STRESS MANAGEMENT - A social perspective for Retirees

STRESS MANAGEMENT AFTER RETIREMENT - Part of a lecture series for Retired Teachers in Nigeria. Lecture presented and delivered by Olumide Oyekunle (B.sc. Sociology)

STRESS – WHAT IT IS AND WHAT IT’S NOT

•       Stress is not a biological condition, it is the consequence of our inability to adjust to the strains of life encountered in our day to day activities or inactivity.

•       Men are more prone to having stress than women.

•       Stress is a social fact.

•       Stress is not a bad thing, it is normal and necessary for life.

•       It is the response to social stimuli

•       The maladjustment encountered in trying to cope with such circumstances causes distress.

•      SOCIETY AND YOU

•       Stress is induced

•       How does the society or social expectations affect you after retirement?

•       List the various types of expectation as a

•       Mother

•       Father

•       Grandparent

•       Elder/Religious leader

•       Member of a community e.g. Landlord Association

•       Pensioner/Retiree

•       Entrepreneur

•       When roles become ambiguous, role conflict is inevitable

STRAINS TO SOCIAL EXPECTATIONS

•       Such strains which deter us from meeting up with the expectations of the family and community include; Time, Money, Health,

•       When it becomes evident that the wave of social expectation cannot be achieved, the thought process becomes altered which, eventually manifest in health problems that develops later in old age.

•       All social expectations are desirable to fulfill, but not all can be fulfilled. Know your limitations. Be wise.

•     WEIGHTS THAT PULL DOWN RETIREES

•      Carry-overs of Life. Everyone has one or more carry-overs. By carry-overs, we mean those things which we were unable to achieve or complete. They include such projects and commitments which stick to us probably because we accumulated much or we didn’t start early or that we arrived late when others had gone ahead. Go ahead and list them.

•      We need to realize that there is no man or woman without a carry-over. It varies. It shouldn’t be a source of concern but a reflection that you are human and not God.

•      Over-commitment: It is essential as individuals to be committed to a course or an organization. However, when our energetic pursuits cause physical strains and emotional imbalance, there is the need to take caution. Our body is structured to work and unfortunately, the major cause of stress for Retirees is the thought of not working and the social reality of life after retirement.

•      Financial Realities as defined by the rate of social commitment. If commitments are much, financial strains set in causing anxiety.

•      Cultural expectations

•     HYPODERMIC EFFECT

•      Information we receive into our brains from the world around us are like a syringe which penetrates into our body causing a wave of reactions either positive or negative.

•      Many stress related health conditions such as hypertension and high blood pressure are the outcome of negative information we receive. The most common are the Radio and T.V. (e.g. Gbankogbi) Others peculiar to Retirees are the anticipation of Pension payment, the death of a fellow Pensioner and so on.

•      How you perceive yourself in relation to others’ successes either creates a feeling of joy, envy and low self-esteem. The individual perceives his/herself as an under-achiever, and a failure.

•      The psychological effect of this social perception of our individual situation manifests in the form of frustration, conflict, loss of appetite or desire.

•      See yourself in yourself and not others in yourself.

•      YOU CAN OVERCOME STRESS AFTER RETIREMENT – HOW?

•      Attach yourself to a significant reference point

•      Run away from isolation

•      The burden of over-commitment must be shed. Write down the list of most significant commitments and rank them.

•      Do what you can and don’t brood about what you can’t.

•      Avoid putting all your eggs in one basket.

•      OTHER STRESS REDUCTION TIPS

•      Plan and schedule your time

•      Attach yourself to what makes you laugh e.g. comedy programmes. And not horrific news or programmes that causes hysteria, induces fear and causes anxiety.

•      Avoid strive, malice and learn to forgive

•      Share your experience with others. It brings relief and strengthens the mind.

•      Reflect on your successes and don’t brood on your shortcomings.

•      Keep fit, Play and relax and don’t  allow your thought process to inform you that you are old. It dampens moral, increases the aging process and makes us inactive.

•      Live your life as it comes.

•      Always keep hope alive

•      Health is wealth. Don’t ignore your body, go for check up regularly.

•      TEACHERS’ PERSONALTY SET UP – A DILEMMA IN RETIREMENT?

•      Over the years, the totality of an average Teacher’s conduct of behaviour is shaped by the nature of their work and by the roles they performed.

•      Disciplinarian, Authoritarian, Orator, Fearless, Utilitarian, Perfectionist, Model, Mentor, Speaker, Etc.

•      During our early stages of parenting and teaching, many of these attributes in our personality set-up are well bolted, for instance, in our 30s and 40s.

•      Given that the Teaching profession operates in a formal setting, Teachers effectively exhibit such attributes with utmost delight, there is obedience to authority and respect.

•      The staff room becomes a fortress and a platform for friendship

•      Outside the school system, the line of authority as a parent or grandparent is informal.

•      Scolding, beating, shouting etc. have significant effects on our mental state and health.

•      Attempting to change things or effect obedience by exerting our energy rather than applying subtle wisdom, experience and knowledge is a major cause of stress for the elders.

•      Retirees can reduce the risk of stress caused by the strains in their personality, age and setting (in this case informal) by mentoring, praying, hoping, believing, advising, and accepting the fact that in as much as you are willing to everything and ensure discipline, morality and the inculcation of your values, Retirees must recognize that you can do what you can do,

•      “SHAMING THE SHAME CULTURE” AND OVERCOME STRESS

•      Shame culture stems out of the traits, habits or characters which has some form of social disapproval, or stereotype or more importantly our inability to effectively fulfill certain functions in our socially constructed roles.

•      Role Expectation is not always equal to role performance RE=RP.

•      There is no shame in the shame culture.