In light of my crazy stressful day, I would like to share
an amazing website that has helped me in the past year in terms of stress
management. I did a video presentation on stress management 2 semesters
ago, and I have found that subject matter to be CRUCIAL to weight loss and
overall health.
It's a bit of a read, but I promise it will be worth the
few minutes it takes to read. I cut/pasted it here so that you cannot
miss any of it!
Understanding Stress
SYMPTOMS, SIGNS, CAUSES, AND EFFECTS
Modern life is full of hassles, deadlines, frustrations, and
demands. For many people, stress is so commonplace that it has become a way of
life. Stress isn't always bad. In small doses, it can help you perform under
pressure and motivate you to do your best. But when you’re constantly running
in emergency mode, your mind and body pay the price.
If you frequently find yourself feeling frazzled and
overwhelmed, it’s time to take action to bring your nervous system back into
balance. You can protect yourself by learning how to recognize the signs and
symptoms of stress and taking steps to reduce its harmful effects.
When you perceive a threat, your nervous system responds
by releasing a flood of stress hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol.
These hormones rouse the body for emergency action.
Your heart pounds faster, muscles tighten, blood pressure
rises, breath quickens, and your senses become sharper. These physical changes
increase your strength and stamina, speed your reaction time, and enhance your
focus – preparing you to either fight or flee from the danger at hand.
Stress is a normal physical response to events that make you
feel threatened or upset your balance in some way. When you sense danger –
whether it’s real or imagined – the body's defences kick into high gear in a
rapid, automatic process known as the “fight-or-flight” reaction, or the stress
response.
The stress response is the body’s way of protecting you.
When working properly, it helps you stay focused, energetic, and alert. In
emergency situations, stress can save your life – giving you extra strength to
defend yourself, for example, or spurring you to slam on the brakes to avoid an
accident.
The stress response also helps you rise to meet challenges.
Stress is what keeps you on your toes during a presentation at work, sharpens
your concentration when you’re attempting the game-winning free throw, or
drives you to study for an exam when you'd rather be watching TV.
But beyond a certain point, stress stops being helpful and
starts causing major damage to your health, your mood, your productivity, your
relationships, and your quality of life.
Learn about changes you can make in responding to stress
It’s important to learn how to recognize when your stress
levels are out of control. The most dangerous thing about stress is how easily
it can creep up on you. You get used to it. It starts to feels familiar even
normal. You don’t notice how much it’s affecting you, even as it takes a heavy
toll.
The signs and symptoms of stress overload can be almost anything. Stress affects the mind, body, and behaviour in many ways, and everyone experiences stress differently.
The signs and symptoms of stress overload can be almost anything. Stress affects the mind, body, and behaviour in many ways, and everyone experiences stress differently.
Stress doesn't always look stressful
Psychologist Connie Lillas uses a driving analogy to
describe the three most common ways people respond when they’re overwhelmed by
stress:
§ Foot on the gas – An angry or
agitated stress response. You’re heated, keyed up, overly emotional, and unable
to sit still.
§ Foot on the brake – A withdrawn or
depressed stress response. You shut down, space out, and show very little
energy or emotion.
§ Foot on both – A tense and frozen
stress response. You “freeze” under pressure and can’t do anything. You look paralysed,
but under the surface you’re extremely agitated.
The following table lists some of the common warning signs
and symptoms of stress. The more signs and symptoms you notice in yourself, the
closer you may be to stress overload.
Stress Warning Signs and Symptoms
|
|
Cognitive Symptoms
|
Emotional Symptoms
|
§ Memory problems
§ Inability to concentrate
§ Poor
§ Seeing only the negative
§ Anxious or racing thoughts
§ Constant worrying
|
§ Moodiness
§ Irritability or short temper
§ Agitation, inability to relax
§ Feeling overwhelmed
§ Sense of loneliness and isolation
§ Depression or general unhappiness
|
Physical Symptoms
|
Behavioural Symptoms
|
§ Aches and pains
§ Diarrhoea or constipation
§ Nausea, dizziness
§ Chest pain, rapid heartbeat
§ Loss of sex drive
§ Frequent colds
|
§ Eating more or less
§ Sleeping too much or too little
§ Isolating yourself from others
§ Procrastinating or neglecting
responsibilities
§ Using alcohol, cigarettes, or drugs to relax
§ Nervous habits (e.g. nail biting, pacing)
|
Keep in mind that the signs and symptoms of stress can also
be caused by other psychological and medical problems. If you’re experiencing
any of the warning signs of stress, it’s important to see a doctor for a full
evaluation. Your doctor can help you determine whether or not your symptoms are
stress-related.
Because of the widespread damage stress can cause, it’s
important to know your own limit. But just how much stress is “too much”
differs from person to person. Some people roll with the punches, while others
crumble at the slightest obstacle or frustration. Some people even seem to
thrive on the excitement and challenge of a high-stress lifestyle.
Your ability to tolerate stress depends on many factors,
including the quality of your relationships, your general outlook on life, your
emotional intelligence, and genetics.
Things that influence your stress tolerance level
§ Your support network – A strong
network of supportive friends and family members is an enormous buffer against
life’s stressors. On the flip side, the more lonely and isolated you are, the greater
your vulnerability to stress.
§ Your sense of control – If you have
confidence in yourself and your ability to influence events and persevere
through challenges, it’s easier to take stress in stride. People who are
vulnerable to stress tend to feel like things are out of their control.
§ Your attitude and outlook – Stress-hardy
people have an optimistic attitude. They tend to embrace challenges, have a
strong sense of humour accept that change is a part of life, and believe in a
higher power or purpose.
§ Your ability to deal with your emotions –
You’re extremely vulnerable to stress if you don’t know how to calm and soothe
yourself when you’re feeling sad, angry, or afraid. The ability to bring your
emotions into balance helps you bounce back from adversity.
§ Your knowledge and preparation – The
more you know about a stressful situation, including how long it will last and
what to expect, the easier it is to cope. For example, if you go into surgery
with a realistic picture of what to expect post-op, a painful recovery will be
less traumatic than if you were expecting to bounce back immediately.
Am I in control of stress or is stress controlling me?
§ When I feel agitated, do I know how to quickly
calm and soothe myself?
§ Can I easily let go of my anger?
§ Can I turn to others at work to help me calm
down and feel better?
§ When I come home at night, do I walk in the
door feeling alert and relaxed?
§ Am I seldom distracted or moody?
§ Am I able to recognize upsets that others seem
to be experiencing?
§ Do I easily turn to friends or family members
for a calming influence?
§ When my energy is low, do I know how to boost
it?
The situations and pressures that cause stress are known
as stressors. We usually think of stressors as being negative, such
as an exhausting work schedule or a rocky relationship. However, anything that
puts high demands on you or forces you to adjust can be stressful. This
includes positive events such as getting married, buying a house, going to
college, or receiving a promotion.
What causes stress depends, at least in part, on your
perception of it. Something that's stressful to you may not faze someone else;
they may even enjoy it. For example, your morning commute may make you anxious
and tense because you worry that traffic will make you late. Others, however,
may find the trip relaxing because they allow more than enough time and enjoy
listening to music while they drive.
Common external causes of stress
Not all stress is caused by external factors. Stress can
also be self-generated:
§ Major life changes
§ Work
§ Relationship difficulties
|
§ Financial problems
§ Being too busy
§ Children and family
|
Common internal causes of stress
Not all stress is caused by external factors. Stress can
also be self-generated:
§ Inability to accept uncertainty
§ Pessimism
§ Negative self-talk
|
§ Unrealistic expectations
§ Perfectionism
§ Lack of assertiveness
|
What's Stressful For You?
What's stressful for you may be quite different from what's
stressful to someone else.
For example:
For example:
§ Karen is terrified of getting up in front of
people to perform or speak, while her best friend lives for the spotlight.
§ Phil thrives under pressure and performs best
when he has a tight deadline, while his co-worker, Matt, shuts down when work
demands escalate.
§ Anita enjoys helping her elderly parents. Her
sister, Constance, helps out as well but finds the demands of care-taking very
stressful.
§ Richard doesn't hesitate to send food back or
complain about bad service when eating out, while his wife, Miranda, finds it
much too stressful to complain.
The body doesn't distinguish between physical and
psychological threats. When you’re stressed over a busy schedule, an argument
with a friend, a traffic jam, or a mountain of bills, your body reacts just as
strongly as if you were facing a life-or-death situation. If you have a lot of
responsibilities and worries, your emergency stress response may be “on” most
of the time. The more your body’s stress system is activated, the easier it is
to trip and the harder it is to shut off.
Long-term exposure to stress can lead to serious health
problems. Chronic stress disrupts nearly every system in your body. It can
raise blood pressure, suppress the immune system, increase the risk of heart
attack and stroke, contribute to infertility, and speed up the ageing process.
Long-term stress can even rewire the brain, leaving you more vulnerable to
anxiety and depression.
Many health problems are caused or exacerbated by stress,
including:
§ Pain of any kind
§ Heart disease
§ Digestive problems
§ Sleep problems
|
§ Depression
§ Obesity
§ Autoimmune diseases
§ Skin conditions, such as eczema
|
While unchecked stress is undeniably damaging, there are
many things you can do to reduce its impact and cope with symptoms.
Learn how to manage stress
You may feel like the stress in your life is out of your
control, but you can always control the way you respond. Managing stress is all
about taking charge: taking charge of your thoughts, your emotions, your
schedule, your environment, and the way you deal with problems. Stress
management involves changing the stressful situation when you can, changing
your reaction when you can’t, taking care of yourself, and making time for rest
and relaxation.
Learn how to relax
You can’t completely eliminate stress from your life, but
you can control how much it affects you. Relaxation techniques such as yoga,
meditation, and deep breathing activate the body’s relaxation response, a state
of restfulness that is the opposite of the stress response. When practised regularly,
these activities lead to a reduction in your everyday stress levels and a boost
in your feelings of joy and serenity. They also increase your ability to stay
calm and collected under pressure.
Learn quick stress relief
Everybody has the power to reduce the impact of stress as
it’s happening in that moment. With practice, you can learn to spot stressors
and stay in control when the pressure builds. Sensory stress-busting techniques
give you a powerful tool for staying clear-headed and in control in the middle
of stressful situations. They give you the confidence to face challenges,
knowing that you have the ability to rapidly bring yourself back into balance.