How do we achieve emotional health despite stress and alienation in today's challenging world? Dr Antony Kidman AM-- 29 March 2012 Use the hashtag #utspeaks to further the discussion on Twitter. UTSpeaks is an annual free public lecture series presented by UTS experts discussing a range of important issues confronting contemporary Australia.

1. UTSpeaks: Staying Sane
Dr. Antony Kidman AM – 29th March 2012

2. STAYING SANE
Dr Antony Kidman AM
Health Psychology Unit, UTS
UTS SPEAKS

3. HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
Homo
sapiens
200,000 +
years ago
Language,
tool making
Hunter - Gatherer Societies
∨
Herder - Cultivator Societies
∨
Agrarian Civilisations
∨
Industrial - Scientific
Revolution
∨
IT Revolution
C.E.

4.  Work Patterns
 Media
IT REVOLUTION

5. STRESS AND PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGE
STRESSOR
APPRAISAL
ENDOCRINE
CHANGES
AUTONOMIC
NERVOUS
SYSTEM
IMMUNE SYSTEM
CHANGES
Unpleasant symptoms
•Numbness or tingling
•Shaky
•Fear of losing control
•Abdominal
discomfort
•Heart racing
•Perspiring

6. DROWNING IN INFORMATION BUT
STARVED FOR KNOWLEDGE
• Information overload
• The brain: information processing
• On call/privacy
• Computermania
• Planned obsolescence
• The digital divide

7. 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

8. TECHNOLOGY AND FAMILY LIFE
• Techno-cocoons
• Balance: connection and
independence
• Set limits on the use of
technology
• Computer locations
• Unsuitable material for children

9. COGNITIVE BEHAVIOUR THERAPY MODEL
A.
ENVIRONMENT
A series of positive,
neutral and
negative events.
B. THOUGHTS
You interpret the events with
a series of thoughts that
continually flow through
your mind. This is called
‘self-talk’.
C. MOOD
Your feelings are
created by your
thoughts. All
experiences must be
processed through your
brain and given a
conscious meaning
before you experience
emotional response.

10. 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

11. SELF-TALK EXAMPLE
SITUATION NEGATIVE/
IRRATIONAL
THOUGHTS
ERRONEOUS
THINKING/
EMOTION
DISPUTING
RATIONAL
RESPONSE
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.

12. 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

13. 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

14. UTSpeaks: Staying Sane
Dr. Antony Kidman AM – 29th March 2012