Stress

Stress  Stress

What is Stress Stress is something that we will all experience. It is not a condition, but rather a reaction to events and circumstances in your life. There are five categories of stress: - Physical - Emotional - Mental - Spiritual - Social No one is exempt from stress and there is no way to prevent these feelings. You can, however, gain control of your reactions to stress by learning to become proactive rather than reactive to the effects during a stress event. This will make stress manageable and help you to function in everyday life. Some Basic Facts on Stress: *Almost 75 percent of adults suffer adverse effects from stress every two weeks (National Health Interview Survey) *Stress is linked to six of the leading causes of death. The six leading causes of death are heart disease, cancer, accidents, cirrhosis, suicide and lung ailments. *In terms of lost hours, stress cost us 300 billion annually. *Anti-anxiety medication accounts for one fourth of prescriptions in the U.S. each year. *Stress contributes to the development of suicide, obesity, addiction, smoking and alcoholism. Sources: Department of Health and Human Services 2000 and NIOSH 1990 The Signs of Stress: - Headaches - Tightness in joints and muscles - Heart palpitations - Nausea - Ulcers - Grinding of the teeth - Constipation - Diarrhea - Depression - Light headedness/Dizzy - Insomnia - Skin problems - Indigestion - Muscle spasms High Risk So who is at high risk for stress? Research suggests that women seem to get more stress related symptoms than men do. This may be due to the fact that women tend to seek professional help more often than men. This does not mean, however, that they are stressed more than men. Other high risk categories are the unemployed, people who are isolated, the uneducated, care givers, certain professions (doctors, police etc..), low income individuals and single parents. When to Seek Help If you experience pain that comes out of nowhere and for no explained reason, have any thoughts of hurting yourself or others, have severe anxiety or depression or have other pain that may keep you awake at night, you should seek help immediately. When acute stress or pain surface for the first time it is important to find support from a therapist or professional. To help determine if you are stressed, ask yourself these questions:

Are you over or under eating? Do you have a hard time focusing? Are you depressed, crying or more irritable than usual? Have you withdrawn from social situations? Do you have enough energy to get through the day?