Mental Health

What is stress?

Stress is the way your body and mind respond to changes and difficulties.

According to dictionary, stress is a mentally or emotionally disruptive or upsetting condition occurring in response to adverse external influences and capable of affecting physical health, usually characterized by increased heart rate, a rise in blood pressure, muscular tension, irritability, and depression; or a stimulus or circumstance causing such a condition.

Stress comes in many different forms and affects your body in various ways. Chronic long-term stress causes the most serious problems.

Causes of Stress

What is stressful is different for each person. For example, one person may feel stressed by retiring from work, while someone else may not. Chronic long-term stress is caused by irritating hassles over a period of time, or an ongoing, difficult situation. Your own or your family members' health and emotional problems may lead to chronic stress. If you are having difficulty in a relationship and don't have someone to share your feelings with, it may be cause of stress too. A dangerous or uncomfortable area where overcrowding, crime, pollution or noise makes you stressful. If you are unhappy with your work, or your work is dangerous or too demanding, then your job may lead to long-term stress. Your social situation, such as poverty, loneliness, or discrimination of all types - all that make you feel unhappy - is one of the causes of chronic stress. Others conditions that may lead to chronic stress include life cycle transitions and developmental stages, such as becoming a teenager, leaving home, or getting married; conflicts with your belief system - your perceptions and beliefs about the world, life, and yourself.

Most people feel stress when:

• Something unexpected happens.
• Something happens that is new and unfamiliar.
• Something happens that is important to you.
• Something seems out of control.

How to cope with stress?

A certain amount of stress is normal and good. But too much stress can make you sick. Doctors have linked stress to allergies, ulcers, heart disease and other illness. We can learn to cope with problems and stress in our lives. Here are some suggestions.

• Talk to friends or family about your difficulties. Don't try to cope alone.
• Take one step at time. Several problems at once can overwhelm you. Make a list of the things you need to do. Decide on the most important thing to do. Do it. Do the rest when you can.
• Stay physically healthy. Eat a good diet and exercise regularly.
• Be realistic. Don't set goals that are impossible. Accept that there are some things that you cannot change or control.
• Learn to relax. Do some things you enjoy. Take time each day to relax and be alone.
• Think positivly!