Stress Management

SWEET STRESS MANAGEMENT!

Afra — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 15:55:37 +0000

SWEET STRESS MANAGEMENT!

Now beat stress with homeopathy!

Stress is today’s lifestyle latest import. Let us first try to understand what stress means.Stress means different things to different people.It could be in different forms and affect you in different ways.For a student waking up at night to study to give his exam the next morning could be stress, or a housewife tensed over guests coming over and what to cook for dinner could also be stress.

In today’s lifestyle we have to grimly accept the fact that everything and anything amounts to nothing but stress.And anybody and everybody tells u only one thing:relax!dont take tension, everything will work out, leave everything to god, etc etc. Easy, no?Naturally, u would say, how can I not take tension?If learning to relax would have been that easy, there would have been no problems!! Stress could also be fatal for some. The recent suicides by policemen, school and college students bear witness to this grim tale.

So what is Stress actually?It is simply the wat our bodies react both physically and emotionally to any change in status quo:Good, bad, real or even imagined.

Some physical symptoms caused by stress

Increased heart rate
Rapid breathing
Tense muscles
Increased blood pressure

Emotional reactions
Irritability
Anger
Losing ones temper
Yelling
Lack of concentration

If left unchecked;Can lead to:

Insomnia
Ulcers
Back pain
Colitis
Heart disease
Lowering of the body’s immune system

The list goes on….

Today even senior cardiologists accept the fact that all diseases are in fact due to stress. The number of coronary heart disease patients have increased by four fold in the last 5 years.when patients are admitted to ICCU after a heart attack their relatives always mention the fact that the person was under some kind of stress before the attack. It might seem very mild, or very subtle but the factor is always present.That is why the alarming fact seen now is that people are succumbing to these kind of diseases between the age of 30 and 40.

Following are effective ways to deal with stress

1.Reduce risk factors for heart disease like smoking, drug abuse, high cholesterol, ie high fat foods, physical inactivity, being overweight.

2.learn to relax.Stress leads to negative emotions like anger, depression, sadness, frustration etc.Find out a relaxation technique that helps you. Some effective relaxation methods are:Meditation, yoga, physical activity, swimming, dancing, ,music, creative pursuits, etc.Your doctor will teach u on how to use these techniques when under stress effectively so that u can yourself manage it.

What homeopathy does

Works through psychic healing

Makes the person successfully cope up with stress by inducing relaxation with our gentle effective homeopathic medicines. It directly tackles the negative emotions like anger, dissatisfaction, frustration, depression, sadness etc and also physical problems. This it deals with both, the causes and the consequences of stress.It induces positive feeling, a feeling of well being, happiness and health related behaviour. Patients can find solutions to their own problems instead of depending on others.

The medicines have a plane of action on the mind as well as the body.As medical research suggests, the mind has an amazing and mysterious powerful role on the body. The medicines just strengthen the body’s own repair forces so that illnesses can be combated successfully.

It can be used for the following:

to improve memory, lack of concentration,will power.
to be able to leave alcohol,smoking, or abandon other unwanted habits easily.
tackling loss of confidence, apprehensive anxiety, dread of failure ,exam tension, stage fright,facing interviews
sleep disorders, insomnia
tension headaches, migraines
for losing weight or loss of appetite
anger
tackling emotional and relationship problems.

The lighter side of stress!!well, stress can actually be good for u too!

Following are the reasons on why should u stay stressed!!!!!!!:

STRESS HELPS YOU SEEM IMPORTANT.

Anyone as stressed as you must be working very hard and, therefore, is probably doing something very crucial.

IT HELPS YOU AVOID RESPONSIBILITIES.

Obviously you’re too stressed to be given any more work. This gets you off the hook for all the mundane chores; let someone else take care of them.

STRESS ALSO LETS YOU KEEP YOUR AUTHORITARIAN MANAGEMENT STYLE.

The authoritarian style of “Just do what I say!” is generally permissible under crisis conditions. If you maintain a permanently stressed crisis atmosphere, you can justify an authoritarian style all the time.

To know more about stress and homeopathy, contact drsheetalmehta@gmail.com at BMWHomeopathy.

Stress Relieving Exercises

Khushi — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 15:18:56 +0000

Surprise yourself! Although you may not think of exercise as stress relieving (if you’ve ever walked a treadmill for a stress test), a healthy body is a formidable weapon to combat stress. Of course, a full-blown exercise regime can’t be completed at your desk, but there are several easy exercises that you can do to relieve tension and reduce stress. Even if your job is physically taxing, the exercises below are designed to help you unwind, relax, and reduce stress.

Blow it off. Since breathing comes naturally, deep breathing is often overlooked as an exercise, but it’s an excellent stress reducer. Breathe in while tucking in your tummy and feel the air as it expands your lungs and your chest. Breathe in to the count of four and hold it for two counts. Then exhale to the count of four. Take two to four deep breathes several times a day and soon daily stressors may well be “gone with the wind!”
Get up and stretch. Visualize the stress flooding from your back, legs, your shoulders, and pour out of your fingertips and toes. Add to your stretches by taking the time to learn a few yoga positions, which you can find in books and videos as well as yoga classes.
Take a short walk after lunch or in lieu of a coffee break. A brisk ten or fifteen minute walk each day is not only physically beneficial but transfers your focus from your problems to the scenery along your route, whether it’s the good-looking person in the hallway or the trees in the neighborhood park.
Squeeze a lemon. P.T. Barnum said, “When life hands you a lemon, make lemonade!” Squeezing a lemon or tennis ball is a good way to keep your fingernails from biting into your palms! If you crush the fruit or the tennis ball, either get a rubber ball or go on to a more vigorous exercise to reduce your stress!
Progressive relaxation is especially beneficial when stress keeps your from getting a good night’s sleep. Start at your toes and “tell” them to relax. When you feel them relaxing move to your feet, ankles, calf muscles, knees, thighs and so on up your torso to your shoulders and finally to the top of your head or alternatively down through your arms to your fingertips (if you make it that far before you’re asleep!)
Dance. Join an aerobics class, a tai chi class or just turn on the tunes and dance. Dancing has a double advantage in that along with exercise, music is a great stress reducer.

Stress Management for Kids

Khushi — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 15:15:27 +0000

From the bogeyman for small children to the bogies of SATs and final exams for the college-bound, stress affects kids of all ages. The first thing a parent can do to help their child manage stress is to build a strong family unit. Include your children in family discussions and be on the lookout for stress in your kids.

Recognizing Stress in Children
Especially small children with under-developed communication skills may display stress very differently than an adult does. Often kids’ stress is internalized and most noticeable in physical symptoms such as frequent flu-like symptoms including headache, stomachache, and even nausea.

Children under stress may regress to behaviors like bedwetting, clinginess, and frequent crying. Behavioral symptoms may be extreme at both ends of a behavior spectrum. A normally active child becomes either listless or hyperactive, a usually docile child has fits of anger or a child that “acts out” becomes docile and introspective.

Some signs of stress in kids are easily confused with children’s mental disorders. For instance, if schoolwork slides or your child’s circle of friends undergoes a drastic change, it isn’t a sure sign that your child is on drugs. Situations like these may simply indicate a child’s inability to handle a stressful situation.

Helping Kids Reduce Stress
Children primarily learn by example. The best way to teach your child how to manage stress is by using the tools and articles at Stress Management Tips to learn to effectively manage your stressors. In addition, you can develop skills and child-oriented stress management techniques to help your kids recognize and manage their stressors.

Eat healthy. A healthy body is better able to withstand stress-induced illness. Schedule regular meals and snack times. Don’t allow your child to skip meals.
Vigorous exercise is a good stress reliever. Just like adults, kids need time to unwind. If your kids are bound to video games, television, or a computer, get them on their feet by providing and encouraging the use of active toys like balls, punch bags, and bikes. If your child presently appears to be stressed, make a point of playing with them. Time spent with your kids is a great vehicle for getting them to open up the lines of communication.
Be clear in setting rules and consistent with discipline. Kids live in a “black and white” world. Blurred guidelines and inconsistencies are even more confusing for them than they are for adults.
Gentle physical touch is a great healer. Sometimes a hug is worth more than a thousand words. Another physical stress reliever can be a gentle massage of your child’s neck and shoulders. Like you, your kids can also get knotted up with stress!
Learn to be a good listener. When your child wants to talk about his or her problems, don’t criticize. In addition, it isn’t always necessary to give advice. Sometimes kids just need to talk. Encourage them with open-ended questions like, “So what happened next?” “How do you feel about that?”
Teach your kids that everyone (including you) makes mistakes. A good start is admitting your mistakes to your children with an “I’m sorry” or “My mistake” when you goof-up. If the situation warrants, use personal examples of stressful situations you encountered during your childhood. Even if you were unsuccessful in dealing with your situation, you’ll teach your kids that you can learn from and even laugh at your own mistakes.
Finally, teach your kids stress relieving exercises and help them find stress reducing games they can play to reduce their stress.

Family Stress Management

Khushi — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 15:12:55 +0000

Bills, kids, household chores, spousal relationships… all can cause family stress. In addition to day-to-day stressors, crises like a fire or a death within the family place maximum stress on family relationships. However, learning to cope with daily family stress strengthens your family and makes it easier to cope with family crisis as well.

The Strong Family Unit
Especially these days when both partners in a family have careers and children are involved in diverse extra-curricular activities, it’s very easy for the family unit to break down, resulting in a number of separate individuals living under one roof. Each individual becomes isolated, facing his/her own problems and left to solve them on their own. Abraham Lincoln said, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” Although he was talking about the US in time of Civil War, for families his statement is literally true. Unfortunately, stress for one member of a family stresses and often divides the entire family. When one part is stressed, the whole unit can collapse. The solution is to work through problems as a family, but for the solution to be effective, the family unit needs to be strong.

Take Time for the Family
Family togetherness doesn’t mean constantly holding hands. Neither does it mean that if Jimmy and Dad like football, Mom and Suzy have to like it, too. The phrase “quality time” has become trite with over-use, but it is quality time spent together that reduces daily family stress and builds strong families that can weather both small storms and large crises.

Working at household chores together. Completing simple household chores as a family has several advantages. Doing dishes, raking the yard, spring cleaning, or holding a garage sale offers the family time to communicate, lightens the load for individual family members, and lets individuals build skills and self-esteem.
Share a meal. Share at least one meal each day. Albeit, dinner time these days is often hectic with individuals having conflicting work and activity schedules. If this is true in your family, start having family breakfasts. Mealtime is a great time to tune into individual schedules and plan family activities. If you can’t do it everyday, schedule it as a regular family “event”.
The family “event”. A special activity can be as complex as a family vacation or as simple as, a trip to the local park or just a family movie night. Plan the activity as a family and make the activity an “event” where each member contributes to making it a successful and enjoyable occasion. (Simple Example- Family Movie Night – Make a list of movies that you all want to see. Then, choose one of them scheduling a specific night and time for the event. That night, Mom washes the dishes, Jimmy wipes, Suzy pops the popcorn, and Dad goes to pick up the movie.)

Managing Family Stress
A strong family unit develops the tools to solve stressors, reducing stress for the entire family. Problems that stress families may be either individual stressors that carry over to the whole family such as school suspensions, addictions, mental disorders, or physical illnesses or family crises such as a death in the family, financial problems, tornado or fire.

When managing individual stressors that affect the family, keep a few tips in mind:

Don’t avoid discussion. If it’s a problem for you or a problem that you notice is causing stress in another family member, chances are it’s a stressor for the entire family as well. Talk it out and work towards finding a solution.
Don’t trivialize. Whether the problem is as significant as a spouse losing a job or as unimportant to you as the death of your daughter’s pet frog, the problem is a stressor for the individual that can ultimately cause stress for the family. Let the individual talk it out, be a good listener, and show them that solving the problem is important to the family.
Don’t lay blame. When there’s a problem it really doesn’t matter who’s at fault. Define the problem and work towards a solution.
Respect privacy. If a family member brings a problem to you in confidence, respect it. Don’t air it for discussion without their agreement. If you are unable to agree to keep the confidence, be honest in your refusal. For instance, often parents reach decisions about children together. If a child says, “But, don’t tell Dad,” your response might be, “I’m sorry, but Dad and I don’t keep secrets. He needs to know about this. Would you like us to tell him together or would you rather not be there when I tell him?”

In summary, building a strong family unit that effectively manages day-to-day stressors not only makes your home a place for each member to relax, recharge, and rejuvenate but also builds the skills necessary for the family to come together in a crisis and effectively manage family stress.

Stress Management in Workplace

Khushi — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 15:08:21 +0000

Job stress is a common and costly problem in the American workplace, leaving few workers untouched.

A recent American survey, published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, noted that for those working 12 hours a day, there was a 37% increase in risk of illness and injury in comparison to those who work fewer hours.
A study done by Northwestern National Life, reports that one-fourth of employees view their jobs as the number one stressor in their lives.
A St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Co. study concluded that problems at work are more strongly associated with health complaints than any other life stressor, even financial or family problems.

Stress in the workplace frequently hits you with a double whammy of two-way pressures that come from a combination of both internal and external stressors. Stress results in decreased job satisfaction, reduced production, and increased conflicts, which all lead to – you guessed it – more stress! When you ignore stress signals, you are more liable to become ill or fatigued and to experience injury. As an employee, there are several steps you can take to preserve your health by reducing workplace stress.

External Stressors
Frequently employees tend to ignore problems created by external stressors because they feel that the problems are trivial, petty, or don’t (or won’t) merit the attention of the employer. However, often these problems have an easy solution. For instance, stress can be caused by something that seems as trivial as an incorrectly positioned chair or computer screen. Other examples of external stressors include loud or continuous noise, nosy or noisy co-workers, demanding bosses, and complaining customers. If external stressors are causing problems for you, the worst thing you can do is ignore them. Identifying and examine external stressors for possible solutions. Even if all of them aren’t resolved, any positive change you will result in a happier, healthier you.

Internal Stressors
Internal stressors are not workplace problems by perceptions. Some examples are feelings of dissatisfaction, irritability, inability, and the feeling that your efforts aren’t properly rewarded or recognized. One helpful way to reduce internal stress is to remember what you liked about your job when you started it. Consider what has changed as well as what needs to change for you to be satisfied in your position again.

Why are you working?
Work is the exertion of undertaking mental or physical activity for a purpose or out of necessity. It is also defined as proceeding along a path towards a goal. Most workplace stress starts when we lose sight of the necessity of our work, the purpose of our job, and/or our goals. You can reduce much of your stress and regain your perspective by redefining why you are working.

Change your focus
You may not be able to cut back on hours at work, but you can work to live and not live to work. Because of the number of hours many employees work per week, the job can easily become all-encompassing. We wake and get ready for work, drive to work, spend eight or more hours at work, and finally drive home from work. As you can see, although we aren’t getting paid, we are “at work” for much longer than eight hours a day! Learning to keep work in focus during work hours and life in focus after hours will take you a long way towards managing workplace stress.

School yourself to wake and get ready, not for work, but for your day.
On the drive to work, listen to music, humor – anything that isn’t related to work.
Take an alternate route to work. The change in scenery will help you stay alert to the road and keep your mind off the job.
Plan your work and work your plan. Devote every paid minute to your job. Deviate from your work plan only when absolutely necessary.
Take your allotted breaks. Remember: the opposite of stress is relaxation. Don’t work through lunch or coffee breaks. This also means don’t think or talk about work during your breaks.
Instead of coffee, drink water, juice, or electrolyte infused drinks. Dehydration often is the cause of fatigue. Coffee and soft drinks that contain caffeine may seem to “keep you going”, but in reality they add to stress and don’t keep your body hydrated.
Keep a copy of Stress Management Tips, Stress Reliever Games, and Stress Relieving Exercises nearby and refer to it when you need to get through a stressful occurrence.
Just as you plan your work, plan your time away from work. At day’s end, leave work behind you and focus on your plans for the evening. Work to live. Relaxation away from work means less stress… and a better day tomorrow!

Managing School Stress

Khushi — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 14:57:11 +0000

Remember that old adage about “is the glass half-empty or half full?” Well, that one’s not going to help you manage either high school or college stress. What you have is a full year in front of you, but it can be a year full of success or a year full of stress, depending on your plan!

One of the functions of education is to challenge you and in so doing, prepare you for the challenges of life after school. Learning to be effective in managing student stress will carry you a long way towards managing stress over your lifetime.

The secret to high school and college stress management is organization.

Look at school as your temporary business. You can’t run an office without supplies. Keep a good supply of paper, pencils, pens, folders, and binders on hand and develop a filing system so you know where things are.
- Special tip to reduce high school stress: Keep your locker clean and well organized. It will help you keep on time and unflustered.
When businesses need help, they find it. If you need help with a subject, don’t be afraid to find a tutor. Teachers and professors may offer limited help, but are more likely to be a resource to assist you in finding either extra materials or a tutor.
Plan your work and work your plan. Schedule time for homework and stick to your schedule unless a real emergency (fire, flood, famine) gets in the way. If you need a break after school, take it and schedule homework time later in the evening. Remembering that the opposite of stress is relaxation, just be sure to schedule both!
- Special Tip: Don’t let work build up to clutter up your weekend. Although you may choose to work on all or part of a Saturday or Sunday, do make one of them your “day off”. You’ll find that facing the coming week is much easier when you’ve had real time to refresh!
Learn to prioritize. You can probably whip up that essay in a flash, but how about that 15,000-word term paper? Get done for tomorrow what needs to be done. Then use the rest of your scheduled study time to 1) work on long projects or 2) read a chapter (or even a few pages) ahead.
Choose u-friendly subjects. When a project allows you to choose the subject matter, choose according to your interests, not what you think will impress the teacher or get a good grade. Aside from making school work more enjoyable and less stressful, good grades come from good work and we do our best work when we enjoy what we’re doing.
Cramming is a great way to become cramped! It’s a necessary evil sometimes, but you can avoid physical aches and pains (stressors) and creative blocks by taking a five-minute break after each hour of study. Also, when working at a desk or table, make sure that your chair is at a comfortable height and firmly supports your back.
Be on time. Unless you have a pretty thick skin, classroom snickers and teachers’ glares are bound to make you uncomfortable. Discomfort = Stress.

Exams: College Stress to the xxxth power — tips to cut it down to size!

Find out as much as you can about the exam. Take advantage of any practice tests.
Study for the type of test. Multiple choice exams usually are fact, formula, and data infused. Essay tests usually require you to have a handle on the subject and possibly go into detail on a topic or two.
Know where you’re going. Don’t take it for granted that your exam will be given in the “usual” place. Many tests and exams are given in large, possibly off-campus facilities. Make sure you know the location, down to the room number!
Get organized the night before. Load up your bag or briefcase with everything you think you’ll need, including aspirin, a snack, water, calculator, eyeglasses… Well, you know what you need!
Eat before the exam. There may not be the time or opportunity to eat a snack during it. Aside from making you feel tired, an empty stomach can also make you anxious and shaky.
Dress for success. Whether you run hot or cold, the room may be out of your comfort zone. Wear a light layer of clothing next to your skin and a comfortable sweater or jacket that you can shed if unnecessary.

Stress Management Tips

Khushi — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 14:54:26 +0000

All stress isn’t bad. Stress can initiate change, help us focus on the task at hand, and in some cases even save our lives. Yet, when stress builds up, it can result in the opposites— and cause us to spin our wheels, keep us from concentrating, and cause bodily injury and even loss of life.

The first tip in managing stress is to recognize your stressors. The next step is to put each of them in their place. The following stress management tips, based on some old and some new adages, can help you do just that!

Take a Deep Breath and Count to Ten—
Taking a deep breath or two adds oxygen to your system, which almost instantly helps you relax. In addition, taking a moment to step back can help you maintain your composure, which in the long run, is what you need to work rationally through a stressful situation.

Start with “take a deep breath” and…

Count to ten (or more or less as the situation warrants!)
Stand up and stretch. Remember relaxation is the opposite of stress.
Stand up and smile. Try it! You’ll feel better!
Take a short walk. If you’re at work, take a bathroom break or get a glass of water. Do something that changes your focus. When you come back to the problem, chances are it won’t seem nearly as insurmountable.
In the book Gone With the Wind, Scarlett O’hara says, “I can’t think about that right now. If I do, I’ll go crazy. I’ll think about that tomorrow.” Good advice!

Stop and Smell the Roses—
“Things happen” and sometimes “bad things happen to good people”. If we let them, stressful events can build up, wall us in, and eventually stop us from enjoying the good things in life.

Take the time. Too often we put the pleasantries of life on the back burner, telling ourselves we don’t “have time” or can’t “make time” for them. However, actually, time is the only thing we do completely own. While we can’t “make” a day that’s longer than 24 hours, each of us starts the day with exactly that amount of time. Take a part of your time to recognize the good things in your life.
Sleep on it. Every coin has two sides and every issue has both pros and cons. List them both then put the list away and take a second look tomorrow. Sometimes “sleeping on” a situation changes the minuses to pluses.
Every cloud has a silver lining. After all, rain makes things grow! Ben Franklin found good in a bolt of lightning. Find the good in your stressful situation by listing the negative surges and determining what it will take to make them into positive charges!

“A Man’s Got to Know His Limitations—”
Knowing yourself and your limits may be the most important way to manage stress effectively.

Dare to say no. One more little thing may be the “straw that breaks the camel’s back”. It’s okay to say “No”, “I can’t”, or “Later”.
Acquit yourself. Sometimes events really are out of control and you really are “Not Guilty”. Quit blaming yourself.
Be pro-active in finding peace. Those who unsuccessfully use the crutches of drugs and/or alcohol to alleviate stress often find themselves in a twelve-step program like A.A. where one of the mainstays is the Serenity Prayer:

“God grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change; The Courage to change the things I can; and the Wisdom to know the difference.”
When you need help, get help. Even Atlas couldn’t bear the weight of the world on his shoulders forever. Whether you need help from kids or spouse in hauling groceries into the house, help from a colleague to solve a work-related problem, or professional help to find the causes of and effectively manage your stress, getting the help you need is in itself a major stress management tip!

Other Tips

Get a good night’s rest.
Eat healthily.
Listen to your favorite music.
Exercise, participate in a sport or engage in fun activity.
Plan out your time and prioritize.
Talk to a friend about your problems, don’t hold it in.
Get a massage.
Take a nap.
Take a warm bath.
Read a book or watch TV.

Effects of Stress

Khushi — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 14:49:15 +0000

The effects of stress can dramatically impact our lives for better… or worse.

That extra rush of adrenalin, released during acute stress gives us a needed burst of speed when we flee from danger or an extra surge of power when we decide to stand and fight. However, when we fail to release stress by coping with life’s situations, it builds up until we either explode or collapse.

The consequences of stress can cause specific disorders in both mind and body. In addition to raising levels of the stress hormones, adrenaline and corticosterone (lately much talked about as cortisol), a build up of stress can cause headaches, digestive problems, eating disorders, insomnia, fatigue, and lower our resistance to other illnesses like colds and flu.

When we are deluged by a sequence of stressful situations, our bodies don’t have time to adjust and our minds don’t have to make the decisions necessary to deal with stress in a healthy manner. This is episodic stress. Over time, unrelieved stress, like episodic stress, can result in increased heart rate, respiration, and blood pressure, which in turn put undue stress on bodily organs such as the heart and lungs. Eventually our body gives up the fight; unable to flee from our problems we develop more significant problems like heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, and other illnesses.

Emotionally, stress can near literally burn us out. Long-term stress becomes chronic stress. Stress becomes inconspicuous, hiding behind feelings of hopelessness, constant anxiety, depression, and in severe cases serious mental aberrations such as paranoia and delusions. Of course, the worst-case consequence of stress is suicide.

Just as each individual differs from the next in his or her responses, there is no set limit as to how much stress each of us can endure. Each of us seems to be endowed with our own stress “thermometer”. When the mercury rises or plummets, in order to stay healthy we need to have a planned strategy to manage stress. Knowing and using a few stress management tips can make all the difference in the consequences of stress.

Stress Symptoms

Khushi — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 14:46:53 +0000

The symptoms of stress are our physical, emotional, and behavioral reactions to life’s situations.

The pounding of our hearts as the home team scores the winning point
The feeling of frustration when the other team scores the winning point
The boisterous hooray when we win and the angry curse when we lose

Levels of stress are categorized as acute, episodic acute, and chronic. Stress symptoms are often indicative of our level of stress.

Acute stress is the temporary type of stress we feel when we step back to the curb out of the path of an oncoming vehicle or when the home team wins (or loses).

This type of stress is the most manageable. Our heart rates jump, blood pressures raise, tension headaches may ensue, we become momentarily angry, elated, boisterous, or resentful. We cry in joy, in relief, in frustration. The moment passes and we go on about or business.
Episodic acute stress occurs when life’s situations get the best of us, when Murphy’s Law seems to be the rule of the day. One example is when we believe we deserve a raise or promotion, but don’t act on our feelings. Another example is when life spins out of control with one disaster after another— an illness, a divorce, and loss of employment within a short time span.

Symptoms like recurring headaches, indigestion, fatigue, and insomnia are vivid warning signs of episodic acute stress. We can avoid episodic acute stress by recognizing its warning signs and coping with stressful situations as they occur. Without attention, this level of stress can lead to chronic stress.
Chronic stress is that which literally wears us out, grinding us down until our bodies and minds react with serious long-term physical and/or mental disorders. Chronic stress occurs when situations become impossible to deal with, when there’s “no way out” and we give up trying to overcome adversity.

Unfortunately, once stress becomes chronic, long ignored symptoms become invisible. Grinding teeth, tremors, confusion, forgetfulness, over-eating, and alcoholism are just some of the symptoms that appear to be habits that are as unbreakable as the situations that caused them.

Stress warning signs can help us gauge our level of stress. However, stress symptoms often overlap from one level to another. More importantly, many signs of stress can be caused by physical illness or mental disorders. Recognizing stress symptoms can help us keep stress from snowballing from acute to chronic, prompt us to seek medical help when we need it, and keep us from suffering the debilitating effects of stress.

What is stress ?

Khushi — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 14:42:24 +0000

In simplest terms, stress is the opposite of relaxation. Both positive and negative aspects of life can be equally stressful. Stress comes from the external forces in our lives that push our buttons and provoke extreme emotions. Although we commonly think of stress coming from the frustrations and low points in life, high points and achievements are stressful as well.

Ups – Downs
Jubilation – Depression
Promotion – Termination
Marriage – Divorce
Birth – Death

Each of the above pairs of opposites has one thing in common – stress. Yet, to add to the confusion, even uncertainty can cause stress. In addition, stress can result from something as minor as breaking a shoestring or something as major as your child ruining his new expensive shoes!

Stress raises your level of adrenaline, which results in an increase in heart rate, respiration, and blood pressure. These increases make bodily organs work harder. Over the long term, reducing stress is critical to combatting such illnesses as heart disease, high blood pressure, and stroke.