Can Low Self-Esteem Lead to Face Mask Addictions?

Face masks are said to be effective for the following:

1. Protection from virus, pollen, and dust
2. Protection and prevention from oral and nasal fluid droplets spreading
3. Keeps the skin moist and facial insecurities hidden
4. A tool to hide yourself

As COVID-19 has become a global widespread phenomenon, the understanding of 1. and 2. have also become common. As for women, the benefits of 3. allows them to stay make-up-free underneath and some people even appreciate how the mask partially protects them from harmful UV rays.

People prone to face mask addiction tend to use masks as a way to hide. Research in Asia has shown that the lower the self-esteem, the more likely a person is to wear a mask for no reason. When a person has low confidence, they feel more intimidated to communicate with others and a mask allows these types of people to feel more safe and secure.

Face Masks: A Defense and Statement

There are 2 reasons why a person would feel the need to wear a face mask in unnecessary situations.

・Mask as a Self-Defense

Masks work as a self-defense mechanism as it hides facial insecurities and helps avoid conversations. It’s a natural psychological defense to protect ourselves from external stimulations.

Smartphones and the internet have allowed us to communicate without seeing anyone face to face. Some jobs don’t require any in-person tasks, and this has led some people to believe that in-person communication is unnecessary or unfavorable. Facial masks have most likely contributed to exaggerating this consensus. It’s an introverted conscious choice to avoid showing our faces.

When our confidence is low, we become overly sensitive about how people perceive us. A mask can psychologically help us hide away from others noticing us.

・Mask to Make a Good Impression

There are people who think that masks make them look good and feel more confident. As a recent trend, masks have been incorporated into fashion with various designs and customizations.

However, studies show that deep down inside, people who wear masks are attracted to the fact that they could hide their expressions and feelings underneath, making them feel safer ​internally. For introverts, the capability to hide anxiety and nervousness makes them feel secure.

The brain is believed to have visual interpolation capabilities. This is when spatial and temporal factors are processed in a way to complete partial and illusory contours.

In real life, this is when we see something hidden but imagine it as if we could see it, using past knowledge and present information available. Some people who are insecure about how they look are hoping that visual interpolation will play into a fact where people automatically perceive their hidden face parts positively.

How to Overcome Face Mask Addiction

As you can see, masks that hide our faces can be used as self-defense and make people believe that they look better with it. Especially for people who have social anxiety, a mask alleviates their anxiety of communicating and socializing with others.

However, these psychological factors can lead to people unnecessarily depending on it to a point where it develops into a mask addiction.

Learn How To Feel Safe

Unnecessary masking or people who mentally rely on masks are dependent on it because it covers their physical flaws and makes them feel more secure.

For mask dependents, the following measures are necessary:

• ・Learn healthy ways to take feedback from others
• ・Understand that not wearing a mask won’t result in terrible outcomes
• ・Understand that masks are not determining factors that bring negative judgments

Studies conclude that gathering with a group of friends that hold similar hobbies can be effective in improving our mental wellbeing.

One-on-one relationships can be tricky at times, but being part of a “community” creates a sense of security where people feel protected in a group. Once a person feels accepted and safe in a group, they can slowly venture out into expressing their own feelings and talent where their “individuality” shines.

A community or group is also helpful for people to learn how to be helped and at the same time help others. It’s an opportunity to empathize, accept, and encourage each other as everyone aims towards a common goal together. Once all of these things are established within a community, a person will feel free from loneliness or negativity enough to graduate from a mask addiction.

Have Confidence and Don’t Care What Others Think

With the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us have become dependant on masks, wearing them for long hours at a time. However, the longer we keep masks on, the more we risk psychological aspects start playing into effect. Excessive masking can increase the number of patients who fall into face mask addiction.

True safety and happiness won’t come from hiding behind a mask. A true sense of security and happiness comes from understanding ourselves, accepting, and opening the door to our hearts.

An objective self-reflection is key in understanding yourself, but objectivity is difficult when it comes to ourselves. Recently, there has been an AI (artificial intelligence) counseling app developed specifically to help a person’s mental well-being by providing objective perspectives and advice.

If the issues you face are hard to share with people in real life, an AI can hear you without any restrictions on time schedule, or location. It’s an affordable alternative counseling method with a free trial period. Give it a try!
→SELF MIND

Reference：

Shimura, K., & Tanaka, H. (2017). Pilot study on classifying behavior for wearing surgical masks – Behaviors for dealing with social anxiety and Safety Behavior -. Bulletin of Clinical Psychology, Tokyo Seitoku University, 17, 27–34. https://www.tsu.ac.jp/Portals/0/site-img/gra/2018/kiyou17/shimura,tanaka.pdf

Watanabe, N. (2018). Face Mask Addiction. Stress Science Research, 33, 15–20. https://doi.org/10.5058/stresskagakukenkyu.2018006

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Causes and Influences of Eating Disorders

An eating disorder, as the word implies, is a condition where there is trouble present in the way a person consumes food. There’s Bulimia, in which a person overeats before forcefully making themselves throw up, and Anorexia, in which a person barely eats and overexercises, and may even throw up the minimal food that they try to consume.

Bulimia: Extreme Stress and Pressure

Many of us feel happy when we eat delicious foods. Studies show that people gain high amounts of happiness from satisfying meals. Furthermore, it is said that the meals we eat have a direct impact on our mental state.

Bulimia is oftentimes triggered by holding onto mental stress. High-demand environments in school or work can cause high amounts of stress that leads to people overeating excessively. A person finds stress relief through eating, then feels guilty afterward and feels more stressed which urges them to eat more again. This is the perpetual negative cycle a bulimic can fall into.

Anorexia: Self-Hate and Extreme Desire for Weight Loss

People who have negative body images are more prone to anorexia. A belief that others would view them positively if they were thinner or an experience where they were made fun of for being fat will push them toward self-hate. This is thought to be the stem root of why people become anorexic.

However, sometimes anorexia is much more complicated than that and is hard to treat. We recommend anyone with possible anorexia to go seek professional help.

Anorexia causes both mental and physical pain. In terms of physical, the lack of nutrients causes insomnia, low body temperature, dizziness, dry skin, loss of hair, and menstrual cycle irregularities. In terms of mental, a person can become short-tempered due to hormone imbalances, experience poor concentration, and memory. Anorexics also constantly tire themselves out from the fear of gaining any weight. There is no benefit to anorexia and it should be treated immediately.

Easy Preventative Measures We Can Start From Today

Eating disorders are hard to overcome once it happens, so the best way to prevent it is by incorporating preventative measures within your daily activities. Bulimia and anorexia both have mental strain as a common trigger, so it’s important that we strive for minimal stress every day to prevent it.

1. Make Exercise Your Hobby

Exercise is an excellent way to prevent eating disorders. It’s a healthy way to control weight and health for anorexics and a great stress reliever for bulimics.

As for the ideal exercise, cardio like walking, running, and swimming are great as you can keep at it at your own pace. If it’s possible to habituate, team exercises like soccer and baseball are wonderful choices as well.

Find an exercise that you can enjoy with moderate strain. The best is if you could find an exercise that becomes your hobby as well.

2. Enjoy Meals with Your Family

There are 2 reasons why family meals can help prevent eating disorders.

First, a person can compare the amount they eat with others around them. People with eating disorders don’t eat enough or overeat. One of the reasons for this is that they have a hard time understanding standard portion sizes. By eating meals with family, they can observe how much other people eat and understand portions. This could prevent them from steering off into unhealthy beliefs and irregular portions.

Secondly, it changes the way they enjoy food. The focus on food causes extreme portions, ultimately leading to eating disorders. There’s no problem in enjoying the food, but if the focus can shift to the enjoyment of the time spent with others, it can take away their focus on food.

３. Talk About Your Struggles to Others

Eating disorders are believed to be triggered by some sort of mental strain they experience. Therefore, it’s important that we are letting go of our stress constantly through talking to others. Whether it’s family, friends, co-workers, or a therapist, sharing our struggles with someone can be very helpful. Just verbalizing the experience can alleviate a lot of the stress, so we recommend that you talk to someone before the stress snowballs into something bigger.

Looking to improve your mental wellbeing? Try the SELF MIND app FREE for 1 week!
If you’re looking for more tips on how to care for your mental health, check out some of our past blog posts!

Face Yourself to Overcome Eating Disorders

Eating disorders don’t really have an easy fix to them. It’s difficult to completely cure it once it occurs, so preventative measures are essential. We hope that everyone who reads this chooses to live an authentic and healthy life where they don’t feel the need to judge themselves through the numbers on a scale.

References：

Maekawa, H. (2009). Female Eating Disorders and Attachment to Weight & Body Shape -Individual Differences from Multiple Perspectives. Keio University. https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/145731819.pdf

Okamoto, M., & Muto, K. (2011). The factor to give the feeling of satisfaction of the meal of the college women. Nagasaki International University Review, 11, 105–117. https://ci.nii.ac.jp/naid/120005578664

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The Psychology of Brand Addicts

A tiny luxury brand logo placed on a plain white t-shirt can inflate the price tag to surprising amounts. The material or design doesn’t have to particularly be special for a high-end brand product to sell. Then why are some people so fixated on brand products and can’t help to own more?

The Need to Feel Superior

When a person wears luxury items out or posts an expensive bag that they bought, they get a reaction whether it’s the like button or a direct compliment. This empowers them to feel superior and this alone is a good enough motive for some people to purchase these products.

Studies show that people who have the need to feel superior usually have an Inferiority complex. This is why they are unconsciously attracted to things that signify power.

The Satisfaction of Owning Certain Name Brands

The satisfaction that comes from owning brands is enough for someone to become a shopaholic. It is healthy to work towards a goal to own what you want, but excessive desires can put us under financial strain.

The Collectors Mentality

Some people have a collectors mentality where they just want it because it’s a new product even when they don’t have an immediate use for it. This can lead to excessive buying. In this case, the ‘purchasing’ of the brand becomes the goal. These types of people tend to spend on several brands to collect, but oftentimes lose sight of their spending habits.

There are also people who lose interest once they ‘own’ the item with most collected items being unused and stored at home.

How to Not Overinvest Into Brand Addiction

If you’re wealthy enough, it may be no issue to keep spending on luxury items, but some people want to stop this habit. Conscious and deliberate actions are necessary to prevent the habit of spending.

1. Find A Hobby

People who depend on brand names for value oftentimes find joy in collecting luxury items. If they find something else they can feel passionate to focus on, it could change their priority and beliefs in what’s important besides shopping. Therefore, we recommend finding a hobby first.

It can be an outdoor or indoor activity. We recommend something as casual as running or karaoke where participation is fairly easy. Participation in hobbies will distance a shopaholic from the desire to shop and fulfill the loneliness that they might have been trying to fill in.

Study shows that a portion of people who fall into becoming a shopaholic tend to have very thin relationships and don’t have the opportunity to self-express. If there is void and loneliness that creates the need to suppress their feelings, it’s only natural that they resort to shopping to fill it in.

Hobbies and fun activities are effective in feeling less lonely.

2. Learn How to Manage Finances

Many people who overspend on luxury items don’t have accurate ideas on how much they’re actually spending. They use their credit card for the purchase and feel surprised by the total bill later. It can feel like a never-ending cycle of payments that keep accumulating.

Money habits need to be addressed daily for responsible financial decisions.

Nowadays there are tons of apps that can help keep track of our expenditure. The most important thing is to understand how much you are actually using. Once there’s a clear understanding, it’s easier to pull back from spending habits.

3. Seek Professional Help

If the shopaholic tendencies and brand addiction is serious, you can seek professional help for these problems. Trained and licensed professionals can help anyone progress in the right direction and is better than trying to fix it on your own.

Some professionals offer group therapy specifically for people with a shopping addiction. Group therapy can be helpful because it makes people realize that they are not alone, and they can meet like-minded people making the same progress.

Can an AI app provide support? Try the SELF MIND app for a FREE trial.

What Brings Real Prosperity?

Luxury brand items signify prosperity. Many purchase and own it for status and empowerment, but some people get stuck on the idea of purchasing these things.
If you’re finding yourself stuck with shopaholic tendencies, let’s once again rethink what prosperity really means to you at a deeper level.

References:

Satomura, T. (2007). Understanding brand purchase behavior using negative multinomial model. Mita Business Review, 50(2), 35–48. https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/56673918.pdf

Hayashi, K., Hashizume, M., Kuroki, R., Hashi, K., Asami, K., Fujii, Y., Sunagawa, H., Tsuboi, K., Katsuragawa, S., & Kuroki, N. (2013). Eating Disorder and Female Lifecycle − A case report with financial ruin due to binge eating and shopaholic. Japanese Society of Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynecology, 17(3), 304–310. https://doi.org/10.18977/jspog.17.3_304

Fujito, K., & Iwabuchi, C. (2017, September). Study on Relationship between inferiority feelings and assumed competence. The 81st Annual Convention of The Japanese Psychological Association, Fukuoka, Japan. https://doi.org/10.4992/pacjpa.81.0_1C-005

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What is Masked Depression?

What’s your first thought when you hear the word “depression”? Most people think of sadness, avoidance, and low motivation. Yes, those are typical symptoms of depression. However, there are people who have no obvious mental symptoms like that who carry physical symptoms like headaches, burnout, and shoulder pain. These are signs of masked depression.

Masked depression is where all the symptoms manifest physical rather than mental. The headache, fatigue, or shoulder pain suddenly shows up one day and starts to affect the everyday. Usually, doctor examinations won’t show any apparent results or causes, but the physical symptoms will sometimes worsen to a point where it’s difficult to continue a healthy life.

In other words, masked depression tends to be “masked” with physical symptoms, that it’s hard to even recognize the possibility of “depression.”

Who Is Prone to Masked Depression?

Typical signs of masked depression:

• Headache
• Burnout
• Shoulder pain
• Constant fatigue
• Stomachache and loss of appetite
• Nausea
• Fever

These are just a few examples of the physical symptoms depression can cause. This leads to some doctors diagnosing masked depression as a sign of onset early depression.

The problem with masked depression is that most people don’t feel any kind of mental symptoms while the physical symptoms start to appear. People usually think that they’re ‘just tired’ or ‘have a cold’ at the moment and leave it at that. When depression is left undiagnosed, the symptoms tend to drag on.

People who are always busy or have high standards will continue to push while they ignore their physical signs thinking, “this is not a good enough excuse to rest or go seek help.” This can lead to risks of more serious symptoms if they are in fact going through masked depression.

Prevent Masked Depression Through Stress Recognition

Masked depression, similarly to other types of depression, is primarily caused by stress. Therefore, the preventative measures for it are consistent with the other types of depression.

To prevent masked depression, it’s important that we don’t hold onto stress. Healthy wake-sleep cycles and adequate rest will allow a person to stay aware of the slightest changes in their stress levels. Make sure that you don’t miss the signs of stress.

When we are aware of our own stress levels, we have a better ability to suspect the physical symptoms as possible early-onset depression.

It’s a good idea to find ways that allow you to relieve stress daily.

Can an AI app provide support for stress management? Try the SELF MIND app for a FREE trial.

How To Become Self-Aware of Your Stress

Keep A Diary
Diary keeping is a basic method known to help depression in cognitive behavior therapy. You can understand what kind of stress you’re exposed to, by looking back and reflecting upon your day. Additionally, verbalizing and writing out your thoughts and feelings is an activity that helps reduce stress.

Intervention Bracelet
This is a method that allows you to recognize and bring awareness to your daily stressors. You wear a ring or a bracelet on one side and move it to the other side every time you feel stress. Researchers at the University of Texas revealed that this method helps with stress reduction and improves self-esteem. Check out the post below for more details on this.

Don’t Self-Diagnose Your Symptoms

When our bodies feel sluggish or there’s shoulder pain, most of us associate it with a mild cold, tiredness, or aging. However, our beliefs and experiences aren’t always right. You should never leave physical symptoms unattended. We recommend that you rethink and suspect the possibilities of masked depression if you’re under a lot of stress.

There is no way to recognize the possibilities of masked depression if you’re not aware that you’re feeling stressed. The best preventative measure is to build self-awareness towards the stress that you’re exposed to every day.

Think You Might Have Masked Depression?

Masked depression is a subtype of depression that sometimes can’t be fixed by just obtaining healthy lifestyle choices. Some cases require medication and therapy. If you feel that there is a possibility of masked depression, try to seek professional help.

Reference:

Hasegawa, K., & Watanabe, N. (1989). Depression and Psychosomatic medicine. The Japanese Society of Psychosomatic Medicine, 29(5), 427–435. https://doi.org/10.15064/jjpm.29.5_427

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Pandemic Depression Symptoms During COVID-19

Throughout the pandemic, there have been numerous reports on varying symptoms:

・Poor sleep
・Poor appetite
・Prolonged low moods
・Difficulties going to work or school
・Lack of motivation in work, studies, or housework
・Diminished focus leading to increased mistakes
・Diminished enjoyment in previously fun activities
・Increased consumption of alcohol or tobacco products

There are many other symptoms, but in general, the more of these symptoms that apply, the higher the risk of developing depression.

Excessive worry and overcautiousness can also cause additional stress. In a study across the elderly population in Japan, one woman reported that she wakes up many times throughout the night to make sure her sense of smell is still functional. She lost her job due to the spread of COVID-19, and when she finally found a new job, she was nervous about whether or not she was infected before her first day of work.

Many of us have become more sensitive to the little things, more easily irritated, and more short-tempered. This pandemic has changed our lives so drastically. The challenges in adapting to these new circumstances could manifest into increased sensitivities to what we were okay with previously. This is why we could be much more susceptible to depression than usual.

3 Ways to Prevent Pandemic Depression

Regular stress relief becomes essential to avoid pitfalls into depression. Below are three useful techniques for relieving stress.

1. Write Down Anxieties

Write down all fears and worries that come to mind on a piece of paper. Then, divide them into two groups of “resolvable” and “unresolvable.”
The COVID-19 pandemic is something that no one could have predicted. Sometimes there are limitations to what we can resolve under these unforeseen circumstances beyond our control. Make the decision to let go of what cannot be fixed and focus on what’s possible. Organizing these thoughts will help calm the mind because it visually clarifies our fears. Once we’re clear on our next steps towards bettering a situation, our follow up action will help combat these depressive states.

An easy stress relief method similar to this is the “negativity trash can” technique. It’s as simple as writing down the negativity we feel and physically throwing it away. It can be practiced simultaneously, so give it a try as well!

2. Journaling to Create Healthy Routine Habits

Keeping a daily journal is known to improve mental health. Journaling helps reconsider the way we live our lives and assists in stabilizing healthier routine habits. This can serve as a deterrent to excessive drinking, mild addictions, and binge eating.

A color-coded format for journaling is encouraged. For example, we can categorize by color:

• Black ink for work-related
• Blue ink for family relationships
• Yellow ink for personal matters
• Red ink for health-related

This way, it’s easier to reflect and reevaluate the activities we go through and develop alternative ways to make improvements.

3. Exercise

The spread of COVID-19 has made it challenging to communicate in person. As a result, many of us have fewer opportunities for physical activity.

Here’s an interesting study result. A large cohort study in the United Kingdom in 2020 found that people who walked slower had about a 66% higher risk of contracting COVID-19 than those who walked faster. It’s still unclear what the causal relationship is between walking speed and the risk of infection. Yet, studies have shown that walking speed is closely related to aerobic capacity. People with high aerobic capacity are reported to have higher respiratory, circulatory, and immune function, which suggests that people with slower walking speed may be more susceptible to infection due to lower levels of these functions,

Physical exercise is known to help with depression and improve our mental state. A lack of exercise can lead to various adverse effects, such as hormone imbalance and sleep disturbances. As we spend more time indoors, we need to find creative solutions to keep ourselves physically active while maintaining social distance regulations.

Surviving Pandemic Depression with an AI Counseling App

Unlike physical discomforts, mental discomforts are much more difficult to recognize. If discomforts persist and you still feel “off,” don’t be afraid to ask for help. The special circumstances and restrictions under COVID-19 can quickly cultivate a state of isolation and depressive moods. Make sure to communicate with family and friends by phone, email, and social media. Don’t be afraid to reach out to a specialist if support is necessary. There are plenty of online counseling services and medications available, so don’t hesitate to consult a doctor.

However, some people may feel uncomfortable talking to friends, family, or a counselor. For such people, we recommend an artificial intelligence (AI) counseling app. In the era we live in now, an AI can easily provide personalized counseling and support our daily journey towards bettering our mental health. Since it’s an AI app, there’s no fear of judgment, and we can seek help anytime, anywhere, whenever the need arises. SELFMIND is a fantastic AI counseling app if you’re facing mental struggles and have no one to talk to.

Let’s make sure we care for our mental health as we survive through this pandemic and navigate through the mental pitfalls.

If you’re looking for more tips on how to care for your mental health, check out some of our past blog posts!
→ Looking to improve your mental health? Try the SELFMIND app FREE for a week!

Image: Unsplash
Reference:
Kimura, M., Ojima, T., & Kondou, K. (2020). Implications for Older People’s Lifestyle During the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Pandemic: The Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study (JAGES). Japanese Journal of Health & Research, 41, 3-13.  doi:10.32279/jjhr.20200602

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70% of the World’s Population Harbors Trauma

According to an epidemiological survey conducted across 24 countries, the percentage of people who have experienced trauma at least once in their lifetime is 70.4%. That’s how close traumatic experiences are to us. Those who have experienced a traumatic event usually have flashbacks of those memories. Random experiences similar to past contingencies at any moment can lead to negative interpretations and distress.

According to a survey at a Japanese university, more than 90% of the students were aware of the symptoms of trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but had never properly learned or sought treatment for appropriate stress management. Furthermore, while a single instance of trauma can cause PTSD, repeated exposure to trauma can lead to complex PTSD, with more severe manifestations of symptoms. While most of us are exposed to the idea of trauma and PTSD through media (movies, interviews, and books), only a few of us go on to actually study or seek further knowledge on the topic. With the lack of proper understanding, many people suffer from traumatic memories believing that they’re abnormal or blame themselves for it.

Trauma not only affects the individual but those around them too. For example, a thoughtful person might purposefully avoid topics surrounding their friend’s trauma. However, the trauma survivor may uninterntionally misinterpret this avoidant behavior. As a result, the survivor may end up feeling even more isolated. Mishandled interactions with a trauma survivor can only prolong and exacerbate the effects of trauma.

A Common Trauma Flashback; Bullying

There are many potential causes for traumatic stress, such as natural disasters, accidents, violence, or abuse. A very common cause, however, is bullying.

Bullying is a common threatful occurrence among children, students, and even some adults. Continual physical and psychological bullying leaves significant impacts on the body and mind. In many cases, the victim feels that they are being bullied, but the perpetrator perceives it as a harmless joke or clowning around. This perception gap makes it a challenge to combat bullying. The painful experiences through bullying become deeply ingrained in the brain, recalled as flashbacks under certain conditions. Bullying can trigger stress responses that involve PTSD.

Furthermore, flashbacks can happen at a moment’s notice, even if the survivor’s not aware of their past trauma. Negative flashbacks can trigger by witnessing others go through the same painful experience, or encountering a similar situation. The repetition of this occurrence strengthens the fear of the past, causing more pain within the survivor.

Here are some countermeasures to eliminate flashbacks:

・Write down your feelings when a flashback happens.
・Write down the common triggers for your flashbacks.
・Talk to someone you can trust.
・See a therapist.

As a first step, see if you could try to reduce the frequency of flashbacks and spend less time thinking about the trauma. Deliberate stress management in this way is key in overcoming your past trauma.

Avoidance Can Backfire with Traumatic Stress

For those who have been traumatized, one way to cope is by remembering the trauma on purpose, confronting it, and proactively trying to overcome it. This method helps the survivor conquer their past while building healthy defense mechanisms. Some of us may regard forgetting trauma as a sign of success (i.e. a result of self-discipline). This, however, is a dangerous misunderstanding. “Forgetting” trauma is not necessarily the goal, as the survivor may end up blaming themselves if they ever recall the trauma again.

The natural sensitivity of trauma can lead to more serious problems if not handled correctly. We need to listen to the trauma survivor’s words and “lean in” to get through together.

Avoid Trauma, Complex PTSD, and Other Mental Illnesses

Traumatic experiences are so ingrained in the brain and body, that many people remember even when they want to forget. It’s certainly not easy to overcome. However, it is possible to live a life without any influence from the past. We need to educate and promote a compassionate approach towards trauma and flashbacks, as well as promote healthy methods of stress management. If we can prevent the survivors from withdrawing themselves into isolation, support them as a community and close friend, that will help them recover in a safe and secure environment.

The causes of trauma are different for everyone. It’s important to develop a mutual understanding in order to overcome it. All of us need to see the problems caused by trauma as a community issue, rather than an individual. Providing a community is essential for the trauma survivors to regain their normal lives again. Let’s break down the stigma so that we can all contribute towards a more wholesome and compassionate society.

→ Looking to improve your mental health? Try the SELFMIND app FREE for 1 week!
If you’re looking for more tips on how to care for your mental health, check out some of our past blog posts!

Image：Unsprash
References：
Takii, M., Ueda, J., & Tominaga, Y. (2013). Examination of the Difference of Traumatic Event by the Difference in Posttraumatic Stress Reactions, Physical Symptoms, Depressive Symptoms, and Anxiety Sensitivity. Anxiety Disorder Research, 4(1), 10-19. doi: 10.14389/adr.4.10

Kobayashi, E., & Miwa, S. (2013). Comments on Studies about Bullying : About the Definition and Measures. Ibaraki University Studies in Teaching Strategies, (32), 163-174.

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What is “Burnout”?

Burnout (or sometimes referred to as “blow out”) is a persistent state of lethargy with a loss of mental and physical energy. It is not the name of an official psychiatric diagnosis, but a type of stress reaction that occurs as a result of stress. There are many well-respected people who used to work hard, but lost their motivation only to be forced to leave their jobs as if they have “lost fire”. Initially, experts believed burnout was more common amongst workers in the service sector, such as medical care and education. However, in today’s world where many people are under excessive stress, people in a wide range of occupations (not just in the service sector), are at risk of becoming burnt out.

Symptoms of a Burnout

One of the main symptoms of burnout (or blow out) is “emotional exhaustion”. Emotional exhaustion is a state of weariness caused by stressful interpersonal relationships, being too busy, or by the gap between one’s ideals and reality. This symptom is also linked to other manifestations of burnout, such as “depersonalization”, a disconnected or detached sense of feeling from one’s self and emotional acts, or “diminished personal accomplishments”, the lost sense of fulfillment and competence.

How is it Different from Depression?

Burnout is sometimes considered to be a form of depression because the symptoms of depressed mood and lethargy manifest in a similar way to depression. However, there is a lot of controversy about equating burnout with depression, as burnout has been studied primarily in the field of psychology, while depression has been studied primarily in the field of medicine.

While the cause of depression can be all kinds of stresses in life, burnouts most likely occur due to workplace stress. Recent studies have established a checklist of items to measure the level of burnout in the workplace. If you can relate to many items on the list below, you are at a higher risk becoming burnt out.

Susceptible Characteristics for Burnouts

Burnout is often referred to as a “disease that strikes people who have a sense of purpose and idealism.” People tend to be at a higher risk of burnout if they are dedicated to their work and are attentive to their surroundings. In particular, people with a strong sense of perfectionism and responsibility possess a higher risk of burning out because of the mental stress experienced when faced with a different reality.

To prevent becoming burnt out, it is important to separate ourselves from our duties and obligations. Although in the midst of constant daily stress, it is no easy task to maintain a healthy mindset through personal efforts alone.

How to Prevent Burnouts

Burnout is not just about personal qualities; environmental factors are also deeply related to the phenomenon. Overbearing amounts of work, one-sided communication from the higher-ups, and tasking underqualified workers are all environmental issues that increase the risk of burnouts as well as a variety of stress-related illnesses. To prevent burnouts, we need to re-evaluate our work environment and look for ways to improve.

For example, it’s helpful to ask these questions in the workplace:

• Are my personal workload and emotional burdens overbearing?
• Is the work appropriate for my qualifications?
• Is there interactive communication taking place on both ends?

Constant review and improvements of the above points are an effective way to prevent burnouts.

When You Find Yourself Burnt Out

So what can we do to regain our energy again when we actually fall into a burnout?

The first step is to notice the problems we face. People who are prone to burnout tend to strive for perfection. This makes it difficult for them to recognize their problems. To get an accurate picture of the condition, it’s helpful to seek advice from family, close friends, and supervisors. After we understand our situation, we need to take time away from the source of our stress to question our values. For example, if work is the reason for burnout, a leave of absence or a short separation from work can be the best way to recover.

Not an End, But a New Beginning

According to one study, of the 20 people who recovered from burnout due to a leave of absence, only one returned to the same job. The other 19 people chose to leave their previous careers and rediscover their value in a new environment. It takes courage to change your lifestyle, but taking a step toward a new environment without fear may be the key to avoiding a repeat of burnout. In that sense, being burnt out is not a dead end with nowhere to turn, but rather a starting point for a new career.

No Need to Give 100%

In general, people with good work ethics and attention to detail are considered “excellent” and “respectable”. However, in the real world, no one is perfect all the time. No matter how good a person is considered to be, they can’t always do 100%. Some days may be 80%, whereas some days may be 45%, and that’s okay!

There will also be moments of happiness within these days that aren’t our best. Even if our day’s efforts end up around 30%, there will still be times where family, friends, and hobbies will fulfill us. Try to avoid getting caught up in your ideals. Allowing imperfections and maintaining a relaxed state will help avoid burnouts.

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References:

Irie, M. (2017). Burnout and Depression. Journal of Health Science, 39, 41-47. doi: 10.15017/1800858

Kubo, M. (2007). Burnout – Stress in Human Service Jobs. The Japanese Journal of Labour Studies, 49(1), 54-64.

Mind Tools Content Team (n.d.). Burnout Self-Test: – Are You at Risk? Retrieved October 30, 2020, from https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTCS_08.htm

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Defining Workaholic

Am I a workaholic?

A workaholic describes a person who is addicted to work and works compulsively for long hours. It’s generally regarded as a negative state that is detrimental to one’s physical and mental health, but some people consider it a positive sign of enjoyment and fulfillment being met at work.

The definition of workaholic varies among experts. If you work long hours on a daily basis, and the following statements apply, you likely are a workaholic.

・I can’t stop thinking about work even on days off

・I sacrifice health and personal time to devote myself to work

・I find myself disinterested in non-work related topics

People who are prone to workaholism often carry heavy workloads and tend to be under excessive work pressure. If we find our workload increasing one after another or if we’re juggling multiple tasks at once, we should be cautious.

Work Fulfillment Impacts Our Well-Being

According to research, less fulfillment in work leads to unhealthier individuals, both physically and mentally. Long hours at an unfulfilling job puts our minds and bodies under a lot of stress. More hours invested in work means less relaxation and resting hours as well, causing a constant accumulation of stress without relief. This can lead to more serious conditions such as burnout, depression, and even karoshi (death due to overwork).

Generally speaking, work is a strenuous task that involves social responsibilities and it can be challenging to make it fulfilling on our own. To reduce unhealthy mental and physical pressure from work, we need to come up with ways to make work enjoyable and create that change together as a society.

However, we still shouldn’t work long hours even when we enjoy work. The higher ratio we spend on work every day, the more fatigue naturally accumulates with more potential damage to health. Regardless of whether we enjoy our work or not, excessively long work hours should be avoided.

Escaping the Workaholic Lifestyle

Workaholism is a condition caused by excessive long hours of work. To prevent this, the entire workplace needs to regularly review and consider whether the workload and working hours are appropriate for each individual. It’s also important to implement a system and environment where employees feel at ease voicing their working condition needs for a healthy work-life balance.

What can we do if we still find ourselves falling into workaholism? If we want to escape the workaholic lifestyle, we should consciously switch gears between work and personal. As for starters, try to become aware of the following two things:

1. Find a hobby as passionate as work
   Hobbies can be a great escape from work. It can lead to increased motivation at work to generate the money necessary for the hobby and help avoid long work hours to invest in personal time.
   
2. Cherish time with family and friends.
   Communicating with family, friends, and others who are not directly involved in our work helpslp us switch off “work mode”. Investing in relationships outside of the workplace also prevents social isolation later in life when we retire.

To prevent workaholism, we must understand our situation objectively, although It’s not easy to do when we’re overwhelmed with work. Remember to listen to family, friends, and colleagues who care about you most. If you think that you’re fine even though you’re overwhelmed and pressured with work, watch out. You may have already lost your way through workaholism.

Image: Unsplash

References:
Fujimoto, T. (2013). Psychological Distress and Physical Complaints of the Workaholic. The Japanese Journal of Labour Studies, 55(6), 47-58.

Takeishi, E. (2010). Challenges in Achieving Work-Life Balance: Implications from International Comparative Surveys. RIETI Policy Discussion Paper Series 10-P-004.

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Do you ever feel lethargic and disinterested, like you couldn’t be bothered to do anything at all? Indeed, this feeling is “apathy”. We all have days where we just don’t want to do things we know we should, like dealing with house chores after coming back from a long vacation. Dealing with apathy has been a huge challenge for humans throughout history. This article will explore what apathy does to our mental health, and some ways to handle these feelings when they arise.

What Apathy Means: 2 Characteristics

Since no two people in the world are the same, what apathy manifests itself as, and how it affects us, are different for each of us. It also depends on what we are feeling apathetic about and how we got there. As an example, college students sometimes display symptoms of “student apathy”. Some students lose motivation to take on their studies without a clear reason. Researchers believe this to be one of the reasons for students to fail grades and dropout. Student Apathy is different to apatheticness that stems from depression. This is because Student Apathy is an experience specifically towards their studies, whereas Depressive Apathy is something that affects our entire life. The former kind of apathy involves the inability to think further about the problems they hold. On the other hand, the latter generally involves overthinking about problems.

In the same way that sugar and salt appears the same but are completely unlike, different manifestations of apatheticness have been lumped under the same umbrella term of “apathy”. Currently, researchers are trying to see if apatheticness can be patterned into student-apathy-types and depression-types.

Diffirent Kinds of Apatheticness

In 2003, researchers conducted a survey in Japan among 283 university students (233 valid responses). The researchers were able to sort the participants into multiple groups, based on questionnaires asking about their motivation for club activities and part-time jobs. The results showed one high motivation group, and three low motivation groups.

Furthermore, they found that the low-motivation groups had two categories: low motivation for academics alone and low motivation for everything. As a result, only the group with low motivation towards academics showed characteristics of Student Apathy. These student showed a lack of thought towards their inner selves. This suggests that the low academic motivation group had a tendency toward Student Apathy, which may be different from the other two low motivation groups. Although the study itself may not be concrete, the results show what apathy can be patterned into: Student Apathy, and Depressive Apathy. Furthermore, that these two patterns of apathy should have separate categories when considering treatment.

What Apathy Can Teach Us

The Japanese study mentioned above yielded some other interesting results. According to the study, the group with the lowest interpersonal and recreational motivation tended to look inward when they had a negative experience. Of course, it’s a good thing that we don’t run away from bad experiences. However, they were more likely to develop depression through their apatheticness. This was mainly because of their lack in dependency for support, and disinterest in entertainment. While this Japanese study focused on what apathy did to the behavior of students, in today’s fast-paced society, this situation could resonate with anyone, and not just students.

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help

There are times in our lives when we can’t help but feel like not wanting to do anything. If so, why not try relying on someone else? When we don’t feel good, we can’t help but think negatively. At times like this, staying in our own thought bubble can set us down into a negative spiral. If you continue to dwell in your general disinterest and lack of motivation, that’s what apathy will feed on. Before this happens, try reaching out. A family member, friend, someone you trust, or even a stranger on social media. One of those people may be able to help you stay positive and lift you out from your apatheticness. I hope this article has also served as a small light at the end of the tunnel, for someone who may need it.

Looking to improve your mental health? Try the SELF MIND app FREE for 1 week!
If you’re looking for more tips on how to care for your mental health, check out some of our past blog posts!

Image：Unsplash
Reference：
Kano, T., & Tsugawa, R. (2008). A classification of apathy in undergraduates. The Japanese Journal of Mental Health, 23(2), 2-10. doi: 10.11383/kokoronokenkou1986.23.2_2

Uchida, C. (2010). Apathetic and Withdrawing Students in Japanese Universities – with Regard to Hikikomori and Student Apathy. Journal of Medical and Dental Sciences 57(1), 95-108. doi: 10.11480/jmds.570111

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