What is Stress?

What is Stress: How Can I Cope?

Stress is something we all have to deal with at different times in our lives.  Our bodies are designed to feel stress and to react to it.  It is impossible to avoid stress or events that may cause stress.  We may at times feel trapped and unable to cope.  If stress persists, the body breaks down and illness can occur.  The key to coping with stress is to identify stressors and learning ways to reduce the stress.

What is stress?
Stress is your reaction to any change that requires you to adjust or respond. Because stress comes from how you respond you can learn to control it.

What causes stress?
Stress can be caused by anything that requires you to adjust to a change in your environment. Your body reacts to these changes with physical, mental, and emotional responses. We all have our own ways of coping with change, so the causes of stress can be different for each person.

When you are not sure of the exact cause of your stress, it may be helpful for you to know the warning signs of stress. Once you can identify these signs, you can learn how your body responds to stress. Then you can take steps to reduce it.

What are the warning signs of stress?
Your body sends out physical, emotional, and behavioral warning signs of stress.

Emotional warning signs include:

• Anxiety
• Sleep disruption
• Anger
• Inability to concentrate
• Unproductive worry
• Sadness
• Frequent mood swings

Physical warning signs include:

• Stooped posture
• Sweaty palms
• Chronic fatigue
• Weight gain or loss
• Physical symptoms that your doctor cannot attribute to another condition

Behavioral warning signs include:

• Over-reacting
• Acting on impulse
• Using alcohol or drugs
• Withdrawing from relationships
• Changing jobs often
• Feeling agitated most of the time

What can I do to reduce stress?
 

• Realize that there are events that you cannot change.
• Learn to relax.
• Keep a positive attitude
• Exercise regularly.
• Eat well-balanced meals.
• Rest and sleep.
• Don't rely on alcohol or drugs to reduce stress.

Ways to Cope with Stress

Get up 15 minutes earlier then usual

Prepare for morning the night before

Don’t rely on your memory, write it down.

Make duplicate keys

Say no more often

Avoid negative people

Use time wisely

Simplify meal times

Always make copies of important papers.  Put all medical papers in a binder.

Break large tasks into smaller more manageable tasks.

Unclutter your life.

Say something nice to someone.

Schedule play time every day

Take a bubble bath

Believe in  yourself

Stop saying anything negative to yourself

Use your sense of humor

Ask a friend for a hug.

Practice breathing slowly.

Read a book curled up in bed.

Do a brand new thing.

Do something stupid that makes you laugh.

Stop a bad habit

Buy yourself a flower.

Find support from others.

Stand up and stretch.

Learn to meet your own needs.

Set your limitations.

Exercise every day

Have a support network of people, places and things.

Quit trying to fix other people.

Get enough sleep.

Ask yourself, is this my problem?  If it isn’t let it go

Listen to music that is relaxing

Be prepared to wait.  Bring a paperback to your medical appointments.

Get to appointments 15 minutes early

Eliminate caffeine.

Simplify, simplify, simplify

Make friends with non-worriers.

Write your thoughts and feelings down in a journal.

Learn to live one day at a time

Do something you enjoy everyday.

Do something to improve your appearance.

Become flexible.  Some things are not worth doing perfectly.

Do unpleasant tasks early in the morning.

Learn to delegate.

Don’t forget to take a lunch break.

Have a forgiving view of events and people.

Believe that most people are doing the best they can.

Make a list of current events that produce stress in your life.  Then brainstorm ways to cope.

Go for a walk

Meet with friends

Do what needs to be done first, leave other tasks for tomorrow.

Don’t dwell on the shoulds.

When is professional help needed for stress management?

• Feel that stress is affecting your health.
• Feel that it will never end.
• Feel so desperate that you think about quitting your job, running away, taking a drug overdose, or injuring yourself.
• Feel depressed, sad, tearful, or that life is not worth living.
• Lose your appetite and find it difficult to sleep.
• Are managing your stress level by eating, sleeping, drinking alcoholic beverages, smoking, or using recreational drugs.
• Have worries, feeling and thoughts that are difficult to talk about.
• Hear voices telling you what to do.