Prepared by: Louis Angelo G.

Jaballa

Stress

Stress is the wear and tear that life causes on the body (Selye, 1956). It
occurs when a person has difficulty dealing with life situations, problems,
and goals. Each person handle stress differently: One person can thrive in
a situation that creates grea distress for another. For example, many
people view public speaking scary, but for teachers and actors, it is an
everyday, enjoyable experience. Marriage, children, airplanes, snakes, a
new job, a new school, and leaving home are examples of stress causing
events.

Hans Selye (1956, 1974), an endocrinologist, identifies the physiologic

aspects of stress, which he labeled the general adaptation syndrome. He
used laboratory animals to assess system changes; the stages of the
body’s physical response to pain, heat, toxins, and restraint; and, later, the
mind’s emotional responses to real or perceived stressors. He determined
three stages of reaction to stress:
• In the alarm reaction stage, stress stimulates the body to
send messages from the hypothalamus to the glands (such as the
adrenal gland, to send out adrenaline and norepinephrine for fuel)
and organs (such as the liver, to reconvert glycogen stores to
glucose for food) to prepare for potential defense needs.
• In the resistance stage, the digestive system reduces
function to shunt blood to areas needed for defense. The lungs take
in more air, and the heart beats faster and harder so it can circulate
this highly oxygenated and highly nourished blood to the muscles to
defend the body by fight, flight, or freeze behaviors, the body
responses relax, and the gland, organ, and systemic responses
abate.

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 • The exhaustion stage occurs when the person has
responded negatively to anxiety and stress: body stores are
depleted or the emotional components are not resolved, resulting in
continual arousal of the physiologic responses and little reserve
capacity.

Sources of Stress

Frustration. It is a state of insecurity and dissatisfaction arising from

unresolved problems or unfulfilled needs. Frustrations lead to stress.

Frustration can be due to external events – approaching examination or

interview, arguments with the boss, mounting debts, getting late for the
office, etc.

Frustration can also be due to internal reasons: unrealistic expectations,

lack of skills, un-willingness to change, etc., are the biggest causes of
stress that give rise to a feeling of frustration.

Conflicts. Conflicts cause stress when there are two or more incompatible
needs or demands.

There are three types of conflict:

• Conflicting attraction (Approach-Approach). When the individual
has two desirable but mutually exclusive goals, his conflict is one of
conflicting attraction. For example, a child holding a valued toy may
see a kitten, he must put down the toy.
• Attraction-repulsion (Approach-Avoidance). In attraction-
repulsion conflict, the individual is attracted to one object and
simultaneously repelled by another object in association with the
first. For example, a person may want to safeguard his health by

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 going to the doctor for a physical checkup but fear the possible
consequences of such a visit.
• Conflicting avoidance (Avoidance-Avoidance). When the
individual seeks to avoid two unpleasant alternatives but cannot
directly avoid one without encountering the other, his conflict is one
of conflicting avoidance. For example, in taking a particular course
you may not want to do all the studying required, but also do not
want to fail the course.

Pressure. Pressures of living cause you plenty of stress. These are the
demands that life makes on you on daily basis. Baby wants more time,
boss wants more sales, teenager wants more money, and parents
demand more attention.

Changes. Almost every day, new discoveries and inventions take the
headlines. Modern day living has caused our lifestyles to adapt to the
radical changes brought about by advancement in science and
technology. And along with these changes come stress and anxiety.
While change is inevitable, stress is our natural response to any changes
in our environment. Normally, people develop anxiety whenever they
encounter a situation that they have no control over; or a person or object
that causes feelings of uneasiness and apprehension. People are often
afraid, worried, or anxious over something that is unrecognized or
unknown. That is why change is a major source of stress that causes
bodily and mental tension --- which eventually leads to anxiety.

Effects of Stress

Common symptoms of stress include:

• A fast heartbeat.

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 • A headache.
• A stiff neck and/or tight shoulders.
• Back pain.
• Fast breathing.
• Sweating, and sweaty palms.
• An upset stomach, nausea, or diarrhea.

Over time, stress can affect your:

• Immune system. Constant stress can make you more likely to get
sick more often. And if you have a chronic illness such as AIDS,
stress can make your symptoms worse.
• Heart. Stress is linked to high blood pressure, abnormal heartbeat
(arrhythmia), blood clots, and hardening of the arteries
(atherosclerosis). It's also linked to coronary artery disease, heart
attack, and heart failure.
• Muscles. Constant tension from stress can lead to neck, shoulder,
and low back pain. Stress may make rheumatoid arthritis worse.
• Stomach. If you have stomach problems, such as gastro
esophageal reflux disease (GERD), peptic ulcer disease, irritable
bowel syndrome, or ulcerative colitis, stress can make your
symptoms worse.
• Reproductive organs. Stress is linked to low fertility, erection
problems, and problems during pregnancy, and painful menstrual
periods.
• Lungs. Stress can make symptoms of asthma and chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) worse.
• Skin. Skin problems such as acne and psoriasis are made worse
by stress.

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How stress affects your thoughts and emotions

You might notice signs of stress in the way you think, act, and feel. You
may:
• Feel cranky and unable to deal with even small problems.
• Feel frustrated, lose your temper more often, and yell at others for
no reason.
• Feel jumpy or tired all the time.
• Find it hard to focus on tasks.
• Worry too much about small things.
• Feel that you are missing out on things because you can't act
quickly.
• Imagine that bad things are happening or about to happen.

How stress affects you depends on many things, such as:

• Your personality.

The type of stress matters

Stress can affect you both instantly (acute stress) and over time (chronic
stress).
• Acute (short-term) stress is the body's instant response to any
situation that seems demanding or dangerous. Your stress level
depends on how intense the stress is, how long it lasts, and how
you cope with the situation.
Most of the time, your body recovers quickly from acute stress. But
stress can cause problems if it happens too often or if your body
doesn't have a chance to recover. In people with heart problems,
acute stress can trigger an abnormal heartbeat (arrhythmia) or
even a heart attack.

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 • Chronic (long-term) stress is caused by stressful situations or
events that last over a long period of time. This could include
having a difficult job or dealing with a chronic disease. If you
already have a health problem, stress can make it worse.

Plans to Do

Ways to Relieve Stress

The best way to manage your stress is to learn healthy coping strategies.
You can start practicing these tips right away. Try one or two until you find
a few that work for you. Practice these techniques until they become
habits you turn to when you feel stress.

Stress-relief techniques focus on relaxing your mind and your body.

Ways to relax your mind

• Write. It may help to write about things that are bothering you.1
Write for 10 to 15 minutes a day about stressful events and how
they made you feel. Or think about starting a stress journal. This
helps you find out what is causing your stress and how much stress
you feel. After you know, you can find better ways to cope.
• Let your feelings out. Talk, laugh, cry, and express anger when
you need to. Talking with friends, family, a counselor, or a member
of the clergy about your feelings is a healthy way to relieve stress.
• Do something you enjoy. This can be:

o A hobby, such as gardening.

o A creative activity, such as writing, crafts, or art.
o Playing with and caring for pets.

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 o Volunteer work.

You may feel that you're too busy to do these things. But making time to
do something you enjoy can help you relax. It might also help you get
more done in other areas of your life.

• Focus on the present. Meditation and guided imagery are two

ways to focus and relax your mind.
o Meditate. When you meditate, you focus your attention
on things that are happening right now. Paying attention to
your breathing is one way to focus.
o Use guided imagery. With guided imagery, you imagine
yourself in any setting that helps you feel calm and relaxed.
You can use audiotapes, books, or a teacher to guide you.

Ways to relax your body

• Exercise. Regular exercise is one of the best ways to manage

stress. Walking is a great way to get started. Even everyday
activities such as housecleaning or yard work can reduce stress.
Stretching can also relieve muscle tension. For more information
about becoming more active, see the topic Fitness.
• Try techniques to relax. Breathing exercises, muscle relaxation,
and yoga can help relieve stress.
o Breathing exercises. These include roll breathing, a type of
deep breathing. For more information, see:
o Progressive muscle relaxation. This technique reduces
muscle tension. You do it by relaxing separate groups of
muscles one by one.
o Yoga, tai chi, and qi gong. These techniques combine
exercise and meditation. You may need some training at first

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 to learn them. Books and videos are also helpful. You can do
all of these techniques at home.

Ways to Avoid Stress

Stress is a part of life, and you can't always avoid it. But you can try to
avoid situations that can cause it, and you can control how you respond to
it. The first step knows your own coping strategies. Try using a stress
journal to record stressful events, your response to them, and how you
coped.

After you know what is causing your stress, try making some changes in
your life that will help you avoid stressful situations. Here are a few ideas:

Manage your time

Time management is a way to find the time for more of the things you
want and need to do. It helps you decide which things are urgent and
which can wait. Managing your time can make your life easier, less
stressful, and more meaningful. For more information, see:

Look at your lifestyle

The choices you make about the way you live affect your stress level.
Your lifestyle may not cause stress on its own, but it can prevent your
body from recovering from it. Try to:

• Find a balance between personal, work, and family needs. This

isn't easy. Start by looking at how you spend your time. Maybe
there are things that you don't need to do at all. Finding a balance
can be especially hard during the holidays.
• Have a sense of purpose in life. Many people find meaning
through connections with family, friends, jobs, or volunteer work.

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 • Get enough sleep. Your body recovers from the stresses of the
day while you are sleeping.
• Adopt healthy habits. Eat a healthy diet, limit how much alcohol
you drink, and don't smoke. Staying healthy is your best defense
against stress.
• Exercise. Even moderate exercise, such as taking a daily walk,
can reduce stress.

Get support

Support means having the love, trust, and advice of others. But support
can also be something more concrete, like time or money. It can be hard
to ask for help. But doing so doesn't mean you're weak. If you're feeling
stressed, you can look for support from:

• Family and friends.

• Coworkers or people you know through hobbies or other interests.
• A professional counselor.
• People you know from church, or a member of the clergy.
• Employee assistance programs at work, or stress management
classes.
• Support groups. These can be very helpful if your stress is caused
by a special situation. Maybe you are a caregiver for someone
who is elderly or has a chronic illness.

Sources

Cha nge : Ma j or S our ce of S tr es s and Anx ie ty . http:/ / w w w. pr l og. or g/ 10 47 29 1 0 -

c ha nge - ma j or -s ourc e -of- s tr es s -a nd-a nx i e ty. htm l [ Ava ila b le: Ma rch 12 , 2 01 0]

Videback, Shiela L. Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing, 4th ed. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. 2008. pp.
242.

Ruch, Floyd L. Psychology and Life. Scott, Foresman and Company. 1959. pp.172.

Stress. http://www.scribd.com/doc/16551933/Stress [Available: March 12, 2010]

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Thr e e Ca use s of S tre s s Tha t Li e w i thi n Y ou. http:/ / w w w. s tr es s -a nd-
r e la xa ti on. c om /c a us e s -of- s tre ss . htm l [ Ava ila b le: Ma rch 12 , 2 01 0]

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