Naturopathic physician and psychotherapist Dr. Maya Nicole Baylac, presents essential strategies for overcoming stress, anxiety and fear. In this presentation Dr. Baylac demonstrates the physiccal and psychological effects of chronic stress and she empowers individuals with skills for making positive lifestyle changes geared toward helping them achieve optimum health. Read the article based on the transcription of this presentation - http://www.hawaiinaturopathicretreat.com/2014/07/the-dynamics-of-stress-anxiety-and-fear-in-modern-society-and-strategies-for-coping/

1. 1. IN OUR CULTURE TODAY, STRESS IS
OFTEN A BADGE OF HONOR.
HOWEVER, FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE
AS A SPECIALIST IN LIFESTYLE
CHANGES, WHAT HEALTH
CONSEQUENCES FROM STRESS HAVE
YOU SEEN ON YOUR PATIENTS?

2. 1. Homeostasis
2. Normal Stress
3. Unresolved Stress
Pleasure, happiness & wellbeing
Caveman story
Single mother

3. CHRONIC
STRESS mental,
physical,
behavioral health
consequences

4. 2. WHY IS CHRONIC STRESS SO BAD
FOR OUR HEALTH?

5. Sympathetic
Dilates pupil
Inhibits flow of saliva
Accelerates heartbeat
Dilates bronchi
Inhibits peristalsis and
secretion
Inhibits bladder contraction
Conversion of glycogen to
glucose
Secretion of adrenaline and
noradrenalin
DISRUPTS NORMAL RESPONSE
TO STRESS
1. PERCEIVED A THREAT
2. SYMPATHETIC REACTION
3. STRESS HORMONES RELEASE
4. THREAT IS RESOLVED (FIGHT
OR FLIGHT)
5. RETURN TO BASELINE
(PARASYMPATHETIC)

6. PROBLEM with CHRONIC
Stress = Feedback Loop
Disruption
Chronic Stress - Phase 1
Chronic cortisol and adrenaline elevation
• Insomnia, trouble falling asleep
• Sustained elevation of blood
sugar, blood pressure and heart
rate
• Weight gain
• Loss of muscle mass
• Loss of calcium from bones
• Decreased brain function
• Low immunity that put us at risk
for infections
• Fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue
• Unhealthy coping mechanism

7. Chronic Stress - Phase 2
Adrenal Fatigue
• The over production of stress
hormones depletes the adrenal
reserves
• The adrenals produce less and
less hormones - creating
imbalance
This stage is called adrenal
fatigue

8. The Symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue
• Allergies
• Depression
• Intractable Fatigue
• Low blood pressure
• Low libido
• Hypoglycemia
• Difficulty losing weight
• Exhausted in the morning and wired at
night
• Cravings for salt and sugar
• Excessive thirst and urination
• Inability to deal with stress
• Fibromyalgia chronic fatigue
• Chronic inflammation

9. 3.(A) DURING OUR TIME TOGETHER IN HAWAII
YOU OFTEN REFERRED TO ANXIETY AND NOT
STRESS. MANY PEOPLE, MYSELF INCLUDED,
WOULD NOT READILY THINK THEY STRUGGLE
WITH ANXIETY.

10. • PEOPLE MASK ANXIETY TO COPE
WITH IT & AVOID FEELING IT
PEOPLE SELF MEDICATE WITH FOOD,
DRUGS, ALCOHOL (EATING
DISORDERS, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE,
ADDICTION)
NEXT: ANXIETY STATISTICS

11. Anxiety
• 40 million people in the U.S. will
experience an impairment
because of an anxiety condition
this year
• Only 4 million will receive
treatment, and of those, only
400,000 will receive proper
treatment.
• Those who experience anxiety
and stress have a very high
propensity for drug abuse and
addictions.

12. 3 (B.) PLEASE DEFINE WHAT ANXIETY IS AND
HOW IT MANIFESTS ITSELF IN A PERSON’S LIFE

13. What is anxiety
Anhedonia
• A lack of pleasure
(cortisol) vs.
experiencing pleasure
(oxytocin)
• Anxiety is perception of
a hostile environment.

14. How it shows up
Symptoms
• Irritability
• Anger
• Impatience
• Worry
• Bad Dreams
Disorders
You life is centered around
manipulating situations to feel
safe - e.g. Phobias, OCD,
PTSD, Social Anxiety, Panic
Attacks

15. 4. WHY DOES SUCH A LARGE NUMBER OF
PEOPLE EXPERIENCE ANXIETY?

16. The Hostile Modern World
• Social vs. biological time
• Overstimulation (and
multitasking)
• Noise & environmental pollution
• Oxidative stress: more free
radicals than antioxidants
• Lack of movement
• Medical conditions
The archaic part of our brain
was designed to resolve
stress not sustain it
COPD, hyperthyroidism,
hypoglycemia, heart
disease: mitral valve
prolapse, endocrine
disorders, sexual disorders

17. 5. FEAR IS ANOTHER CONTRIBUTOR TO
STRESS AND ANXIETY. SOME ARE EASILY
IDENTIFIED. OTHERS MUCH DEEPER AND
CHALLENGING TO UNDERSTAND.
HOW DO YOU HELP PEOPLE DEAL WITH FEAR?

18. FEAR

22. Chronic Stress - no internal resolution

23. The Solution
• Fight, flight and chronic stress is
not the solution;
psychotherapy/mindfulness/medi
tation is
Psychotherapy/mindfulness/
meditation practices
• Learn and utilize exercises to
build trust and love
• Identify and confront your fears
• Reveal the
nature of fear

24. 6. WHEN HELPING SOMEONE MAKE A
LIFESTYLE CHANGE, SOMETHING YOU SEEM
TO DO IS PULL APART AN INDIVIDUAL’S
PERSONAL STORY. WHY ARE THESE STORIES
WE TELL OURSELVES SO DAMAGING TO OUR
WELL-BEING?

25. Definition of mental well-being: happiness!
Because stories recreate Past Traumas & Past Self
Creates image of self as the victim or the hero
Unhealthy coping mechanism for low self-esteem

26. 7. IT SEEMS INSECURITY IS ALWAYS A
SCRIPTWRITER IN OUR PERSONAL STORIES.
NONE OF US LIKE TO BE TOLD WE’RE
INSECURE…BUT HOW DOES A PERSON’S
INSECURITIES HAVE A NEGATIVE EFFECT ON
THEIR HEALTH AND WELL-BEING?

27. “Workers’ responses to the stress of perceived job insecurity in the
shorter term could be emotional (anxiety, tension, dissatisfaction),
physiological (elevated heart rate, increased catecholamine secretion)
and behavioral (drug use, absenteeism, lack of concentration)”
JOB INSECURITY

29. “Whether the success was social or intellectual, whether it related to
the boyfriend’s failure or was just something the woman achieved
independent of anything the boyfriend did, the men still tended to feel
worse about themselves when their girlfriends succeeded”.
SOCIAL GENDER STEREOTYPES - MEN

30. “…like American men, Dutch men who thought about their romantic
partner’s success subconsciously felt worse about themselves than men
who thought about their partner’s failure, according to both studies. They
said they felt fine but the test of implicit self-esteem revealed otherwise.”
SOCIAL GENDER STEREOTYPES - MEN

31. BODY IMAGE MIRROR STUDY
EFFECTS: LOW SELF-ESTEEM
EATING DISORDERS, PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS:
DEPRESSION, SOCIAL ANXIETY
LOW SELF ESTEEM COMPENSATED WITH SUCCESS – HIGH
STRESS
SOLUTIONS: GROUP THERAPY & PSYCHOTHERAPY
SOCIAL GENDER STEREOTYPES - WOMEN

34. 8. IN YOUR PRACTICE, YOU FOCUS ON
LONGEVITY. YOU TALK ABOUT BEING WELL-
DERLY; NOT ELDERLY. GIVE US YOUR KEYS TO
LIVING A LONG AND HAPPY LIFE.

35. A healthy, low-stress
lifestyle
• Healthy nutrition
• Regular physical activity
• Mindfulness
• Social connectivity
• A Sense of humor
• Sex
• Deal with fear
 Avoid Alzheimer, Dementia,
Heart Disease, Diabetes, etc.
 Healthy lifestyle vs. Anti
Aging Medicine: (Hormone
Therapy with Side Effects)

36. The Ultimate Solution
Go to the deeper layer and deal
with fears, insecurities and past
traumas
Make lifestyle changes to eliminate
the crutches

37. 239 Haili St. Hilo HI, 96720
Ph: 808-933-4400
This presentation was presented at the
“Peak Experience” event May 21 – 23, 20
14 at The Omni San Diego Hotel. This ev
ent is widely known as one of the coun
try’s pre- eminent events for entreprene
urial business owners.
Dr. Maya Nicole Baylac was invited as a
special guest by the event host,
Buffini & Company.
This presentation, images and graphics ar
e courtesy of Buffini & Company