysterious trails on Nyika Plateaux; what better way to make those wishes come true than through an experienced and fully equipped tour company taking care of all the details so that all you have to do is enjoy the trip. What better way to get rid of stress? Remember to keep yourself well prepared for the coming winter months; hydrate, rest, and nourish your body. Enjoy the read!
Julie Soko Managing Editor Essential Grace Magazine essentialgrace@zoho.com / @essentialgracemagazine2020 instagram.com/essentialgracemagazine2020 issuu.com/essentialgrace 3|E ss en ti al Gr a ce Mag azi ne
In this issue… Cover feature – Adventures with Colby Monthly Themes Stress Awareness Month World Immnization Week Health and Wellness Demystifying Social Work Recognising Stress and Beating it A Personal Story: Michael
Mental Health Emotional Well-Being and Coping During COVID-19 Myths on Mental Stress You Didn’t Know
Resources Why Should you see a Therapist? How to Identify the Right Therapist List of Mental Health Professionals in Malawi
Essential Grace is a free online publication and registered magazine focused on promoting mental health and wellness in Malawi and beyond through different mediums. Follow and subscribe to the magazine at www.issuu.com/essentialgrace to get notified when your monthly publication is available.
Comments and feedback on any of our articles or contributors can be addressed to essentialgrace@zoho.com or through the contributor’s personal contact information. Contact us for information at 4|E ss en ti al Gr a ce Mag azi ne
0991 938 203
Cover Feature Adventurers with Colby See more, Be more, Do more. Adventures with Colby (AwC) is a local tour operating and adventure planning establishment that offers the public exciting opportunities to create memorable adventures while touring the most beautiful and unique places in Malawi, the warm heart of Africa! Established in 2018, AwC is locally based and is one of the country’s leading adventure and tour operators specializing in a wide variety of activities such as tours, hikes, treks, outdoor camping, adventure sports, corporate team building family tours, cycling, so much more.
One high light worth mentioning is that the AwC team has over the last 4 years managed to take over 500 people up the highest mountain peak in Malawi (Sapitwa). The man behind the adventurous exploits of this company, who is also founder and team leader is Mr Colby Mughoho known as The Bushcamper by his clients. One of Colby’s highlights so far is summiting the highest peak of Mulanje Mountain 23 times between 2018 and 2020. He is aiming to make it 100 summits by 2025.
Colby on a hike on Zomba Mountain 5|E ss en ti al Gr a ce Mag azi ne
On the top left: camping at Muloza pools on top of Mulanje Mountain. On the top right: camp site on Onyamata Farm,Zomba.. Below left: some photography by BushcamperMw of Muloza pools on Mulanje Mountain. Below right: Colby and two of his colleagues
Find out more about Adventures with Colby through www.adventureswithcolbymw.com or use the social media links below @adventureswithcolby
@adventures_with_colby
+265 (0) 991 803 984
@AdventuresWithColby
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Who is the Bushcamper aka Colby Mughogho? The Bushcamper (@BushcamperMw) is a mountaineer and traveller, naturally drawn to adventure since childhood after being inspired by his late father who was a very passionate outdoors man. Colby carries the same passion and the call to explore the natural elements in every way be it through hiking, trekking and rock climbing. He
draws his inspiration from many sources including from family, friends, fellow mountaineers, internationally acclaimed adventurer Bear Grylls and of course, the Mountains themselves!
As an innovative businessman, Colby also works as an Outdoor Survival Instructor at The Bushcamper-Mw Survival Skills and Outdoor Equipment Store. In the course of this year, he will be the host of Man Vs Mountain: Colby and Celebrities show. Man vs Mountain is a concept covering a series of filmed survival and endurance events. The concept was inspired by the well-honed skills and experience of Colby over the years in his capacity as Bushcamper. These tailored events will be presented in the form of video programs which will feature 10 participants from prominent platforms in the country including musicians, media personalities, and politicians.
Participants will be challenged on different survival skills out in the wildness as well as wild camping (either on farms, on an island or on a mountain). Mountain hiking in different locations of the country, and how to build shelter in the wild are some of the other challenges that participants will be tested on. These activities will assess the participants’ mental and physical strength, endurance, as well as their resourcefulness and intuition. Each featured participant will go through physical training programs to prepare them in the build up to the filming of each episode. Along with showcasing Malawi’s beautiful scenery and natural wilderness through the show, viewers will learn about environmental conservation, survival skills and the different locally found animal species, flora and fauna while appreciating Malawi’s tourist attraction sites. Episodes will be available on the Adventures with Colby YouTube channel as well as pre-ordered episodes before the release at a cost to be provided as per request. Visit www.adventureswithcolbymw.com for more.
The Man Vs Mountain team welcomes support from well-wishers such as companies or individuals interested in promoting or contributing to the venture. Support may be financial and may help to supplement our production budget. Or it may be support through donations such as bottled water, sunscreen, food, and camping gear. Your support will not only promote this project, it will be promoting tourism in Malawi. 7|E ss en ti al Gr a ce Mag azi ne
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Monthly Theme
Articles by Steveria Kadangwe
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Following the news which may be mostly negative and fear inducing Being a victim of discrimination, bullying and harassment Health problems and being diagnosed with life-threatening medical conditions In the workplace, many issues may lead to stress in people. Poor communication, people not contributing to projects, bottlenecks, unrealistic deadlines, heavy workload, bad bosses and toxic environments
Stress Awareness Month Stress is a part of life. Eustress, which is the name for positive stress, can motivate and be of benefit to a human being. In this article, however, the focus is on negative and chronic stress which may have negative effects on people. Causes of Stress There are many causes of stress which include: Difficult family situations, poor dynamics and general dysfunction within the home Work-related stress Comparing oneself to others, especially among the youth Finances e.g., high cost of living, lack of access to health care, the cost of children’s education, personal debt etc 10 | E s s e n t i a l G r a c e M a g a z i n e
all contribute to workplace stress. Besides, sometimes in trying to deal with one cause of stress, another is triggered, for example, poor communication at work may cause someone to quit their job, which would cause financial instability and family issues. The Impact of Stress When someone is experiencing negative stress, they are likely to take it out on others. Researchers say that some types of stress such as work-related stress harms personal relationships, and causes people to act in ways that are not supportive or conducive to developing healthy relationships with spouses, children and other family members. Apart from work-related stress, general stress has a negative impact on the body and mind, leading to burnout and long-term health problems like headaches, hypertension, lethargy, depression, self-harm, suicidal thoughts and loneliness. People who are stressed often need emotional support to cope with its effects.
Besides the toll on health, stress also causes a financial impact on organisations and the economy. Stress increases absenteeism, promotes self-damaging and often harmful behaviour, causes low productivity, accidents at work and increases health care costs. It is therefore in the interest of organisations to provide tools to manage stress and a conducive work environment to help its workforce cope with stress, irrespective of whether it stems from work or in their personal life. Stress in the Malawian Context April is Stress Awareness Month around the world. Tsogolo Itaye, a Malawian social worker, had this to say about stress in Malawi:
“Stress in Malawi at the moment especially with COVID 19, is widespread. With the second wave, health care workers, families and communities were overwhelmed. People lost many loved ones and were terrified and helpless to control what was happening around them. Burnout is something that most people experienced and as a nation, we have not dealt with the escalating stress levels. Others lost their livelihoods and faced financial challenges. The stress has also led to increased self-harming behaviour such as dependency on alcohol and drugs and an increase in suicide. It seems we are trying to move on while remaining numb. Many are grieving and broken, but have not spoken to anyone about their mental health. Others are dealing with stress in unhealthy ways. If there is another crisis and people are still bottling up the stress, it will have a serious effect on the community and the nation.
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Many people work long hours and have a lot of pressure from work and force themselves to be strong. There is no support from employers as most companies and organisations are focused on productivity and squeezing the last bit of performance from the individual rather than helping the employee with their problems. They address poor performance with warnings or dismissal, instead of identifying the root cause and providing resources to deal with it. Policies do not encourage employees to speak up and in fact, some organisations would deny people promotions or opportunities nice they have admitted to personal battles with stress. On the family side, there is pressure and stress from the environment, finances and some gender/cultural sensitivities. For instance, some men seldom open up on things that they are going through. People deal with extramarital affairs and other challenges without really addressing the issues, choosing to suppress their emotions. The result is that many begin to engage in unhealthy behaviours to deal with stress, for example, excessive shopping and spending, shouting at children and other family members, all in the effort of ignoring their actual problems,. In my opinion, I believe that Malawi as a nation does not know how to handle stress” Dealing with Stress There are many ways that people deal with stress. The majority of people turn to food for comfort and often overeat or become addicted to eating, some turn to prayer, others prefer meditation, exercise, or watching TV, shopping or singing to cope with stress. However, although these are selfcare practices that need to be encouraged, they are not always effective in addressing the root cause of stress.
Some healthy ways of dealing with stress as an individual may include:
that matter and that is actually important to you.
Effective communication matters a lot. Whether in an organisation or at home, some
Itaye also provided additional insights on
challenges brought by stress can be dealt
what can be done at the organisational/
with by talking about what you are going
workplace level in terms of policy that can
through and identifying and taking action to
help to deal with stress:
remove stressors. Exercise and get enough sleep. When
Help people to understand the resources that are available in fields like social
one is not well-rested, it is harder to cope
work and psychology, and how these can be
with challenging situations. Do something
beneficial for many.
relaxing before sleeping to improve the
Promote the accessibility of resources
quality of your sleep. This can be through
towards the management of mental health,
taking a warm bath, doing some stretches, or
stress and helping people both at the
reading a good book. Establishing a bedtime
national and organisational level in order to
routine and going to bed at the same time is
reduce the damaging effects of stress on the
often very helpful.
community
Talk to someone–whether a therapist,
Establish social work and mental
your HR department or your spouse.
health roles in all the hospitals to support
Articulating what we you are going through
people going through difficult times or those
can help you realise what action you can take
who have experienced traumatic situations
and how appropriate that action is in your
like death of a loved one, serious illness and
particular context. For example, in an
other stressors. Creating structures to help
extremely toxic work environment, the right
people in the long term may include paying
action might be to look for another job and
social workers, therapists and others to
leave. While in another environment, talking
perform these tasks rather than expecting
to your boss about your workload may help
them to offer services for free
resolve the cause of your stress. Time management is an underrated
Provide facilities like Employee Assistance Programmes where employees
key to managing stress. Especially in our
have access to therapists and psychologists
modern internet age, living our lives online
through their workplace when they are faced
may often lead to having overloaded
with challenging situations in their lives.
schedules. Prioritising tasks and identifying what is important will help you feel organised and manage your tasks better. Learning to say no is also a critical skill that you need to develop in order to avoid having people dump their negative challenges on you, especially with things that have nothing to do with you. Do the things
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Postscript: On a personal note, I have had the privilege of working for multinational corporations most of my career. One thing I have appreciated is the Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP). The company maintains the services of therapists. This comes in handy in situations where someone has a fatal road accident or experiences a robbery, or is going through challenges in their personal life. Employees have access to help deal with such traumas. Even in situations like retrenchment, the EAP is roped in as part of the process to help people to deal with the news of being laid off. The organisation also offers financial advice to equip employees who are leaving to face the world. This is something that many leaders of organisations in Malawi should seriously consider to effectively support their workforce. And for the employees, some brag that they will never see a therapist but go through things like bereavement, illness, and the like with no coping mechanisms. Utilising such services especially when they are offered free of charge is beneficial to the individual, the organisation and the nation.
“Employees who believe that management is concerned about them as a whole person – not just an employee – are more productive, more satisfied, more fulfilled. Satisfied employees mean satisfied customers, which leads to profitability.” Anne M. Mulcahy
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What can you do for Stress Awareness Month? Talk about Stress and it’s effects – lets work together to reduce the stigma that is associated with stress by talking about the topic openly and freely with friends, family and colleagues.
Share your coping mechanisms – if something has worked for you why not share it? It might benefit someone you care about and in the mean-time it might help you take your focus off of your own challenges.
Be nice to those who are stressed and anxious – we are all undoubtedly going to experience stress and anxiety in our lifetime so treat others going through it with compassion and empathy.
Look after yourself – we all need to think more about self –care. Take time out of your day to relax or do something that you enjoy. Don’t forget to exercise and eat well, even when you feel too stressed.
The most crucial thing you can do when you are stressed or anxious is to make sure you are continuing to look after yourself. Make time to relax when you need to and learn to say no to requests that are too much for you.
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World Immunization Week 24 -30th April
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Busting Myths About the COVID 19 Vaccine Vaccines. Very much the word-dejour especially with the ongoing conversations about the COVID-19 vaccines. There is a lot of contradictory information about their efficacy and effects, as well as false information spread by antivaccine activists, not to mention superstitions surrounding receiving vaccines. How did vaccines develop in the world? There is evidence that the Chinese were inoculating people as far back as in the early 1000s by blowing smallpox scabs into their nostrils. There are other practices of inoculation that were done in Africa and Turkey to prevent and cure different diseases. The smallpox vaccine was the first to be invented in the 1700s and later the rabies vaccine was invented as well. Since then, vaccines have been invented against various diseases. There was a lot of research on vaccines in the 20th century which especially targeted common
childhood diseases like measles, mumps and rubella. Nowadays, there is DNA technology and innovative techniques leading scientists in new directions, with the focus now expanding into noninfectious diseases. In the context of COVID-19, there are a lot of stories and myths around the vaccines as well. Information from the Mayo Clinic website highlights some of the common ones:
Vaccines were developed too quick and did not get adequate tests making them unsafe. Pharmaceutical companies invested a lot of resources to produce these vaccines. However, they have not bypassed safety protocols and have done adequate testing. The authorisation has been received from relevant authorities before rolling out the vaccines. These authorisations mean that vaccines have to pass through rigorous verification before being rolled out. Innovations in technology have contributed to the faster development of vaccines.
People will die from negative side effects of the COVID-19 Vaccine than from covid itself. COVID-19 is 10 times
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more lethal than the common flu and is also influenced by age, health, sex and underlying health conditions. It is not possible to get a COVID-19 infection from the COVID-19 vaccine and while the vaccines are not 100% effective, the benefits outweigh the risks.
COVID-19 Vaccines are for tracking people through microchips or other nanotechnology- There is no such thing. There is no database where personal information is collected, and neither is there a microchip inserted into a person when a vaccine is administered.
COVID-19 vaccine will alter your DNA–again this is false. Vaccines do not do anything to the DNA in your body
COVID-19 vaccines cause miscarriage or infertility/ COVID-19 vaccines have been developed by the west for population control in Africa. - There is no link between any of the COVID-19 vaccines and infertility or miscarriage. Disinformation has been circulating on social media that the vaccines bind to the placenta to prevent pregnancy. This is not scientifically plausible. There has been no increase in miscarriage rates for pregnant women who had COVID-19.
The vaccines have the mark of the beast 666- vaccines have no connection with religious organisations and cannot be infused with abstract ingredients, demons or spirits. They are a product of science and it is not possible to bewitch, control or possess anyone through vaccines.
Vaccines are a back door entry for re-colonisation– scientists and governments have contributed to the knowledge that has led to the development of vaccines. There are many kinds of vaccines that have been developed by different people across the globe.
Doctors are administering vaccines to kill people and get paid - this is one I heard from a Malawian doctor. Medical personnel are working to treat people with COVID-19 and administer vaccines to stop the devastating impact that the pandemic has had on the world. They have gone through a stressful and traumatic time to cope with the effects of COVID-19. It is therefore not plausible that they would then turn around and kill more people through the administration of vaccines.
There has been a growth of the anti-vaccine or
anti-vaxxer movement. These are people who oppose the administering of vaccines to children. Sadly, this has resulted in the increase of measles and polio cases, which had previously almost been eradicated. There are more myths surrounding vaccines they propagate, including: Vaccination causes autism - An article was published in 1997 saying rubella, mumps and measles vaccines are increasing autism. However, further research has discredited the paper because of serious procedural errors, financial conflict and ethical violations, which lead to the author losing his medical licence and the article being withdrawn from Lancet, a prestigious medical journal. Other researchers took the claim seriously and conducted further research which has not yielded these findings. Causes of autism are not known but there is research that suggests that autism is developed in uteri. Babies cannot handle all the vaccines - With the number of antibodies in the blood, the body uses 0.1% of the body’s immune capacity for all the vaccines that are administered to children. Today’s vaccines are more efficient, reducing their
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impact on the immunity of children and babies who receive them. Natural immunity is better than immunity from vaccines - Vaccines have been proved to protect people who get them against catching a disease. Although sometimes people can have severe adverse effects from vaccines, such cases are rare and may not result in death. Vaccines are poisonous -People think that some vaccines have toxic chemicals like mercury or aluminium. However, only trace amounts are used and there is no evidence that such small amounts can be harmful to people. Decreased infections are because of better hygiene, not vaccines- Although sanitation, nutrition, hygiene and the development of antibiotics have reduced or even eliminated some infectious diseases, vaccines have their place in the equation. The measles vaccine has significantly reduced cases of measles globally, even though the level of hygiene has changed little since introducing the vaccine in the 1970s. Vaccines are not worth the risk -There is no
credible study that links long-term health conditions to vaccines. Strong allergic reactions are extremely rare–one in 2 million according to the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) in the United Kingdom. Vaccines infect children with diseases - The symptoms from vaccines are mild compared to actually having a disease, and not everyone experiences those effects
Enough people have been vaccinated so we don’t need to vaccinate more- A vaccine cannot be transmitted between people. Not vaccinating opens up opportunities for viruses and bacteria to flourish, and this can impact those with weak immune systems like the elderly or those with other chronic conditions. International travel is also another avenue where diseases that were unknown in one region can be spread. Whatever the case, do your research and don’t just accept everything that you read off the internet or social media as factual. It can save your life or the life of your loved ones.
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World Immunization Week – celebrated every year in the last week of April – aims to promote the use of vaccines to protect people of all ages against disease. Immunization saves millions of lives every year and is widely recognized as one of the world’s most successful health interventions. Yet, there are still nearly 20 million children in the world today who are not getting the vaccines they need, and many miss out on vital vaccines during adolescence, adulthood and into old age. Using the theme ‘Vaccines bring us closer’, World Immunization Week 2021 will urge greater engagement around immunization globally to promote the importance of vaccination in bringing people together, and improving the health and well-being of everyone, everywhere throughout life. As part of the 2021 campaign, WHO, partners and individuals around the world will unite to: • •
Increase trust and confidence in vaccines to maintain or increase vaccine acceptance Increase investment in vaccines, including routine immunization, to remove barriers to access
While the world focuses on critically important new vaccines to protect against COVID-19, there remains a need to ensure routine vaccinations are not missed. Many children have not been vaccinated during the global pandemic, leaving them at risk of serious diseases like measles and polio. Rapidly circulating misinformation around the topic of vaccination adds to this threat. In this context, this year’s campaign will aim to build solidarity and trust in vaccination as a public good that saves lives and protects health. To this end, we will be looking for more partners to join us, bringing people together in support of a lifesaving cause. Vaccines have brought us closer, and will bring us closer again
For over 200 years, vaccines have protected us against diseases that threaten lives and prohibit our development. With their help, we can progress without the burden of diseases like smallpox and polio, which cost humanity hundreds of millions of lives Whilst vaccines aren't a silver bullet, they will help us progress on a path to a world where we can be together again. Vaccines themselves continue to advance, bringing us closer to a world free from the likes of TB and cervical cancer, and ending suffering from childhood diseases like measles.
Investment and new research is enabling ground breaking approaches to vaccine development, which are changing the science of immunization forever, bringing us closer still to a healthier future. Published for public access on www.who.org 19 | E s s e n t i a l G r a c e M a g a z i n e
Health and Wellness
Demystifying Social Work Recognising Stress and Beating it A Personal Story: Michael
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Demystifying Social Work An interview with Tsogolo Itaye, Social Worker and Lecturer at Chancellor College What do social workers do? A social worker is a change agent. Social workers look into a person’s life and environment to recognise how their behaviour affects them and others, understand any dysfunction that is causing issues or influencing their actions. An example can be that growing up in a home with an alcoholic parent may have a negavtive impact on children. Social workers would help in that situation by working with, either the adult or the child, to work out where the challenges are and help them see how they can change to impact society positively or mitigate the adverse effects. A social worker also looks at services in the community; what policies exist and how they are serving people. Social workers advocate for the needs of the people to ensure that they get what they require. Social work is about working together with people in dysfunctional and challenging environments to make their lives better. It is about engaging with people on a personal note, guiding and providing the tools that they need to help them overcome these challenges. Social workers create an enabling environment. However, people have to recognise that they have these needs. That is where social workers come in to empower them and help them to take ownership of their lives with the tools that this service provides. Is social work as a profession well known in Malawi? People know social work and often think that a social worker is a counsellor. However, it is more than just listening to people. There is a difference between clinical social workers and clinical psychologists. People also confuse social workers as community or rural development workers because there is no clear outline of what social work is. Besides this fact, there is no real support to acknowledge how their services are useful in the community. People think anyone can do it but this
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is not the case, one still needs to be trained to be effective in making a difference in people’s lives though social work. How did you become a social worker? I have always wanted to work with women and children and was leaning towards studying Law. When I was doing research about what to study, I understood that Social Work has elements of law and psychology amongst other things. Once I started the course, I felt connected to the field as it helped me understand what is happening in communities and why. While I got skills in counselling during my studies, I later realised that there are also gaps in the policies and strategies out there so I developed an interest in policy analysis, which I believe can make a real Windhoek, Namibia. 2014 impact on society. This led me to pursue a Master’s degree in Social Development and Policy as my desire and focus is not just to talk to people and help them, but to advocate for them in formulating the policies and services that affect them. Tell us about your work experience. I completed an internship with the National Aids Commission where I analysed the proposals that Community-Based Organisations submitted to request for funding for their activities. I was also part of another internship with UNHCR as a Refugee Support Intern where I was involved in the initial screening of refugees and asylum seekers in the refugee camps and assessing the veracity of the issues they presented before sending them forward for further evaluation. I left both these jobs after my contract expired. I later worked at DAPP as Market Development Officer to empower women who were part of two cooperatives that produced soya milk and peanut butter. However, I left this job because it was leaning more towards agriculture rather than social work. I went on to work with Baylor College of Medicine as a Social Worker, focusing on children living with HIV and Kaposi’s Sarcoma. My work involved providing counselling and helping children and their parents deal with issues at home, discrimination and challenges they were encountering. I also conducted research and presented findings both nationally and internationally. I now work as a Lecturer at Chancellor College to give back to the community and equip others with skills to serve communities effectively. What are some challenges you meet as a social worker? Lack of funding and resources is a key challenge. For example, agricultural extension gets funding but social work gets minimal funds and relies mostly on other funders like UN organisations who may have specific focus and limited funds. Because social work is not accredited, there is no recognition and support for the field unlike other fields such as psychology or even accounting. A lot of time has to be spent informing and educating people on what social work is and what social workers do. There are also few job opportunities for people who have social work background, yet there are a lot of needs in the community. Most end up doing things like project management or monitoring and evaluation to get employment opportunities. 22 | E s s e n t i a l G r a c e M a g a z i n e
When working with the people, culture is a problem. A social worker needs to understand the culture in which they operate to avoid causing offence and negating the impact. People also look down on young social workers because they feel an older person should give them advice, even though a qualified social worker is skilled to contribute to society effectively. How does social work relate to mental health? There are similarities with psychology, where social workers strive to understand how people think. The social worker does not just diagnose the person and offer treatment, whether counselling or medicine, but Mangochi, 2021 also looks at the root cause and the environment that a person is in, provides therapy, and activities that they need to do to step up and change. Then social workers follow up on progress and the effectiveness of the recommended changes and how they improve a person’s situation and life. In social work, the focus is on a holistic view of the person to push them forward and lessen the issue that they are facing, by supporting and equipping them with tools to do so.
Find out more about social workers in your community by contacting your nearest Social Welfare office 23 | E s s e n t i a l G r a c e M a g a z i n e
How can you Recognise Stress in your life?
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More warning signs of stress …
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Living with stress is pervasive and relates with being human. Stressors are normal and include everything from too much physical exercise to an imminent work deadline. Successfully meeting that work deadline might land someone a promotion, which is exciting and stressful. Not making the deadline might jeopardize a person’s job, which is scary and stressful. In other words, not all stress is bad, but bad stress is not good. April is designated as Stress Awareness Month. Since 1992, healthcare professionals, wellness promoters, and non-profit organizations have used this month to educate people on the positives and negatives of stress. This involves teaching people how to spot triggers and minimize the detrimental effects of longterm stress.
Effective Ways of Dealing with Stress The National Institute of Mental Health suggests several different ways for dealing with various levels of temporary and chronic stress. These include: Getting regular exercise. Many studies have shown that even short bursts of intense exercise or 30 minutes to an hour of moderate exercise improves levels of cortisol, a stress-related chemical, in the brain. Paying attention to the symptoms of chronic stress, such as insomnia, racing thoughts, having low energy, depression or an uptick in using alcohol consumption or other sedatives Write lists of goals and priorities. This simple technique imposes a bit of order to an otherwise chaotic schedule and can go a long way toward relieving tension Develop relaxation techniques like meditation, yoga, knitting, going to the movies or activities that allow the mind and body to unwind Share with a therapist or physician any noticeable symptoms of stress Stay connected with family and friends 26 | E s s e n t i a l G r a c e M a g a z i n e
Stress reduction expert and author, Melissa Heisler, suggests combatting stress with what she calls a State of Gray. These activities give the fun-loving, creative side of the brain a boost, while the other, more practical part of the brain gets a rest.
Remember, a little bit of stress is just part of being human. In April, use Stress Awareness Month as a way to develop strategies and habits that lessen chronic stress, brighten your outlook and encourage others to do the same. www.inspiremalibu.com
‘Next time you’re stressed, take a step back, inhale and laugh. Remember who you are and why you’re here. You’re never given anything in this world that you can’t handle. Be strong, be flexible, love yourself, and love others. Always remember just keep moving forward.’
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Personal Story Michael Once I realised exactly what was going on with my mind, and could put a label on it, I began opening up to my friends and family about how I was feeling. As far back as I can remember, I have been a quiet, nervous kid. It’s not too hard to imagine, because I’m a pretty quiet, nervous twenty-fiveyear-old too. One who can be painfully shy, more than a little awkward, and who frets about things both real and imagined. I’m scared of disappointing people, of being rude, and of being disliked. The irony of it being hard to be well-liked when you’re too scared to talk to someone is not lost on me either. Whether it’s meeting people for the first time, trying something new, or being put into an uncomfortable situation - for as long as I can remember these situations make me tense up, retreat into myself, and wish for it to all be over. It first began spiralling out of control throughout those dreaded high school years. Fears of being hit by a football when I walked across the oval to class every day, or getting laughed at for saying
something wrong in class, made me hyper aware of anything that could make me look like an idiot (and heaven forbid, make me stand out of the crowd). When you’re desperate to remain invisible, you begin to think that anything that could go wrong, will go wrong. It wasn’t until after leaving school, that I realised that these fears hadn’t subsided. It wasn’t just the kids at school whose opinions I feared, and who I didn’t want to look like a fool in front of, it was the wider world, a world which I was now a part of. When I was much older, I was able to pin down exactly what was going on in my mind, and why
these things made me feel the way I did – I had anxiety. Once I realised exactly what was going on with my mind, and could put a label on it, I began opening up to my friends and family about how I was feeling.
It wasn’t a sob story, or even a plea for help, in fact, once I was able to open up about it, the first instinct was to share a laugh about it.
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By talking about the different situations, I get anxious in, and shouting ‘riddikulous’ at them, I hoped to be able to turn them from something scary, into something I’m able to laugh about. (Shout-out to the Harry Potter fans who get this metaphor). I can acknowledge that more often than not it is utterly ridiculous the things I worry about, but the wrong mindset can trigger a molehill into a mountain. When fears are more than just funny anecdotes, they can change your way of life and limit how
you engage with the world. They stop you being the real you, and make you second guess every single choice you make, and every situation you find yourself in. It can be the hardest thing to do, but standing up and saying that you deserve better than this is the first step to helping yourself. There’s no shame in admitting that you don’t want this kind of
life for yourself, and that you need to talk to someone – whether a professional or a friend – to work through it. We can get weighed down in the monotony of the day-to-day, or held back by the negativity, that we can forget that we only get one shot at this life, and to reel ourselves back from living it to the
full is only doing ourselves a disservice. It can seem more comfortable withdrawing from life to avoid these fears, but when we reach the end of our time, are we going to remember the peace of mind we had each time we avoided uncomfortable situations, or are we going to remember the time we met our fears head-on and had a blast as a result. With the resources and help we have available, living in these fears doesn’t have to be a reality. There’s a whole wide world out there for the taking, and we’re the only ones stopping ourselves
from truly enjoying it. Feeling a little overwhelmed? Ready to shed your fears and live your real life? Let’s do this together. Read more stories like this, access support and get ideas for managing stress through the website below.
www.beyondblue.org.au
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Mental Health
Emotional WellBeing and Coping During COVID-19
Myths on Mental Stress You Didn’t Know
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Emotional Well-Being and Coping During COVID-19 Tips for everyone to use Stay physically safe from the virus In this case, the biggest safety behaviors (physical distancing and hand washing) which decrease transmission of the COVID-19 virus, are also an integral part of anxiety management. Stay home when you can. When outside the home, wash your hands thoroughly and frequently. To help us make the thorough hand-washing a new habit, try this: “Wash as if you just chopped up a jalapeno pepper (without gloves) and you now have to put in your contact lenses.” Don't forget the sides of each and every finger, the back of hands, palms, the creases and nail beds, and the back of nails. Wash for at least 20 seconds - as long as it takes you to silently hum the Alphabet Song, Happy Birthday, or recite the Loving Kindness Prayer. If you are a speedy hummer, say it twice. Limit media to reduce anxiety By now you have heard this recommendation many times and there is research behind it: Watching or scrolling through the media makes us even more anxious. An excess of news and visual images about a traumatic event can create symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and poor health years later, according to research by UC Irvine's Roxy Silver, PhD, and others. Try to limit COVID-19 media exposure to no more than twice a day (e.g., checking for updates in the morning and before dinner) and try to avoid reading about COVID-19 before bedtime. Take a vow to not forward
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(and thus propagate) alarming headlines to friends and family. The media often creates an exaggerated impression of global panic. The reality emerging from research data in Seattle, an epicenter of the outbreak in the U.S., is that most people are dealing with this very well and rising up to help others. Get and provide warm, comforting, social support by video, phone, or text This is critical! Taking time to share your feelings and to listen and support others will go a long way. Talking with others who have our best interests at heart makes us feel safe. Use phone, video, text, or email. Fortunately, these new highways of social contact are unlimited resources. More than just providing social support about the current crisis, it is a good idea to use these connections to talk about the things you normally would - host your book club online, for example - which can create feelings of connectedness. Host a dinner using FaceTime or Zoom so you can talk while you eat (and talk about some positive things, not just this crisis). Loving and caring for our pets can be phenomenal stress reduction for us too! “Social Distancing” is actually a misnomer, it is actually physical distancing while we work hard to stay socially connected. Let’s switch to that phrase! Find ways of expressing kindness, patience, and compassion Be extra kind to yourself. This is a hard time for everyone. Humans across the world are sharing this experience with you. We are all in
this together and we may all emerge with a renewed appreciation for our interconnectedness. Helping others in need is both critical to get through this well, and also
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creates more purpose to our days and wellbeing. Create new routines and keep practicing health behaviors Routine and ritual are restorative to us. Our brain wants predictable activity so we can relax our vigilant nervous system. Go to bed early and go outside each day to be active. Remember that our activities, thoughts, and mood are closely linked. If you want to change your mood, change your activities and/or your thoughts. Eat well Good nutrition helps our mood. Stress makes us seek comfort foods, and in turn high carbs and sugars impact our mood. Many population-based studies show that a Mediterranean diet has been linked to better mental health and stress resilience, whereas a junk food western diet is linked to depression and anxiety. Try to fill your home with fresh produce, frozen vegetables, and whole foods when possible. Work well enough from home Working from home may be new to you and can have its own challenges, especially in a small home with children. Don't expect to have the same type of productivity as usual. We are all distracted and needing to cope with a different daily life now, while helping others. Reduce your goals for typical work that is not urgent, if possible. Here are some recommendations on how to stay focused and productive during work hours:
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Confine your workspace to a specific clear area in your home so your job doesn’t intrude on your personal needs. Use this same space regularly to work. This will focus your mind and increase your productivity. Control sound. Use noise cancelling headphones or earbuds, or use music or fans to create white noise. End the workday with clear boundaries. Put away electronic devices and work tools at the end of your workday and set clear hours in the day for work. Have a morning or evening checkin with a colleague or supervisor to reduce social isolation and provide structure to your day. Use video communications when you can. Seeing faces provides more social connection and information than just talking.
Read more of this article at www.weill.ucsf.edu
6 Myths About Stress Stress is a part of our lives and there’s no
According to this view, zero
getting around it. But as much as we all
stress makes us happy and
live with it, many of us misunderstand some of the basics about stress and its role in our lives. Why does this matter? Stress has been indicted in many research
healthy. But this is wrong — stress is to the human condition what tension is to the violin string: too little and the music is dull and raspy; too much and the music is shrill or the string snaps.
studies in exacerbating very real physical
Stress in and of itself is not bad (especially
illnesses — everything from heart disease to
in small amounts). So while stress can be
Alzheimer’s disease. Reducing stress can not
the kiss of death or the spice of life, the key is
only help you feel better, but also live a
to understand how best to manage it.
longer, disease-free life.
Managing stress makes us productive and
Let’s look at some of the common myths surrounding stress.
Myth 1: Stress is the same for everybody. Stress is not the same for everybody, nor does everyone experience stress in the same way. Stress is different for each and every one of us. What is stressful for one person may or may not be stressful for another; each of us responds to stress in an entirely different way. For instance, some people may get stressed out paying the monthly bills every month, while for others such a task isn’t stressful at all. Some get stressed out by high pressure at work, while others may thrive on it.
happy, while mismanaging it may hurt us and cause us to fail or become even more stressed.
Myth 3: Stress is everywhere, so you can’t do anything about it. So is the possibility of getting into an automobile accident every time we get into our cars, but we don’t allow that to stop us from driving. You can plan your life so that stress does not overwhelm you. Effective planning involves setting priorities and working on simple problems first, solving them, and then going on to more complex difficulties. When stress is mismanaged, it’s difficult to
Myth 2: Stress is always bad for you.
prioritize. All your problems seem to be equal and stress seems to be everywhere.
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Myth 4: The most popular techniques for
down all the time can all be physical signs of
reducing stress are the best ones.
stress. Feeling overwhelmed, disorganized
No universally effective stress reduction
common mental signs of stress.
and having difficulty concentrating are
techniques exist (although many magazine articles and pop psychology articles claim to know them!). We are all different — our lives are different, our situations are different, and our reactions are different. A comprehensive stress management program tailored to the individual works best. But self-help books that can teach you many of the successful stress management techniques can also be of great help, as long as you stick to the program and practice the techniques daily.
Myth 6: Only major symptoms of stress require attention. This myth assumes that the “minor” symptoms, such as headaches or stomach acid, may be safely ignored. Minor symptoms of stress are the early warnings that your life is getting out of hand and that you need to do a better job of managing stress. If you wait until you start feeling the “major” symptoms of stress (such as a heart attack), it may be too late. Those early warning signs
Myth 5: No symptoms, no stress.
are best listened to earlier rather than later. A change in lifestyle (such as exercising more)
An absence of symptoms does not mean the
to deal with those early warning signs will be
absence of stress. In fact, camouflaging
far less costly (in time and economics) than
symptoms with medication may deprive you
dealing with the effects of not listening to
of the signals you need for reducing the
them.
strain on your physiological and psychological systems.
This article is based upon a similar article, courtesy of the American Psychological
Many of us experience symptoms of stress in
Association. Adapted with permission.
a very physical way, even though stress is a psychological effect. Feeling anxious,
Sourced from www.psychcentral.com. Last
shortness of breath, or simply feeling run
medically reviewed on May 17, 2016
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Resources Do you need help with stress and anxiety? Here are a few reasons why seeing a therapist may help… The therapist is the guide and mentor that can help you find the next steps and learn the skills. Therapy is a great option whether you’re looking for a safe place to sort out your weekly feelings or dealing with something heavier such as grief or trauma. A therapist can help you get to the root of your emotions, learn coping mechanisms, and work through what’s draining you. A therapist can also help you identify what’s feeding your stress, whether it’s internal or external factors. As you work through your issues in therapy, you learn to have a more balanced view: Here’s where I could be better, but here’s where someone else has some responsibility too.
How to identify the right therapist for you… The first step in finding the right therapist for you is to determine if they’re licensed. Non-licensed people can be very good at their jobs, but there’s no real accountability if they do something unethical or damaging. Most counsellors in Malawi should be members of the Malawi Association of Counsellors or the Medical Council of Malawi. Then, determine if they specialize in the aspects you’re looking to work on, whether your stress comes from relationships, family, addiction, or any other issue. If you’re experiencing general stress or you’re not sure of the root cause, there are many generalist therapists as well. The next step is to ensure that you can afford to pay for the number of sessions that you need. Once you’ve checked all those boxes and started meeting with a therapist, ask yourself these three questions: 1. Do you feel that you’re safe and cared for with your therapist? 2. Do you feel that you have a rapport that allows you to be completely honest and not hide? 3. Are you sure they’re not judging you and do you feel that you can be open? If you say yes to all the above, then you should be in good hands. Make use of the list on the next page to find a therapist to help you in your journey towards better mental health.
Tips sourced from www.greatist.com 35 | E s s e n t i a l G r a c e M a g a z i n e
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