What Is Stress?
The word Stress has many definitions dependent upon the context
in which it is used. You will become over-stressed whenever the
demands being made on you are greater than your capacity to cope
We can define stress as the emotional, physiological and psychological
effects caused by a build up of either internally or externally
generated mental pressure.
The last thing that most people who are suffering from excessive
stress will admit to is the fact that they are suffering from the
effects of stress, or that they cannot handle that stress. They
tend to view it as some sort of weakness to even admit to having
excessive stress in their lives.
It can seem like a weakness to admit to family and work colleagues
that they are under too much pressure. They can be afraid that their
boss will see it as a sign of weakness, and / or a sign that they
cannot do their job properly. This puts extra worry and stress on
the nervous system, making an already poor situation appear to be
even more intolerable.
Stress can come in many guises. It can be caused by a number of different things. Stress will
manifest itself in a myriad of ways, but remember, we all need an amount of stress in our
lives to be able to survive, to be able to do our jobs, and to give us the will and the energy to
cope with emergencies. Stress is not only helpful and necessary, it can often be a positive
force in your life.
Stress can and does affect men and women from all walks of life,
young and old, rich and poor, no matter what your job, or even if
you have no job. Stress and it’s effects have no respect for
your status or position, or lack of it, in life. Most emotional
stress is about what may happen - "what if this happens, what
if that happens?". It has nothing to do with the here and now.
Emotional stress is about what we think may occur in the future.
In a word, we anticipate some sort of threat to our well being.
This feeling, that something of a threatening nature will occur,
is the primary factor in causing most of the stress conditions that
have such an adverse effect on our lives. Stress is like a disease.
You can catch it from others. You can pass it on. You can suffer
from it. Or, you can learn to recognise stress and it’s effects,
and you can learn what to do about it.
Remember, you are not the only one suffering from stress. It’s not a sign of weakness to ask
for or to seek professional help.
Prolonged excessive stress can lead to depression. Both depression and stress can affect
the immune system. This in turn opens you up to certain physical illnesses, such as the high
risk of a heart attack.
At times of stress or perceived stress, our adrenal glands, which are located above the
kidneys, release into the bloodstream the hormones Adrenaline, Noradrenaline and
Cortisol.
These hormones, which are also produced by nerve cells, are very powerful, stimulating
chemicals, which affect the heart and almost every organ in our body.
The release of these stimulating chemicals into the bloodstream
is essential to us. In times of danger they give us the extra energy
to help us to run away, or stay and fight. Unfortunately, today
we generally have nowhere to run to; nor do we have the opportunity
to fight the danger, even if we could see or understand what it
is that is threatening us. Because of this we have generated a new
response to danger - we freeze, both mentally and physically. Now
we have fight, flight or freeze. Some of the first signs of the
onset of stress on the body include alert breathing rhythms, quickening
heart rate, raised blood pressure, nerve activation, muscle tension
and release of essential body nutrients. These are all designed
to give the body the power to cope with danger, or perceived danger.
When we go into Freeze mode, our body finds it difficult to dissipate the excessive build up
of Adrenaline etc. If we do not dissipate these hormones and their effects from our system,
our ability to produce the vital defence substances known as Interferons is drastically
reduced. Interferons are antiviral proteins produced by cells that have been invaded by
viruses. Cells that are under attack from viruses release Interferons to provide protection for
other cells, which may be open to attack from the invading viruses. They also provide
protection against any other organism that tries to invade the body. So, if we experience
prolonged or excessive stress, not only is our body under direct attack from within, it is also
far less able to defend itself from even simple external infections such as the common cold.
This makes it harder for your body to cope with a wide range of illnesses. The body and mind
become more vulnerable to further stress, our general health declines, and we can enter a
vicious downward spiral. This can give rise to negative attitudes and actions.
Some of the numerous negative effects of Stress:
- Breathing becomes shallow
- Heart rate goes up sometimes it races
- Blood pressure goes up
- Chest pains
- All over tension
- Excessive perspiration
- Minor health problems, such as upset stomach, headache, colds, flu, back pain, muscle
cramps and missed menstrual periods can increase.
- Skin rashes can appear. If you suffer from a skin complaint, such as psoriasis, it can
become aggravated.
- One can suffer a loss of confidence, and can gain a feeling of low self-esteem; a feeling
of hopelessness and depression can set in.
- A feeling of intense fatigue can follow you about all day. Even when you wake after
sleep, you still feel fatigued and tired.
Sleep patterns can become distorted, waking at three or four in
the morning.
- Indigestion.
- Your appetite can alter to either a desire to go on a binge, especially on sweet, sugary
foods, or, you may suffer a loss of all appetite.
- Self-blame, guilt, cynicism and a sense of total failure set in.
- Anger and resentment at nothing in particular.
- A feeling that something is missing.
- You may find an extreme reluctance to go to work builds up, making it harder to face
going to work each day.
- Self-confidence is lower.
- Self-esteem is lower.
- Sex drive is lower, or you can feel sexually unsatisfied.
- Depression can set in.
- You may start to have a greater dependency on alcohol, caffeine, nicotine or drugs.
If Stress is permitted to become established, it becomes a self-reinforcing process, giving
rise to more and more negative actions and attitudes. This in turn leads to further stress and
withdrawal.
At the first signs of mental or physical discomfort, have a check-up
with your doctor. Don’t ignore the symptoms of stress. Worry
related stress can affect people who, on the surface, appear relaxed
and confident. One thing that you can be sure of is that you are
not the only one suffering from stress.
David Reeves is a Stress Management Consultant
based in Harley Street London. Find out more at http://www.mindtec.co.uk
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