It is not possible to render service to others without being blessed in return, President Thomas S. Monson, second counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said Friday in a speech at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center.
"We can, by helping others, bring encouragement and healing, and be ourselves benefited," President Monson said. "The interacting of human beings one with another can bring great sorrow or great joy. This holiday season the opportunities for bringing great cheer to others are endless."President Monson was one of several speakers featured during an open house sponsored by the behavioral medicine department at Utah Valley.
President Monson, whose topic was "Doorway to the Heart," related several stories demonstrating the importance of remembering, caring and being concerned about other people. He said a guide for a life of service could be found in scriptural passages describing the spirit of Christ, who rendered service all his life regardless of the stature of those to whom he ministered.
David Hollindrake, director of the Dayspring chemical dependency unit at Utah Valley, addressed the current trends in treating chemical dependency in his talk. Hollindrake said that while treatment for such problems as alcoholism haven't changed much over the years (abstinence is still the best treatment), the cost of chemical dependency - in terms of lost employment, increased insurance costs, etc. - continues to rise. Early diagnosis of signs and symptoms of substance abuse problems has improved; such early intervention is often occurring before dependency develops, and allows treatment of a patient to begin before he destroys his self-esteem, body, family and life. Hollindrake credited development of drug abuse policies and drug testing procedures in the workplace with increasing early identification of substance abuse problems.
Dr. Brad Edgington, director of the stress and depression unit at UVRMC, discussed concepts of stress management.
"There is a certain popularity to" stress, Edgington said. "If you are not stressed out, you must be missing out on something." Edgington described the three main components of stress, and described principles that will help a person to manage excessive stress.
Dr. Harold Frost and Dr. Mike Berrett, of the eating disorders unit, shared information on diagnosing and treating such problems as bulimia and anorexia nervosa.
Berrett said eating disorders are a symptom of our culture, which often gives youth the message that they are not valued or important. He estimated that 1 percent of the female population is anorexic, while 8 percent are bulimic. However, Berrett estimated that the percentage of bulimics in a college population such as exists at Brigham Young University could run as high as 20 percent.
Frost described the consequences of an eating disorder as swelling of glands (from continual vomiting), dental problems, electrolyte disturbances, osteoporosis, atrophy of muscle (including the heart) and death.
Other speakers during the open house were Dr. Allen Bergin and Dr. Alvin Price, professors at BYU, and Glen Overton and Jerry Spanos, administrators at the Heritage schools, which provide residential treatment programs for adolescents.
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Tips for managing stress
1. Establish clear expectations with those you associate with most often.
2. Spend 30 minutes per day talking to a significant other.
3. Avoid personalizing events, blaming others and using "shoulds."
4. Develop good eating habits.
5. Be willing to give up "approval" from others who benefit from your willingness to "stress out" in their behalf.