Conceptualizing stress in HARI`S STRESS INVENTORY
Dr. Hari S.Chandran*
Conceptualizing ‘stress’
Stress often has a negative connotation. Failure, illnesses, distress are often marked as stress. Stress can also be a result of factors like job promotion, transfers, first love and the like. Ivancevich and Matteson (1980) defined stress as an adaptive response mediated by individual characteristics or psychological process that is a consequence of any internal action, situation or event that places special physical or psychological demands upon the person. Hans Selye’s (1974) pioneering work shed light on stress, and introduced the concept of stress into scientific circle. As seen above different psychologists have given different definitions to stress. Bourne and Ekstrand (1982) define stress as “any state during which the body tends to mobilize its resources and during which it utilizes more energy that originally would produce.” According to Shanmugham (1981) stress is any condition that strains the coping capacities of the person.
Stress can also lead to physical disorders because the internal body system changes in order to cope with stress. Some physical disorders have short term effect such as an upset of stomach and others have longer term effects such as stomach ulcer. Stress over a prolonged time also leads to degenerative disease of hear, kidneys, blood vessels and others parts of the body. Researches have revealed certain personality variables which make the individual to be more vulnerable to stress. Certain occupations were also found offering more stress. Lachman (1983) has cited examples of experiencing higher work stress by nurses in intensive care units as compared to those on general duty. Dharmangadan (1988) reported that policeman score significantly higher on stress than other occupational groups. Irrespective of the wide research attacks and theoretical contemplation, the field of stress lacks an integrative frame work which can explain the majority of research results in a logical and theoretical manner (Cooper, 1983). Several studies have attempted to identify and explore different areas and dimensions of stress. (Pestonjee, 1992, Balagangadharan and Bhagavathy, 1997). Most widely used instruments to assess stress include schedule of Recent Experiences (Holmes and Rahe, 1967) Personal Stress Assessment Inventory (Kindler, 1981) and Life Experience Survey (Sarason et al.1979).Different methodological issues in stress assessment are discussed in Rabkin and Struening (1986). Sarason et al. (1978) has concluded that a measure of life stress should possess three characteristics, a) It should include a list of events experienced by the population being investigated. b) It should allow rating by respondent themselves. c) It should allow for individualized rating of the personal impact of the events experienced.
*Dr. Hari S.Chandran, M.Phil (Psy), Ph.D, PGDPC is working as Cons. Psychologist ,Department of Deaddiction&Mental Health,St.Gregorios Mission Hospital, Parumala. Kerala, dr_hari@sancharnet
Based on the writing of James (1982), Sutherland and Cooper (1990) and Pohorecky (1991) the investigator identified 8 areas of stress measures the global stress of the individual subject.
1. Stress as a predisposition: The concept of viewing stress as a predisposition evolved over many years in response to experimental findings, clinical observation, theory formulation and prospective validation. Friedman and Roseman (1974) Observed a pattern of behavior particularly in young coronary patients, which later came to be known as Type A Behavior. Type A people are those who are engaged in a relatively chronic struggle to obtain more and more in shorter time.
2. Source of stress in family: House can be a potential source of stress. Both regular and unexpected situations demand adaptive and coping style of the individual. Interpersonal relationships, marriage, communication barriers, unexpected incidents like shifting of the residence, illness or bereavement of a family member add stress to persons.
3. Source stress in occupation: Occupation is another potential source of stress. Regular situations like taking up a risky job, which is against the interest. Working for low wages. Insecurity of job, lack of appraisal from the employer, receiving contradictory directions from higher authorities are stressful to any individual. Along with these, loss of employment, delayed payments and strained interpersonal relations among the colleagues also cause stress.
4. Subjective assessment of situations: Individual’s subjective assessment about a situation is important in labeling a situation as stressful. A situation which is highly stressful for a person, for example a transfer in job, may be viewed as an opportunity to meet new people and see new places by another.
5. Somatic outcomes of stress: Somatic outcomes like migraine headache, angina, loss of appetite, constipation, respiratory problems, excessive sweating are often regarded as indices of stress.
6. Psychological outcomes: Psychological outcomes like insomnia, nightmares, irritability, and hopelessness, anger towards criticism, anxiety,
tiredness, excessive smoking and substances abuse can be counted as to reflect stress.
7. Specific patterns of responding to stress: Individual’s patterns of response to stress are an indicator of his personality. Some persons show hatred and irritability in stressful situations whereas same others become desperate and confessing.
8. Engagement in tension reduction activities: In day to day life, people come across a number of situations which arouse stress. Deliberate or unconscious desire to get out of stress is obvious in the in creased rate of interest shown in sports and games, joining clubs, rearing of pets, watching movies etc.
SELECTION OF ITEMS
On the basis of related literature and detailed discussion with experts in the field, it was planned to construct an inventory to measure stress on a five point scale. 15 to 20 items were constructed on each area of stress evolved in the discussions. Maximum care was taken to see that each item corresponds to the specific area under which it was constructed and they do not overlap each other.
The listed items were constructed in the form of statements. Each statement was related to situation creating or resulting in subjective experience of stress. Altogether 140 statements were constructed and the following precautions were taken while constructing the test items.
1. Each item was constructed in simple Malayalam so that it could be easily understood.
2. Careful attention was taken to make the items free from the factor of social desirability.
3. Sufficient care was paid to see that each item was closely related to stress.
4. In order to control the acquiescence set of subjects, items were constructed in both positive and negative forms.
2. Tryout
The test items were randomly arranged and were applied to an unselected group of 50 school teachers. No time limit was given to the subjects and they were asked to read carefully each of the items and express their own opinion in terms of any of the five alternatives, ‘fully agree’ ‘agree’, ‘undecided’, ‘disagree’ ‘fully disagree’ as the case may be. They were also asked to mention, if the statements were either vague or different in respect of their meanings. The test items were again checked on the basis of the responses obtained in the tryout. Statement which belonged to any of the following categories was dropped.
1. Statements which were responded to either favorably or unfavorably almost invariably.
2. Statements which elicited a high proposition of ‘undecided’ responses.
3. Statements which were considered difficult or vague.
Thus, out of the 140 items, 28 items were rejected totally. The remaining 112 statements were given to teachers of Psychology to judge the clarity and face validity of each item. In the light of their judgment 11 more items were dropped and the rest 101 items were retained for final tryout and item analysis.
Item analysis.
ITEM ANALYSIS
The item analysis of 101 items on the response of a sample of 300 college students was made on a Liker type 5 point scale ranging from ‘fully agree’ through ‘undecided’ to ‘fully disagree’. Response score of each individual was summed across 101 items. (After converting negative item score to positive). 75 high scoring and 75 low scoring subjects were screened out. These two extreme groups were used to check the discriminative indices of each of the adopting the criterion of internal consistency suggested by Likert (1932). t-value was calculated to compare the mean scores of two extreme groups on each item. All the t values are given in appendices. Those items whose t values were significant at 0.01 level were retained in the inventory. Thus 66 items were selected for the final form.
RELIABILITY
In order to ascertain the reliability of the inventory, internal consistency as determined by split half method was calculated on the basis of responses given by a sample of 50 college students. The product moment co-efficient of internal consistency as corrected by Spearman- Brown formula was found to be 0.74. To test the temporal consistency, the inventory was administered to the same of 50 college students after 4 weeks. Test-retest coefficient of correlation was found to be 0.79 and temporal consistency to be 0.88.
VALIDITY
To ascertain whether HSI was a valid tool, the content validity was determined. The items were given to five teachers in Psychology (as mentioned earlier) who had sufficient orientation and experience in this area. They read every item and judged carefully the degree of stress expressed by each. For this purpose the judges were given a table in which they were required to place every item under one of the following 5 categories, fully agree/agree/undecided/disagree/fully disagree. Judges were also requested to mention such items which were either not well worded or difficult to understand. On the basis of their opinion only 101 items were subjected to item analysis and out of them 66 items which full filled the criteria were finally included in the inventory.
REFERENCES
Balagangadaran, A and Bhagavathy, K.A, A study of personality and perceived risk factors in CHD, Paper presented in Seminar on stress and stress management, Dept.of Psychology, University of Kerala, 1997
Bourne, E.L and Ekstrand, G. Psychology, London: CBS College Pub., 1982
Cooper,CL , Stress Research, issues for Eighties. New York: John wiley, 1983
Dharmangadan B., Stress at work-A comparison of five occupations, Psychological studies, 1988, 162-69.
Holmes.TH and Rahe, The Social readjustment scale, Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 1967 (11) 211-218
Ivancevich J.M and Matterson, Stress at work. Scot. Foresman, 1980.
James, CN, Introduction to medical Psychology New York; Free press, 1982.
Kindler, H.A, Personal Stress Assessment inventory, New York : Center for management effectiveness, 1981
Lachman.V.D, Stress Management-A Manual for Nurses, New York: Grune and Stratton Inc, 1983.
Likert.R ,Technique for measurement of attitude scales, Archieves of Psychology, New York, 1932.
Pehoreeky.L.A, Stress and alcohol interaction, An update Human Research,
Journal of Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research 1991 (3) 438-59.
Pestonjee D.M, Stress and coping: The Indian experience, New Delhi,
Sagar pub.1992
Rabkin J.G and Struening.E.L. Life events, Stress and illness, Science 1986, 1013-020
Sarason I.G, Assessing the impact of life Changes in stress and anxiety (Ed)
Sarason, IG. London: Hemisphere Pub.Co.1979
Selye H.A, The stress without Distress, Philadelphia: Lippincot, 1974.
Shanmugham, T.E, Abnormal Psychology, New Delhi: TMH Pub. Co.1981
Sutherland.V.J and Cooper.C.L, understanding stress: A Psychological perspective for Health professionals, London: Chapman and Hall 1990.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
HOW ALCOHOLISM AFFECTS FAMILIES?
HOW ALCOHOLISM AFFECTS FAMILIES
Ashitha P. Joy and Dr.Hari S.Chandran
Alcoholism of often termed the family illness, referring to the tremendous impact an active alcoholic has on those around him. There is no way the family members can escape or ignore the alcoholic. The majority of the alcoholic impairments are behavioural. So in the day-to-day interactions of family life, the family members are confronted with alcoholic behaviour. The family is, confused, be wildered, angry and afraid. They act accordingly. Their responses characteristically are as impaired as the alcoholic’s.
Certainly no family member ever caused alcoholism. Yet the family may, despites its best intentions, behave in a way that allows the alcoholic to continue drinking. They may protect the alcoholic, make excuses, buy into the alibis, cover up. They might call the employer, pretending the alcoholic is sick. The alcoholic’s actions are bound to increase the family’s anxiety level.
JACKSON’S STAGES
Jackson describes the stages that occur as a family comes to grips with an alcoholic in its midst. Her stages were initially intended to describe the family in which the husband and father is the alcoholic.
Denial:- Early in the development of alcoholism, occasional episodes of excessive drinking are explained away both marriage partners. Drinking because of drunkenness worry, nervousness, or a had day is not unbelievable the assumption is that the episode is an isolated instance and therefore no problem.
Attempts to eliminate the problem:- Here the spouse recognizes that the drinking is not normal and tries to make sure the alcoholic to quit, be more careful, or cut down. Simultaneously, the spouse tries to hide the problem from the outside and keep up a good front. Children in the family may well start having start having problems in response to the family stress.
Disorganization and chaos:- The family equilibrium has now broken down. The spouse can no longer pretend everything is okay and spends most of the time going crisis to crisis. Financial troubles are common. Under real stress, possibly questioning his or her own sanity, the spouse is likely to seek outside help.
Reorganization in spite of the problem:- The spouse’s coping abilities have strengthened. He or she gradually assumes the larger share of responsibility for the family unit. This may mean getting a job or taking over the finances. The major focus of energy is no longer directed toward getting the alcoholic partner to shape up. Instead, the spouse takes charge and fosters family life, despite the alcoholism.
Efforts to escape:- Separation or divorce may be attempted: lithe family unit remains intact, the family continues living around the alcoholic.
Family reorganization:- In the case of separation, family reorganization occurs without the alcoholic member. If the alcoholic achieves sobriety, a reconciliation may take place. Either path will require both partners to realign roles and make new adjustments.
ADDICTION, A FAMILY DISEASE
Addition is a ‘family disease’ that affects not only the addicted individual, but also his family members.
As addiction gets worse day by day, the family is compelled to face several unmanageable problems. Unable to cope with these problems, the family constantly lives under severe tensions and pressure. This results in the family members becoming desperate, angry, frustrated, nervous, afraid and guilty. In many ways they start behaving like the addict, even though they do not take alcohol.
Responses of the family members
Stage 1
a) Denying the problems:- Initially the family members deny or minimize the problems related to his drinking.
b) Justifying his drinking:- The family members give reasons for his drinking.
c) Making changes:- In an attempt to stop his drinking. The family members often believe that they are responsible for the alcoholic’s drinking. They try to solve the problems at home and establish a pleasant atmosphere hoping that he will then give up drinking. The wife goes all out to please the alcoholic-pays his debts to relieve him of his financial burdens.
Stage 2
d) Withdrawing from society:- In spite of their efforts the family members find that he continues to drink. They do not want anyone to know this fact. Thus they become less social and keep away from their relatives and friends. They do not invite anyone home. They feel lonely and at the same time, worthless.
e) Protecting the alcoholic from the consequences of his drinking:- They protect the alcoholic by, covering up the consequences arising out of his drinking thinking that they can make him give up alcohol.
f) Making attempts to control his drinking:- In the hope of getting him out of his problem. The wife may empty or break the bottles, request the alcoholic to drink on only at house and not outside. Tell him not to drink in the mornings. Extract promises from him that he will not drink when there are guests at home. Unable to achieve anything, the family members feel angry, let down, bitter. Initially the anger, and hatred are directed towards the alcoholic, gradually, the focus is lost and they get angry with everyone around.
Stage 3
g) Losing control over oneself:- The family members give up all attempts to control his drinking because they realize that these methods do not help. Thus they may decide to refrain from getting angry. But they are unable to control their emotions and shot at the alcoholic for drinking heavily, beat the children for minor mistakes committed by them, get anxious about the alcoholic when he does not come home till dark etc. Her own behaviour makes her wonder whether she is losing her sanity.
h) Fear of the future:- The family members are very worried and scared. For them, the future looks bleak. Tomorrow is a big question mark.
Stage 4
i) Trying to reorganize the household:- They have absolutely no control over the alcoholic and the family members are not able to relay on him for anything. Their she takes up the complete responsibility of running the family and the alcoholic is only looked upon as a defiant angry child.
Stage 5
j) Breaking away from the alcoholic:- As the disease of alcoholism worsens the wife believers that she can lead a life independent of the alcoholic. She is –also worried that if left alone, he may ruin himself. These lead too lots of conflicts in her mind, feeling disgusted, she may leave him for a short period of time but, she normally comes back.
Stage 6
k) Allowing the alcoholic to face a crisis:- The wife stops taking any responsibility for the consequences of the alcoholic behaviour.
Emotional responses of the family members
1) Guilt – Our culture impels that if a person drinks too much, his parents or wife is to be blamed. This attitude of society often leads to self-blame and it produces more guilt and shame. This prevents both: he alcoholic and the family members from developing self-awareness which can lead to a positive change.
2) Grief – It is the result of all sorts of losses-loss of prestige, personal dignity, care, understanding and love, friends, finances-loss in each and every area of their life. They do not share their feelings of grief with anyone, they suffer alone.
3) Anger – When no one cares to listen to them the family members experiences anger and deep sadness. Their utter helplessness makes them angry. They are angry with themselves.
4) Hurt – If the anger is suppressed and not let out, it results in frustration, resentment and hurt feelings and anxiety.
5) Shame – The in appropriate behaviour of the alcoholic in front of relatives and friends makes the family embarrassed. Shame produce slow self worth in each members of the family leading to social isolation.
6) Fear – Living in a problematic distressed family, produces fear-fear of the future, fear of family life, fear of financial matters, fear or helps, fear of arguments, fear their physical well-being. There feelings of fear are a result of the internalized emotional stress that each and every family members experiences.
7) Loneliness – The stressful situation in the alcoholic’s family results in the breakdown of normal family communications. Love, Care and Concern are lost in the stress, anxiety and crisis experienced. The isolation created by lack of communication always leads to bitter loneliness.
The children of alcoholics learn three unwritten laws or self imposed commands. They are ‘don’t talk, don’t trust, don’t feel’. They may play one or more roles within family. ie, responsible child, adjusting child, placating child, rebellious child.
Though they are harmful to our family relations, being related, we have the moral right to love, care, and help them to come out of it. For that psychological efforts have to be promoted. As the medical science has developed more in this century, the addition could be cured by root.
The effects on the children of alcoholics
Lack of role model, lying, loss of self esteem, fear, depression and suicidal idea.
The children Learn Three Unwritten Laws or self imposed commands
Don’t Talk, Don’t Trust, don’t Feel and play one or more roles within the family:
Responsible child,
Adjusting child,
Placating child
Rebellious child
Alcoholic family reactivity patterns
The functional family system
(The family with an Alcoholic member)
The neurotic enmeshed family system
(The Alcoholic Family)
The disintegrated family system
(Family separation & isolation)
The absent family system
(The long term isolated alcoholic)
A GUIDE FOR THE FAMILY OF THE ALCOHOLIC
The family’s best defense against the emotional impact of alcoholism is gaining know, ledge and achieving the emotional maturity and courage needed to put in into effect.
Individuals who may be capable of assisting alcoholics outside the family may become confused, destructive persons if a member of their own family becomes an active alcoholic. This is especially true if the drinking alcoholic is the husband, or wife.
The “next of kin” or ‘person most responsible for the alcoholic may need more assistance and counselling than the alcoholic if an effective recovery program is to be launched. Alcoholism is an illness, but one which has tremendous emotional impact upon the immediate family. Those most affected by the alcoholic are the spouse, parent, sister, brother and child. The more distorted the emotions of these persons become the less adequate their help will be. The interaction may and often does become destructive rather than helpful.
For example wives may find themselves blamed for everything that is wrong is an alcoholic marriage. This may reach the point where they may fear this is true. Yet alcoholism is an illness. The wife is no more responsible for alcoholism than she would be for the existence of diabetes or tuberculosis in her husband. Now wife ever made her husband an alcoholic, there fore no wife can be held responsible for his recovery. However, by lack of knowledge she may allow the illness to go unnoticed. By lack of adequate understanding and courage she may acquiesce in the development of the disease. For the existence of alcoholism the wife is not responsible, but she can abet the husband avoiding treatment, or takes steps which may lead to earlier recovery though this cannot be absolutely assured.
This same principle holds true for all members of the family, especially the one person upon whom the alcoholic ultimately depends. This primary person in the alcoholic’s life cannot “treat” the illness. No doctor should treat his own serious illness, and few will ever act as physician for a member of their immediate family, especially spouse, parent or child. As alcoholism progresses relatives become involved emotionally.
THE ALCOHOLIC’S WEAPONS
Anger
The first weapon is ability to arose anger or provoke loss of temper. If the family member or friend becomes angry and hostile this person has been completely destroyed in so far as ability to help the alcoholic is concerned. Consciously or unconsciously the alcoholic is projecting an image of self-hatred against the other person. If it is met by angry, hostile attacks it is thereby verified and the alcoholic’s own mind justifies the former drinking and also now has an additional excuse to drink in the future.
Anxiety
The second weapon of the alcoholic is the ability to arouse anxiety on the part of the family. Thereby they are compelled to do for the alcoholic that which can be done only by the alcoholic if the illness is to be arrested and recovery initiated.
The alcoholic cannot undo what others have already undone. This in reality increases the alcoholic’s sense of failure and guilt and increases the family’s sense of hostility and condemnation if the alcoholic. Thereby the alcoholic is doubly injured. The criticism, scolding and moralizing add to the alcoholic’s guilt and resentment against self and family.
Alcoholics are propelled along the progress of the disease when the family is unable to cope with anxiety aroused by the alcoholic. This is in effect part of the illness. Neither the alcoholic nor his family is able to face realty.
Love and compassion
One of the more serious failures in approaching the alcoholic is the inability to understand the meaning of love. The wife has no right to state, “if you loved me you would not drink”.
Alcohol is an anesthetic. When the alcoholic drinks he anesthetizes his pain. This is the pleasure of alcohol escape. It is a problem-solving device to relieve unpleasantness, anxiety, tension and resentment. When the alcoholic drinks pain is avoided for the time being but pain, tension, anxiety and resentment are increased severely in the family. When the alcoholic drinks pain is avoided for the time being but pain, tension, anxiety and resentment are increased severely in the family. When the alcohokic sobers up there is little desire to suffer the consequences of drinking. Remorse and guilt now compel the – alcoholic to prostrate him self before the family, beggar mercy and promise that it will never happen again. Or the reverse side of the coin may appear, complete unwillingness to discuss what happened. Each attempts to gain the same goal, the avoidance of the consequences of drinking. If the alcoholic succeeds by either means his pain is again avoider or relieved but the family again pays the price of the consequences of drinking.
Love is Destroyed
Love cannot continue to exist in this type of action and interaction. The alcoholic uses alcohol to escape pain by drinking and learns, how to use the family to escape the pain of the consequences. The family suffers when the alcoholic drinks and then suffers the painful consequences also. If the family bears the brunt of the drinking and absorbs its consequences then compassion cannot exist Compassion is bearing with or suffering with a person, not suffering because of the unwillingness of the other person to suffer. If this condition is allowed to continue by the – family, love is gradually destroyed and replaced by fear, resentment and hatred. The only way love can be retained is by family members learning not to suffer when drinking is in progress and refusing to undo the consequences of drinking. Anything less than this is not compassion and only relationship without, justice and compassion is not love.
The traffic result is that alcoholism is thereby encouraged and fear and resentment take over human emotions. This is why family members, especially the next of kin of the alcoholic, need held if the disease is to be arrested and recovery initiated. Other wise the entire family becomes ill emotionally. This condition is but another symptom of the progress of the disease.
THE ‘ROLE’ OF PARENTS AND TEACHERS
The role of parents and teachers in preventing youth from getting into the drug – scene can best the filled by sympathetic understanding of what is going on in their minds in hearts. Even if the parents and teachers are to old to be interested in the new attractions, they must make themselves young enough in thought to share the feelings which these youth have received from the atmosphere around them, - blowing in from all over the world.
A word of warning: sometimes these pressures and desires also come to the parents and teachers tool’. More and more adults have problems which they don’t want to admit, but which cause them to drink, or gamble, or play around in dangerous way, too. You need only count the increasing number of alcoholics and alcohol selling shops, or reflect on the new and important place and “source force” which helps more and more people to buy new land, build new homes, wear clothes they cannot afford, and generally try to impress their friends and relatives with items that are bigger and better.
Especially parents must be aware of how their grown – up children are developing in life. If their studies are weak, if they keep irregular hours and do not easily answer questions about their activity or friends; if they growth in, do not eat, oversleep and are secretive, it is a time for loving, sympathetic seeking to understand rather then harshly criticize. Talk with them about their plans for the future, their interests and how to go about achieving them. Let them share with you the impressions they get from their friends, and how they feel because of these things. Confide in them – the problems which you adults feel too with the strains of modern life in our land- locked, opportunity – locked country.
Common Features of the Family with an Addict Members
The addict is the symptom carrier of the family dysfunction
The addict helps to maintain family homeostasis.
The addict reinforces the parental need to control and continue parenting, yet he finds such parenting inadequate for his needs.
The addict provides a displaced battlefield so that implicit and explicit parental strife can continue to be denied.
Parental drug, and alcohol above is common and is directly transmitted to the addict or results in – inadequate parenting.
The addict forms cross – generational alliances which separate parents from each other.
Generational boundaries are diffused – there is frequent competition between parents.
Frequently the crisis created by addict is the only was the family gets together and attempts some problem solving, or is the only opportunity for a “deed” family to experience emotions.
Ashitha P. Joy is MSW student in Assumption College, Changanachery, kerala, India.
Dr. Hari S.Chandran, M.Phil (Psy), Ph.D, PGDPC, C. Psych.(England) is working as Cons. Psychologist ,Department of Deaddiction & Mental Health, St.Gregorios Mission Hospital, Parumala. Kerala,India. drhari7@hotmail.com
Ashitha P. Joy and Dr.Hari S.Chandran
Alcoholism of often termed the family illness, referring to the tremendous impact an active alcoholic has on those around him. There is no way the family members can escape or ignore the alcoholic. The majority of the alcoholic impairments are behavioural. So in the day-to-day interactions of family life, the family members are confronted with alcoholic behaviour. The family is, confused, be wildered, angry and afraid. They act accordingly. Their responses characteristically are as impaired as the alcoholic’s.
Certainly no family member ever caused alcoholism. Yet the family may, despites its best intentions, behave in a way that allows the alcoholic to continue drinking. They may protect the alcoholic, make excuses, buy into the alibis, cover up. They might call the employer, pretending the alcoholic is sick. The alcoholic’s actions are bound to increase the family’s anxiety level.
JACKSON’S STAGES
Jackson describes the stages that occur as a family comes to grips with an alcoholic in its midst. Her stages were initially intended to describe the family in which the husband and father is the alcoholic.
Denial:- Early in the development of alcoholism, occasional episodes of excessive drinking are explained away both marriage partners. Drinking because of drunkenness worry, nervousness, or a had day is not unbelievable the assumption is that the episode is an isolated instance and therefore no problem.
Attempts to eliminate the problem:- Here the spouse recognizes that the drinking is not normal and tries to make sure the alcoholic to quit, be more careful, or cut down. Simultaneously, the spouse tries to hide the problem from the outside and keep up a good front. Children in the family may well start having start having problems in response to the family stress.
Disorganization and chaos:- The family equilibrium has now broken down. The spouse can no longer pretend everything is okay and spends most of the time going crisis to crisis. Financial troubles are common. Under real stress, possibly questioning his or her own sanity, the spouse is likely to seek outside help.
Reorganization in spite of the problem:- The spouse’s coping abilities have strengthened. He or she gradually assumes the larger share of responsibility for the family unit. This may mean getting a job or taking over the finances. The major focus of energy is no longer directed toward getting the alcoholic partner to shape up. Instead, the spouse takes charge and fosters family life, despite the alcoholism.
Efforts to escape:- Separation or divorce may be attempted: lithe family unit remains intact, the family continues living around the alcoholic.
Family reorganization:- In the case of separation, family reorganization occurs without the alcoholic member. If the alcoholic achieves sobriety, a reconciliation may take place. Either path will require both partners to realign roles and make new adjustments.
ADDICTION, A FAMILY DISEASE
Addition is a ‘family disease’ that affects not only the addicted individual, but also his family members.
As addiction gets worse day by day, the family is compelled to face several unmanageable problems. Unable to cope with these problems, the family constantly lives under severe tensions and pressure. This results in the family members becoming desperate, angry, frustrated, nervous, afraid and guilty. In many ways they start behaving like the addict, even though they do not take alcohol.
Responses of the family members
Stage 1
a) Denying the problems:- Initially the family members deny or minimize the problems related to his drinking.
b) Justifying his drinking:- The family members give reasons for his drinking.
c) Making changes:- In an attempt to stop his drinking. The family members often believe that they are responsible for the alcoholic’s drinking. They try to solve the problems at home and establish a pleasant atmosphere hoping that he will then give up drinking. The wife goes all out to please the alcoholic-pays his debts to relieve him of his financial burdens.
Stage 2
d) Withdrawing from society:- In spite of their efforts the family members find that he continues to drink. They do not want anyone to know this fact. Thus they become less social and keep away from their relatives and friends. They do not invite anyone home. They feel lonely and at the same time, worthless.
e) Protecting the alcoholic from the consequences of his drinking:- They protect the alcoholic by, covering up the consequences arising out of his drinking thinking that they can make him give up alcohol.
f) Making attempts to control his drinking:- In the hope of getting him out of his problem. The wife may empty or break the bottles, request the alcoholic to drink on only at house and not outside. Tell him not to drink in the mornings. Extract promises from him that he will not drink when there are guests at home. Unable to achieve anything, the family members feel angry, let down, bitter. Initially the anger, and hatred are directed towards the alcoholic, gradually, the focus is lost and they get angry with everyone around.
Stage 3
g) Losing control over oneself:- The family members give up all attempts to control his drinking because they realize that these methods do not help. Thus they may decide to refrain from getting angry. But they are unable to control their emotions and shot at the alcoholic for drinking heavily, beat the children for minor mistakes committed by them, get anxious about the alcoholic when he does not come home till dark etc. Her own behaviour makes her wonder whether she is losing her sanity.
h) Fear of the future:- The family members are very worried and scared. For them, the future looks bleak. Tomorrow is a big question mark.
Stage 4
i) Trying to reorganize the household:- They have absolutely no control over the alcoholic and the family members are not able to relay on him for anything. Their she takes up the complete responsibility of running the family and the alcoholic is only looked upon as a defiant angry child.
Stage 5
j) Breaking away from the alcoholic:- As the disease of alcoholism worsens the wife believers that she can lead a life independent of the alcoholic. She is –also worried that if left alone, he may ruin himself. These lead too lots of conflicts in her mind, feeling disgusted, she may leave him for a short period of time but, she normally comes back.
Stage 6
k) Allowing the alcoholic to face a crisis:- The wife stops taking any responsibility for the consequences of the alcoholic behaviour.
Emotional responses of the family members
1) Guilt – Our culture impels that if a person drinks too much, his parents or wife is to be blamed. This attitude of society often leads to self-blame and it produces more guilt and shame. This prevents both: he alcoholic and the family members from developing self-awareness which can lead to a positive change.
2) Grief – It is the result of all sorts of losses-loss of prestige, personal dignity, care, understanding and love, friends, finances-loss in each and every area of their life. They do not share their feelings of grief with anyone, they suffer alone.
3) Anger – When no one cares to listen to them the family members experiences anger and deep sadness. Their utter helplessness makes them angry. They are angry with themselves.
4) Hurt – If the anger is suppressed and not let out, it results in frustration, resentment and hurt feelings and anxiety.
5) Shame – The in appropriate behaviour of the alcoholic in front of relatives and friends makes the family embarrassed. Shame produce slow self worth in each members of the family leading to social isolation.
6) Fear – Living in a problematic distressed family, produces fear-fear of the future, fear of family life, fear of financial matters, fear or helps, fear of arguments, fear their physical well-being. There feelings of fear are a result of the internalized emotional stress that each and every family members experiences.
7) Loneliness – The stressful situation in the alcoholic’s family results in the breakdown of normal family communications. Love, Care and Concern are lost in the stress, anxiety and crisis experienced. The isolation created by lack of communication always leads to bitter loneliness.
The children of alcoholics learn three unwritten laws or self imposed commands. They are ‘don’t talk, don’t trust, don’t feel’. They may play one or more roles within family. ie, responsible child, adjusting child, placating child, rebellious child.
Though they are harmful to our family relations, being related, we have the moral right to love, care, and help them to come out of it. For that psychological efforts have to be promoted. As the medical science has developed more in this century, the addition could be cured by root.
The effects on the children of alcoholics
Lack of role model, lying, loss of self esteem, fear, depression and suicidal idea.
The children Learn Three Unwritten Laws or self imposed commands
Don’t Talk, Don’t Trust, don’t Feel and play one or more roles within the family:
Responsible child,
Adjusting child,
Placating child
Rebellious child
Alcoholic family reactivity patterns
The functional family system
(The family with an Alcoholic member)
The neurotic enmeshed family system
(The Alcoholic Family)
The disintegrated family system
(Family separation & isolation)
The absent family system
(The long term isolated alcoholic)
A GUIDE FOR THE FAMILY OF THE ALCOHOLIC
The family’s best defense against the emotional impact of alcoholism is gaining know, ledge and achieving the emotional maturity and courage needed to put in into effect.
Individuals who may be capable of assisting alcoholics outside the family may become confused, destructive persons if a member of their own family becomes an active alcoholic. This is especially true if the drinking alcoholic is the husband, or wife.
The “next of kin” or ‘person most responsible for the alcoholic may need more assistance and counselling than the alcoholic if an effective recovery program is to be launched. Alcoholism is an illness, but one which has tremendous emotional impact upon the immediate family. Those most affected by the alcoholic are the spouse, parent, sister, brother and child. The more distorted the emotions of these persons become the less adequate their help will be. The interaction may and often does become destructive rather than helpful.
For example wives may find themselves blamed for everything that is wrong is an alcoholic marriage. This may reach the point where they may fear this is true. Yet alcoholism is an illness. The wife is no more responsible for alcoholism than she would be for the existence of diabetes or tuberculosis in her husband. Now wife ever made her husband an alcoholic, there fore no wife can be held responsible for his recovery. However, by lack of knowledge she may allow the illness to go unnoticed. By lack of adequate understanding and courage she may acquiesce in the development of the disease. For the existence of alcoholism the wife is not responsible, but she can abet the husband avoiding treatment, or takes steps which may lead to earlier recovery though this cannot be absolutely assured.
This same principle holds true for all members of the family, especially the one person upon whom the alcoholic ultimately depends. This primary person in the alcoholic’s life cannot “treat” the illness. No doctor should treat his own serious illness, and few will ever act as physician for a member of their immediate family, especially spouse, parent or child. As alcoholism progresses relatives become involved emotionally.
THE ALCOHOLIC’S WEAPONS
Anger
The first weapon is ability to arose anger or provoke loss of temper. If the family member or friend becomes angry and hostile this person has been completely destroyed in so far as ability to help the alcoholic is concerned. Consciously or unconsciously the alcoholic is projecting an image of self-hatred against the other person. If it is met by angry, hostile attacks it is thereby verified and the alcoholic’s own mind justifies the former drinking and also now has an additional excuse to drink in the future.
Anxiety
The second weapon of the alcoholic is the ability to arouse anxiety on the part of the family. Thereby they are compelled to do for the alcoholic that which can be done only by the alcoholic if the illness is to be arrested and recovery initiated.
The alcoholic cannot undo what others have already undone. This in reality increases the alcoholic’s sense of failure and guilt and increases the family’s sense of hostility and condemnation if the alcoholic. Thereby the alcoholic is doubly injured. The criticism, scolding and moralizing add to the alcoholic’s guilt and resentment against self and family.
Alcoholics are propelled along the progress of the disease when the family is unable to cope with anxiety aroused by the alcoholic. This is in effect part of the illness. Neither the alcoholic nor his family is able to face realty.
Love and compassion
One of the more serious failures in approaching the alcoholic is the inability to understand the meaning of love. The wife has no right to state, “if you loved me you would not drink”.
Alcohol is an anesthetic. When the alcoholic drinks he anesthetizes his pain. This is the pleasure of alcohol escape. It is a problem-solving device to relieve unpleasantness, anxiety, tension and resentment. When the alcoholic drinks pain is avoided for the time being but pain, tension, anxiety and resentment are increased severely in the family. When the alcoholic drinks pain is avoided for the time being but pain, tension, anxiety and resentment are increased severely in the family. When the alcohokic sobers up there is little desire to suffer the consequences of drinking. Remorse and guilt now compel the – alcoholic to prostrate him self before the family, beggar mercy and promise that it will never happen again. Or the reverse side of the coin may appear, complete unwillingness to discuss what happened. Each attempts to gain the same goal, the avoidance of the consequences of drinking. If the alcoholic succeeds by either means his pain is again avoider or relieved but the family again pays the price of the consequences of drinking.
Love is Destroyed
Love cannot continue to exist in this type of action and interaction. The alcoholic uses alcohol to escape pain by drinking and learns, how to use the family to escape the pain of the consequences. The family suffers when the alcoholic drinks and then suffers the painful consequences also. If the family bears the brunt of the drinking and absorbs its consequences then compassion cannot exist Compassion is bearing with or suffering with a person, not suffering because of the unwillingness of the other person to suffer. If this condition is allowed to continue by the – family, love is gradually destroyed and replaced by fear, resentment and hatred. The only way love can be retained is by family members learning not to suffer when drinking is in progress and refusing to undo the consequences of drinking. Anything less than this is not compassion and only relationship without, justice and compassion is not love.
The traffic result is that alcoholism is thereby encouraged and fear and resentment take over human emotions. This is why family members, especially the next of kin of the alcoholic, need held if the disease is to be arrested and recovery initiated. Other wise the entire family becomes ill emotionally. This condition is but another symptom of the progress of the disease.
THE ‘ROLE’ OF PARENTS AND TEACHERS
The role of parents and teachers in preventing youth from getting into the drug – scene can best the filled by sympathetic understanding of what is going on in their minds in hearts. Even if the parents and teachers are to old to be interested in the new attractions, they must make themselves young enough in thought to share the feelings which these youth have received from the atmosphere around them, - blowing in from all over the world.
A word of warning: sometimes these pressures and desires also come to the parents and teachers tool’. More and more adults have problems which they don’t want to admit, but which cause them to drink, or gamble, or play around in dangerous way, too. You need only count the increasing number of alcoholics and alcohol selling shops, or reflect on the new and important place and “source force” which helps more and more people to buy new land, build new homes, wear clothes they cannot afford, and generally try to impress their friends and relatives with items that are bigger and better.
Especially parents must be aware of how their grown – up children are developing in life. If their studies are weak, if they keep irregular hours and do not easily answer questions about their activity or friends; if they growth in, do not eat, oversleep and are secretive, it is a time for loving, sympathetic seeking to understand rather then harshly criticize. Talk with them about their plans for the future, their interests and how to go about achieving them. Let them share with you the impressions they get from their friends, and how they feel because of these things. Confide in them – the problems which you adults feel too with the strains of modern life in our land- locked, opportunity – locked country.
Common Features of the Family with an Addict Members
The addict is the symptom carrier of the family dysfunction
The addict helps to maintain family homeostasis.
The addict reinforces the parental need to control and continue parenting, yet he finds such parenting inadequate for his needs.
The addict provides a displaced battlefield so that implicit and explicit parental strife can continue to be denied.
Parental drug, and alcohol above is common and is directly transmitted to the addict or results in – inadequate parenting.
The addict forms cross – generational alliances which separate parents from each other.
Generational boundaries are diffused – there is frequent competition between parents.
Frequently the crisis created by addict is the only was the family gets together and attempts some problem solving, or is the only opportunity for a “deed” family to experience emotions.
Ashitha P. Joy is MSW student in Assumption College, Changanachery, kerala, India.
Dr. Hari S.Chandran, M.Phil (Psy), Ph.D, PGDPC, C. Psych.(England) is working as Cons. Psychologist ,Department of Deaddiction & Mental Health, St.Gregorios Mission Hospital, Parumala. Kerala,India. drhari7@hotmail.com
SUBI”S REPORT ON INFLUENCE OF PERSONALITY DISORDER IN ALCOHILISM
SUBI”S REPORT ON INFLUENCE OF PERSONALITY DISORDER IN ALCOHILISM
By Mrs.Subi and Dr.Hari S.Chandran
The personality pattern of behaviour is generally recognized lay early adolescence. These change persists through out life, causing difficulties to the individuals and members of the family. Personality traits are normal, prominent aspects of personality. Personality disorders result when these personality traits become abnormal, ie. become inflexible and maladaptive, and cause significant social or occupational impairment or significant subjective distress.
Diagnostic and Statistical Manuel of Mental Disorders- IV edition, Text Revision, 2000 (DSM-IV-TR) is American Psychiatric Association’s Classification of mental disorders, DSM-IV-TR is a minor revision of the DSM-IV (1994).
In DSM-IV-TR, the personality disorder are coded on “Axis” and have been divided into three clusters. They are
1) Clusters A
Personality disorder, thought to be on a schizophrenic- continuum. These are (i) Paranoid PD, (ii) Schizoid PD (iii) Schizotypal PD. The diagnostic guidelines for specific personality disorder include the following features.
i) Paranoid PD
• Suspicious
• Mistrustful
• Jealous
• Sensitive
• Self Importance
ii) Schizoid PD
• Emotionally cold
• Detached
• Aloof
• Lucking enjoyment
• Introspective
iii) Schizotypal PD
• Socially anxious
• Experience cognitive and perceptual distortions.
• Show oddities or speech and inappropriate affective responses
• Behave eccentrically.
2) Cluster B
Personality disorders thought to be on a ‘psychopathic continuum.’ These are
(i) Antisocial PD, (ii) Histrionic PD, (iii) Narcissistic PD (iv) Borderline PD. The diagnostic guideline for personality disorder include the following features.
i) Antisocial PD
• Callous
• Transient Relationship
• Irresponsible
• Impulsive of insitable
• Lack guil of remorse
• Fail to accept responsibility
ii) Histrionic PD
• Self dramatization
• Suggestibility
• Shallow, Labile, affect
• Sack Allenton of excitement
• Inappropriately Seductive
• Over concern with physical attractiveness.
iii) Narcissistic PD
• Grandiose self importance
• Fantasizes unlimited success, Power etc.
• Believes himself special
• Requires excessive admiration
• Exploits others, luck empathy
• Envious believes others envy him
iv) Borer line PD
• Identity disturbance
• Intense and unstable relationships
• Effort to avoid abandonment
• Recurrent suicidal behaviour
• Chronic feelings of emptiness
• Transient stress – related paranoid ideation.
3) Cluster - C
Personality disorders, characterized by ‘introversion’. These are (i) Avoidant PD (ii) Dependent PD (iii) Obsessive Compulsive PD. The diagnostic guidelines for personality disorders include the following features.
i) Avoidant PD
- Feeling of tension
- Feels socially inferior
- Pre-occupied with rejection
- Avoids involvement, risks and social activity
ii) Dependent PD
- Unduly complain
- Allow others take responsibility
- Feel unable to care for himself
- Fear of being left of care himself
- Need excessive help to make decision
iii) Obsessive – Compulsive PD
- Pre-occupied with details, rules etc.
- Over conscientious and scrupulous
- Rigid and stubborn
- Excessively doubling and cautious
Individuals with personality disorder have greater chances of becoming dependent on alcohol. Person with paranoid personality disorder uses alcohol to avoid their sadness and feelings. Schizhypal personalities become dependent on alcohol. In order to avoid anxiety. To get escape from guilt and remorse anti-social personalities uses alcohol. The Histrionic PD uses alcohol in order to seek attention and excitement. Narcissistic personalities always try to exploits others, by using alcohol they become partly conscious and get the courage for doing among. Avoidant personalities become alcoholic addict to get relief from anxiety and tension chronic feeling of emptiness and fear of being left alone lead the dependent and personalities to alcoholic addict. Some become alcoholic addict in order to avoid situation, risk and responsibilities. Obsessive compulsive disordered person take alcohol inorder to get confidence.
Addiction to alcohol and drug has become a problem for the individuals family and community. With a large number of people taking to alcoholism due to psychological and socio-cultural factors, the health problems have also become alarming. Alcoholic Anonymous describes alcoholism as a physical condition associated with mental obsession. It is considered to have physical, psychological, sociological and alcoholic parts of sickness.
By pharmacological definition alcohol is a drug and may be classified as a sedative, tranquililizes, hypnotic or anaesthetic, depending upon the quantity consumed. Of all the drugs, alcohol is the only drug whose self-induced intoxication is socially acceptable.
Alcohol is a depressant which means it slows the functions of the control nervous system. Alcohol usually blocks some of the messages trying to get to the brain. This alters a persons perceptions, emotions, movements, vision and hearing. In very small amounts, alcohol can help a person feel more relaxed or less anxious. More alcohol causes greater changes in the brain resulting in intoxication.
Alcohol is rapidly absorbed from the stomach and small intestine. Within 2 – 3 minutes of consumption, it can be detected in the blood – the max. concentration is usually reached about one hour after consumption. The presence of food in the stomach inhibits the absorption of alcohol because of dilution.
When the patient is dependent on alcohol a sudden cessation of drinking may cause severe withdrawal symptoms and signs occurring when the substance is reduced or stopped. The nature, time to onset and course of the symptoms very for different substance. The most common withdrawal syndrome is the longer. Mild tremous, nausea, vomiting, weakness, irritability, insomania and anxiety are also seen. Delirium tramens, alcoholic seizures, alcoholic hallunosis, are the severe forms of withdrawal syndrome.
Hospitalisation, clinical investigation, Detoxication, Detevent measures, psychotherapy, sociotherapy are some of the treatments for alcohol dependence.
CONCLUSION
In brief alcohol help a person feel more relaxed or less anxious, because it is a depressant. This makes the disordered personalities dependent on alcoholism.
REFERENCE
Dr Hari S. Chandran, Alcohol, Stress, Article. A short text of psychiatry, Niray, Ahija.
No. 1
The patient ‘P’ of age 32 was admitted in the hospital for de-addiction treatment. He belongs to the community of Ezhava. Patient is a graduate and also completed diploma in interior designing currently he is unemployed and unmarried. His father is a retired person and mother a housewife. He has one sister, she is a post graduate.
Patient is admitted in hospital on 5th August 2006. He repeatedly uses alcohol after every six months for a period of one week. He had lost his friend in an accident and become depressed. He is not interested in doing job and taking responsibilities. He had a disorder of personality and become alcoholic. After the treatment patient was discharged from the hospital on 19th August 2006.
No. 2
Patient ‘S’ was admitted in the hospital for de-addiction treatment. He is 38 years old and belongs to marthoma, x’-catholic. His occupation is business. Patient is divorced. His family consists of father, mother brother and sister in-law. He is a disorder personality. Sometimes patient become aggressive and outburst. Patient suffer from auditory hallucination. Patient use excessive conception of alcohol of last 10 years.
No. 3
Client ‘R’ of age 28 was admitted in Hospital for psychiatric illness. His educational qualification is S.S.L.C. Patient ‘R’ is unmarried and live with his parents. He had one brother and one sister. The patient has an inadequate personality. He become aggressive, violent and destroying objects. The patient repeatedly make complain on other. Disordered pattern of behaviour lead him to alcoholic addiction
MRS.SUBI is MSW student in Assumption College, Changanachery, kerala, India.Dr. Hari S.Chandran, M.Phil (Psy), Ph.D, PGDPC, C. Psych.(England) is working as Cons. Psychologist ,Department of Deaddiction & Mental Health, St.Gregorios Mission Hospital, Parumala. Kerala,India. drhari7@hotmail.com
By Mrs.Subi and Dr.Hari S.Chandran
The personality pattern of behaviour is generally recognized lay early adolescence. These change persists through out life, causing difficulties to the individuals and members of the family. Personality traits are normal, prominent aspects of personality. Personality disorders result when these personality traits become abnormal, ie. become inflexible and maladaptive, and cause significant social or occupational impairment or significant subjective distress.
Diagnostic and Statistical Manuel of Mental Disorders- IV edition, Text Revision, 2000 (DSM-IV-TR) is American Psychiatric Association’s Classification of mental disorders, DSM-IV-TR is a minor revision of the DSM-IV (1994).
In DSM-IV-TR, the personality disorder are coded on “Axis” and have been divided into three clusters. They are
1) Clusters A
Personality disorder, thought to be on a schizophrenic- continuum. These are (i) Paranoid PD, (ii) Schizoid PD (iii) Schizotypal PD. The diagnostic guidelines for specific personality disorder include the following features.
i) Paranoid PD
• Suspicious
• Mistrustful
• Jealous
• Sensitive
• Self Importance
ii) Schizoid PD
• Emotionally cold
• Detached
• Aloof
• Lucking enjoyment
• Introspective
iii) Schizotypal PD
• Socially anxious
• Experience cognitive and perceptual distortions.
• Show oddities or speech and inappropriate affective responses
• Behave eccentrically.
2) Cluster B
Personality disorders thought to be on a ‘psychopathic continuum.’ These are
(i) Antisocial PD, (ii) Histrionic PD, (iii) Narcissistic PD (iv) Borderline PD. The diagnostic guideline for personality disorder include the following features.
i) Antisocial PD
• Callous
• Transient Relationship
• Irresponsible
• Impulsive of insitable
• Lack guil of remorse
• Fail to accept responsibility
ii) Histrionic PD
• Self dramatization
• Suggestibility
• Shallow, Labile, affect
• Sack Allenton of excitement
• Inappropriately Seductive
• Over concern with physical attractiveness.
iii) Narcissistic PD
• Grandiose self importance
• Fantasizes unlimited success, Power etc.
• Believes himself special
• Requires excessive admiration
• Exploits others, luck empathy
• Envious believes others envy him
iv) Borer line PD
• Identity disturbance
• Intense and unstable relationships
• Effort to avoid abandonment
• Recurrent suicidal behaviour
• Chronic feelings of emptiness
• Transient stress – related paranoid ideation.
3) Cluster - C
Personality disorders, characterized by ‘introversion’. These are (i) Avoidant PD (ii) Dependent PD (iii) Obsessive Compulsive PD. The diagnostic guidelines for personality disorders include the following features.
i) Avoidant PD
- Feeling of tension
- Feels socially inferior
- Pre-occupied with rejection
- Avoids involvement, risks and social activity
ii) Dependent PD
- Unduly complain
- Allow others take responsibility
- Feel unable to care for himself
- Fear of being left of care himself
- Need excessive help to make decision
iii) Obsessive – Compulsive PD
- Pre-occupied with details, rules etc.
- Over conscientious and scrupulous
- Rigid and stubborn
- Excessively doubling and cautious
Individuals with personality disorder have greater chances of becoming dependent on alcohol. Person with paranoid personality disorder uses alcohol to avoid their sadness and feelings. Schizhypal personalities become dependent on alcohol. In order to avoid anxiety. To get escape from guilt and remorse anti-social personalities uses alcohol. The Histrionic PD uses alcohol in order to seek attention and excitement. Narcissistic personalities always try to exploits others, by using alcohol they become partly conscious and get the courage for doing among. Avoidant personalities become alcoholic addict to get relief from anxiety and tension chronic feeling of emptiness and fear of being left alone lead the dependent and personalities to alcoholic addict. Some become alcoholic addict in order to avoid situation, risk and responsibilities. Obsessive compulsive disordered person take alcohol inorder to get confidence.
Addiction to alcohol and drug has become a problem for the individuals family and community. With a large number of people taking to alcoholism due to psychological and socio-cultural factors, the health problems have also become alarming. Alcoholic Anonymous describes alcoholism as a physical condition associated with mental obsession. It is considered to have physical, psychological, sociological and alcoholic parts of sickness.
By pharmacological definition alcohol is a drug and may be classified as a sedative, tranquililizes, hypnotic or anaesthetic, depending upon the quantity consumed. Of all the drugs, alcohol is the only drug whose self-induced intoxication is socially acceptable.
Alcohol is a depressant which means it slows the functions of the control nervous system. Alcohol usually blocks some of the messages trying to get to the brain. This alters a persons perceptions, emotions, movements, vision and hearing. In very small amounts, alcohol can help a person feel more relaxed or less anxious. More alcohol causes greater changes in the brain resulting in intoxication.
Alcohol is rapidly absorbed from the stomach and small intestine. Within 2 – 3 minutes of consumption, it can be detected in the blood – the max. concentration is usually reached about one hour after consumption. The presence of food in the stomach inhibits the absorption of alcohol because of dilution.
When the patient is dependent on alcohol a sudden cessation of drinking may cause severe withdrawal symptoms and signs occurring when the substance is reduced or stopped. The nature, time to onset and course of the symptoms very for different substance. The most common withdrawal syndrome is the longer. Mild tremous, nausea, vomiting, weakness, irritability, insomania and anxiety are also seen. Delirium tramens, alcoholic seizures, alcoholic hallunosis, are the severe forms of withdrawal syndrome.
Hospitalisation, clinical investigation, Detoxication, Detevent measures, psychotherapy, sociotherapy are some of the treatments for alcohol dependence.
CONCLUSION
In brief alcohol help a person feel more relaxed or less anxious, because it is a depressant. This makes the disordered personalities dependent on alcoholism.
REFERENCE
Dr Hari S. Chandran, Alcohol, Stress, Article. A short text of psychiatry, Niray, Ahija.
No. 1
The patient ‘P’ of age 32 was admitted in the hospital for de-addiction treatment. He belongs to the community of Ezhava. Patient is a graduate and also completed diploma in interior designing currently he is unemployed and unmarried. His father is a retired person and mother a housewife. He has one sister, she is a post graduate.
Patient is admitted in hospital on 5th August 2006. He repeatedly uses alcohol after every six months for a period of one week. He had lost his friend in an accident and become depressed. He is not interested in doing job and taking responsibilities. He had a disorder of personality and become alcoholic. After the treatment patient was discharged from the hospital on 19th August 2006.
No. 2
Patient ‘S’ was admitted in the hospital for de-addiction treatment. He is 38 years old and belongs to marthoma, x’-catholic. His occupation is business. Patient is divorced. His family consists of father, mother brother and sister in-law. He is a disorder personality. Sometimes patient become aggressive and outburst. Patient suffer from auditory hallucination. Patient use excessive conception of alcohol of last 10 years.
No. 3
Client ‘R’ of age 28 was admitted in Hospital for psychiatric illness. His educational qualification is S.S.L.C. Patient ‘R’ is unmarried and live with his parents. He had one brother and one sister. The patient has an inadequate personality. He become aggressive, violent and destroying objects. The patient repeatedly make complain on other. Disordered pattern of behaviour lead him to alcoholic addiction
MRS.SUBI is MSW student in Assumption College, Changanachery, kerala, India.Dr. Hari S.Chandran, M.Phil (Psy), Ph.D, PGDPC, C. Psych.(England) is working as Cons. Psychologist ,Department of Deaddiction & Mental Health, St.Gregorios Mission Hospital, Parumala. Kerala,India. drhari7@hotmail.com
AN ENQUIRY IN TO THE PERSONAL MALADJUSTMENT PATTERN AMONG CHILDREN OF ALCOHOLIC PARENTS
AN ENQUIRY IN TO THE PERSONAL MALADJUSTMENT PATTERN AMONG CHILDREN OF ALCOHOLIC PARENTS
Dr.Hari S.Chandran
Alcoholism is matter of serious concern, not confined to any group, culture or country. Universally it creates professional, social, financial, legal, medical, psychological, and familial problems. The cost of alcoholism to the society is staggering by any calculations. Lost working days, accidents and related disability, family disrupts and resulting juvenile problems, and direct medical complications of alcohol abuse add up to a significant proportion of loss to nations” economy and well being. Alcoholism thus becomes a complex phenomenon deserving attention from deferent angles.
Problem drinking within a family can lead to many types of stress and hard ships for family members. Increasing social isolation due to alcoholism is difficult for children to cope up. They behave increasingly withdrawn form peer group activities. Financial hardships become a factor and reductions are made to general standard of living. Physical hardships are seen either violence towards family members or in destruction of household things.
Family members especially spouse may be subjected to emotional deprivation and may perceive drinking as a form of rejection. This in turn causes the drinker to become increasingly preoccupied and plays a diminished role in family life and affairs.
Glassner and Loughlin (1987) emphasised on three aspects of parent-child relationships that are studied in alcoholics” families; basic care, consistency of expectations, and communications. Children find it difficult to cope with parental unpredictability or with unexplained withdrawal and sudden change in mood and temperament.
Submitted to ICSSR, for General fellowship.
Children may suffer from physical and emotional neglect. Since all the family’s energies are focused on the drinker, children are often neglected and their individual contributions go unacknowledged. This may result in acting out behavior, aggression, bed- wetting, taunting, anxiety, withdrawal and isolation that in turn can increase the pressure on non-drinking parents. Another important problem is that children of alcoholics lack a satisfactory role model for their own behavior. Hence, the children represent an important high-risk group both because of their proneness to problem drinking during child hood and their proneness to problems in later life. Hence, the tragedy of alcoholism lies in its detrimental effects on future generation. Alcoholism of the individual affects not only the family but also even the basic fabric of the society. Alcohol causes poverty leading to crimes and prostitution that in turn ends up in the break down of any society’s integrity and existence.
Studies have reveled that alcoholics” families acquire certain typical coping strategies within the family system (Orford et. al 1975). Children take up age inappropriate activities to maintain the domestic harmony, become a support to the non-drinking parent, and hence exposed to moral, emotional, and financial dilemmas not appropriate to their age, experience or understanding. This invariably evokes further stress, feelings of hopelessness, withdrawnness and depression in alcoholics. Thus, a vicious cycle of alcohol, stress and maladjustment is found to exist
Dr.Hari S.Chandran
Alcoholism is matter of serious concern, not confined to any group, culture or country. Universally it creates professional, social, financial, legal, medical, psychological, and familial problems. The cost of alcoholism to the society is staggering by any calculations. Lost working days, accidents and related disability, family disrupts and resulting juvenile problems, and direct medical complications of alcohol abuse add up to a significant proportion of loss to nations” economy and well being. Alcoholism thus becomes a complex phenomenon deserving attention from deferent angles.
Problem drinking within a family can lead to many types of stress and hard ships for family members. Increasing social isolation due to alcoholism is difficult for children to cope up. They behave increasingly withdrawn form peer group activities. Financial hardships become a factor and reductions are made to general standard of living. Physical hardships are seen either violence towards family members or in destruction of household things.
Family members especially spouse may be subjected to emotional deprivation and may perceive drinking as a form of rejection. This in turn causes the drinker to become increasingly preoccupied and plays a diminished role in family life and affairs.
Glassner and Loughlin (1987) emphasised on three aspects of parent-child relationships that are studied in alcoholics” families; basic care, consistency of expectations, and communications. Children find it difficult to cope with parental unpredictability or with unexplained withdrawal and sudden change in mood and temperament.
Submitted to ICSSR, for General fellowship.
Children may suffer from physical and emotional neglect. Since all the family’s energies are focused on the drinker, children are often neglected and their individual contributions go unacknowledged. This may result in acting out behavior, aggression, bed- wetting, taunting, anxiety, withdrawal and isolation that in turn can increase the pressure on non-drinking parents. Another important problem is that children of alcoholics lack a satisfactory role model for their own behavior. Hence, the children represent an important high-risk group both because of their proneness to problem drinking during child hood and their proneness to problems in later life. Hence, the tragedy of alcoholism lies in its detrimental effects on future generation. Alcoholism of the individual affects not only the family but also even the basic fabric of the society. Alcohol causes poverty leading to crimes and prostitution that in turn ends up in the break down of any society’s integrity and existence.
Studies have reveled that alcoholics” families acquire certain typical coping strategies within the family system (Orford et. al 1975). Children take up age inappropriate activities to maintain the domestic harmony, become a support to the non-drinking parent, and hence exposed to moral, emotional, and financial dilemmas not appropriate to their age, experience or understanding. This invariably evokes further stress, feelings of hopelessness, withdrawnness and depression in alcoholics. Thus, a vicious cycle of alcohol, stress and maladjustment is found to exist
HARI’S STRESS INVENTORY
HARI’S STRESS INVENTORY
Dr. Hari S.Chandran
Dr. Hari S.Chandran, M.Phil (Psy), Ph.D, PGDPC is working as Cons. Psychologist ,Department of Deaddiction&Mental Health,St.Gregorios Mission Hospital, Parumala. Kerala, drhari7@hotmail.com
This is a tool to measure the amount of stress you experience in your daily life.
66 statements are included. Read slowly and carefully, state how far it is true in your case. You may please choose any one of the following five options to each item.
A. Very true, I agree fully
B. True , I agree
C. I cannot say
D. Not true , I disagree
E. Not true, I totally disagree.
Once you finish writing your responses to all items, you can go to the scoring key, given at the end. Now start taking the test.
1. I do things in a hurry.
2. I like to travel slowly.
3. I eat food faster.
4. I never interrupt when others talk.
5. I want to finish works with neatness and perfection.
6. I speak slowly.
7. Seeing lazy people I get angry.
8. I never bet with others.
9. I feel tensed on thinking about my responsibilities
10. I am not happy to wait in a queue.
11. I always consider the feelings of others while talking.
12. I take intoxicants.
13. I pray regularly.
14. I am interested in religious books.
15. My sexual life is not satisfactory.
16. I watch movies and plays.
17. I practice meditation.
18. I don’t reveal secrets to others.
19. I can’t stay away from home.
20. I fell tensed on unexpected arrival of a guest.
21. I feel disturbed on an unexpected expenditure.
22. I have debts.
23. I quarrel frequently with spouse.
24. I feel that some of my family members are against me.
25. I am not properly understood.
26. I feel devaluated in society.
27. I can’t plan my financial budget properly.
28. I am not being loved.
29. I have a lot of family problems.
30. I reach home late.
31. I discus my problems with family members.
32. I have experiences of loosing job unexpectedly.
33. I am often scolded by superiors for coming late.
34. I fear my work place.
35. I quarrel with colleagues.
36. I had been a scapegoat in fight between superiors.
37. I don’t like in engaging in love affairs.
38. I receive confusing and contradicting instructions from above.
39. My job is boring one.
40. I am not paid adequately.
41. My work evokes prick of conscience.
42. I had to bear injustice silently.
43. I am satisfied at work.
44. I am well trained for my work.
45. I get angry soon.
46. I don’t loose opportunities to help others.
47. I believe and spread rumors.
48. I am a patient listener.
49. I am willing to accept my faults.
50. At times I feel like destroying everything.
51. I suffer from headache.
52. I have fre3quent attacks of chest pain.
53. I have poor appetite.
54. I sweat without reason.
55. I don’t get adequate sleep.
56. I have nightmares.
57. I loose control soon.
58. I hate criticism.
59. I feel anxious.
60. I feel calm.
61. I usually regret for what has happened.
62. I fell sorry.
63. I feel frustrated.
64. I am happy.
65. I am confident.
66. I feel worthless..
Dr. Hari S.Chandran, M.Phil (Psy), Ph.D, PGDPC is working as Cons. Psychologist ,Department of Deaddiction&Mental Health,St.Gregorios Mission Hospital, Parumala. Kerala, drhari7@hotmail.com
This is a questionnaire to measure your STRESS in different life situations.
Once you finish answering, give scores to each response.
5,4,3,2,1 Scores respectively for A,B,C,D,E.
Qns. 2, 4, 6, 8, 11, 13, 14, 16, 17, 31, 43, 44, 46, 48, 49, 60, 64, 65 should be scored in the opposite order.( Scores 1,2,3,4,5 respectively for A,B,C,D,E)
Find your total score.
If it is above 150, you should find out what makes you tensed, may be your life style... try to change it. If above 220, you need professional help to reduce stress.
Dr. Hari S.Chandran
Dr. Hari S.Chandran, M.Phil (Psy), Ph.D, PGDPC is working as Cons. Psychologist ,Department of Deaddiction&Mental Health,St.Gregorios Mission Hospital, Parumala. Kerala, drhari7@hotmail.com
This is a tool to measure the amount of stress you experience in your daily life.
66 statements are included. Read slowly and carefully, state how far it is true in your case. You may please choose any one of the following five options to each item.
A. Very true, I agree fully
B. True , I agree
C. I cannot say
D. Not true , I disagree
E. Not true, I totally disagree.
Once you finish writing your responses to all items, you can go to the scoring key, given at the end. Now start taking the test.
1. I do things in a hurry.
2. I like to travel slowly.
3. I eat food faster.
4. I never interrupt when others talk.
5. I want to finish works with neatness and perfection.
6. I speak slowly.
7. Seeing lazy people I get angry.
8. I never bet with others.
9. I feel tensed on thinking about my responsibilities
10. I am not happy to wait in a queue.
11. I always consider the feelings of others while talking.
12. I take intoxicants.
13. I pray regularly.
14. I am interested in religious books.
15. My sexual life is not satisfactory.
16. I watch movies and plays.
17. I practice meditation.
18. I don’t reveal secrets to others.
19. I can’t stay away from home.
20. I fell tensed on unexpected arrival of a guest.
21. I feel disturbed on an unexpected expenditure.
22. I have debts.
23. I quarrel frequently with spouse.
24. I feel that some of my family members are against me.
25. I am not properly understood.
26. I feel devaluated in society.
27. I can’t plan my financial budget properly.
28. I am not being loved.
29. I have a lot of family problems.
30. I reach home late.
31. I discus my problems with family members.
32. I have experiences of loosing job unexpectedly.
33. I am often scolded by superiors for coming late.
34. I fear my work place.
35. I quarrel with colleagues.
36. I had been a scapegoat in fight between superiors.
37. I don’t like in engaging in love affairs.
38. I receive confusing and contradicting instructions from above.
39. My job is boring one.
40. I am not paid adequately.
41. My work evokes prick of conscience.
42. I had to bear injustice silently.
43. I am satisfied at work.
44. I am well trained for my work.
45. I get angry soon.
46. I don’t loose opportunities to help others.
47. I believe and spread rumors.
48. I am a patient listener.
49. I am willing to accept my faults.
50. At times I feel like destroying everything.
51. I suffer from headache.
52. I have fre3quent attacks of chest pain.
53. I have poor appetite.
54. I sweat without reason.
55. I don’t get adequate sleep.
56. I have nightmares.
57. I loose control soon.
58. I hate criticism.
59. I feel anxious.
60. I feel calm.
61. I usually regret for what has happened.
62. I fell sorry.
63. I feel frustrated.
64. I am happy.
65. I am confident.
66. I feel worthless..
Dr. Hari S.Chandran, M.Phil (Psy), Ph.D, PGDPC is working as Cons. Psychologist ,Department of Deaddiction&Mental Health,St.Gregorios Mission Hospital, Parumala. Kerala, drhari7@hotmail.com
This is a questionnaire to measure your STRESS in different life situations.
Once you finish answering, give scores to each response.
5,4,3,2,1 Scores respectively for A,B,C,D,E.
Qns. 2, 4, 6, 8, 11, 13, 14, 16, 17, 31, 43, 44, 46, 48, 49, 60, 64, 65 should be scored in the opposite order.( Scores 1,2,3,4,5 respectively for A,B,C,D,E)
Find your total score.
If it is above 150, you should find out what makes you tensed, may be your life style... try to change it. If above 220, you need professional help to reduce stress.
Hari's Stress Inventory: Short Scale
By Dr. Hari S. Chandran
THIS IS A SHORT SCALE OF THE WIDELY USED HARI’S STRESS INVENTORY
This tool measures the amount of stress you experience in your daily life. 56 statements are included. Read slowly and carefully, state how far it is true in your case. You may please choose any one of the following five options to each item.
A. Very true, I agree fully
B. True , I agree
C. I cannot say
D. Not true , I disagree
E. Not true, I totally disagree.
Once you finish writing your responses to all items, you can go to the scoring key, given at the end. Now start taking the test.
1. I do things in a hurry.
2. I like to travel slowly.
3. I eat food faster.
4. I never interrupt when others talk.
5. I want to finish works with neatness and perfection.
6. I speak slowly.
7. Seeing lazy people I get angry.
8. I never bet with others.
9. I feel tensed on thinking about my responsibilities
10. I am not happy to wait in a queue.
11. I always consider the feelings of others while talking.
12. I take intoxicants.
13. I pray regularly.
14. I am interested in religious books.
15. My sexual life is not satisfactory.
16. I watch movies and plays.
17. I practice meditation.
18. I don’t reveal secrets to others.
19. I can’t stay away from home.
20. I fell tensed on unexpected arrival of a guest.
21. I feel disturbed on an unexpected expenditure.
22. I have debts.
23. I quarrel frequently with spouse.
24. I feel that some of my family members are against me.
25. I am not properly understood.
26. I feel devaluated in society.
27. I can’t plan my financial budget properly.
28. I am not being loved.
29. I have a lot of family problems.
30. I discus my problems with family members.
31. I have experiences of loosing job unexpectedly.
32. I don’t like in engaging in love affairs.
33. I receive confusing and contradicting instructions from above.
34. I had to bear injustice silently.
35. I get angry soon.
36. I don’t loose opportunities to help others.
37. I believe and spread rumors.
38. I am a patient listener.
39. I am willing to accept my faults.
40. At times I feel like destroying everything.
41. I suffer from headache.
42. I have frequent attacks of chest pain.
43. I have poor appetite.
44. I sweat without reason.
45. I don’t get adequate sleep.
46. I have nightmares.
47. I loose control soon.
48. I hate criticism.
49. I feel anxious.
50. I feel calm.
51. I usually regret for what has happened.
52. I fell sorry.
53. I feel frustrated.
54. I am happy.
55. I am confident.
56. I feel worthless.
This is a questionnaire to measure your STRESS in different life situations.
Once you finish answering, give scores to each response.
Scores 5,4,3,2,1 respectively for A,B,C,D,E.
Qns. 2, 4, 6, 8, 11, 13, 14, 16, 17, 30,36, 38,39,50,54,55 should be scored in the opposite order.( Scores1,2,3,4,5 respectively for A,B,C,D,E)
Find your total score.
If it is above 130, you should find out what makes you tensed, may be your life style... try to change it. If above 180, you need professional help to reduce stress. Thanks
Dr. Hari S.Chandran, M.Phil (Psy), Ph.D, PGDPC, C. Psych.(England) is working as Cons. Psychologist ,Department of Deaddiction & Mental Health, St.Gregorios Mission Hospital, Parumala. Kerala,India. drhari7@hotmail.com
THIS IS A SHORT SCALE OF THE WIDELY USED HARI’S STRESS INVENTORY
This tool measures the amount of stress you experience in your daily life. 56 statements are included. Read slowly and carefully, state how far it is true in your case. You may please choose any one of the following five options to each item.
A. Very true, I agree fully
B. True , I agree
C. I cannot say
D. Not true , I disagree
E. Not true, I totally disagree.
Once you finish writing your responses to all items, you can go to the scoring key, given at the end. Now start taking the test.
1. I do things in a hurry.
2. I like to travel slowly.
3. I eat food faster.
4. I never interrupt when others talk.
5. I want to finish works with neatness and perfection.
6. I speak slowly.
7. Seeing lazy people I get angry.
8. I never bet with others.
9. I feel tensed on thinking about my responsibilities
10. I am not happy to wait in a queue.
11. I always consider the feelings of others while talking.
12. I take intoxicants.
13. I pray regularly.
14. I am interested in religious books.
15. My sexual life is not satisfactory.
16. I watch movies and plays.
17. I practice meditation.
18. I don’t reveal secrets to others.
19. I can’t stay away from home.
20. I fell tensed on unexpected arrival of a guest.
21. I feel disturbed on an unexpected expenditure.
22. I have debts.
23. I quarrel frequently with spouse.
24. I feel that some of my family members are against me.
25. I am not properly understood.
26. I feel devaluated in society.
27. I can’t plan my financial budget properly.
28. I am not being loved.
29. I have a lot of family problems.
30. I discus my problems with family members.
31. I have experiences of loosing job unexpectedly.
32. I don’t like in engaging in love affairs.
33. I receive confusing and contradicting instructions from above.
34. I had to bear injustice silently.
35. I get angry soon.
36. I don’t loose opportunities to help others.
37. I believe and spread rumors.
38. I am a patient listener.
39. I am willing to accept my faults.
40. At times I feel like destroying everything.
41. I suffer from headache.
42. I have frequent attacks of chest pain.
43. I have poor appetite.
44. I sweat without reason.
45. I don’t get adequate sleep.
46. I have nightmares.
47. I loose control soon.
48. I hate criticism.
49. I feel anxious.
50. I feel calm.
51. I usually regret for what has happened.
52. I fell sorry.
53. I feel frustrated.
54. I am happy.
55. I am confident.
56. I feel worthless.
This is a questionnaire to measure your STRESS in different life situations.
Once you finish answering, give scores to each response.
Scores 5,4,3,2,1 respectively for A,B,C,D,E.
Qns. 2, 4, 6, 8, 11, 13, 14, 16, 17, 30,36, 38,39,50,54,55 should be scored in the opposite order.( Scores1,2,3,4,5 respectively for A,B,C,D,E)
Find your total score.
If it is above 130, you should find out what makes you tensed, may be your life style... try to change it. If above 180, you need professional help to reduce stress. Thanks
Dr. Hari S.Chandran, M.Phil (Psy), Ph.D, PGDPC, C. Psych.(England) is working as Cons. Psychologist ,Department of Deaddiction & Mental Health, St.Gregorios Mission Hospital, Parumala. Kerala,India. drhari7@hotmail.com
AZZAH SABRINA`S MALAY VERSION OF HARI STRESS INVENTORY (HSI)
AZZAH SABRINA`S MALAY VERSION OF HARI STRESS INVENTORY (HSI)
This tool measures the amount of stress you experience in your daily life. 56 statements are included. Read slowly and carefully, state how far it is true in your case. You may please choose any one of the following five options to each item.
A - Very true, I agree fully/ Sangat setuju
B - True, I agree/ Setuju
C - I cannot say/ Tidak pasti
D - Not true, I disagree/ Tidak setuju
E - Not true, I totally disagree/ Sangat tidak setuju
No Item A B C D E
1 I do things in a hurry.
Saya melakukan sesuatu perkara dengan tergesa-gesa.
2 I like to travel slowly
Saya suka bergerak dengan perlahan.
3 I eat food faster.
Saya makan dengan cepat.
4 I never interrupt when others talk.
Saya tidak pernah menyampuk apabila seseorang sedang bercakap.
5 I want to finish works with neatness and perfection.
Saya mahu menghabiskan kerja dengan kemas dan sempurna.
6 I speak slowly.
Saya bercakap dengan perlahan.
7 Seeing lazy people I get angry.
Saya menjadi marah apabila melihat orang yang malas.
8 I never bet with others.
Saya tidak pernah bertaruh dengan orang lain.
9 I feel tensed on thinking about my responsibilities.
Saya merasa tertekan apabila memikirkan tanggungjawab saya.
10 I am not happy to wait in a queue.
Saya rasa tidak gembira sekiranya perlu beratur dan menunggu dalam barisan.
11 I always consider the feelings of others while talking.
Saya selalu mengambil kira perasaan orang lain apabila bercakap.
12 I take intoxicants.
Saya mengambil bahan-bahan yang menghayalkan.
13 I pray regularly.
Saya mendirikan solat apabila tiba waktunya.
14 I am interested in religious books.
Saya berminat terhadap buku-buku agama.
15 My sexual life is not satisfactory.
Hubungan seksual saya tidak memuaskan.
16 I watch movies and plays.
Saya menonton filem dan persembahan teater.
17 I practice meditation.
Saya mengamalkan meditasi.
18 I don’t reveal secrets to others.
Saya tidak memberitahu rahsia kepada orang lain.
19 I cannot stay away from home.
Saya tidak boleh berjauhan daripada rumah.
20 I feel tensed on unexpected arrival of a guest.
Saya merasa tertekan apabila ada orang melawat secara mengejut.
21 I feel disturbed on an unexpected expenditure.
Saya merasa terganggu terhadap perbelanjaan yang di luar jangkaan.
22 I have debts.
Saya berhutang.
23 I quarrel frequently with spouse.
Saya selalu bertengkar dengan pasangan saya.
24 I feel that some of my family members are against me.
Saya merasakan bahawa sesetengah daripada ahli keluarga saya menentang saya.
25 I am not properly understood.
Saya merasakan orang lain tidak memahami saya.
26 I feel devaluated in society.
Saya rasa tidak dihargai di dalam masyarakat.
27 I cannot plan my financial budget properly.
Saya tidak boleh merancang bajet kewangan saya dengan baik.
28 I am not being loved.
Saya tidak disayangi oleh orang lain.
29 I have a lot of family problems.
Saya mempunyai banyak masalah keluarga.
30 I reach home late.
Saya pulang lewat ke rumah saya.
31 I discuss my problems with family members.
Saya berbincang dengan ahli keluarga saya mengenai masalah saya.
32 I have experience of loosing job unexpectedly.
Saya mempunyai pengalaman kehilangan pekerjaan secara mengejut.
33 I am often scolded by superiors for coming late.
Saya selalu dimarahi oleh pihak atasan kerana datang lewat.
34 I fear my work place.
Saya gementar apabila berada tempat kerja.
35 I quarrel with colleagues.
Saya bertengkar dengan rakan sekerja.
36 I had been a scapegoat in fights between superiors.
Saya pernah menjadi mangsa dalam pergaduhan sesama pekerja atasan.
37 I do not like in engaging in love affairs.
Saya tidak suka terlibat dalam hubungan cinta.
38 I receive confusing and contradicting information from above.
Saya menerima maklumat yang mengelirukan dan bercanggah daripada pihak atasan.
39 My job is boring one.
Kerja saya membosankan.
40 I am not paid adequately.
Saya tidak dibayar dengan adil.
41 My work evokes prick of conscience.
Tempat kerja saya menimbulkan sifat kesedaran dan keinsafan.
42 I had to bear injustice silently.
Saya terpaksa menanggung ketidakadilan secara senyap-senyap.
43 I am satisfied at work.
Saya puas hati di tempat kerja saya.
44 I am well trained for my work.
Saya dilatih dengan baik untuk melakukan kerja saya.
45 I get angry soon.
Saya cepat marah.
46 I do not lose opportunities to help others.
Saya tidak lepaskan peluang untuk menolong orang lain.
47 I believe rumours and would spread them.
Saya mudah percaya berita angin dan akan menyebarkan berita angin tersebut.
48 I am a patient listener.
Saya adalah pendengar yang sabar.
49 I am willing to accept my faults.
Saya bersedia untuk menerima kesalahan saya.
50 At times I feel like destroying everything.
Ada kalanya saya rasa ingin memusnahkan segala-galanya.
51 I suffer from headache.
Saya mengalami pening kepala.
52 I have frequent attacks of chest pain.
Saya selalu sakit dada.
53 I have poor appetite.
Saya mempunyai selera makan yang rendah.
54 I perspire without reason.
Saya berpeluh tanpa sebab.
55 I do not get adequate sleep.
Saya tidak dapat tidur secukupnya.
56 I have nightmares.
Saya mimpi seram apabila tidur.
57 I lose control easily.
Saya cepat hilang kawal diri.
58 I hate criticism.
Saya benci kritikan daripada orang lain.
59 I feel anxious.
Saya sering resah.
60 I feel calm.
Saya rasa tenang.
61 I usually regret things that have happened.
Saya selalu merasa kesal terhadap sesuatu perkara yang telah terjadi.
62 I feel guilty.
Saya rasa bersalah.
63 I feel frustrated.
Saya rasa kecewa.
64 I am happy.
Saya berasa gembira.
65 I am confident.
Saya berkeyakinan.
66 I feel worthless.
Saya rasa tidak berharga.
This is a questionnaire to measure your STRESS in different life situations.
Once you finish answering, give scores to each response.
5,4,3,2,1 Scores respectively for A,B,C,D,E.
Qns. 2, 4, 6, 8, 11, 13, 14, 16, 17, 31, 43, 44, 46, 48, 49, 60, 64, 65 should be scored in the opposite order.( Scores 1,2,3,4,5 respectively for A,B,C,D,E)
Find your total score.
If it is above 150, you should find out what makes you tensed, may be your life style... try to change it. If above 220, you need professional help to reduce stress. Thanks
AZZAH SABRINA BINTI MUHAMMAD SHARIFF PAUL, BACHELOR IN COUNSELLING (THIRD YEAR STUDENT), UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA TERENGGANU (UMT)submarine_86@yahoo.com
*Dr. Hari S.Chandran, M.Phil (Psy), Ph.D, PGDPC is working as Cons. Psychologist ,Department of Deaddiction&Mental Health,St.Gregorios Mission Hospital, Parumala. Kerala, India
dr_hari7@hotmail.com
This tool measures the amount of stress you experience in your daily life. 56 statements are included. Read slowly and carefully, state how far it is true in your case. You may please choose any one of the following five options to each item.
A - Very true, I agree fully/ Sangat setuju
B - True, I agree/ Setuju
C - I cannot say/ Tidak pasti
D - Not true, I disagree/ Tidak setuju
E - Not true, I totally disagree/ Sangat tidak setuju
No Item A B C D E
1 I do things in a hurry.
Saya melakukan sesuatu perkara dengan tergesa-gesa.
2 I like to travel slowly
Saya suka bergerak dengan perlahan.
3 I eat food faster.
Saya makan dengan cepat.
4 I never interrupt when others talk.
Saya tidak pernah menyampuk apabila seseorang sedang bercakap.
5 I want to finish works with neatness and perfection.
Saya mahu menghabiskan kerja dengan kemas dan sempurna.
6 I speak slowly.
Saya bercakap dengan perlahan.
7 Seeing lazy people I get angry.
Saya menjadi marah apabila melihat orang yang malas.
8 I never bet with others.
Saya tidak pernah bertaruh dengan orang lain.
9 I feel tensed on thinking about my responsibilities.
Saya merasa tertekan apabila memikirkan tanggungjawab saya.
10 I am not happy to wait in a queue.
Saya rasa tidak gembira sekiranya perlu beratur dan menunggu dalam barisan.
11 I always consider the feelings of others while talking.
Saya selalu mengambil kira perasaan orang lain apabila bercakap.
12 I take intoxicants.
Saya mengambil bahan-bahan yang menghayalkan.
13 I pray regularly.
Saya mendirikan solat apabila tiba waktunya.
14 I am interested in religious books.
Saya berminat terhadap buku-buku agama.
15 My sexual life is not satisfactory.
Hubungan seksual saya tidak memuaskan.
16 I watch movies and plays.
Saya menonton filem dan persembahan teater.
17 I practice meditation.
Saya mengamalkan meditasi.
18 I don’t reveal secrets to others.
Saya tidak memberitahu rahsia kepada orang lain.
19 I cannot stay away from home.
Saya tidak boleh berjauhan daripada rumah.
20 I feel tensed on unexpected arrival of a guest.
Saya merasa tertekan apabila ada orang melawat secara mengejut.
21 I feel disturbed on an unexpected expenditure.
Saya merasa terganggu terhadap perbelanjaan yang di luar jangkaan.
22 I have debts.
Saya berhutang.
23 I quarrel frequently with spouse.
Saya selalu bertengkar dengan pasangan saya.
24 I feel that some of my family members are against me.
Saya merasakan bahawa sesetengah daripada ahli keluarga saya menentang saya.
25 I am not properly understood.
Saya merasakan orang lain tidak memahami saya.
26 I feel devaluated in society.
Saya rasa tidak dihargai di dalam masyarakat.
27 I cannot plan my financial budget properly.
Saya tidak boleh merancang bajet kewangan saya dengan baik.
28 I am not being loved.
Saya tidak disayangi oleh orang lain.
29 I have a lot of family problems.
Saya mempunyai banyak masalah keluarga.
30 I reach home late.
Saya pulang lewat ke rumah saya.
31 I discuss my problems with family members.
Saya berbincang dengan ahli keluarga saya mengenai masalah saya.
32 I have experience of loosing job unexpectedly.
Saya mempunyai pengalaman kehilangan pekerjaan secara mengejut.
33 I am often scolded by superiors for coming late.
Saya selalu dimarahi oleh pihak atasan kerana datang lewat.
34 I fear my work place.
Saya gementar apabila berada tempat kerja.
35 I quarrel with colleagues.
Saya bertengkar dengan rakan sekerja.
36 I had been a scapegoat in fights between superiors.
Saya pernah menjadi mangsa dalam pergaduhan sesama pekerja atasan.
37 I do not like in engaging in love affairs.
Saya tidak suka terlibat dalam hubungan cinta.
38 I receive confusing and contradicting information from above.
Saya menerima maklumat yang mengelirukan dan bercanggah daripada pihak atasan.
39 My job is boring one.
Kerja saya membosankan.
40 I am not paid adequately.
Saya tidak dibayar dengan adil.
41 My work evokes prick of conscience.
Tempat kerja saya menimbulkan sifat kesedaran dan keinsafan.
42 I had to bear injustice silently.
Saya terpaksa menanggung ketidakadilan secara senyap-senyap.
43 I am satisfied at work.
Saya puas hati di tempat kerja saya.
44 I am well trained for my work.
Saya dilatih dengan baik untuk melakukan kerja saya.
45 I get angry soon.
Saya cepat marah.
46 I do not lose opportunities to help others.
Saya tidak lepaskan peluang untuk menolong orang lain.
47 I believe rumours and would spread them.
Saya mudah percaya berita angin dan akan menyebarkan berita angin tersebut.
48 I am a patient listener.
Saya adalah pendengar yang sabar.
49 I am willing to accept my faults.
Saya bersedia untuk menerima kesalahan saya.
50 At times I feel like destroying everything.
Ada kalanya saya rasa ingin memusnahkan segala-galanya.
51 I suffer from headache.
Saya mengalami pening kepala.
52 I have frequent attacks of chest pain.
Saya selalu sakit dada.
53 I have poor appetite.
Saya mempunyai selera makan yang rendah.
54 I perspire without reason.
Saya berpeluh tanpa sebab.
55 I do not get adequate sleep.
Saya tidak dapat tidur secukupnya.
56 I have nightmares.
Saya mimpi seram apabila tidur.
57 I lose control easily.
Saya cepat hilang kawal diri.
58 I hate criticism.
Saya benci kritikan daripada orang lain.
59 I feel anxious.
Saya sering resah.
60 I feel calm.
Saya rasa tenang.
61 I usually regret things that have happened.
Saya selalu merasa kesal terhadap sesuatu perkara yang telah terjadi.
62 I feel guilty.
Saya rasa bersalah.
63 I feel frustrated.
Saya rasa kecewa.
64 I am happy.
Saya berasa gembira.
65 I am confident.
Saya berkeyakinan.
66 I feel worthless.
Saya rasa tidak berharga.
This is a questionnaire to measure your STRESS in different life situations.
Once you finish answering, give scores to each response.
5,4,3,2,1 Scores respectively for A,B,C,D,E.
Qns. 2, 4, 6, 8, 11, 13, 14, 16, 17, 31, 43, 44, 46, 48, 49, 60, 64, 65 should be scored in the opposite order.( Scores 1,2,3,4,5 respectively for A,B,C,D,E)
Find your total score.
If it is above 150, you should find out what makes you tensed, may be your life style... try to change it. If above 220, you need professional help to reduce stress. Thanks
AZZAH SABRINA BINTI MUHAMMAD SHARIFF PAUL, BACHELOR IN COUNSELLING (THIRD YEAR STUDENT), UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA TERENGGANU (UMT)submarine_86@yahoo.com
*Dr. Hari S.Chandran, M.Phil (Psy), Ph.D, PGDPC is working as Cons. Psychologist ,Department of Deaddiction&Mental Health,St.Gregorios Mission Hospital, Parumala. Kerala, India
dr_hari7@hotmail.com
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