Effects of stress

موضوع: Effects of stress الإثنين 16 مارس 2009, 1:15 am

Effects of stress

Stress is a difficult term to define as it means different things to different people, but in general a “stress” can be defined as “any demand upon our physical, emotional or mental energy”. Some stresses can be positive as they act as a stimulator or motivator to get things done, but stress can become a problem when there is an imbalance between the demands everyday life and the ability to cope with them.
Stress is a common feature of modern life and everyone experiences some at some point in their lives. No-one is born with the knowledge of how to handle it and there is no immunity from it, so the best way to protect the body from its harmful effects is to learn to manage it. Daily life is full of physical, emotional and mental stresses, all of which can contribute to fatigue of the body.
Many medical problems are stress related and so a good way to improve health is to learn to handle stress better. The stress relief and relaxation provided by holistic therapies can be a major factor in helping a client to manage their own stress.

Types of stress:
Survival stress- occurs when the body meets a physically or emotionally threatening situation. Adrenaline is released and the “flight or fight” response kicks in. This is positive as it enables the body and mind to react quickly and effectively but it can become negative if the effects of adrenaline are long term.
Internally generated stress- often caused by the view of, or reaction to, a situation, rather than the situation itself. Anxiety and worry lead to negative thoughts and a feeling of not being in control of the situation.
Work/ life-style related stress- this is the most common type and could be caused by any of the following, or more: deadlines, time pressures, disorganised conditions, insufficient work or living space, pollution, financial problems, job insecurity, relationship problems, family situations including birth, death, marriage and divorce, ill health. The list is endless!

Recognising stress:
Recognising stress is the first step in learning to manage it, but it can be very difficult especially as the ability to recognise stress usually declines as stress levels increase.
Symptoms such as increased heart rate, rapid breathing, increased sweating, tense muscles, dry mouth, decreased frequency of urination and feeling nauseous are all signs of short term physical stress. These come from the survival stress and help you survive a threatening situation. But they can become dangerous if the adrenaline is not put to use- then anxiety, frustration, reduction in self confidence, distraction and seeing difficult situations as threats rather than challenges can develop.
Back pain, headaches, aches and pains, tiredness, digestive disorders, frequent colds, skin eruptions, exacerbation of asthma are all common physical complaints relating to long term stress. And long term stress can have an impact on our mental and emotional health too:

Being unable to think clearly
Feeling anxious, confused, out of control, restless, frustrated, impatient, helpless or hostile
Having mood changes
Finding it difficult to sleep
Feeling lethargic
Changing eating habits
Relying more on medication
Drinking or smoking more frequently
Reduced libido
Being aggressive, defensive or critical
Overreacting emotionally to situations
Being forgetful
Making more mistakes
Unable to concentrate
Increasing absence from work
Neglecting personal appearance

Effects on the body
When the body is under physical or psychological stress, it produces more of the hormones cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones produce marked changes in the heart rate, blood pressure levels, metabolism and physical activity. This physical action can help a person function more effectively when under pressure for short periods, but it can be extremely detrimental in the long term.

Managing stress
It is important to be able to identify the causes of stress in order to be able to work towards prevention of stress. Part of the problem with stress is its familiarity- people get used to living with stress and become unaware of how it is affecting them or those around them.
Mental attitude is critical in dealing with stress, along with finding ways of reducing its effects. Stress management should be approached in several different ways, with a programme of a range of holistic therapies, the use of relaxation and stress reduction techniques, as well as implementing lifestyle changes.
Once the causes of stress are understood, it is important to work out how to manage the stress. This may include:

Controlling or eliminating the problems causing the stress
Using stress reduction techniques
Making lifestyle changes
Taking breaks or holidays more often
Finding social or family support
Time management
Finding hobbies and making leisure time
Evaluating reactions to previous situations
Exercising more

How holistic therapies reduce stress
Holistic therapies treat the whole person- body, mind and spirit- to induce a state of balance and harmony, and to ease the stresses and strains of modern life.
Holistic therapies treat the mind, body and spirit. Not only can they treat immediate physical conditions but they also help the client to relax, thereby treating the root cause- stress.

Even a single treatment can have obvious benefits
- relieve headaches
- reduce blood pressure
- relieve muscular aches
- promote sleep

» stress Managment