Do you know what stress is?
Stress is the body's nonspecific
response to any increased demand placed upon it.
Stressors are those events, objects, or
thoughts that will cause the stress response to occur.
Keeping Track of Stress Signals
Many of us have symptoms of stress every day without realizing it. To
recognize the signals your body is sending you, read this partial list of stress symptoms.
Make a mental note or place a check next to those symptoms that you've experienced when
under stress. Place 2 checks if you experience this symptom frequently. Write in any other
symptoms you experience when feeling stressed. {Note: Symptoms
of stress could indicate a physical problem and should be checked out before assuming you
are not coping well.}
Symptoms of Stress
| _ Backache _ Clearing throat _ Clenching hands _ Constipation _ Crying _ Depression _ Diarrhea _ Drinking _ Dry mouth and throat _ Faintness or dizziness _ Feeling fearful _ Feeling lonely _ Foot tapping _ Forgetfulness _ Frequent urination _ Gritting teeth _ Headache _ Insomnia _ Irritability _ Lack of concentration |
_ Lack of interest _ Loss of appetite _ Low energy level _ Neckache _ Negative thoughts _ Nervous tic _ Nightmares _ Overeating _ Pacing _ Rapid heartbeat _ Sexual difficulties _ Skin rash _ Smoking _ Sweating _ Temper outbursts _ Queasy stomach _ _________________ _ _________________ _ _________________ _ _________________ |
Conditions Related to Stress
Research has revealed a clear link between physical illness and stress. In
some cases, stress plays an important part in the nature and severity of the illness. In
fact, the American Academy of Family Physicians states that approximately two-thirds of
all visits to the family doctor are for stress-related disorders. Read the list below.
Make additions if you feel that stress contributes to a condition that is not listed.
Conditions Associated With or Made Worse by Stress
| _ Acne _ Alcoholism _ Allergies _ Arthritis _ Asthma _ Backaches _ Cancer _ Common cold _ Coronary heart disease _ Eating disorders _ Eczema _ Gout _ Headaches _ High blood pressure |
_ Insomnia _ Low back pain _ Lowering of the body's immune system _ Nervous breakdown _ Neurosis _ Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) _ Stroke _ Temporomandibular joint syndrome (TMJ) _ ____________________ _ ____________________ _ ____________________ |
Life Events Questionnaire
Is there a connection between the number of major life events a person
experiences in a year and the likelihood of illness? Drs. Thomas Holmes and Richard Rahe
think so. They reached this conclusion after questioning 7,000 people about the number of
life events they went through in 1 year. The people who scored highest on this
questionnaire experienced the highest amount of physical illness in the year following the
test. Since major life changes can produce stress-induced illness, take a look at how the
past year's life events add up for you.
Instructions
Place a check mark in the column labeled "Happened" for those
events that occurred in the past 12 months. Then record your score with the event value
for each. Total the score for each column, and then add those totals to get a grand total.
| Event Rank |
Event Value |
Happened | Your Score |
Life Event |
| 1 | 100 |  |
|
Death of a spouse |
| 2 | 73 | |
|
Divorce |
| 3 | 65 | |
|
Marital separation |
| 4 | 63 | |
|
Jail/institution term |
| 5 | 63 | |
|
Death of close family member |
| 6 | 53 | |
|
Major personal injury or illness |
| 7 | 50 | |
|
Marriage |
| 8 | 47 | |
|
Being fired at work |
| 9 | 45 | |
|
Marital reconciliation |
| 10 | 45 | |
|
Retirement from work |
| 11 | 44 | |
|
Major change in health or behavior of family member |
| 12 | 40 | |
|
Pregnancy |
| 13 | 39 | |
|
Sex difficulty |
| 14 | 39 | |
|
New family member through birth, adoption or remarriage |
| 15 | 39 | |
|
Major business readjustments |
| 16 | 39 | |
|
Major change in financial state |
| 17 | 37 | |
|
Death of close friend |
| 18 | 36 | |
|
Change to a different line of work |
| 19 | 35 | |
|
Major increase in the number of arguments with spouse |
| 20 | 31 | |
|
Taking on a mortgage |
| 21 | 30 | |
|
Foreclosure of mortgage/loan |
| 22 | 29 | |
|
Major change in resposibilities at work (promotion, demotion, transfer) |
| 23 | 29 | |
|
Son or daughter leaving home |
| 24 | 29 | |
|
In-laws Trouble |
| 25 | 28 | |
|
Outstanding personal achievement |
| 26 | 26 | |
|
Spouse beginning or ceasing work outside the home |
| 27 | 26 | |
|
Going back to school |
| 28 | 25 | |
|
Major change in living condition (building, remodeling or deterioration of home) |
| 29 | 24 | |
|
Revision of personal habits |
| 30 | 23 | |
|
Troubles with supervisor, boss, or superiors |
| 31 | 20 | |
|
Major change in working hours or conditions |
| 32 | 20 | |
|
Change in residence |
| 33 | 20 | |
|
Change to a new school |
| 34 | 19 | |
|
Major change in type or amount of recreation |
| 35 | 19 | |
|
Major change in church activities |
| 36 | 18 | |
|
Major change in social activities |
| 37 | 17 | |
|
Major purchase (car, etc.) |
| 38 | 16 | |
|
Major change in sleeping habits |
| 39 | 15 | |
|
Major change in number of family get-togethers |
| 40 | 15 | |
|
Major change in eating habits |
| 41 | 13 | |
|
Vacation |
| 42 | 12 | |
|
Christmas or holiday observances |
| 43 | 11 | |
|
Minor violations of the law (traffic tickets) |
| Total_____________________ |
||||
1976, Thomas Holmes, M.D., and Richard Rahe, Ph.D.
Scoring
People who score 100-199
have a very mild risk.
People who score 200-299 have a more
moderate risk of developing physical illness in the next 12 months.
People who score 300 or more have a strong
risk of developing physical illness in the next 12 months.
{Note: These scores only represent a likelihood of getting sick and not a definite prediction.}
Tips for Stress Management
Maintain a regular program
of healthy eating, good health habits, and adequate sleep.
Exercise regularly. This promotes physical
fitness and emotional well-being.
Don't let your emotions get "bottled
up" inside. Share your feelings with others.
Learn to manage your time efficiently.
Avoid unnecessary arguments or quarrels.
Do a "stress rehearsal." Prepare
for stressful events by imagining yourself feeling calm and handling the situation well.
Minimize your exposure to things that cause
distress.
Practice a relaxation technique daily.
Several times a day, do a "body
check" for tensed muscles and let them relax.
Do deep breathing exercises.
Be a good Samaritan. Spend time helping
others.
Balance work and play.
Plan some "me" time daily.
Engage in activities you enjoy and look
forward to.
Discover the "elf" in yourself.
Learn to have fun.
He or she who laughs, lasts. Improve your
laugh life.
Participate in activities with people who
share your interests.
Reward yourself with little things that
make you feel good.
Challenge yourself to do something new.
Surround yourself with cheery people. Avoid
stress-carriers.
Shun the "superman" or
"superwoman" syndrome. No one is perfect.
Set realistic goals for yourself.
Be flexible in dealing with people and
events. Avoid "psychosclerosis" - a hardening of the attitudes.
Accept the things you cannot change in
yourself or others.
Forgive yourself for mistakes.
Take satisfaction in your accomplishments.
Don't dwell on your shortcomings.
Develop and maintain a positive attitude.
View changes as positive challenges, opportunities, or blessings.
Seek professional help if needed.
HEALTH AT HOME - Your Complete Guide to Symptoms, Solutions, and Self-Care © 1999 by Don R. Powell. American Institute for Preventive Medicine.
Date updated 04/20/99