Monday April 5, 2010 Column



The month of April is National Stress Awareness Month, a time to raise public awareness about the cause and cures for what many see as an epidemic.  Each year, millions of Americans die of stress-related illnesses; heart disease, strokes, and even some forms of cancer may be caused by stress in certain individuals. If we also include the considerable damage done by smoking, overeating, alcohol, and drugs, all commonly used to cope with stress, we do indeed realize why some experts are saying we’re in the middle of a major epidemic with serious and often fatal consequences.  So, months like this are important for us to take time to educate ourselves concerning stress and learn what we can do about it.

What causes stress?

Feelings of stress are caused by the body's instinct to defend itself. This instinct of course serves us well in emergencies, such as jumping out of the way of a speeding car, but stress can cause unhealthy physical symptoms if it goes on for too long.
When this happens, it's as though your body gets ready to jump out of the way of that car, but you're standing still. Your body is working overtime with no place to put all the extra energy produced and this can make you feel anxious, afraid, worried and uptight.

Possible signs of stress   

• Anxiety
• Back pain
• Depression
• Fatigue
• Headaches
• Trouble sleeping or insomnia
• High Blood pressure
• Relationship problems
• Upset stomach
• Stiff neck or jaw
• Weight loss or gain

Can stress hurt my health?

Stress can cause health problems or make existing health problems worse. Visit with your family doctor if you think that some of your symptoms are caused by stress. It's important to make sure that your symptoms aren't caused by other health problems, so your doctor should be your starting point and can help you begin to sort through what is truly stress related.  Next, consider a visit with a licensed mental health professional to help address the symptoms you and your doctor determine are indeed stress.

How do you measure your stress level?

Sometimes it’s clear where stress is coming from and sometimes not. You can count on stress during a major life change such as the death of a loved one, getting married, separated or divorced, or taking on major debt, but other times it may not be so clear why you feel stressed. It's important for all of us to figure out what causes stress for us individually, because everyone feels and responds to it differently. Keeping a stress journal may be helpful for you.  Get a small notebook and write down when something makes you feel stressed, how you reacted, and what you did to deal with the stress. Keeping a record like this can help you find out what’s causing your stress and how much  of it you feel. If you do see a therapist, bringing the stress journal into sessions with you can prove to be an invaluable tool toward formulating steps to either reduce the stress or handle it better.

What can I do to manage my stress?

The very first step is to learn to recognize when you're feeling stressed. Early warning signs of stress include tension in your shoulders and neck, tightening leg muscles, or clenching your hands into fists. The next step is to choose a way to deal with it. Of course, some of us try to avoid whatever leads to our stress, but often that’s not possible. What really seems most helpful is learning to change how you react to stress.

Tips for dealing with stress

·                 Don't waste energy worrying about things you can't control, such as the weather.

·                Learn better ways to manage your time.  Think about what’s most important.

·                 Solve the small problems. This can help you gain a feeling of control.

·                 Try new ways of thinking.  Learn to let go of what you can’t change.  Learn to say “no.”

·                 Prepare to the best of your ability for coming events you know may be stressful.

·                 Choose to look at change as a positive challenge, not as a threat.

·                 Work to resolve conflicts with other people.

·                 Set realistic goals at home and at work. Avoid over scheduling.

·                 Exercise on a regular basis.

·                 Eat regular, well-balanced meals and get enough sleep.

·                 Consider Meditation or Prayer.

·                 Participate in something you don't find stressful, such as sports, social events or hobbies.

                       
                                       


                                        
                                  

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