Stress is the way our bodies react to any change in the status quo (good, bad, real, or
even imagined). Some physical symptoms created by stress include:
Increased heart rate
Rapid breathing
Tense muscles
Increased blood pressure.
Emotional reactions include:
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.
Do you have one or both 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 coworkers 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 |
 OR  |
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. This promotes physical
fitness as well as emotional well-being.
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. Plan one or more vacations
during the year. Don't do work on your vacation.
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
overwhelming, 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 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. Go to a movie,
read a book, visit a museum, or take a drive. 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 lunch time, 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.
View changes as positive challenges,
opportunities, or blessings.
Rehearse 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.
HEALTH AT HOME - Your Complete Guide to Symptoms, Solutions, and Self-Care © 1999 by Don R. Powell. American Institute for Preventive Medicine.
Date updated 04/21/99