Stress Management Techniques Presented by:

Presenters: Ramneek Hoonjan Haesue Jo, LMFT AMSA BetterHelp Professional Development Committee, Education Development Coordinator Haesue Jo, LMFT BetterHelp Community & Clinical Support Manager

What is BetterHelp? Professional online counseling Accessible, affordable, and convenient 2,500 licensed therapists Psychologists (PhD/PsyD) Marriage and family therapists (LMFT) Clinical social workers (LCSW/LMSW) Board licensed professional counselors (LPC) Licensed mental health counselors (LMHC) www.betterhelp.com

Identifying Burnout

Healthcare Provider Burnout Common Themes Exhaustion Existential crises Guilt Grief Anxiety Depression Countertransference https://www.aafp.org/fpm/2015/0900/p42.html

Healthcare Provider Burnout Suicide rate amongst physicians is one of the highest of any profession (higher than military) One doctor dies by suicide in the US every day This is often a result of untreated/undertreated depression Not exclusive to North America Finland, Norway, Australia, Singapore, China, and elsewhere have shown an increase in anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts among medical students and health care professionals These statistics were presented at the American Psychiatric Association 2018 annual meeting

Common concerns of physicians & medical students Lack of work life balance Burnout High demands/expectations Competitiveness Long shifts / lack of sleep More recently: decreased resources & residency positions

How do we recognize burnout early? Burnout, aka Chronic Stress Physical/emotional exhaustion Cynicism and detachment (jaded) Loss of enjoyment, pessimism, isolation, detachment Feelings of ineffectiveness and lack of accomplishment Feelings of apathy/hopelessness, increased irritability, lack of productivity and poor performance Be aware now that it’s a common concern in your profession

How do we recognize burnout early? Things to be mindful of Chronic fatigue Increased illness Insomnia Loss of appetite Forgetfulness Anxiety Physical symptoms Depression Chest pain, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, gastrointestinal pain, dizziness, fainting, headaches Anger

Stress Management Techniques

Dealing with stress as a med student Self-Care Airplane oxygen mask Prevention Socialize, connect with others Remind yourself of what you value in what you are doing Find meaning/satisfaction in all areas of life, not just professional Time management Setting healthy boundaries, set aside break/relaxation time, good sleep hygiene Establishing good habits early on Having a good outlet to destress Exercise, eat well (whole nutritious foods), sleep well, social supports

Importance of reaching out and increasing awareness Isolation can increase symptoms of detachment and hopelessness (which can result in reckless behaviors) Depression & substance abuse increasing in healthcare professionals, and both are occupational hazards Tendency to think you can treat yourself and your concerns Idealmedicalcare.org survey 90% of physicians have been depressed at some point Only 33% pursue any kind of professional intervention Hanging out with friends/family outside of the world of medicine is important!

What can BetterHelp offer? Discrete access to a counselor Convenient scheduling for busy people Professional, licensed therapists that can provide mental health & career counseling Interactive worksheets and concrete strategies to manage stress No cost to find out if it’s right for you

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