October 2, 2006
While most people's lives
are not consumed by severe stress, the day-to-day stressors can
lead to health problems, as well. What are those day-to-day "stressors"?
"stres-sor [stres-er, -awr] ˆnoun an activity, event, or other
stimulus that causes stress" What might be considered a major stressor by one person, may not bother another person at all. For different people, the causes of -- and reactions to -- the stressors in their lives are unique. "Some teens become
overloaded with stress. When it happens, inadequately managed
stress can lead to anxiety, withdrawal, aggression, physical illness,
or poor coping skills such as drug and/or alcohol use. When we perceive
a situation as difficult or painful, changes occur in our minds
and bodies to prepare us to respond to danger. This 'fight,
flight, or freeze' response includes faster heart and breathing
rate, increased blood to muscles of arms and legs, cold or clammy
hands and feet, upset stomach and/or a sense of dread. The same
mechanism that turns on the stress response can turn it off. As
soon as we decide that a situation is no longer dangerous, changes
can occur in our minds and bodies to help us relax and calm down.
This 'relaxation response' includes decreased heart and breathing
rate and a sense of well being. Teens that develop a 'relaxation
response' and other stress management skills feel less helpless
and have more choices when responding to stress." Sometimes the day to day stressors seem so much a part of life that people don't realize the that the negative effects they are experiencing are a result of stress. Different people deal with stress differently, but in order deal with it at all one first needs to consciously acknowledge that it exists, identify the causes, and then try to deal with those situations. "The main causes of
stress are psychological. The effects of stress are both physical
and psychological. As you react to stress your body undergoes changes.
Early signs of stress include lip biting, nail nibbling, tooth grinding,
and palm sweating. You may feel 'butterflies' in your stomach, and
your throat may become dry, making it hard to speak. Your heart
rate and blood pressure may rise. Stress victims often feel grouchy
and restless, are unable to concentrate, and lose sleep. Under too
much pressure, many people wheeze, ache, sneeze, or break out in
rashes. Repeated tensing of the head, face, and neck muscles can
narrow blood vessels and trigger headaches. Doctors report that
well over half of all patients seeking treatment have no physical
problems. The aches and pains are real, but they are caused by built-up
emotions. Long-term stress can damage your physical and mental health
and produce troubling behavior." Even if the symptoms have
been identified, just treating the symptoms will not solve the problem.
While people can make changes in their lives to remove or reduce some stressors, others are unavoidable. In such cases, how one reacts to the stressor will determine the level of stress it is able to cause. If a "stressor" is a person, then the situation can be a little more complex. "Underlying all constructive
conflict management is understanding. Feeling that you are understood.
And understanding the situation from the other perspective. Knowing
that you are understood creates respect for you and your position.
Understanding a situation from the other perspective creates an
environment that fosters formulation of mutually beneficial solutions.
This is much easier said than done. Any thing that creates common
understanding contributes positively to constructive conflict management.
Forcefully stating your case isn‚t one. Stephen Covey says
it best. 'Seek first to understand. Then be understood'." Questions of the Week:
Please email me with any ideas or suggestions. I look forward to reading what you have to say. Cindy |
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