Personality Differences and Stress at Work

Personality plays a fundamental role in stress. Each individual on the planet has a unique personality. We call these individual differences, which essentially accounts for the unique characteristics an individual has, with potential consequences to how they interact with their environment.

Personality plays a role in wellbeing. It impacts on how we feel, how positive and optimistic we are, and how we approach stressful situations. How we feel about stress is a unique phenomenon- some people thrive and some people cave. Stress is therefore a subjective experience based on an individual’s perception.

Individual differences play a fundamental role in the choices we make- such as where we choose to work, and what we choose to do. It also plays a role in how we handle stress. Stress is seen as an appraisal of a situation- for instance, how we view the situation we are in matters more than what the situation is. If we appraise the situation as something we cannot handle, then we will feel like we do not have the resources to manage it and will feel stressful. On the other hand, if we view a situation as a challenge, and something we have the potential and resources to overcome, then we will view the situation with ease.

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Burnout or Stress: What’s the Difference?

Stress is an occupational hazard that, over time and if left untreated, can lead to burnout. Stress is on a continuum and is needed to actually get work done. Stress and pressure are two similar dimensions. Stress is needed to get us out of bed. We need a boost of cortisol in the morning just to get us up and going. Stress can also be useful to meet deadlines, which is why some people leave things to the last minute. They may get a kick out of the adrenalin that kicks in. Pressure is a bit of strain. For many, pressure is manageable. Some people strive on stress and actively pursue it, but for others, if stress is too much, and goes on for too long without respite, it can cause a problem.

Chronic or acute stress can cause anxiety disorders and depression. It places pressure on the immune system and can actively deplete serotonin (and other feel-good neurotransmitters), leading to mental illness. Burnout differs to ordinary occupational stress in that it is characterised by three dimensions. These include: exhaustion, cynicism and depersonalisation. While it shares some characteristics with stress, and stress is one of the causes and symptoms of burnout, burnout differs in that it is often prolonged and acute.

Stress at work is on the rise. Its impact is causing great costs to both the organisation and the employee, leading to occupational burnout with potentially grave consequences. Employees affected by burnout display a number of physical and emotional symptoms, such as heart problems, stress response, anxiety, depression and withdrawal from activities. Their performance at work is compromised and the impact also effects family and social life.

Occupational burnout is a psychological syndrome that causes emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation or cynicism and a lack of accomplishment or inefficacy, which is the result of prolonged stress. There are five further costs: physical, emotional, interpersonal, attitudinal and behavioural. Occupational burnout is both an organisational and employee issue. It is linked to lower job satisfaction, higher attrition rates, morale problems and staff turnover. The impacts of burnout cost organisations through loss of employees, rising sickness absence, and even presenteeist behaviour. Burnout compromises an employee’s performance, leading to lowered productivity and further organisational costs. In employees, burnout causes both mental and physical health problems. The causes of with have been linked to office politics, menial tasks that interfere with actual work and job characteristics such as role ambiguity, conflict, work overload and lack of autonomy. Problems with managers are also an issue, as are the lack of reciprocation in the psychological contract.

To summarise, we all need a bit of stress in our lives. Our body needs adrenalin to get us out of sticky situations. It’s the fight or flight mode. Too much stress can cause:

  • Nausea
  • Anxiety and worry
  • Depression
  • Low mood
  • Reduced morale
  • Tension at work
  • Complaining
  • Under productivity

Stress can also lead to burnout, which is characterised by:

  • Acute exhaustion
  • Cynicism
  • Underachieving and lack of productivity
  • Frenetic behaviour
  • Feeling frazzled
  • Chronic fatigue
  • Depression
  • Tearfulness
  • Suicidal ideation

Burnout Research has shown a burnout cycle, whereby employees display certain burnout tendencies and behaviours. They begin with feeling exhausted so engage in presenteeist behaviour, which later leads to exasperated levels of exhaustion. Employees begin to work hard to mediate against the effects of burnout, but in doing so they cause greater exhaustion. Other perspectives centre on employees working hard and long hours, displaying presenteeist behaviours, which leads to further exhaustion, followed by more presenteeism. It’s a chicken and egg phenomenon.

Researchers are on the fence as to what causes it- whether it is situational, individual or both. However, while individual differences, such as personality type and behavioural traits do play a role. Burnout is mostly caused by situational factors, especially situational factors that do not breed the desired result. In fact, the better the worker, the more prone to burnout.

Job demands, such as that discussed in the Job Demands Model, are linked to occupational stress and therefore burnout, which can be mediated by support from family and friends. While burnout was originally researched in the helping or people professions, it is not limited to these professions. Burnout is on the rise in occupations within the so-called square miles, where individuals are becoming deflated by the long hours, lack of organisational commitment and no real sense of purpose. Its impact transcends the organisational impact, and not only impacts on health and wellbeing, but the negative attitudes and loss of feeling caused by exhaustion, coupled with loss of idealism and purpose means that family and social life is affected.

Burnout leads to withdrawal of normal behaviours and pleasures, which further impacts on the wellbeing of the employee. For those in the service-related industry such as teaching, health and social care, it is particularly problematic because it impacts on the wellbeing of patients under the employee’s care. It can lead to decreased performance that impacts on patient care. Likewise, the impact of suffering in patients can affect employees, leading to burnout. Those in mental healthcare are particularly prone due to the embodying nature of their role and use of empathy, with those in longer service exhibiting high rates of burnout. Social workers and psychiatrists are particularly effected, rather than their colleagues, psychologists and support workers, who exhibit less signs overall, which risk a loss of compassion and empathy towards their clients. Outside of healthcare, those working in people faced roles such as teaching and lecturing are also at risk. Journalists working on sensationalised news pieces that deal with violent and traumatic events are also at risk.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have issued a report into stress reduction in the workplace and offered advice for organisations to help reduce stress. This is known as their Management Standards and includes six areas: demand, control, support, relationships, role and change. Their advice is for workplaces to manage these characteristics properly to mediate the effects of organisational stress that can lead to burnout. Healthy working environments, work-life balance and social support are proven mediators against organisational stres

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Resilience: Building a Stronger, Healthier Mindset

Resilience is the ability to bounce back from adversity.

Resilience is an inner strength that helps us overcome trauma and extremely stressful situations.

Resilience is a term used in positive psychology that refers to the ability to overcome from setbacks. What makes resilience different is that the individual usually emerges from the setback or adverse circumstance in much better shape than they were before. Some individuals can get knocked down, but they emerge stronger than they were beforehand. These people are called resilient individuals.

A resilient person will work through challenges drawing on personal resources such as inner strength and other psychological capital such as hope, optimism, and self-efficacy, which is the belief in our ability to succeed.

Relationships play a vital role in harnessing and building resilience. Children that were raised by parents with an authoritative parent style are said to be the most resilient. However, resilience can be developed through life experiences. Authoritative parenting styles display qualities such as warmth and affection, and also give the child the structure and support they need. This is said to create well-rounded individuals. Lopez and Snyder (2009) also found that there are a number of protective factors that make way for the development of resilience and these also include parental educational levels, socio-economic status, and home environment (organised versus disorganised) etc. While these factors may play a fundamental role, there are also occasions where a child has experienced such hardship and adverse poverty and abuse, but have managed to overcome and succeed in life too. Some children are easily able to bounce back from these situations, while other children are not. These children are known to be resilient.

Family plays a fundamental role in the ability to bounce back from adversary. If a child has autonomy and is shown empathy, he or she is more able to recover from the trauma. They have been given the inner resources needed to be resilient. Lack of autonomy and empathy can lead to the child feeling helpless. Children who possess the following traits are more likely to be resilient:

 

  • Good self-image
  • Ability to problem-solve
  • Self-regulation
  • Adaptability
  • Faith
  • Positive outlook on life
  • Useful skills and talents
  • Acceptance by others

Those that are deemed to be resilient tend to have more of a positive attitude and see failure as a learning process.

“Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.”

– Joshua J. Marine

 

One of the major advancements in psychological knowledge is through the work of prominent psychologist, Martin Seligman, on the science of happiness. Seligman was the President of the American Psychological Society in 1998 when his focus changed to positive psychology. He wanted to understand what makes a person or community happy, rather than the focus on the pathological (what makes a person abnormal or mentally unwell). This led to the positive psychology movement, which has expanded globally.

Positive psychology is the study of human wellbeing. Its focus is on what makes an individual flourish and succeed. While it is not limited to positive thinking (it is much more than that), the study looks at how individuals, despite their circumstances, can experience growth, creativity, and optimal wellness. It is defined as the focus on strengths and virtues that allow individuals and communities to thrive and flourish (Gable and Haidt, 2005; Sheldon and King, 2001).

Seligman and his team sought to find out how some individuals flourish and go on to thrive, despite adverse circumstances, and how some people overcome problems to become a much better, more well-rounded, version of who they were before they encountered any traumatic event. There are some individuals that, despite encountering traumatic circumstances, find ways to flourish after the event, while others plunge further into despair. This is called resilience, and it is a key component of the positive psychology movement. Some individuals experience extreme trauma, and while they will initially experience the symptoms associated with trauma such as depression, hypervigilance, insomnia, anxiety, and flashbacks, they go on to recover better. These types of resilient people experience post-traumatic growth.

Seligman was fascinated with resilient individuals and sought to find out what traits they possessed, in order for these traits to be taught to others. Positive Psychology, therefore, focuses on how people can flourish, despite personal traumas, and seeks to teach people the art of being happy.

 

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Mindfulness and Neuroplasticity: What We Know About Mindfulness and the Brain

Mindfulness and positive psychology encompass the notion that we are in
control of our physiological wellbeing through our mindset. Positive psychology is a branch of psychology that focuses on optimal wellness
and flourishing. Along with neuroscience, positive psychology birthed the term neuroplasticity, where we, as individuals, can rewire our thought processes and influence our physiology at a cellular level.

Neuroplasticity essentially refers to the ability we have to rewire our brains to think and feel differently and to increase overall wellbeing. Psychologists used to think the brain and personality were fixed, but we now realise that is incorrect. We can be our own neurosurgeons (neuroplasticians) and change our thinking with our thoughts.

Modern day stress can wreak havoc on our wellbeing, but being able to take control and influence our own thoughts has a positive impact on our bodies. The term epigenetics is a phenomenon whereby we can influence the growth of disorder through negative thinking, and conversely, influence health and wellbeing through positive thinking processes.

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Understanding Complex Trauma and Severe Mental Health Disorders

Complex trauma is particularly challenging for healthcare professionals. It is trauma that has resulted in severe mental health problems. Such trauma is complicated to treat as it usually results in multimorbidity.

Complex trauma may arise when a person has been raped, abused, in a war zone, or the result of coming to a country as a refugee. An example would be a refugee coming to a western nation, having witnessed the grave killing of their parents. The result may be trauma such as PSTD, social anxiety and phobias. Veterans are well-known for having PTSD. What was once known as shell shock (during the first and second world wars), was later renamed as PTSD. The signs and symptoms are flashbacks, nightmares, hypervigilance, trembling and acute anxiety.

PSTD is a very frightening disorder that results in the individual being triggered by certain scenarios. It can be a bright light, a loud noise, or even a smell. The trigger makes the person have a flashback that causes shaking, trembling, and a feeling like they are reliving the traumatic situation as if it is real. During a flashback, the individual will need to do grounding techniques to bring them back to the present. It is important to remember that a person can suffer from both PTSD, another mental health disorder, and a physical health problem at the same time. An example would be an individual who was gang raped. They may present with PTSD, social anxiety, and have physical health problems and a disability as a result of the traumatic incident.

Treatment Resistant Depression

Treatment-resistant depression, as the name suggests, is a type of clinical depression that does not respond to psychiatric medication. The depression may be resistant to psychological therapies too. This type of depression is complex. It can be debilitating for the individual. If traditional antidepressants do not work, then the individual’s doctor may also prescribe other medication. Controversial treatments such as electric shock therapy (now called electroconvulsive therapy) may also help, but as you can imagine, this technique comes with a lot of backlash.

Catatonia

Catatonia is by far one of the most disturbing mental illnesses. It can be very frightening for loved ones to witness. Catatonia is when the body becomes rigidly still, like a statue, and does not move. An individual with catatonia may not respond to any outside stimuli. They may look rigid, or become incoherent, with a lack of verbal response. They may also develop a stupor, become mute, repeat other people’s words or actions repetitively, and become agitated. Catatonia can become potentially life threatening, so urgent treatment is needed. It is not exactly known what causes the disorder, but psychiatric and psychological help are needed. Treatment is then tailored to the individual. Usually benzodiazepam, tricyclic antidepressants, or muscle relaxants are used. Psychological therapies can help identify triggers.

As you can imagine, a person presenting with any one of these complex mental health disorders may feel debilitated by their symptoms. It can also pose challenging to loved ones and interfere with the normal functioning of everyday tasks. People with complex mental health disorders may spend time outside of the workplace while recovering.

With the right support, however, a person can go on to live a full

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Work Health and Safety Regulation 2017: An Overview for Occupational Physicians and Healthcare Professionals in Australia

The Work Health and Safety Regulation 2017 (WHS Regulation 2017) is a key legislative framework in Australia designed to ensure the health and safety of workers. It provides detailed guidelines that enforce the obligations of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (WHS Act). Occupational and environmental doctors, as well as any professional working in an occupational health, safety, or wellbeing capacity in Australia, should understand the key features of the legislation and keep up-to-date with changes in the law.  Understanding these regulations is essential to promoting workplace safety and compliance with national standards.

WHS 2017 Key Features

There are a number of key features of the WHS Regulation 2017. These include risk management, duties of officers and workers, health monitoring, incident notification and response, and workplace training and competency.

The legislation emphasises a proactive approach to workplace safety through effective risk management. Employers must identify potential hazards, assess risks, and implement control measures to prevent harm. This includes risks related to chemical exposure, hazardous substances, and manual handling tasks, all of which are key concerns within occupational and environmental medicine.

The regulation outlines specific duties for both employers (referred to as Persons Conducting a Business or Undertaking or PCBUs) and workers. PCBUs are required to ensure a safe working environment by adhering to safety protocols, conducting regular risk assessments, and maintaining communication with workers. Workers are also obligated to take reasonable care for their safety and that of others. PCBUs must report certain workplace incidents, such as serious injuries or dangerous occurrences, to relevant authorities. This also aligns with the role of occupational and environmental doctors in investigating workplace incidents and guiding return-to-work programs for injured workers.

For occupations involving exposure to hazardous substances, the WHS Regulation mandates health monitoring. Occupational and environmental doctors play a critical role in conducting assessments for workers exposed to lead, asbestos, and chemicals such as hazardous solvents or pesticides. Monitoring must be carried out regularly to detect any early signs of occupational disease.

Ensuring that workers have the appropriate training and competence is a core requirement under the regulation. Occupational and environmental doctors can assist by advising on job-specific health risks and developing educational programs to improve awareness of safe practices.

Latest Update to the WHS Regulation 2017

In 2023, a significant amendment was made to the WHS Regulation 2017 in response to evolving workplace health risks and new safety research. The major update included psychosocial hazards and risks, silica dust control, and Covid-19-related changes.

Psychosocial risks, including mental health challenges stemming from workplace bullying, stress, and fatigue, are also one of the latest changes. Occupational and environmental doctors should be aware of the requirements for managing psychosocial hazards and advising employers on preventive strategies.

With an increased focus on silica exposure, the update also strengthens regulations on industries where workers are at risk of exposure to respirable crystalline silica (RCS), such as construction and manufacturing. Occupational and environmental doctors should conduct regular health assessments for affected workers and recommend appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) and workplace controls, while liaising with organisations where there is greater risk of exposure.

Finally, the update centres on provisions for managing infectious diseases, particularly regarding hygiene protocols and vaccinations following the pandemic. These include enhanced guidelines for preventing the spread of airborne pathogens in high-risk settings, such as healthcare facilities.

Occupational and environmental doctors should integrate the principles of the WHS Regulation 2017 into their daily practices by conducting risk assessments, monitoring health through health surveillance, advising on safe return-to-work programs, and supporting mental health initiatives. The Work Health and Safety Regulation 2017, along with its latest updates, continues to shape workplace safety standards in Australia. Occupational and environmental doctors, as well as allied health professionals, insurers, and organisations, play a critical role in interpreting and applying these regulations to improve the health and wellbeing of workers across industries. By staying informed of regulatory changes and embracing a proactive approach to workplace health, we can contribute to safer and healthier working environments.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: What Is It?

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is an acute stress reaction after experiencing a traumatic event. Events could be a violent attack, a car accident, witnessing wars, famines, and other tragedies.

PTSD is especially common in war veterans, and, as such, there’s a great deal of support for those returning military professionals. PTSD is characterised by anxiety, depression, nightmares, trembling, hypervigilance, triggers that set off flashbacks, and flashbacks that feel like the trauma is happening again in real time. Those with PTSD are taught grounding techniques, and they will go on to get trauma-focused counselling from a highly trained practitioner.

People with PTSD present with a number of symptoms. The most commonly known are hypervigilance and flashbacks. People with PTSD often relive the traumatic event through distressing memories, flashbacks, nightmares, or intrusive thoughts. These experiences can be vivid and intense, causing extreme emotional distress.

Flashbacks will feel like a person is reliving the traumatic event in reality. It can be very unsettling for a person and they may become overwhelmed with emotion. Flashbacks appear so real that a person sees, feels, hears and smells the things they did at the initial trauma.

 Individuals with PTSD may try to avoid reminders of the trauma. They may avoid certain places, people, or activities, and may also experience emotional numbness, which can manifest as feeling detached from others or unable to experience positive emotions.

Because a person has went through such a traumatic time, they may avoid situations that remind themselves of the event. They may stop going out, hiding away at home, fearing that they will be attacked if they leave the safety of their home. Avoidance can be very limiting for a person with PTSD and can actually reinforce the symptoms in the long run.

Those with PTSD can be constantly on edge. They may be easily startled, have trouble sleeping, experience irritability, and have difficulty concentrating. This heightened state of arousal can be exhausting and makes it challenging to function normally. Hyperarousal is also known as hypervigilance and can leave a person on edge, always on their guard for the next unsettling event.

Individuals with PTSD may have persistent negative thoughts and feelings about themselves or the world. They may blame themselves for the traumatic event and lose interest in previously enjoyed activities. Those with PTSD will present with low mood and anxiety. They may also experience insomnia as a result of the mood changes.

To be diagnosed with PTSD, these symptoms must persist for at least one month and cause significant impairment in daily life, including work, relationships, and overall well-being.

Treatment for PTSD typically involves psychotherapy (talk therapy), medication, or a combination of both. Effective therapies for PTSD include Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and exposure therapy. Medications, such as antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs, can help manage some symptoms. We will be discussing more on this later.

A bit About Growth

In the US army, where many of the 1.1 million employees may suffer trauma, it is also relatively common for some to experience post-traumatic growth. They become better people after the traumatic event than what they were before the event. On one end of the spectrum are people that experience PTSD symptoms, anxiety, depression, and even suicide, then in the middle there are those that experience PTSD and then recover returning to normal after a month or so, then there are those people that experience all the symptoms of trauma, but then eventually recover better than what they were before the traumatic event. So, while PTSD can be a consequence of such trauma, doing better than ever is also something that may happen.

Personality Types and Stress

Type A behaviour has been discussed a lot. It is a personality type whose behaviour consists of high energy, go-getting, frenetic, hostility and time-urgency. These are the people who get things done; they’re driven and want to succeed.

There has been a long-standing association between Type A behaviour and stress, which poses a risk of burnout. Those with a Type A personality may be more prone to stress, not only from their composition of behavioural traits, but from their choice of profession too. They may actively choose professions that are known to be high stress jobs because these roles offer the challenges they need based on their personality type. Those with Type A personality often report higher levels of stress and are not as satisfied in their role, but because of their composition of traits, they may be better at certain professions than those with Type B personality (more laid-back, easy-going, less prone to stress, and more open to a relaxed profession). Different working conditions may also actively change a person’s personality, showing the transaction between work and individual is a fluid one. How an individual appraises their circumstances is also linked to whether they are Type A or Type B.

Along with Type A personality, locus of control, has also shown enhanced risk of stress. Locus of control attests to where an individual attributes control (externally or internally). Those with an external locus of control, known as external attribution error, will perceive their situation as being outside their control. Those with internal locus of control realise they are in control of their situation. Employees that have Type A behavioural traits and external locus of control are at risk of higher levels of stress and is linked to perceived levels of quantitative overload, which impact on their personal wellbeing and job satisfaction. External locus of control alone has been shown to have the greatest risk of perceived stress.

In one study on Type A personality and burnout, no association between Type A and exhaustion was found, but the authors acknowledged that this may be due to the fact that Type A personality has separate dimensions: the achievement striving type and the irritability/anger type that are associated with different responses. However, the association between Type A Personality and exhaustion has been found in multiple other studies ) linking this to their strong inner drive and they created more stress through increasing the amount of work they do. Type A behaviour also increases the impact of work overload and role conflict , meaning greater risk of burnout and has been linked to a number of health compromises, such as tension, more illness, coronary heart disease and other physical and emotional issues.

Type D Personality and Burnout

Another personality type associated with burnout is the Type D personality. Those with Type D are prone to worry, irritability and have a negative and gloomy outlook. They also tend to hold themselves back, through their reticent, reserved nature. They are known to have negative affectivity and social inhibition. Due to their worrying nature and negative outlook, they are prone to illness, with many studies showing an association to burnout that can be mediated through exercise.

In a study on health care professionals, Karadag et al (2016) found an association between Type D personality and the burnout components: emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation. Although, given the nature of working in healthcare, it is difficult to know whether personality pre-determined the risk of burnout, or whether the personality had changed due to the nature of the work. Those with Type D personality were found to have passive and maladaptive coping that places them at greater risk. Type D personality has been found to be a vulnerable personality, five times more susceptible to burnout, in a study on nurses.

Overall, personality types and the behavioural traits that can encompass them, have a direct association to stress and possibly burnout, meaning moderating the behavioural traits is important.

Consequences of Childhood Abuse and Neglect in Adulthood

Things that happen in childhood can have devastating consequences, long term effects lasting well into adulthood. As occupational medicine deals with the working lives of people, practitioners need to be aware that people have pasts.

There are certainly a number of consequences of childhood abuse. These include emotional difficulties, mood disorders, personality disorders, unhealthy coping skills, relationship and intimacy problems and a sense of seeing the world as a place to be feared.

The long-term consequences of child abuse and neglect can be both chronic and debilitating. This is especially so when there has been chronic maltreatment, which is a recurrence of maltreatment over a prolonged period. Studies have shown that this can lead to worse outcomes than single episodes of maltreatment and abuse. However, for many survivors of abuse, they have often been exposed to more than one type of abuse. They may also be exposed to poly-victimisation, such as bullying by their peers. Those that have experienced poly-victimisation and abuse tend to have worse outcomes than those that have had a single episode of abuse. That said, any type of abuse, whether it is chronic or single, can leave lasting trauma for its survivor.

One of the worst consequences of abuse is complex trauma. This refers to traumatic symptoms that encompass multiple disorders and adverse experiences. A person may have Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and depression and anxiety. They may also develop agoraphobia, which is a fear of leaving their safe space (usually their home). There are complex trauma services to help survivors of abuse or maltreatment and they offer highly specialised trauma-focused therapy.

Other factors that impact on survivors of abuse include:

· The age of the individual when they experienced the abuse

· The developmental stage they were at at the time of maltreatment

· The severity of the abuse

· Type or types of abuse

· Survivors perception of the abuse: do they self-blame, feel shame, were blamed by others?

· The relationship the survivor had with their abuser

· How the abuse was discovered

· Protective factors for the child. Do they have family or peer support?

· Whether they have therapy to help

While most survivors of abuse do not go on to abuse others (i.e. their own children), those that were abused as children are at increased risk of abusing others, and of being abused again themselves. The former is known as intergenerational abuse and the latter is known as re-victimisation.

Studies have suggested that those who were abused as children are more likely to be abused as adults. Women, in particular, are at risk of re-victimisation. Studies also suggested that those who were abused as children had a higher risk of experiencing sexual assault and abuse, stalking or kidnapping and having a friend murdered or commit suicide. Those that were abused or witnessed domestic violence as children were more likely to experience low self-esteem, which is a risk factor in being the victim of violence. They may also think that violence is a normal response to conflict.

Adults that have experienced childhood maltreatment are also at increased risk of physical health problems such as diabetes, headaches, gynaecological problems, hepatitis, heart disease, arthritis, gastrointestinal problems, and stroke. There may also be neurological and musculoskeletal problems too. The reasoning for these poor health outcomes is unknown, but some researchers have speculated that it is a result of stress compromising the immune system or that adult survivors engage in risky behaviours and may make poor health choices.

It goes without saying that poor mental health is a consequence of child abuse and maltreatment. A wide range of mental health disorders have been associated with childhood abuse, and these include PTSD, ADHD, personality disorders, anxiety and depression, dissociative disorders and psychosis. Depression is seen to be the most likely outcome, but many survivors also experience PTSD.

There is a lot of evidence highlighting the link between suicidal behaviour (attempts and ideation) and childhood abuse. Both eating disorders and obesity are also common amongst those that have been abused. Alcohol and substance abuse are also problematic and may be linked to self-medicating and unhealthy coping skills.

Aggression, violence and criminal behaviour are other consequences of childhood abuse, with anti-social personality disorder being a possible psychiatric issue. One issue is that those that witnessed family violence may also use violence to handle conflict, thinking this is normal behaviour. High-risk sexual behaviour is another issue, with many of those that experienced childhood abuse at greater risk of promiscuity. Issues around passiveness, feeling unworthy and needing affection and acceptance may be linked to high-risk sexual behaviours. Those that were abused as children are also more likely to be homeless. They may have difficulties securing employment and have poor academic achievement, as well as worse mental health outcomes that leave it difficult to lead a stable, functioning life.

Neurological changes to the brain at key developmental stages can be linked to worse health outcomes later in life. A child is highly vulnerable, not least because they are young and scared, but because this is a time of great brain development. Neural pathways are being developed and the child is learning key things about the world that will form the lens they see the future with.

Some scientists have looked into the neurological changes in the brain of those that have experienced abuse. Several brain regions have two periods of key sensitivity; one in early childhood and one during puberty. It is said that ‘the brain wires itself up for adulthood based on experience in childhood.’ The amygdala, the emotional capital of the brain, has shown heightened vigilance to stress in EEGs. There are also structural differences in the brain between those who have been abused and those that have not, including a smaller sized hippocampus; the memory processing part of the brain. Various other changes can be seen, for instance, in the reduction of grey matter associated with those that have experienced verbal abuse.

As you have read, there can be lasting changes for those that are survivors of abuse. Those working with individuals with mental health disorders that have a history of past abuse should take account of this when helping them find work or vocations. Measures need to be put in place to help those that are experiencing trauma manage their symptoms.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: An Overview

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is also known as ACT and is an approach to counselling that was originally developed in the early 1980s by Steven C. Hayes. It rose to prominence in the early 2000s when Hayes collaborated with Kelly G. Wilson and Kirk Strosahl.

ACT seeks to help clients transform their relationship with difficult thoughts and emotions through the acceptance of these and emotions. ACT sees these thoughts and emotions as being a normal part of life for much of the time, and, rather than avoiding them, clients should show compassion and allow the thoughts to pass freely. It is avoidance of these thoughts and feelings that is the problem, not the thoughts and feelings themself. Clients present to counselling with issues because they are avoiding the difficult thoughts and emotions, and by suppressing difficult thoughts and emotions, they only make them worse.

Have you ever tried not to think of a pink elephant? What do you see? A pink elephant!
ACT is based on this premise. The more we try to NOT think of something, the more powerful it can become in our minds. ACT practitioners do not seek to eliminate or change a client’s thoughts or emotions, but instead seek to help the client view these thoughts and emotions for what they are – pieces of language and transient psychological events, not external “truths”.

“Unlike more traditional cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) approaches, ACT does not seek to change the form or frequency of people’s unwanted thoughts and emotions. Rather, the principal goal of ACT is to cultivate psychological flexibility, which refers to the ability to contact the present moment, and based on what the situation affords, to change or persist with behaviour in accordance with one’s personal values. To put it another way, ACT focuses on helping people to live more rewarding lives even in the presence of undesirable thoughts, emotions, and sensations.”-(Flaxman, Blackledge & Bond, 2011, p. vii).

 ACT practitioners encourage clients to approach problematic thoughts and beliefs and to be psychologically flexible, mindful and open. They use a range of mindfulness and acceptance-based strategies that also borrow from both cognitive and behavioural therapy approaches, and focus on a two-pronged approach: 1) helping clients develop acceptance of any unwanted thoughts and emotions and 2) committing to taking action towards living a valued life.

The basic principles of ACT

There are a number of causes of psychological distress, as suggested by the ACT model. Cognitive fusion is a term used in ACT that refers to when an individual allows their thought processes to have an excessive influence over their behaviour. The individual becomes so caught up that they become disconnected from the present moment.

During a state of cognitive fusion, a thought can seem like it is a fact and that you must obey it. Some people feel that they need to get rid of these thoughts or emotions straight away and that they command their immediate attention. Cognitive fusion is problematic because it prevents the individual living in the here and now and experiencing the present moment.

The term, experiential avoidance is used to refer to the process of engaging in strategies of avoidance and, while these strategies are effective in the short-term, they restrict an individual’s choices and usually lead to reinforcement of these problematic thoughts in the long-term. The more a person focuses on avoiding their thoughts and feelings, the more restricted their life becomes. Similarly, when a person focuses on avoiding these negative thoughts, they remove their focus from enjoying the present moment. The more energy being used on getting rid of these negative thoughts, the less energy they have for focusing on personal inner experiences and the world around them. The more energy spent on being fused, the less they have for being psychologically present. When individuals are psychologically fused, they focus too much on the past (ruminating) or the future (worrying). The goal of ACT is therefore to help clients improve their psychological flexibility so that they can be psychologically present and enjoy the moment.

The Six Core Therapeutic Processes According to ACT

The six core psychological processes that help people increase their flexibility are known as the ACT Helaflex and include the following:
  • Cognitive Defusion.
  • Acceptance
  • Contact with the present moment
  • Values
  • Committed Action
  • Self as Concept

Cognitive Defusion

Cognitive Defusion is also simply known as defusion and is the process of learning to detach ourselves from our thought processes. We simply observe them for what they are- transient private events that stream through our consciousness and are ever-changing. When an individual is defused from their thought processes, they are no longer controlled by them and do not get caught up in trying to change or control them.

Acceptance

This is the process of opening oneself up and also allowing room for unpleasant feelings, sensations and urges. This means the individual does not struggle with these unpleasant private events, but, instead, begins to accept them as a normal part of life. By releasing oneself from battling these unhelpful thoughts, the individual goes on to free themselves to enjoy the present moment.

Contact with the present moment

In this process, the individual becomes “psychologically present” and brings their full attention to the here and now. Because we have the ability to think about the past and the future, this can sometimes make it difficult to stay present in the current moment. Staying present in the moment is imperative to enjoying life.

Values

Therapists help clients identify their values, for instance, what is important to them. This is a central component of ACT and it assists the client to highlights things that are important and meaningful to them. It focuses on helping a client live out a truly authentic life.

 Committed action

Once the client has identified what is important to them (i.e. through identifying their values), they can then make steps towards living out these values, even in the face of unpleasant thoughts and emotions. Behavioural interventions such as goal setting, exposure, behavioural activation and skills training are used to help the clients take positive steps.

Self-as-context 

This is also known as pure awareness or the observing self, and creates a distinction between the observing self and the thinking self. The thinking self refers to the self that generates thoughts, beliefs, memories and judgements, whereas the observing self is the self that is aware of what we think, feel, sense and do. When we are aware of the observing self, we are able to step back and be mindful, thus separating ourselves from the thoughts, beliefs and memories that we have.

Each of these processes contribute to psychological flexibility.

The aim of ACT is to increase our psychological flexibility by using the above processes. The greater our ability to be full conscious and mindful, the better we are at tackling life’s problems and challenges. By embracing life, we become filled with vitality, which is a sense of being fully alive and embracing the present moment.

The six core components of the Helaflex are split into three types of functions. Both acceptance and defusion focus on separating thoughts and feelings, seeing them for what they are- just thoughts and feelings, and allowing them to come and go on their own accord. Values and committed action involve facilitating growth and directing the individual towards living out their authentic goals. While, self-as-context, and contacting the present moment are focused on making contact with the verbal and non-verbal aspects of the here and now. The psychological flexibility can be summed up as “be present, open up, and do what matters” and the ACT acronym is very useful for helping clients do this.

  •  A- Accept your thoughts and feelings
  • C- Choose a valued direction
  • T- Take action
Essentially, we must encourage clients to accept what is out of our personal control and take action to make positive changes that align with the client’s values.  “ACT is not about trying to reduce, avoid, eliminate, or control these thoughts and feelings. It’s about reducing their impact and influence over behaviour in order to facilitate valued living” (Harris, 2009, p. 61).
 
ACT in a Nutshell
The ACT in a nutshell exercise is a metaphor used to demonstrate the psychological processes underlying a client’s suffering and how ACT works. The therapist’s role here is to understand the psychological fusion that affects the client’s ability to be present and in the moment. When using any of the hexaflexercise techniques or metaphors, it is important to take the time to master them and also practise reading them allowed. Sharing these techniques often requires a slow, soothing voice. Recording and listening back can be very helpful here.