The key to coping with stress is found in the process we call stress enhancement. This process means we react to changes and challenges in our lives in ways that maximize positive emotions, motivations, and outcomes. We do so by learning to control only what we can: our thoughts and actions. Stress enhancement uses negative events to motivate us to take positive actions. We will fail if we react to negative events by avoiding, denying, or trying to control events that bring us problems and stress. Satisfactory living means attacking our stressors to produce positive results out of negative events.

Stress enhancement means stress should not be seen as something harmful and threatening that we should avoid. Stress enhancement is the opposite of stress avoidance. Stress can be used to promote psychological health and growth. The energy from stress can be diverted into positive channels, facilitating better performance, relationships, self-esteem, and general lifestyle. Stress is crucial in preparing us to adapt better to many situations.  Stress allows us to increase our focus, prepare more efficiently, and give our best in a variety of situations.

Welcome

The Psychology Department at King's College, Wilkes-Barre, PA (USA) http://www.kings.edu/Academics/majors/psychology/ sponsored a UNAI teleconference on April 18th, 2011 to discuss psychological stress and global mental health. This blog is devoted to continuing that discussion. We invite comments on all aspects of stress and how psychology can play a role in enhancing mental health.

Among the questions raised during our teleconferenced discussion were: How do people cope with stress from environmental threats? How does one deal with stigma attached to mental illness? How does one find help for emotional issues? Can stress, anxiety, or depression be treated without relying on psychiatric medication? What about moving to another country? Should one maintain traditions, language, and habits, or seek total assimilation into the adopted country?

Our teleconference reminded us that psychological stress is common to all peoples, and the anxiety, fear, and depression that can result from stress are universal human emotions. No matter what our culture, we must confront these emotions or our psychological health will suffer.

Psychology faculty at King's College have focused on several aspects of stress, and summaries can be found at http://www.subtlesuicide.com/  We hope to be able to partner with other academic institutions, and develop some inter-cultural research projects. We will also encourage our students to use this blog to engage their peers at other institutions in discussion of stress and other psychological issues.