Feel under siege? Don't forget you have control
By Mayo Clinic staffOriginal Article: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/stress-blog/MY01168
- With Mayo Clinic oncologist
Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
Edward Creagan, M.D.
"The magic of the electronic village is transforming health information. The mouse and keyboard have extended the stethoscope to the 500 million people now online." — Dr. Edward Creagan
The power of the medium inspires Dr. Edward Creagan as he searches for ways to share Mayo Clinic's vast resources with the general public.
Dr. Creagan, a Newark, N.J., native, is board certified in internal medicine, medical oncology, and hospice medicine and palliative care. He has been with Mayo Clinic since 1973 and in 1999 was president of the staff of Mayo Clinic.
Dr. Creagan, a professor of medical oncology at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, was honored in 1995 with the John and Roma Rouse Professor of Humanism in Medicine Award and in 1992 with the Distinguished Mayo Clinician Award, Mayo's highest recognition. He has been recognized with the American Cancer Society Professorship of Clinical Oncology.
He describes his areas of special interest as "wellness as a bio-psycho-social-spiritual-financial model" and fitness, mind-body connection, aging and burnout.
Dr. Creagan has been an associate medical editor with Mayo Clinic's health information websites and has edited publications and CD-ROMs and reviewed articles.
"We the team of (the website) provide reliable, easy-to-understand health and wellness information so that each of us can have productive, meaningful lives," he says.
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Stress blog
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Jan. 23, 2010
Feel under siege? Don't forget you have control
By Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
I recently returned from some speaking opportunities in Ireland with some powerful observations to share with you. I think you'll be able to relate.
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The importance of taking personal responsibility
My flight from New York City to Shannon, Ireland, was canceled because Ireland was in the grip of one of the coldest weeks in its history. I witnessed the two general reactions travelers have in this type of situation. Some expressed anger, frustration and rage at the airline personnel, even though they obviously weren't at fault.
Others exhibited a quiet acceptance of the inconvenience and respectfully inquired about options and alternatives. In other words, the latter acknowledged that there was nothing they could do about the weather or the flight, but they also understood that they could control their attitude and reaction to this nuisance. They were proactive in looking for solutions. And they certainly seemed a lot happier than the first group.
A good reminder that although we can't control everything that happens in our lives — not financial meltdowns, political decisions or other people's behavior, for example — we can choose how we react to these circumstances.
The importance of unplugging from the techno-wacky world that engulfs us
We're bombarded with messages, phone calls, emails and text messages, and yet our brains aren't much different from those of our ancestors who walked on their knuckles.
We have to remember and respect our limitations.
If we don't find moments of serenity, whether in an airplane or on a quiet walk, our circuits become overloaded and we become exhausted. Constant exposure to demands and expectations increases bloodstream levels of stress-related hormones, such as cortisol, which in turn raises our blood pressure and blood sugar, and blocks our arteries.
We need to chill; we need to unwind. We need time alone to reflect and think. And by the way, we need to recognize that fatigue changes our personalities. When we're jet-lagged, hungry and dehydrated, we have a short fuse and tend to overreact even to the little stuff.
This isn't brain surgery, but sometimes we need to be reminded to take care of ourselves. What did I miss?
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