Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists Bulletin Fall 2016 - 45

Healing I'm Stressed! Now What? Jen Butler Jen Butler Coaching Abstract Stress in dentistry is pervasive and holds back dental professionals from achieving goals and finding the financial freedom they desire. This article is the third in a series that highlights the issues of stress in dentistry, common symptoms of stress, the importance of assessing your stress, and what to do next. the same with stress. In order to fully understand the depth of the condition so you can proactively choose the best course of treatment, you assess the impact of the condition. Assessing your stress gives you information on just how pervasive the condition is and how much of your body is being affected, so that you can ensure that your course of treatment has lasting effects. You've got all the signs and symptoms. You: What Stops Dentists There are several common roadblocks that keep many dentists from facing the realities of their own stress. First, taking the steps to acknowledge how much stress is in your life can be very difficult. Sometimes honesty is much more difficult than the lies we tell ourselves. It's easier to ignore the turmoil or the ever-present feeling of being overwhelmed than it is to admit it. Secondly, looking into the true causes of your stress often puts you face-to-face with your failures, weaknesses, and fears. We often don't have the skills to navigate those stressors, so it's normal to push them away. Finally, your ego gets in the way and stops you from acknowledging what others see so clearly. As a trained medical professional with the knowledge to care for and treat others, it's incomprehensible that you might not have the skills necessary to deal with your own situation, especially if it's a self-imposed condition like stress. This type of language makes many dentists captive to their own internal dialog.  Can't sleep  Have no energy or enthusiasm for anything  Avoid your team by hanging out in your office as much as possible  Just can't seem to bring yourself to start treatment the same day, even though you're desperate for collections  Over- or undereat  Worry, ruminate, or dread Perhaps you don't know you have the signs and symptoms, but you are tired of people saying to you:  "Is everything okay? You look upset / frustrated / tired."  "Aren't you hungry? You haven't eaten all day."  "You're being a bit extreme, don't you think?"  "Well, aren't you Grumpy Gus today?" You don't need a friend, colleague, or medical doctor to diagnosis you. You're stressed. So what can you do about it? With all the information out there, opposing philosophical approaches, new age meets crazy-town ideas, how do you know which solution is right? What's the most effective approach for you? To answer these questions and get the appropriate support you need to manage your stress, it's important to assess your stress. Why Dentists Need to Assess Their Stress When patients complain of pain or other symptoms involving their teeth, there's a step-by-step process you employ to determine the cause. The essential first step is to assess the problem. It's Fall 2016  PCSO Bulletin What the Experts (Including Me) Say Assessing your stress is a foundational step in effective stress management. Depending on the philosophy you follow, it could be the first step or lie somewhere in the middle. Regardless, a robust assessment is key. Just as you take care to assess your patients' symptoms, stress gurus rely on several types of assessments to provide insight as to the kind of stress an individual has, what type of coping method would best suit the situation, and how to help the individual increase his/her ability to manage stress permanently. Each assessment 45

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists Bulletin Fall 2016