Stress can be “the nonspecific response of the body to any demand made upon it.” The “demand” can be a threat, a challenge or any kind of change which requires the body to adapt. The response is automatic, immediate.
Stress can be good (called “eustress”) when it helps us perform better, or it can be bad (“distress”) when it causes upset or makes us sick according to Dr. Hans Selye.
How does stress compound our problems?
Heightens their emotional responses to external demands or pressures. Prolonged or recurrent exposure to distressing experiences i.e., caring for ill parent, boss insisting, ongoing serious aruguments with spouse/partner
Negative, and overwhelming!
Watch for the most common signs of stress: They include
Tension/anxiety
Anger
Reclusiveness
Pessimism/cynicism
Boredom
Irritability
Resentment
Inattentiveness
Headaches
Fatigue
Insomnia
Digestive problems
Neck/back pain
Loss of appetite
Overeating/obesity
Common Symptoms of Stress that are overlooked:
Physical: fatigue, headache, insomnia, muscle aches/stiffness (especially neck, shoulders and low back), heart palpitations, chest pains, abdominal cramps, nausea, trembling, cold extremities, flushing or sweating and frequent colds.
Mental: decrease in concentration and memory, indecisiveness, mind racing or going blank, confusion, loss of sense of humor.
Emotional: anxiety, nervousness, depression, anger, frustration, worry, fear, irritability, impatience, short temper.
Behavioral: pacing, fidgeting, nervous habits (nail-biting, foot-tapping), increased eating, smoking, drinking, crying, yelling, swearing, blaming and even throwing things or hitting.
Are their things in my environment stressing me? Yes. They are called “External Stressors”
Physical environment: noise, bright lights, heat, confined spaces.
Social (interaction with people): rudeness, bossiness or aggressiveness on the part of someone else.
Organizational: rules, regulations, “red tape,” deadlines.
Major life events: death of a relative, lost job, promotion, new baby.
Daily hassles: commuting, misplacing keys, mechanical breakdowns.
Are there things I do to myself that make life seem more stressful?
Yes. Those are called “Internal Stressors” Many researchers list them as
Lifestyle choices: caffeine, not enough sleep, overloaded schedule.
Negative self-talk: pessimistic thinking, self-criticism, over-analyzing.
Mind traps: unrealistic expectations, taking things personally, all-or-nothing thinking, exaggerating, rigid thinking.
Stressful personality traits: Type A, perfectionist, workaholic, pleaser. It is important to note that most of the stress that most of us have is actually self-generated. Ouch! I hate to admitt that my response to an event ( i.e., shouting, framing it as a threat) actually produces more of a stress hormone being produced in my body that makes me unhealthy. Try as we may owning our response to the event is half the problem is difficult.
So Dr Banks What Does the Stress Reaction Consist of? It has phases.
PHASE I
Outpouring of adrenaline, a stimulant hormone, into the blood stream. This, with other stress hormones, produces a number of changes in the body which are intended to be protective.
The result often is called “the fight-or-flight response” because it provides the strength and energy to either fight or run away from danger. You know these! The changes include an increase in heart rate and blood pressure (to get more blood to the muscles, brain and heart), faster breathing (to take in more oxygen), tensing of muscles (preparation for action), increased mental alertness and sensitivity of sense organs (to assess the situation and act quickly), increased blood flow to the brain, heart and muscles (the organs that are most important in dealing with danger) and less blood to the skin, digestive tract, kidneys and liver (where it is least needed in times of crisis).
Phase II
Resistance
The body attempts to recover from the alarm, repair the damage caused.
Brain attempts to understand it and avoid it in the future
If stressful situation continues, no recovery.
The immune system starts reducing the activity in your life, to reserve energy
Phase III
Exhaustion
Unrelenting stress is when internal resources depleted
Damaging emotional and physical symptoms appear
overeating
depression
over spending
Stress can be managed – really!
For example. when stress is showing up as anger, especially for Black women it is labeled, sterotypically as “the angry Black woman” syndrome. I offer the following reflection from a poet who came across my desk to women feeling the stress as anger more often than sadness.
Why do we walk like the day has done us in?
“Because stress is hemmed into our dresses, pressed into our hair, mixed in our perfume and painted on our fingers? Stress from deferred dreams, dreams not voices, broken promises, blatent lies, never thought of as beautiful, taken for granted, being a black woman in…america” – Opal Palmer Adisa, quoted in Evelyn White, ed., The Black Woman’s Health Book.
If you are wondering if you are suffering the ill effects of stress contact your doctor or visit a nearby support group. Barnabas Counseling Center has a group ” Conversations with Women” starting Saturday, June 12th 10:30-12:30 in the education wing – 4247 Creigthon Road. RSVP barnabas@myspbc.org. Men on the GROW meets every Tuesday 6-8pm education wing – Creighton Campus through August 7th. Be Blessed!
