Fortunately I do not know anyone neither have I experienced
any of the stressors in the list that was presented to the class. So I decided
that I would just do some research on how children or adults cope with
stressors in a different country.
According to the text excessive cortisol (the primary stress
hormone) may flood the brain and destroy part of the hippocampus. Permanent
deficits in learning and memory may result as “children exposed to traumatic or
stressful events have an increased probability of developing major depression,
post-traumatic stress disorder, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity”. Since developing
brains are fragile, “prolonged physiological responses to stress and challenge put
children at risk for a variety of problems in childhood, including physical and
mental disorders, poor emotional regulation and cognitive impairments” (Berger,
2014).
In Nigeria there is stress dealing with women’s mental
health and work/family conflict. Mental health can be described as the ability
to respond to many varied experiences of life with flexibility and a sense of purpose.
There arises a strain on Nigerian women’s mental health as they struggle to
balance the multiple competing demands on their time and energy. This strain or
conflict often occurs as the Nigerian women employees try to meet the needs of
their spouses, children, elderly parents, community and employers. This situation
is referred to as work-family conflict. This situation can lead to fatigue and
other mental health problems in the Nigeria women.
Studies have shown that a good social support network can
help to alleviate most of these mental health effects of these stressors. High
levels of social support may be an important prognostic factor in recovery from
mental health problems suffered by women.
I think that plenty of women can relate to the same stress
issues here in the United States, especially the work/family conflict. Some
women overwhelm themselves by making sure everyone else is taken care of except
for themselves, that to me is the definition of selflessness (unselfish,
self-sacrificing) and at some point you do have to take care of yourself
(physically, mentally, emotionally) – if you don’t who will? When women or parents
neglect the well-being of themselves and worry only about the children things
can become a little stressful and some parent become irritable which can lead
to abuse towards the children because they are not in their right minds because
of the stress that they are under. Then when the child is enduring abuse it can
lead to many other issues that can have long term effect on the child and the
parent.
References
Berger, K. S. (2014). The Developing Person
Through Childhood. New York: Worth Publishers.
Oluwole, D. A., Hammed, A. T., & Awaebe, J. I.
(2014, September 27). Patterns of Stress, Social Support, and Mental
Health among Nigerian Women. Retrieved from Advancing Women In Leadership
Journal:
http://advancingwomen.com/awl/awl_wordpress/patterns-of-stress-social-support-and-mental-health-among-nigerian-women/
I found it interesting to learn that the brain does get harmed and can be destroyed if there is to much cortisol or stress hormone that floods it from stress in children and probably adults too (Berger, 2012). It was also interesting that some stress may actually be helpful as well (Berger, 2012). There is ongoing research to try and figure out when and how to much stress harms the human brain (Berger, 2012).
ReplyDeleteSome stressors along with your example of traumatic stress could be meeting a new friend, entering school or a new school, or even visiting a strange place (Berger, 2012). These can be good for children and adults if they have a way to moderate that stress (Berger, 2012). I find it sometimes difficult for me to hold back the stress in some of those same instances and I am far from the preschool age that we are researching this week.
References
Berger, K.S. (2012). The developing person through childhood (6th ed.). New York,
NY: Worth Publishers
Hi Brittany,
ReplyDeleteGreat research done here! It truly amazes me the cases noted and personally viewed with mental health conditions. Many of them face similar life circumstances as many of us and yet are unable to cope, react, or strategize in a manne most beneficial to their livelihood. It is most common that the stressors placed on parents causes them to take it out on the one thing they know for certain they have control over and that is their children. Unfortunately, it may have never been the intent for a parent to mistreat their child but when they feel control is lost in other areas of their life they resort to some form of release, which tends to be the abuse of children. Children who suffer through such trials in turn grow up to become an abuser or an abusee. It is very few if any at all that do not have any affect from this even if it is not an immediate response, it can be harbored until they are grown and released within their own family/child. There is a great need for adult learning not just in literacy but in soft skills training, life coaching, and emotional management (more than just anger) that needs to be addressed due to many of the issues that arise in today's current norms. It really starts at home before they ever step foot in a classroom, therefore, the focus on a troubled child should not be on the child alone. It should be family development individually and collectively to improve quality of life for all.
I can only imagine what it is like to be a mother in Nigeria where clean water, heat, and electricity is a honor to have. Mental health can definitely effect your body and others around you. The strain to complete tasks when your not feeling well can be overwhelming. The long term effects mental illness can have on children is real and can stay with them into adulthood. I wonder what would be a good solution other than resources for those women suffering.
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