The document discusses various work and life stressors that can negatively impact mental and physical health, including heavy workloads, family responsibilities, and chronic illness. It also highlights research findings on the effects of stress on brain function and the potential benefits of compassion training, mindfulness, and positive emotional experiences. Additionally, the document emphasizes the importance of emotional well-being and forgiving personality traits in managing stress responses.

1. Jesse Hanson, Clinical Director
Helix Healthcare Group

2. Under Pressure?

3. Work Related Stressors Life Stressors
• Heavy workload or too much
responsibility
• Working long hours
• Unclear expectations of work, or
no say in the decision-making
process
• Being insecure about your
chance for advancement or risk
of termination
• Presentations
• Client demands and
expectations
• Managing family responsibilities
• The death of a loved one
• Divorce
• Loss of a job
• Increase in financial obligations
• Getting married
• Moving to a new home
• Chronic illness or injury
• Emotional problems
• Taking care of a sick or elderly
family member
• Traumatic event

4. Cognitive Emotional
•Negative impact on memory
•Clouds and/or impairs judgment
•Negative thoughts and self-perception
•Difficulty concentrating and organizing
•Increased irritability
•Anger and agitation
•Overwhelmed and inability to relax
•Short temper
•Enhanced Anxiety
•Relationship challenges at home and work
•Ineffective communication
Physical Behavioural
•Digestive and gastrointestinal symptoms
•Increase in frequency and effects of colds
•Rise in heartbeat, cardiac risks
•Poor eating habits
•Decreased motivation for exercise
•Sleep disturbance
•Isolation
•Self-destructive coping behaviours
(smoking, drinking, drugs)
•Nervous habits (e.g. nail biting, pacing)

5. Cortisol can kill, shrink, and
stop the generation of new
neurons in a portion of the
brain called the hippocampus.
Chronic stress can shrink
the medial prefrontal
cortex.
Stress can increase the
size and activity of a
portion of the brain
called the amygdala.
These brain alterations
affect the way we interact,
learn, remember, make
decisions and accomplish
goals.

6. You have a choice

8.  100,000 neuronal phenotypes (different types of
cells).
 85,000,000,000 neurons - the number of
connections between these neurons is 10 to
14th power.
 One cubic millimeter of brain contains 20,000 to
30,000 neurons.
 1 cubic millimeter contains 4 kilometers of nerve
fibers and 10 to the 9th power synapses.
… In other words, there are a potentially
unbounded number of mental states

9. VS
 In 2007, Harvard studied two groups:
One was given the task of playing
piano scales for 2 hours daily for 5
days.
 The other group was given the task of
merely thinking about playing the
exact same piano scales as group one.
They were never to actually play the
scales, just to think about playing
them.
 Scans showed that the same
region of the brain had expanded
in the volunteers who
merely thought about playing in a
disciplined way.

10. Positive: Negative:
Cortisol-based shrinkage of
hippocampus; less capacity
for contextual memory
Concussion, stroke, tumour,
Alzheimer’s
Intoxication: imbalances in
neurotransmitters
More left prefrontal
activation: greater
happiness
Thicker insulina: more self-awareness,
empathy
Small amount of caffeine;
more alertness

11.  A study at the University of Wisconsin-Madison shows that
adults can be trained to be more compassionate.
 Compassion training was compared to a control group that
learned cognitive reappraisal (‘reframing thoughts’).
 The study measured changes in brain responses using functional
MRI before and only 2 weeks after training, at 30 minutes a day.
 In the Compassion group activity was increased in the inferior
parietal cortex, a region involved in empathy.
 It also increased activity in the prefrontal cortex and brain
regions involved in emotion regulation and positive emotions.
Alterations in brain function were observed
after JUST 7 hours of total training.

13. Buddhist word for
Loving-Kindness
(Compassion)

14.  A 2012 study from Harvard Medical School compared mindful
meditation vs compassion meditation.
 In both groups the right amygdala activity decreased in
response to positive or neutral images. In the compassion
meditation group the right amygdala activity increased in
response to negative images.
 This was also correlated with decreased depression scores,
which suggests that having more compassion towards others
may also be beneficial for oneself.

15. Brain scan shows impact of a
mother’s love on a child’s brain

17.  Biochemical changes – Improved hormonal
balance and an increase in production of
DHEA, our ‘anti-aging hormone’.
 Increased positivity – It produces a greater
level of positive feelings, according to
researchers from the University of Miami,
who studied this process in 157 individuals
over 13 days.
 Improved immune system – It increases
the IgA antibody, which serves as the first
line of defense against pathogens.
 Emotional “compound interest” –
Experiencing an emotion reinforces the
neural pathways so it becomes easier to
recreate with continued practice.
Image: Heartmath – Heart Rhythm Monitor

18. In 2000, researchers at the
University of Tennessee studied
the effect of having a forgiving
personality on psychological
and physical stress responses.
To no surprise, “high" forgivers
had a lower resting blood
pressure and smaller increases
in blood pressure than "low"
forgivers.

20. May I be
happy
May I be free
from
suffering
May I be
forgiven
May I be at
peace

23. Book a complimentary
consultation at 416.921.2273 (CARE)
www.helixhealthcaregroup.com