Article updated in 2023

Laurel Mellin, University of California, San Francisco

After a year of toxic stress ignited by so much fear and uncertainty, now is a good time to reset, pay attention to your mental health and develop some healthy ways to manage the pressures going forward.

Brain science has led to some drug-free techniques that you can put to use right now.

I am health psychologist who developed a method that harnesses our rip-roaring emotions to rapidly switch off stress and activate positive emotions instead. This technique from emotional brain training is not perfect for everyone, but it can help many people break free of stress when they get stuck on negative thoughts.

Why the stress response is so hard to turn off

Three key things make it hard to turn off stress-activated negative emotions:

• First, our genes make us worrywarts. Our hunter-gatherer ancestors survived by assuming every rustle in the grasses was a lurking hungry lion, not harmless birds hunting for seeds. We’re essentially programmed to be hyperaware of threats, and our brains rapidly launch stress chemicals and negative emotions in response.
• Second, the chemical cascade of stress hormones in the brain associated with negative emotions impairs cognitive flexibility, goal-directed behavior and self-control.
• Third, our tendency to avoid dealing with negative emotions puts people in a perpetual cycle of ignoring unpleasant feelings, which amplifies stress and the risk of emotional health problems.

Traditional approaches for coping with stress were based on cognitive-behavioral therapy, which focuses on modifying patterns of thinking and behavior. It was developed before our modern understanding of stress overload.

Researchers at New York University discovered a paradox: Although cognitive methods were effective in low-stress situations, they were less effective when dealing with the high stress of modern life.

Emotional brain training works with these high-stress emotions in an effort to tame them, releasing negative emotions as the first of two steps in preventing stress overload.

Step 1: Release negative emotions

The only negative emotion in the brain that supports taking action rather than avoidance and passivity is anger.

Studies have shown that the suppression of anger is associated with depression and that suppressing anger doesn’t reduce the emotion. Healthy release of anger instead has been found to reduce other stress-related health risks.

Our technique is to switch off stress overload by using a controlled burst of anger to help the brain exert better emotional control and allow emotions to flow rather than become chronic and toxic. After that first short burst, other feelings can flow, starting with sadness to grieve the loss of safety, then fear and regret, or what we would do differently next time.

You can talk yourself through the stages. To experiment with the process, use these simple phrases to express the negative feelings and release your stress: “I feel angry that …”; “I feel sad that …”; “I feel afraid that …”; and “I feel guilty that …”

Step 2. Express positive emotions

After releasing negative emotions, positive emotions can naturally arise. Express these feelings using the same approach: “I feel grateful that …”; “I feel happy that …”; “I feel secure that …”; and “I feel proud that …”

Your mindset can quickly change, a phenomenon that has many potential explanations. One explanation is that in positive states, your brain’s neural circuits that store memories from when you were in the same positive state in the past can be spontaneously activated. Another is that the switch from negative to positive emotions quiets your sympathetic nervous system – which triggers the fight-or-flight response – and activates the parasympathetic system, which acts more like a brake on strong emotions.

Here’s what the whole stress relief process might look like like for me right now:

• I feel angry that we’re all isolated and I can’t see my new grandson Henry.
• I hate it that everything is so messed up! I HATE THAT!!!
• I feel sad that I am alone right now.
• I feel afraid that this will never end.
• I feel guilty that I am complaining! I am lucky to be alive and have shelter and love in my life.

Then the positive:

• I feel grateful that my daughter-in-law sends me photos of Henry.
• I feel happy that my husband and I laughed together this morning.
• I feel secure that this will eventually pass.
• I feel proud that I am doing the best I can to cope.

After a daunting year, and with more challenges ahead in 2021, upgrading your approach to emotions can be a drug-free mood booster. Our COVID-19 fears need not consume us. We can outsmart the brain’s fear response and find moments that sparkle with promise.

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Laurel Mellin, Associate Professor Emeritus of Family & Community Medicine and Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Original publishing date: 2021

Lagos State government said it is targeting a total of N723.817bn Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) for the 2021 fiscal year, bringing the monthly figure to N60.31bn.

The State Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr Sam Egube, disclosed this while giving the 2021 budget breakdown at a press briefing which took place at Alausa, Ikeja, saying the state had earmarked N15bn for the Rebuilding Lagos Project/Trust Fund, in the aftermath of #EndSARS destruction of Lagos in October 2020.

Egube disclosed that the total size stands at ₦1.164trn, saying it would be funded from a total revenue estimate of ₦971.028billion, comprising total Internally Generated Revenue of N723.817bn, with Capital Receipts standing at N71.811bn, while Federal Transfer is projected at N175.400bn.

“The total budget size is ₦1.164trillion and will be funded from a total revenue estimate of ₦971.028billion, comprising of the following: Total Internally Generated Revenue (TIGR): N723.817bn, Capital Receipts, N71.811bn, Federal Transfer, N175.400bn,” the commissioner stated.

It would be recalled that the budget tagged “Budget of Rekindled Hope,” was presented by the state governor, Mr Bajbajide Sanwo-Olu, on Tuesday, November 10, 2020, to the Lagos State House of Assembly for consideration and assent.

The Appropriation bill was subsequently passed on Tuesday, December 29, 2020, by the State House of Assembly and was signed into law by the governor on December 31, 2020.

The approved Y2021 Budget size is ₦1.164trn, which is made up of ₦702.935bn for Capital Expenditure and ₦460.587bn for Recurrent Expenditure, giving a 60:40 Capital to Recurrent expenditure ratio strongly in favour of Capital Expenditure.

According to the commissioner, a significant percentage of the projected TIGR of N512bn is expected to be contributed by Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS), saying this would be achieved by expanding the tax net and simplifying the tax process as well as through appropriate use of technology, among others.

“We shall achieve this by expanding the tax net by simplifying the tax process, improving our transaction taxes and the appropriate use of technology in addition to improving the work environment, training and tools of our tax administration personnel. This will improve the efficiency in operations of all revenue-generating agencies.

“We believe that there are huge revenue-generating opportunities in the state, including real estates, transportation sectors and our markets generally, etc. We will continue to use data and intelligence to unravel revenue opportunities and leakages,” Egube said.

He said the state government would continue to maintain a relatively conservative posture in its projection for Federal Transfers/Receipts compared to the annual run rate in 2020 in view of the production challenges within the oil sector by keeping its expectation at N175bn.

This was just as the commissioner disclosed that the deficit of ₦192.494bn was projected to be funded by a combination of internal and external loans.

The commissioner, while giving sectoral budget analysis, disclosed that a budgetary provision of N150.753bn was provided for the maintenance of roads and other infrastructures within the state, saying this was to emphasise the administration’s resolve towards enhancing infrastructure and human capital development.

According to him, the increase shall address the zero-pothole strategy, create link-roads within the metropolis to resolve traffic congestion and its attendant risks, adding that the provision would cater for the N15bn for The Rebuild Lagos Project/Trust Fund, N11bn for the reconstruction of Lekki-Epe Expressway from Eleko Junction to Epe T-junction (phase one) and N8.750bn for Lekki Regional Roads.

Others, he said, include: N19.500bn set aside under Project Stabilisation Fund to intervene on various projects across the state, the N10bn under State Infrastructure Intervention Fund to also intervene on Roads within Local Government and LCDAs, the N13.115bn earmarked for construction/completion of Agege Pen Cinema Flyover, Oregun Bridge Road Network, Agric Isawo Road, Bola Ahmed Tinubu Road, Igbogbo, Ijede Road and Mba Cardoso Road as well as N5.9bn to be spent on Lagos- Badagry Expressway, among others.

On Traffic Management/Transportation, Egube said a total sum of ₦72.930bn was budgeted under the Transportation family, which include the Blue and Red rail lines; Junction improvement all around the state; completion of trailer parks in the State; development of quality bus corridors, among others.

The commissioner disclosed that the sum of ₦23.502bn budgeted for Science and Technology was provisioned for building and upgrading of IT Infrastructure Statewide, e-GIS Land automation system, Single Billing system and ease of tax payment, Levies and other revenue enhancement initiatives.

“The Smart City project is targeted at deploying about 2000 intelligent cameras in strategic locations around Lagos and leverage technology to enhance security and traffic management in the State and will also enhance our revenue-generating efforts.

“This administration will in addition deliver a 3000km metro-broadband fibre infrastructure around the state through an ongoing PPP initiative.

“Furthermore, we will continue to invest in the Lagos State Resident Registration Initiative in conjunction with NIMC to gather useful resident data and information for planning purposes,” he said.

On Health, Egube said a total sum of N105.988bn (as against a total sum of N111.775bn in Y2020) was provided for the continuous upgrading/renovation of health facilities and completion of on-going healthcare infrastructure.

According to him, the affected infrastructure include the completion and equipping of the New Massey Children Hospital, General Hospitals, Ojo, Construction of Infectious Disease Research Center, Yaba, Upgrading of e-Health Platform for Health Insurance, Rehabilitation & Upgrading of General Hospital, Lagos and Construction of the Oncology Center at Gbagada.

Speaking further, Egube disclosed that a total of N33.952bn was provided for Housing and Community Amenities, saying these include N4bn for the completion of on-going housing estates and N3.4bn for new Housing projects.

“It is the intention of the government that lifting the housing sector in a big way will require significant participation of the private sector, which we intend to pursue aggressively and deliberately.

“The sum of N594million has also been provided to continue the implementation of an electronic Certificate of Occupancy and Title re-certification project, together with the issuance of e-planning approvals,” he said.

He said the state government was poised to ensure self-sustenance in staple foods and would continue to expand its food productions centres in areas of its comparative advantage, adding that it would do this through collaboration with other states and the Federal Government.

“In line with this, a sum of N11.715bn was approved. Out of which we plan to spend N2.755bn on Agro-Processing, Productivity Enhancement and Livelihood Support (APPEALS), N1.349bn Lagos Wholesale Produce market, N1.7bn for Rice Value Chain, N500M for Development of Ketu Ereyun, N525M for Value Chain Empowerment and N310M for Shonghai Farms, among others,” the commissioner stated.

The following story demonstrates how cold this world can be at times…

In December 2003, Joyce Vincent died of an asthma attack in her North London flat. The television was still on. The mail continued to be delivered. Her rent was automatically deducted from her bank account. The days passed, and nobody realized that she had died.

The days became weeks and the weeks into months. There were large containers in the building next to hers, so the neighbors should have paid more attention to the smell coming from her apartment. The flat was full of noisy kids and teens, and no one questioned the constant buzz of the TV in the background.

Finally, Joyce’s bank account dried up. Her landlord sent her collection letters. Like the others, those letters fell on the piles of junk scattered on the floor. They received no response. Finally, with over six months of rent overdue, the landlord obtained a court order to evict her by force from the premises. Court officers broke down the door, and they only discovered her body. It was January 2006, more than two years after her death.

At that time, no one came looking for Joyce Vincent. Neither family, friends, coworkers, nor neighbors knocked on the door to see if everything was going well. No one called. No one signed up. She was 38 years old when she died.

This story is incredible for its social implications. It seems incomprehensible that whole years go by without anyone realizing a person has died. However, these kinds of stories happen often. Indeed, you have seen a level similar to that of Joyce Vincent. And they are all the same.

A person lives alone. They lose contact with family and friends. They never get to know their neighbors. They stay locked up with their TV or computer for years. The world moves on as if they were no longer there until, one day, they are gone.