Stress

Stress is a normal reaction the body has when changes occur, resulting in physical, emotional and intellectual responses.

Stress is a normal human reaction that happens to everyone. In fact, the human body is designed to experience stress and react to it. When you experience changes or challenges (stressors), your body produces physical and mental responses. That’s stress.

Stress responses help your body adjust to new situations. Stress can be positive, keeping us alert, motivated and ready to avoid danger. For example, if you have an important test coming up, a stress response might help your body work harder and stay awake longer. But stress becomes a problem when stressors continue without relief or periods of relaxation.

Stress management training can help you deal with changes in a healthier way.

 

WHEN DO WE FEEL STRESS

• WHEN AS INDIVIDUAL OR AS A FAMILY WE EXPERIENCE DIFFICULY COPING WITH SITUATIONS LIKE –
• BEREAVEMENT ( LOSS OF A LOVED ONE) ,
• ACADEMIC PROBLEMS,
• FAMILY DISCORD,
• RELATIONSHIP TROUBLES , BREAK-UP OR
• MARITAL PROBLEMS , SEPARATION, DIVORVE
• WORK PLACE DIFFICULTIES ,
• MEDICAL ILLNESSES OF SELF OR FAMILY MEMBERS ,
• CHANGE IN LIVING OR WORK PLACE,
• TRANSFER, RETIREMENT or
• FINANCIAL PROBLEMS

When is stress a problem?

Sometimes, a small amount of stress can help us to complete tasks and feel more energised. But stress can become a problem when it lasts for a long time or is very intense. In some cases, stress can affect our physical and mental health.

• Acute stress happens within a few minutes to a few hours of an event. It lasts for a short period of time, usually less than a few weeks, and is very intense. It can happen after an upsetting or unexpected event. For example, this could be a sudden bereavement, assault or natural disaster.
• Chronic stress lasts for a long period of time or keeps coming back. You might experience this if you are under lots of pressure a lot of the time. You might also feel chronic stress if your day-to-day life is difficult, for example if you are a career or if you live in poverty.

 

What happens to the body during stress?

The body’s autonomic nervous system controls your heart rate, breathing, vision changes and more. Its built-in stress response, the “fight-or-flight response,” helps the body face stressful situations.

When a person has long-term (chronic) stress, continued activation of the stress response causes wear and tear on the body. Physical, emotional and behavioral symptoms develop.

Physical symptoms of stress include:

• Aches and pains.
• Chest pain or a feeling like your heart is racing.
• Exhaustion or trouble sleeping.
• Headaches, dizziness or shaking.
• High blood pressure.
• Muscle tension or jaw clenching.
• Stomach or digestive problems.
• Trouble having sex.
• Weak immune system.

Stress can lead to emotional and mental symptoms like:

• Anxiety or irritability.
• Depression.
• Panic attacks.
• Sadness.

Often, people with chronic stress try to manage it with unhealthy behaviors, including:

• Drinking alcohol too much or too often.
• Gambling.
• Overeating or developing an eating disorder.
• Participating compulsively in sex, shopping or internet browsing.
• Smoking.
• Using drugs.

How is stress diagnosed?

Stress is subjective — not measurable with tests. Only the person experiencing it can determine whether it’s present and how severe it feels. A healthcare provider may use questionnaires to understand your stress and how it affects your life.

If you have chronic stress, your healthcare provider can evaluate symptoms that result from stress. For example, high blood pressure can be diagnosed and treated.

Is stress a mental health problem?

Stress is not normally considered a mental health problem. But it is connected to our mental health in several ways:

• Stress can cause mental health problems. And it can make existing problems worse. For example, if you experience lots of stress, this might lead you to develop a mental health problem like anxiety or depression. Or a traumatic period of stress might lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
• Mental health problems can cause stress. You might find coping with the day-to-day symptoms of your mental health problem is stressful. You may also feel stressed about managing medication, healthcare appointments or other treatments.
• You might use recreational drugs , SELF MEDICATION or alcohol to cope with stress. This could also affect your mental health, and cause further stress.