The Occupational Therapy department set up a breakfast for both service users and staff before a couple of presentations. The presentations began with the Psychology team explaining the gender differences in stress management. They provided a ‘first aid kit for emotional coping’ – a feminine approach to stress management, and explored the stereotype that women are more socially sensitive than men. The psychology team finished by linking stress to anxiety and depression and showed a ‘Ted talk’ video on stress management.
The second presentation was by a service user from the hospital’s New Dawn Ward speaking about her experiences in hospital and her ways of coping with stress. She detailed how she has progressed from being violent and unstable, to being ready for discharge. She finished her speech by thanking the therapy team for their involvement in her recovery.
Attendees were then encouraged to take part in decorating a stress management board with tips on how to reduce stress. This provided a lively group discussion and sharing of stress management tips such as ‘when I’m stressed I take a shower and wash my hair’ and ‘when I’m stressed I cry a lot and then have a hot cup of tea’. The event ended with everyone receiving information on ‘101 ways to deal with stress’ and receiving a gift bag with a stress ball and a calming tea.