Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1459407
15 Unity SUNDAY 13 MARCH 2022 Dr. Gottfried Catania Psychology ISSUES around mental health are be- ing discussed much more nowadays. In the past mental health issues were considered a taboo subject and rarely discussed, with society preferring to close both eyes and confine persons suffering from serious issues to spe- cialised hospitals. Nowadays, it has become clear that most of us will suffer from mental health issues sometime during their lifetimes, with some issues being more serious than others. Stress is one of the main contributors to mental health issues. Unfortunate- ly, stress seems to be on the rise in our society. The ever-increasing expecta- tions of what we need to be fulfilled result in people working long hours in order to make ends meet. In almost all families it is a must to have both part- ners working, as otherwise the family would not be able to make ends meet. The situation is not made any easier by ever-increasing property and rental prices, as well as the wish of most cou- ples to lead a more affluent lifestyle in order to keep up with the Joneses. Most couples also expect to welcome children into the family. Apart from the increased financial burden chil- dren involve, the stress mentioned earlier can even influence the couple's capacity to conceive, increasing the vi- cious cycle of stress and consequently affecting the mental health of the indi- viduals concerned. Work can also be a source of stress. Workers are not content with just get- ting their pay packet at the end of the month, but expect their job to also be satisfying. As a result, working in a job which is not perceived as being satisfying by the individual can result in increased stress. At the same time, many work- places keep increasing their demands, with workers expected to work longer hours, shoulder more responsibility, and be constantly on call. Technology, while essential in most workplaces to- day, has also tended to increase stress in most workers, with most workplac- es requiring workers to be available even outside normal working hours, a situation which has been called the "always on" culture. The last two years have presented a specific stressor – new for most of us. The arrival of the COVID-19 pan- demic, with the corresponding fear of contracting serious illness, lockdowns and restrictions, and the effect on the economy, work practices, and employ- ment, left most of us suffering from stress and feeling burnt out. Many social scientists feel that the effect of the COVID situation on the mental health of many, while still to be fully understood, will almost certainly be significant. All of the above necessitate a better understanding of the effect of stress on mental health. While people nowadays are much more willing to seek help for such issues, more information about the services available would help make sure that those who need help are able to find it. are around 7,300 individuals liv- ing with dementia and a further couple of tens of thousands fam- ily members caring for them. It was on a rainy morning last November when Robert called. His father, now having severe dementia, suffered a fall and broke his hip bone. He was rushed to hospital and had sur- gery. During his recovery, Jimmy was constantly confused. Then, he stopped eating altogether and although inserting a feeding tube was suggested, he wouldn't have any of that. He made it clear from the start. Prolonging suf- fering was not on his wish list. "Should I let him go? When does death become acceptable and fair?" he asked me. I get such questions quite of- ten and I'm not surprised. Mod- ern-age society often looks at disease as something that needs fixing, unmindful to the fact that we cannot mend all and trying to can end up in destroying the true meaning of life. People with dementia have pri- orities besides prolonging their lives and to many, that includes maintaining personhood and avoiding suffering. It's what Tol- stoy's Ivan Ilyich endeavoured to but that no one, not even his family members, could under- stand. Fortunately, Jimmy knew what he wanted and put it all on paper on diagnosis. He desired dignity, respect, self-determination and the best that life could still offer. He did not want to become a no- body. Having such advanced direc- tives in place helps when deci- sions about end-of-life need to be taken. They express the values and desires to family members and friends when the person be- comes incapable of doing so. It is undoubtedly a challenging topic to discuss, but a necessary one. Chapeau Jimmy. You lived and died under your own terms. *Names have been changed to maintain confidentiality Stress: from family to work, a cause for concern Stress is real. And COVID-19's effect on our mental health is yet to be fully established Workplaces keep increasing their demands, with workers expected to work longer hours, shoulder more responsibility, and be constantly on call "Should I let him go? When does death become acceptable and fair?" he asked me