STRESS

Stress is an event or a set of circumstances causing a biological response to an exciting, threatening, demanding or changing situation.

The body’s response is ‘fight or flight’, which prepares the body for action, but often the individual is unable to release or discharge this state, and so the body is left in a tense and alert state. Positive stress prepares you for action and provides motivation to cope with everyday demands made upon us. Stress, however, is not always a bad thing, and in small amounts, it can provide motivation leading to greater achievements. What determines if a particular situation is stressful or not, will be determined by the balance of the following:- external demands, internal needs and values, personal coping resources and levels of support.

Excessive stress is very harmful, and if high levels of stress continue, your physical and mental health suffers and damage occurs: –

• Weakens the immune system
• Induces weight changes
• Encourages unhealthy lifestyles
• Affects sleep patterns

Researchers estimate that stress plays a part in 2/3rds of all illness, with some experts believing that people under chronic stress are cancer prone.

Physical symptoms of Stress:

• Ulcers, Muscular tension, Nightmares
• Indigestion, Irregular menstruation, Poor hair condition
• Hair loss, Impotence, Stomach complaints
• Tiredness, Low sex drive, Heart disease
• PMT, Cancer, Pancreatic disease
• Skin conditions, Disturbed sleep patterns, Loss of appetite
  
   

As well as experiencing one or more of the physical symptoms, emotional symptoms are likely to be present. When one is feeling under excessive stress, it is likely they will feel vulnerable and tearful. It is common to feel overwhelmed by negative emotions and feel unable to cope with the situation. People react uniquely to stress, and in the list below, some examples are given of commonly experienced emotional disturbances that may be the result of excessive stress. The important thing of course, is to recognize the symptoms and the cause of them.

Emotional/physiological symptoms of Stress:

• Feeling helpless, Panic attacks,
• Loss of sense of humour
• Mood swings, Irritability
• Nightmares, Desire to escape
• Low self esteem, Loneliness
• Anxiety, Forgetfulness
• Insecurity. Confusion. Hypochondria
• Lack of concentration, Phobias
  
  

The Way We Live Today

With all the new found wonders of technology, everyone expects an Electronic Answer to everything IMMEDIATELY! Often the individual is just in need of that simple commodity called REST. Time out for rest seems to have become somewhat of a luxury in today’s fast world. We do not just have a Major Stress or two in our world…we have lots of Micro Stresses…all day long.

• Relationship issues
• Unemployment
• Redundancy
• Grief
• Meeting deadlines
• Stress of exams
• The Superwoman Syndrome
• Environmental discord
• Care and concern for the elderly, children, and friends
• Health problems
• Housing e.g. moving house
• Money
• Work
• And so on……and so on…..and so on..
  
  

Brandon Bays holds an interesting view to Stress, as quoted in her book, “Freedom Is”:

“Stress is born from our willingness to take up residence in debilitating pictures of the past, or from collapsing our awareness into imaginary limiting pictures of the future. The good news is you have a choice. You can decide to reside in the stress or step into the magic, beauty and elegant efficiency that is here when all awareness is riveted to the now”. (Brandon Bays, 2006, page 68).

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