UTSpeaks: Staying SaneDr. Antony Kidman AM – 29th March 2012

STAYING SANEDr Antony Kidman AM Health Psychology Unit, UTS

UTS SPEAKS

HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

Homo sapiens200,000 + years agoLanguage, tool making

Hunter - Gatherer Societies

∨Herder - Cultivator

Societies∨

Agrarian Civilisations∨

Industrial - Scientific Revolution

∨IT Revolution

C.E.

Work Patterns

Media

IT REVOLUTIO

N

STRESS AND PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGE

STRESSOR

APPRAISAL

ENDOCRINE CHANGES

AUTONOMICNERVOUS SYSTEMIMMUNE

SYSTEMCHANGESUnpleasant symptoms

•Numbness or tingling•Shaky•Fear of losing control

•Abdominal discomfort•Heart racing•Perspiring

DROWNING IN INFORMATION BUT STARVED FOR KNOWLEDGE

•Information overload•The brain: information

processing•On call/privacy•Computermania•Planned obsolescence•The digital divide

HOW TO MANAGE TECHNOSTRESS AND

INFORMATION OVERLOAD•Be ruthless and cull unnecessary

reading material•Limit your internet time and email

time•Delete unwanted emails rapidly•Choose the right equipment /seek

advice•Take technobreaks

TECHNOLOGY AND FAMILY LIFE

•Techno-cocoons•Balance: connection and independence• Set limits on the use of technology• Computer locations• Unsuitable material for children

COGNITIVE BEHAVIOUR THERAPY MODEL

A. ENVIRONMENTA series of positive, neutral and negative events.

B. THOUGHTSYou interpret the events with a series of thoughts that continually flow through your mind. This is called ‘self-talk’.

C. MOODYour feelings are created by your thoughts. All experiences must be processed through your brain and given a conscious meaning before you experience emotional response.

THINKING ABOUT YOUR THINKING

Erroneous thinking•Catastrophising

•All or nothing thinking

•Mind reading

•Irrational beliefs

•Secondary disturbance

Correcting erroneous

thinking

•Self-talk

•Mindfulness

•Change “Shoulds” or

“Musts” to strong preferences

SELF-TALK EXAMPLE

SITUATION NEGATIVE/IRRATIONAL THOUGHTS

ERRONEOUSTHINKING/EMOTION

DISPUTING RATIONALRESPONSE

Saw suicide bomb devastation on TV.

The world is headed for disaster and we will all be destroyed.

‘All or nothing’ thinking ↓Anger and depression

People die in terrorist bombings but still most of us are at virtually no risk in developed countries. I will do what I can to avoid it.

Woke up thinking I will be depressed forever.

I’ll never get better and the future is hopeless.

Catastrophising ↓Depression

I have become better in the past and will again. I will prepare a TO DO TODAY list and call up several friends.

BEHAVIOUR THERAPY

•Scheduling pleasant events

•Planning /record keeping

•Relaxation techniques

•Shame attacking behaviour• Re-enforcement

•Assertion•Humour•In vivo exposure

(public speaking)

•Physical activity

•Taking breaks

EMOTIONAL HEALTH GUIDE LINES

• Self-direction/Flexibility• High frustration tolerance• Acceptance of uncertainty• Absorbing activities/pleasant events• Enlightened self-interest/social

interest• Risk-taking• Responsibility• Opinion of others• Unconditional acceptance

UTSpeaks: Staying SaneDr. Antony Kidman AM – 29th March 2012