Stress Management

Stress: What is it?

Most people call it the epidemic of the 21^st century.

Stress is a natural feeling of not being able to cope with specific demands and events. In other words, it is the body and mind reaction to every day demands and threats. However, stress can become a chronic condition if a person does not take steps to manage it.

These demands can come from:

• Work
• Relationships
• Financial pressures and other situations,

NB: Anything that poses a real or perceived challenge or threat to a person’s well-being can cause stress.

Stress can be good and a motivator. This is the reason: The body has what we call a fight-or-flight mechanism which releases some hormones (like adrenaline) which tells a person when and how to respond to danger

Stress can be positive or negative

1. We have the negative or distress (dis = negative)

Examples are: the death of a loved one, filing for divorce, sickness, etc

This can lead to:

• Loss of motivation
• Reduces effectiveness
•  Physical and mental and behavioral problems

2. We have the positive or eustress (eu = positive)

Examples: starting a new job, having a new baby, going on a vacation, etc. Positive stress has the following advantages:

• Enables concentration
• Increases performance
• Energizes you into action

Just for laughs: Stress can be the spice of life: STRESSED is DESSERTS spelled backwards.

Types of stress:

We have the long term (that’s the chronic) and short term (that’s the acute)

The short term stress is the most common. It develops when people consider the pressures of events that have recently occurred or face upcoming challenges in the near future.

For example: A person may feel stressed about a recent argument or an upcoming deadline. However, the stress will reduce or disappear once a person resolves the argument or meets the deadline.

The long term one or the chronic stress develops over a long period and is more harmful.

For example: ongoing poverty, a broken family or home, or an unhappy marriage are examples of situations that can cause chronic stress.

NB: This type of stress can affect proper function of your immune system, your reproductive system can be affected, and your cardiovascular system can be affected as well as your respiratory system. It can also affect your sleep and can lead to a medical condition called INSOMNIA.

Causes of stress: Common major life events that can trigger stress include:

• job issues or retirement
• lack of time or money
• bereavement
• family problems
• illness
• relationships, marriage, and divorce

NOTE: some people come into your life as blessings, others come into your life as lessons and others come to stay.

Other commonly reported causes of stress are:

• Having NEGATIVE THOUGHTS like envy, gossiping, cheating, speaking ill about someone (remember WORDS CAN HURT)
• abortion or pregnancy loss
• driving in heavy traffic or fear of an accident
• pregnancy and becoming a parent
• excessive noise, overcrowding, and pollution
• Anger. According to Ralph Waldo Emerson; for every minute you are angry, you lose 60 secs of happiness.
• uncertainty or waiting for an important outcome
• Being a perfectionist; what we call the 100% factor. This is it: many of us try too hard for perfection and are disappointed if we fall short. You may be 1% off the mark, you ignore the 99% correct and dwell on that 1% and are upset because you were not perfect. This can lead to thinking and can stress you up.

NB: Some people experience ongoing stress after a traumatic event, such as an accident or some kind of abuse. Doctors will diagnose this as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Signs of stress

• The individual becomes anxious about the outcome and is scared leading to increased heart beat
• In an anxious state, the person doesn’t want to be corrected or interrupted
• The person feels that he has got something to lose or something wrong will take place
• The person becomes moody and sad
• The person develops a negative frame of mind and suffers from low-self esteem
• The person loses faith in his or her abilities and is afraid of the failures
• Sleeplessness
• Sweating
• Change in eating habits
• Stomach or bowel upset
• Forgetfulness
• Depression
• Poor performance
• Memory problems and lack of concentration

How does stress affect our HEALTH?

1. It can lead to high blood pressure
2. Heart attack
3. Pain
4. Stroke
5. Miscarriages, etc

How does stress affect our  organisational issues?

1. Job dissatisfaction
2. Low employee morale
3. Absenteeism
4. Intention to leave job
5. Low productivity
6. Inability to make sound decisions

How do we  manage stress?

Stress can’t be totally taken out of our lives as we now live busy and sophisticated lives in this 21^st century

There is a way to diagnose your stress levels. Your Doctor might request a cortisol test to be done to check your stress hormone levels so you can be managed medically if need be.

Some lifestyle habits have been proven to MANAGE STRESS. These are:

1. Regular exercise may help to manage stress.
2. Reducing the intake of alcohol, drugs, and caffeine: These substances will not help prevent stress, and they can make it worse.
3. Time: People should set aside some time to organize their schedules, relax, and pursue their own interests
4. Breathing and relaxation:Meditation, massage can help. Breathing and relaxation techniques can slow down the heart rate and promote relaxation. Deep breathing is also a central part of mindfulness meditation.
5. Talking: Sharing feelings and concerns with family, friends, and work colleagues may help a person and reduce feelings of isolation.

NB: People who are already experiencing overwhelming stress should seek medical assistance.

References:

https://medlineplus.gov.

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles