Learning to Live Without Stress

Stress is something that all of us will have to deal with at one time or another. Stress can strike at any time and due to a variety of factors. Some fortunate folk only have to endure sporadic periods of stress, but for others it is a much more pervasive condition. Stress can grab onto us with its talons and adversely affect both physical and mental health. Not only that, but it also leaves its mark on our professional and private life.

The reasons why we suffer from stress can be many and varied. Some people only suffer from stress during serious tests thrown up by life, for example moving house or starting a new relationship. According to some, stress is becoming a particularly virulent 21st century disease and, according to experts is the underlying cause of between 75% and 90% of all GP visits. We are going to get to the bottom of where stress comes from, as well as how to manage stress and use it in your favour.

What is stress?

Stress was ‘discovered’ by a pioneer in the field of endocrinology called János H. Selye, an Austrian-Canadian endocrinologist of Hungarian origin. Even though stress had existed long before - even appearing in Homer's Iliad – no serious research had been done into the condition until the 1930s. However, as a medical student Selye became aware of the fact that a number of patients suffering from various diseases showed very similar symptoms. The term General Adaptation Syndrome has come into use as a descriptor of the body’s short and long-term response to stress. Problems caused by stress include hormonal changes that can bring on high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, arthritis, kidney problems, and allergic reactions. Stress was later defined as a natural response to excessive physical or mental pressure or environmental challenges that require a person's action or reaction.

What is stressing us out the most?

Stress lurks around every corner - including at work, at school, at home, at the doctor or dentist and while out shopping. Stress can be brought about by negative changes to our life, such as losing a job, moving house, divorce, death or illness. Stress can also result from long-term work overload wearing us down. Resistance to stress depends not only on your strength but also on your ability to combat stress. Some of us are naturally resilient, others get stressed by the idea that they may suffer from stress.

CNN's 2009 research into the subject showed that people are most stressed about money (69%). The most financially stressed countries are Malaysia, China, Singapore and the United States. Money, on the contrary, does not seem to be a major concern for the Russians, the French or the Italians. Instead, respondents in these countries stated that their primary cause of stress was related to family matters.  The second most common cause of stress is work (65%). Other major concerns which can lead to increased levels of stress include fears about the state of the world, health issues, exams and relationships. 

The negative impacts of stress

The effects of stress can be far reaching, and often extremely bad for our health.  We can’t cover up feelings of stress or pretend they don’t exist. We can try as much asvwe want, but the symptoms of negative stress will not disappear unless we deal with the underlying causes. Chronic stress reduces the immune system and changes blood sugar levels, resulting in mood swings, fatigue, hyperglycemia and metabolic issues that increase the risk of heart attack and diabetes. A stressed person also suffers from more frequent headaches, which in turn manifests as irritability and nervousness.

And the circles under our eyes and a tired expression will be revealed to us. Stress is the main reason for insomnia and other sleep disorders. They suffer from up to 40% of the respondents. Another 45% of people are admitted that their stress is irritated, 41% feel tired, and 38% of them ask for motivation. While stress is more likely to suffer from women than men, men are the ones who are more susceptible to illness and stress-related addiction - high blood pressure, aggressive behaviour, excessive drug use.

Everyone with stress is different, the most common symptoms include:

Physical symptoms such as high blood pressure and heart failure, digestive problems, loss of appetite, headaches, breathing problems, frequent appetite, dizziness, fatigue, insomnia, increased sweating, double vision, frequent illnesses due to poor immunity.

Psychological symptoms such as loss of motivation, panic attacks, anger, irritability, moodiness, anxiety, depression, disorientation, chaos, lethargy, sadness, impatience, trick,

Is stress always a bad thing?

Of course not! Stress can be a great inner motivator and inspiration. It provokes us to work productively and can even save our lives. It is the main trigger in extreme or dangerous situations. Many scientists are even convinced that mankind has managed to survive just because of the stress that has driven us and bursting to self-sacrifice.

The positive stress behind our successes, productivity and ability to escape intact from unpleasant situations is professionally called ‘eustress’ and is derived from two English words: euphoric and stress. Eustress only appears in our lives in the short term and motivates us during this one-time visit, giving us energy and the impulse to act. This positive form of stress can improve our productivity at work, makes us feel excited and is something that we can easily cope with.

The opposite of euphoric stress is negative stress, and this is where problems arise. It may affect us only in the short term, but for many of us this type of stress will stay for a longer period of time. It is much more difficult to manage that eustress, causing anxiety, worry, reduced performance, making us feel poor, and resulting in a number of negative mental and physical problems.

How to handle stress?

There are several techniques which can help to conquer chronic stress. However, none of these will work unless we take an active approach. Stress does not disappear by waving a magic wand, we get rid of it when we recognise its causes and actively engage in the struggle with this silent kille

One of the best-known techniques for getting rid of stress is the so-called 4 A’s Technique. The name is derived from the first letters of the four steps: Avoid, Alter, Adapt, and Accept.

AVOID - avoid unnecessary stress and steer clear of the people who are causing you stress. Learn to say no, set your limits and take control of your environment. If you find you are getting stressed out when you’re stuck in traffic, try walking or cycling instead. Do you hate supermarkets? Shop in small local food markets or online. Avoid chaos and disorganisation by preparing a list of all your responsibilities. Put the least important tasks at the bottom of the list. 

ALTER - change your reaction to potentially stressful situations. Change the way you communicate. Instead of suppressing your feelings or opinions, assert them. Do not be afraid, do not respond to a negative situation until you have calmed down. Replace the argument with a compromise. Find the right balance between work, family and free time.

ADAPT - if you can’t change the causes of stress, adapt to them. Change your perspective on the situation and find something positive about it. Do you have a new hard job coming up at work? Focus on what you can learn to prepare as best you can. Get rid of a need for everything to be perfect that can stress you unnecessarily. Take a more realistic approach and don’t always expect excellence in everything you do. Be thankful for what you learn from unpleasant situations. Adapt to all changes, as it is pointless to resist change forever.

ACCEPT - be honest with yourself, you cannot influence or control everything in your life. Accept those stressful situations that cannot be avoided. Don’t try to have control over something you can’t control. Get the most out of situations, learn from your own mistakes, and take them as a lessons for your personal growth. Learn to forgive because no-one is perfect, and anger will not benefit you in particular. Trust others, sharing feelings acts as a cleansing of the soul.

What helps to get rid of stress?

REST – Give yourself the best opportunity to succeed. Find the time to sleep, switch off for a while and try to get the sleep that you need each night.

ME TIME - Create some "me time" in your schedule during which you will devote yourself to your hobbies.

LAUGHTER- Laughter is considered to be the best natural medicine. It reduces the amount of stress hormones - cortisol and adrenaline - and promotes the happiness hormones of dopamine and endorphins.

MOVEMENT - an excellent way to get your head sorted out is through movement. The more energetic exercises will rid you of any accumulated anger or stress, and any form of exercise will give your body energy and a supply of happy hormones.

FOOD - change your diet. Treat yourself to anti-stress delicacies such as peanuts, red pepper, salmon, spinach, oats, and especially dark chocolate! Cocoa and chocolate are rich in antioxidants that relieve stress. Beware, however, of excess sugar!

RELAX - Learn to relax. Find activity that calms you down and frees you from negative thoughts about your work or any other worries. Beware, however, of slipping into the trap of excessive laziness or procrastination.

To fight against stress, take the following tips to heart:

• Switch off, relax and breathe deeply.
• Give yourself as much care, time and love as you do other people.
• Replace sweetened drinks for green or other herbal teas.
• Whatever happens at work, leave it behind you in the office.
• Go to bed at regular hours and get enough sleep.
• Try lavender and aromatherapy.
• Reduce coffee, sugar and canned foods.
• Surround yourself with green or blue.
• Be aware that your feelings are not facts and work only with the facts.
• Get rid of negativity, frowning and complaining.
• Stand up for yourself.
• Do not blame yourself for other people's issues.
• Clear your head whenever you need it.
• In the case of chronic and severe stress do not be afraid to seek help from an expert.

Sources:

biznispoint.sk
nimh.nih.gov
psychologytoday.com
stress.org
factretriever.com
helpguide.org
adaa.org
www.positivityblog.com