Stress is modern man's constant enemy. As life becomes more an more hectic, people
work longer hours under greater time constraints, over global time zones with less
recreation time more and more people struggle to cope with their stress levels. However,
with proper self awareness and management techniques stress levels can be lowered,
perceptions altered and responses improved. In this course we deal with physical
problems related to stress, how to achieve easy living, dealing with drugs, developing self esteem, relaxation, diet and much more.
MODERN DAY STRESSORS
A stressor is any thing that causes a person stress. Each of us have different stressors,
what one person considers stressful another may consider challenging, or unimportant.
Our goals, our lifestyle, our beliefs, perceptions, personality, family and friend supports
and attitudes together determine what we individually find stressful. If a person believes
that they must make a lot of money to be successful, then their bank account may be a
stressor, however someone who places less value on money is less likely to be bothered
by their account balance as readily.
The big C's of urban stress are: Controls, Complexity, Competition and Computers. For
many of us the hours we work, how we perform tasks, how we organize our day even how we dress is controlled by an employer. The tasks we must perform at work, interacting with new technologies, different world regions, over increasingly diverse job requirements, along with the balancing of work and family life are all issues of great complexity that cause most people some degree of stress. The competitive nature of business, competition for a job, promotion, partner, for your car space, when purchasing a home, between family members and friends is another major source of stress for many people.
Finally there are computers. In the past 20 years they have come into their own, making
many of our recreation and job tasks much less tedious, as well as quicker and easier to
perform. However, as the components, software and peripherals go out of date so quickly, people are not only having to maintain their vocational skills, but also their computer literacy. Most computer users have at some stage been confronted by a computer that freezes in the middle of an important task, that for no apparent reason deletes their data and crashes, printers that wont print, instructions with so much jargon you have no idea how to turn a piece of equipment on, let alone use it and new software interfaces that take time and patience to comprehend. For all their benefits, computers bring with them a myriad of complex problems that invariably cause their owner/user stress.
The imbalance between work and private life is a modern dilemma. Parents must work to support their families, and either the father works enormous hours to allow the mother to stay at home to care for the children, or the mother returns to work to supplement the
household income. Either way there is stress. People are becoming increasingly
sedentary, with little time to exercise, play sports and socialize with friends. When people do have time, they are often so stressed and exhausted from work that they simply do not have the energy to pursue hobbies and recreation.
The pressure to find a partner and have children, especially for women can sometimes
make socializing a stressful activity in itself. Many people have their lives, particularly their family life and relationships and their finances so delicately balanced that are constantly living in fear of failure, or simple changes in circumstance that would finally break them.
The result is mental breakdown or other mental illnesses, family breakdown, job loss,
bankruptcy and in the most serious cases, suicide. Prolonged high stress levels are linked to the development of chronic diseases such as cancer, heart attacks and anxiety
disorders, alcoholism and associated liver disease and chronic conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, digestive disorders, headaches and poor immune system function (repeatedly getting colds and flus and any other ‘bug’ that is going around)
SYMPTOMS AND EFFECTS OF STRESS
While the understanding of the relationship between stress and disease is still in its
infancy, there is increasing evidence of the physiological changes induced by prolonged
high stress. Some of the more common symptoms of stress include:
• Dry mouth and throat
• Sweaty palms
• Yawning, feeling bloated
• Rapid heartbeat, increased blood pressure
• Headache or jaw pain when you wake up (clenching your jaw in your sleep!)
• Restlessness, fidgeting
• Stomach ache (butterflies)
• Anxiety, panic
• Inability to sleep
• Inability to concentrate
• Feeling generally ‘on edge’
The physiological effects of stress are varied and can include:
• Poor immune system function
o Constantly catching colds and flus, feeling run-down
• Digestive disorders
o Stomach ulcers, weight gain, bowel and intestinal diseases
• Psychological illnesses
o Anxiety, paranoia, depression
• Chronic and serious diseases
o Constant high stress levels appear to leave a person at increased risk of
developing diseases such as cancer and heart disease, and to suffer heart
attacks.
The Muscles Response
Subconscious orders to the muscles from the brain can contribute to stress.
Chronic = long term
Acute = short term/severe
Chronically tense muscles tell the body to prepare for action and back muscles tense even further. A feedback loop develops resulting in numerous disorders such as backaches, asthma, headaches, eye problems, diarrhoea, muscle tears and constipation and the list grows year by year.
Highly anxious people tend to have more muscular tension than less anxious people.
The Gastrointestinal Response
The gastrointestinal system breaks down food by mechanical and chemical means. It is
governed by the autonomic nervous system, but is associated with emotions as well.
Stress effects can be found at every point in the gastrointestinal system.
Psychologists working with specialists in the gastro wards of major hospitals have found a link between gastric problems and stress. Some side effects include: a continually dry
mouth, difficulty swallowing, "butterflies in the stomach", diarrhoea, constipation, pain and ulcers.
The Cardiovascular Response
This system includes the heart, arteries, veins and blood vessels. Almost every case of
disease in this system can be linked to stress problems. When stress occurs adrenalin
starts dispersing to all parts of the body. The heart's speed, volume and pressure are
constantly changing and adrenalin affects all three. The heart reacts to such things as
anticipation, anger, embarrassment and anxiety. Chronic anxiety, anger, etc. causes the
heart to over work. The long term result is a diseased heart. Also fats mobilized by
hormones released under stress can harden arteries.
The Skin Response
There are usually two major changes to the skin resulting from stress. They are Galvanic
Skin Response as the body changes chemically to stress and the electrical resistance
changes. Temperature change is the other, when small blood vessels near the skin change in response to stress. They become restricted, less blood flows which causes a cold clammy feeling and a very pale look. Then with other types of stress the veins become open and as a result more blood flows. A flushed, hot and red appearance occurs in the person.
When this continually happens chronic stress occurs. Major skin problems can occur
including eczema, itching, redness, fluid change and swelling.
There are also some natural mechanisms the body employs in situations of acute stress.
One of these is the General Adaption Syndrome (GAS), better known as the “Fight or
Flight Responseâ€.
THE FIGHT OR FLIGHT RESPONSE (GAS)
GAS is not unique to humans. It is an evolutionary response to danger, designed to
preserve life. The response itself is complex, partially conscious (you make an active
decision) and partially unconscious (instinct/reflex reaction). The two options when
confronted with a dangerous situation are flight and fight.
• Flight refers to the avoidance reaction, where you unconsciously assess the threat
and determine you cannot defeat it, so you instead elude it, by fleeing.
• Fight is either an option, or your only choice. Where you determine you are in a
position to defend yourself and overcome the danger, or where you are not able to
escape the danger and must fight.
In the modern era however, the stressors that people face are constant and everywhere.
Noise, traffic, people, work, finances and pollution are just some of the myriad of events
and conditions facing us every day. In the majority of cases, we cannot flee or fight these
stressors, they are a ‘normal’ part of our lives and we are forced to cope with them.
The capacity of different people to cope with different stressors varies widely, as do the
ways in which different people choose to cope. Some are good; exercise, meditation,
relaxation, hobbies and the like. Some are negative; violence, alcoholism, drug taking and risk taking behaviours and smoking.
One of the main problems people face today is that we are no longer acting instinctively in many situations. People work themselves till their bodies respond with "signals" such as tiredness, appetite, etc. Then automatically they would react to these responses, for
example by sleeping or eating. More and more, however, we are less physically active,
instead of sleeping we often use television, food, alcohol, coffee to keep ourselves awake (often in the name of ‘relaxation’!). We eat out of habit and often not when we are hungry.
These actions are unnatural and can throw the body chemistry, and the body clock
(circadian rhythms) out if they become ingrained habits. This imbalance in our body and
its functions can itself be a major source of stress.
When confronted with a stressor, the body reacts with a progressive three stage response:
1. ALARM
The body mobilizes for action. Signals are sent, both chemically
(hormones) and neurologically (from and to the brain) assessing the
situation and preparing to respond.
2. RESISTANCE/ADAPTATION
The body attempts to respond to the situation – fight or flight. Energy and
blood flow is diverted primarily to the muscles and brain, digestion slows or
stops.
3. EXHAUSTION
Occurs after prolonged stress and adaptation response. The body drainsits resources of stress hormone and energy and is no longer able to sustain the response to the situation. Can result in serious health problems, such as ulcers or heart attack, or complete physical or mental breakdown. Even if the stressor still exists, the body is simply not able to respond to it any longer.
EFFECT OF STRESS ON HEALTH AND WELLBEING
It is crucial that people learn to effectively and not destructively cope with the everyday
stresses around them. Chronic high levels of stress is linked to reduced immune system
function, leaving you open to infections, flus, viruses etc, and there is increasing evidence that serious diseases such as cancer an heart disease occur more frequently in highly stressed people. Digestive problems can also occur, because when you are fighting or fleeing, the energy your body produces is diverted to the muscles that you will need, and withdrawn from the digestive tract. If you are constantly on edge, your digestion will suffer.
Negative behaviours in response to stress, such as high alcohol consumption, prescription and illegal drug abuse and smoking all have their own obvious effects on a persons health and wellbeing. Inability to cope with stress can result in psychological illnesses, such as anxiety disorders, paranoia and most commonly, depression. A complete inability to deal with stressors any longer can result in a nervous breakdown, that is a state of complete mental exhaustion often accompanied by serious physical illness.
It is important to have coping mechanisms and a realistic attitude when it comes to stress. Low levels of stress appears to aid our immune system to respond better and become stronger. Acknowledging stress and being aware of our comfortable zone is an important step in dealing with stress and the affects of it. We can acknowledge that we are under stress, what it is from, and how to successfully deal with it. In doing so, each time we deal with a certain stress, we build our capacity and system to enhance it for the next time we need to undertake that task. Attempting to ignore a stressful situation will generally lead to an increasing build up of tension and anxiety and as stress levels rise, the ability to rationally cope with the issue will tend to diminish, fuelling a further increase in stress; a vicious cycle. The results of unrelenting high stress can be catastrophic, life threatening diseases, family breakdowns, chronic illness and addiction.
Insecurity, boredom and frustration at work can erupt into "stress sickness" which can, in
extreme situations lead to depression, anxiety and other mental illnesses, other chronic
illnesses, family breakdowns, alcoholism and drug abuse. There is anecdotal evidence
linking life-threatening conditions such as heart attack and some forms of cancer with high stress. Unrelenting high stress can seriously compromise a persons feeling of control in their life and work and can lead to a complete mental breakdown. It is always important to ensure a person has a time/space that is stress-free or as low stress as possible. If you are working in a professional setting, as a counsellor, life coach, fitness trainer or similar, stress management training and coaching for your client should be a top priority.
Stress and the Immune System
There are a variety of white blood cells in the circulation which function in our immune
response.
• Neutrophils
Primarily recognize fungi and bacteria and there activity and subsequent death in large
numbers will result in inflammation and pus.
• Eosinophils
Recognise parasites and destroy them
• Basophils
Involved in allergic responses where they produce chemicals called histamines. In people with allergies, they will ‘over-react’ to the perceived threat, and with each exposure, the over-reaction will get more severe and the high histamine levels will result in a dangerously excessive inflammation, which can cause severe breathing difficulty (due to brochospasm), swelling in the glands and adjacent tissues (face will look puffy for example) and causes blood vessels to dilate, which will reduce blood pressure, combined, these effects can be lethal. Epi Pens are carried by people with severe allergic reactions, and contain epinephrine, which stops and counteracts the effects of histamines. You should always check whether a client has allergies, and how they need to be treated.
A STRESS MANAGEMENT RESPONSE PROGRAM
This is a simple way to respond to stressors effectively:
• Understand the Stresses
Clarify and pinpoint just what is causing the stress, accept that some (causes of stress)
can't be changed.
• Change your Perception
Alter your thoughts, values, expectations. Raise your confidence.
• Improve your Physical Response
Work at lowering your physical response by improving exercise, rest, sleep, meditation,
eating habits, etc.
• Improve your Emotional Response
Work at not dwelling on negative feelings and to develop new friendships.
• Improve your Behavioural Reaction
Learn new skills, develop personal and interpersonal skills.
Improve your education (take up a course). Work on better time management.
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