Stress

Stress is the body’s response to any increased demand. It does not matter whether the demand is caused by pleasant or unpleasant things. It does not matter whether it results in good or bad things.

Marriage or divorce, job loss or the threat of being fired, even the disappointment of doing poorly on an exam, all create stress. So do countless other situations.

Inside, your body reacts to stress by preparing to do something (e.g., fight, kick, scream, cry, run away). But in most situations, none of these options are acceptable.

Symptoms

Physical Symptoms

	Increased heart rate
	Rapid breathing
	Tense muscles
	Increased blood pressure

Emotional Reactions

	Irritability
	Anger
	Losing one’s temper
	Yelling
	Lack of concentration
	Being jumpy

When left unchecked, stress can lead to a variety of health problems including:

	Insomnia
	Back pain
	High blood pressure
	Heart disease
	A lowering of the body’s immune system. In fact, the American Academy of Family Physicians states that about two-thirds of all visits to the family doctor are for stress-related disorders.

Job demands are a common source of stress.

Questions to Ask

Do you have either of these problems? You are so distressed that you have recurrent thoughts of suicide or death. You have impulses or plans to commit violence.

Do you have any of these problems often? Anxiety Nervousness Crying spells Confusion about how to handle your problems

Are you abusing alcohol and/or drugs (illegal or prescription) to deal with stress?

Have you been a part of a traumatic event in the past (e.g., armed combat, airplane crash, rape or assault) and do you now experience any of the following? Flashbacks (reliving the stressful event), painful memories, nightmares Feeling easily startled and/or irritable Feeling “emotionally numb” and detached from others and the outside world Having a hard time falling asleep and/or staying asleep Anxiety and/or depression

Do you withdraw from friends, relatives and co-workers and/or blow up at them at the slightest annoyance?

Do you suffer from a medical illness that: You are unable to cope with Leads you to neglect proper treatment

Self-Help

Being able to manage stress is important in living a healthy, happy and productive life. Here are some techniques and strategies to help you deal with stress:

	Maintain a regular program of healthy eating, good health habits and adequate sleep.
	Exercise regularly.
	Balance work and play. All work and no play can make you feel stressed. Plan some time for hobbies and recreation. These activities relax your mind and are a good respite from life’s worries.
	Help others. We concentrate on ourselves when we’re distressed. Sometimes helping others is the perfect remedy for whatever is troubling us.
	Take a shower or bath with warm water. This will soothe and calm your nerves and relax your muscles.
	Have a good cry. Tears of sadness, joy or grief can help cleanse the body of substances that accumulate under stress and also release a natural pain-relieving substance from the brain.
	Laugh a lot. When events seem too over-whelming, keep a sense of humor. Laughter makes our muscles go limp and releases tension. It’s difficult to feel stress in the middle of a belly laugh. Learn to laugh as a relaxation technique.
	Find ways to learn acceptance. Sometimes a difficult problem is out of your control. When this happens, accept it until changes can be made. This is better than worrying and getting nowhere.
	Talk out troubles. It sometimes helps to talk with a friend, relative or member of the clergy. Another person can help you see a problem from a different point of view.
	Escape for a little while. When you feel you are getting nowhere with a problem, a temporary diversion can help. Going to a movie, reading a book, visiting a museum or taking a drive can help you get out of a rut. Temporarily leaving a difficult situation can help you develop new attitudes.
	Reward yourself. Starting today, reward yourself with little things that make you feel good. Treat yourself to a bubble bath, buy the hardcover edition of a book, call an old friend long distance, add to your stamp or coin collection, buy a flower, picnic in the park during lunchtime, try a new perfume or cologne or give yourself some “me” time.
	Do relaxation exercises daily. Good ones include visualization (imagining a soothing, restful scene), deep muscle relaxation (tensing and relaxing muscle fibers), meditation and deep breathing.
	Budget your time. Make a “to-do” list. Rank in priority your daily tasks. Avoid committing yourself to doing too much.
	Avoid procrastination so you are not left with a lot of work to do at one time.
	View changes as positive challenges, opportunities or blessings.
	Do a stress rehearsal by practicing for stressful events. Imagine yourself feeling calm and confident in an anticipated stressful situation. You will be able to relax more easily when the situation arises.
	Modify your environment to get rid of or manage your exposure to things that cause stress.
	Remember that nothing is either good or bad, but thinking makes it so. Therefore, it is not an event that causes stress, but rather what you say to yourself about the event. The ABCDE Model can help you change your thoughts about an event and help manage stress.
	Use the Thought Zapper technique for stress producing thoughts. (See Steps 1 through 4 under “Use a Thought Zapper”.)

Exercise promotes physical fitness and emotional well-being.