ENOUGH: WHEN
SACRIFICE HAS GONE
TOO FAR
BY ANDREA D SULLIVAN, PHD, ND
• STRESS – WHAT IS IT AND HOW DOES IT AFFECT OUR BODIES,
MINDS AND SOULS?
• FIGHT OR FLIGHT RESPONSE; BODY PRODUCES STRESS
PRODUCING HORMONES – ADRENAL HORMONES
• REDUCING BLOOD SUGAR UTILIZATION AND DECREASING INSULIN
SENSITIVITY;
• HYPERTENSION
• THE IMMUNE SYSTEM AND FOREIGN MICROORGANISMS
• WHITE BLOOD CELLS
• PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS – ASSOCIATIONS WITH DISEASE
• NO ONE IS EXEMPT FROM STRESS
• CONSTANT AND CONTINUOUS STRESS IS CALLED “WEATHERING”
• RACISM IS ONE OF THE MOST VIOLENT AND DESTRUCTIVE
SOURCES OF STRESS IN AMERICA– IT SHAPES OUR BEHAVIORS
AND RESPONSES TO LIFE
• RESEARCH TELLS US THAT DISCRIMINATION TRIGGERS ABNORMAL
PHYSIOLOGIC RESPONSES AND POOR HEALTH IN AA WOMEN
• OUR HEALTH DISPARITIES ARE PHYSIOLOGICAL MANIFESTATIONS
OF SOCIAL INEQUITIES AND THE DISADVANTAGES OF COPING
WITH STRESS; DISCRIMINATION DUE TO ETHNICITY , GENDER ,
CLASS AND AGE
• BEGINNING EARLY IN LIFE AND CONTINUING WITH AGE DUE TO
MANY VARIABLES
• WE CARE FOR EVERYONE BUT OURSELVES; A PATIENT SAID TO ME
“ BLACK WOMEN WILL DO ANYTHING FOR PEOPLE THEY LOVE BUT
NOT FOR THEMSELVES . SOME OTHER TIME NEVER COMES.”
• MORE JOBS AND JUGGLING ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL,
MORAL, CULTURAL AND SPIRITUAL RESPONSIBILITIES FOR OUR
FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES
• WHAT TO DO ?– BABY STEPS STARTING FROM WHERE YOU ARE;
ACCEPTANCE ( NOT CONDONING IT ) AND GRATITUDE (LIST )
• THE MORE WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE MORE WE WILL BE
GRATEFUL FOR… YOU ARE WHERE YOU ARE; DOESN’T MATTER
WHAT HAPPENED TO GET YOU HERE. MAKE UP YOUR MIND TO
CHANGE IT– LIFE SAVING CHANGES
• WRITE OUT HOW YOU WANT TO LIVE AND EVERYDAY DO SOMETHING
TOWARD THAT END; HAVE THE INTENTION AND THE METHOD WILL
SHOW UP
• FIND YOUR PURPOSE AND MISSION –THAT WILL ALLOW OTHERS TO FIND
THEIRS
• ACTIVELY LOVE YOURSELF- PRACTICE.
FORGIVE YOURSELF FOR JUDGING YOURSELF AND OTHERS AS WRONG
SAY NO
SLEEP HABITS- SHUT IT DOWN BEFORE BED
EXERCISE HABITS – 10 MINUTES 4 TIMES A WEEK
EATING HABITS- HOW WILL THIS MAKE ME FEEL ULTIMATELY
ATTITUDE ( AS ABOVE )
RELAXATION HABITS – BREATHE IN COUNT OF 6, OUT COUNT OF 5
• STAY PRESENT; NEITHER THE PAST (GUILT) NOR FUTURE (
ANXIETY ) EXIST
• DO ONE THING AT A TIME
• SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE
• ORGANIZE YOUR LIFE TO INCLUDE FUN AND SPONTANEITY
• LAUGH MORE
• DO NOT EXPECT OTHERS TO BE DIFFERENT THAN WHO THEY ARE
• DO UNPLEASANT TASKS IMMEDIATELY
• PRACTICE COMMUNICATION SKILLS SUCH AS “I”. I NEED TO OR
WANT TO NOT I HAVE TO
• FINISH SOMETHING
• STRESS =