- With Mayo Clinic oncologist
Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
"The magic of the electronic village is transforming health information. The mouse and keyboard have extended the stethoscope to the 500 million people now online." - Dr. Edward Creagan
The power of the medium inspires Dr. Edward Creagan as he searches for ways to share Mayo Clinic's vast resources with the general public.
Dr. Creagan, a Newark, N.J., native, is board certified in internal medicine, medical oncology, and hospice medicine and palliative care. He has been with Mayo Clinic since 1973 and in 1999 was president of the staff of Mayo Clinic. Dr. Creagan, a professor of medical oncology at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, was honored in 1995 with the John and Roma Rouse Professor of Humanism in Medicine Award and in 1992 with the Distinguished Mayo Clinician Award, Mayo's highest recognition. He has been recognized with the American Cancer Society Professorship of Clinical Oncology.
He describes his areas of special interest as "wellness as a bio-psycho-social-spiritual-financial model" and fitness, mind-body connection, aging and burnout.
Dr. Creagan has been an associate medical editor with Mayo Clinic's Web sites and has edited publications and CD-ROMs and reviewed articles.
"We the team of (the Web site) provide reliable, easy-to-understand health and wellness information so that each of us can have productive, meaningful lives," he says.
Latest entries
- Stress and illness
Nov. 20, 2009
- Reach out
Nov. 7, 2009
- Focus on the finish line
Oct. 30, 2009
- Set limits
Oct. 24, 2009
- Head in the game
Oct. 17, 2009
Mayo Clinic Health Manager
Get free personalized health guidance for you and your family.
Get Started
About our e-newsletters
- Free e-newsletters
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- We do not share your e-mail address
Housecall, our weekly general-interest e-newsletter, keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics with timely, reliable, practical information, recipes, blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts and more. Our biweekly topic-specific e-newsletters also include blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts, and other useful information that will help you manage your health.
Housecall Archives
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
Stress blog
-
June 26, 2009
Blog: Averting a meltdown
By Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
| Need more help? |
|
If the stress in your life is more than you can cope with, get help right away.
|
If we are attentive and if we listen, we can sometimes learn from others' experiences. A middle-aged professional from a small Midwestern town shared with me the following story.
She was a woman in her early 60s who had undergone major surgery, chemotherapy and radiation for a serious malignant condition. After her treatment, her energy and vitality were half of what they had been. She was restricted to working 20 hours a week, and even then some of that time was not particularly productive because of fatigue. As the weeks passed, however, she felt her energy return to almost normal. But then she made a serious miscalculation.
Rather than nurturing the healing process, she jumped on the corporate treadmill of morning and evening meetings, board activities, speaking commitments and social engagements. You can easily predict what happened. She had, in her words, a "total meltdown" and required medical support and rest to recover.
It is so very easy for us to become overcommitted and over engaged, until we use up our reserves and there is nothing left. So, how do we avoid this minefield? Some of the things that I have learned:
- Know your priorities. Focus on what must be done rather than what would be nice to do.
- Give yourself a break. Get enough sleep and get some time away from the daily demands.
- Learn to say no. Have the confidence and, yes, the courage to say, "No thank you, I will not be able to do this."
What else would you add to this list?
5 comments posted
July 15, 2009 10:58 a.m.
Listen to what your body is telling you. You not only need to get enough rest - but get rest when your body says that you need it. Take a short nap when you are tired.
- Clare
July 4, 2009 6:46 a.m.
It's a wise woman who knows her own limitations. I was not wise when I tried to keep up with social activities and obligations. One day I suffered a panic attack which I didn't recognize. I thought I was going to die. Fortunately, the hospital set up an excellent health team (cardiologist, internist and Cognitive Psychologist) to educate me. I'm a wiser woman now.
- Roberta
July 1, 2009 1:17 a.m.
Several years ago i had what i would call a melt down. i was working by my self away most of the poeple i knew; one time i was to go to another building and get some work. i knew what i was to pick but everyone i saw told me what i was to do. well wnen i got to where the work was. i said if one more person tells me what to do i'm going to well i didn't have to say what i would do because some told me what to do. i snapped and pushed her chair which had wheels across the room. i was not fired but susspened.i was afraid togo back to work. they sent me to get help because it was not the first time. its been almost 20 years and i have on all kinds of meds. my temper is some what under control. like cheese i have mellowed with age. but i am still being treated for depression.
- jackie
June 30, 2009 5:04 p.m.
What is the exact definition of a "meltdown"?
- Nancy
June 30, 2009 8:24 a.m.
Find time for oneself, even if it is difficult to break away from the demands others have on you. (It will improve the time you actually spend with others.) Exercise cardiovascularly at least 3 days a week. This can even be a swift walk. Find a meditation and mindfulness program if you suffer from chronic stress. Ideally, join a group with regular meetings.
- david
5 comments posted