Types of Stress
Acute stress
Acute stress is the most
common form of stress. It comes from demands and pressures of the recent past
and anticipated demands and pressures of the near future. Acute stress is
thrilling and exciting in small doses, but too much is exhausting. A fast run
down a challenging ski slope, for example, is exhilarating early in the day.
That same ski run late in the day is taxing and wearing. Skiing beyond your
limits can lead to falls and broken bones. By the same token, overdoing on
short-term stress can lead to psychological distress, tension headaches, upset
stomach and other symptoms.
Fortunately, acute stress
symptoms are recognized by most people. It's a laundry list of what has gone
awry in their lives: the auto accident that crumpled the car fender, the loss
of an important contract, a deadline they're rushing to meet, their child's
occasional problems at school and so on.
Because it is short term,
acute stress doesn't have enough time to do the extensive damage associated with
long-term stress. The most common symptoms are:
·
Emotional distress — some combination of anger or irritability, anxiety and depression, the
three stress emotions.
·
Muscular problems including tension headache, back pain, jaw
pain and the muscular tensions that lead to pulled muscles and tendon and
ligament problems.
·
Stomach, gut and bowel problems such as heartburn, acid
stomach, flatulence, diarrhea, constipation and irritable bowel syndrome.
·
Transient overarousal leads to elevation in blood pressure,
rapid heartbeat, sweaty palms, heart palpitations, dizziness, migraine
headaches, cold hands or feet, shortness of breath and chest pain.
Acute stress can crop up
in anyone's life, and it is highly treatable and manageable.
Episodic acute stress
There are those, however,
who suffer acute stress frequently, whose lives are so disordered that they are
studies in chaos and crisis. They're always in a rush, but always late. If
something can go wrong, it does. They take on too much, have too many irons in
the fire, and can't organize the slew of self-inflicted demands and pressures
clamoring for their attention. They seem perpetually in the clutches of acute
stress.
It is common for people
with acute stress reactions to be over aroused, short-tempered, irritable,
anxious and tense. Often, they describe themselves as having "a lot of
nervous energy." Always in a hurry, they tend to be abrupt, and sometimes
their irritability comes across as hostility. Interpersonal relationships
deteriorate rapidly when others respond with real hostility. The workplace
becomes a very stressful place for them.
The cardiac prone,
"Type A" personality described by cardiologists, Meter Friedman and
Ray Rosenman, is similar to an extreme case of episodic acute stress. Type A's
have an "excessive competitive drive, aggressiveness, impatience, and a
harrying sense of time urgency." In addition there is a
"free-floating, but well-rationalized form of hostility, and almost always
a deep-seated insecurity." Such personality characteristics would seem to
create frequent episodes of acute stress for the Type A individual. Friedman
and Rosenman found Type A's to be much more likely to develop coronary heat
disease than Type B's, who show an opposite pattern of behavior.
Another form of episodic
acute stress comes from ceaseless worry. "Worry warts" see disaster
around every corner and pessimistically forecast catastrophe in every
situation. The world is a dangerous, unrewarding, punitive place where
something awful is always about to happen. These "awfulizers" also
tend to be over aroused and tense, but are more anxious and depressed than
angry and hostile.
The symptoms of episodic
acute stress are the symptoms of extended over arousal: persistent tension
headaches, migraines, hypertension, chest pain and heart disease. Treating
episodic acute stress requires intervention on a number of levels, generally
requiring professional help, which may take many months.
Often, lifestyle and
personality issues are so ingrained and habitual with these individuals that
they see nothing wrong with the way they conduct their lives. They blame their
woes on other people and external events. Frequently, they see their lifestyle,
their patterns of interacting with others, and their ways of perceiving the
world as part and parcel of who and what they are.
Sufferers can be fiercely
resistant to change. Only the promise of relief from pain and discomfort of
their symptoms can keep them in treatment and on track in their recovery
program.
Chronic stress
While acute stress can be
thrilling and exciting, chronic stress is not. This is the grinding stress that
wears people away day after day, year after year. Chronic stress destroys
bodies, minds and lives. It wreaks havoc through long-term attrition. It's the stress of poverty, of dysfunctional families, of being
trapped in an unhappy marriage or in a despised job or career. It's the stress
that the never-ending "troubles" have brought to the people of
Northern Ireland, the tensions of the Middle East have brought to the Arab and
Jew, and the endless ethnic rivalries that have been brought to the people of
Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union.
Chronic
stress comes when a person never sees a way out of a
miserable situation. It's the stress of unrelenting demands and pressures for
seemingly interminable periods of time. With no hope, the individual gives up
searching for solutions.
Some chronic stresses
stem from traumatic, early childhood experiences that become internalized and
remain forever painful and present. Some experiences profoundly affect
personality. A view of the world, or a belief system, is created that causes
unending stress for the individual (e.g., the world is a threatening place,
people will find out you are a pretender, you must be perfect at all times). When
personality or deep-seated convictions and beliefs must be reformulated,
recovery requires active self-examination, often with professional help.
The worst aspect of
chronic stress is that people get used to it. They forget it's there. People
are immediately aware of acute stress because it is new; they ignore chronic
stress because it is old, familiar, and sometimes, almost comfortable.
Chronic stress kills
through suicide, violence, heart attack, stroke and, perhaps,
even cancer. People wear down to a final, fatal breakdown. Because
physical and mental resources are depleted through long-term attrition, the
symptoms of chronic stress are difficult to treat and may require extended
medical as well as behavioral treatment and stress management.
Examples of Stressors
Examples of Good Stressors
A good stressor makes you feel
"stressed-out" but is actually a positive event; one that is good for
you, or might be good for you. Some of these examples include:
·
Getting married: Getting married is not easy because
there are usually a hundred and one different details that need to be taken
care of, not to mention the fact that you are going through a major life
change. You may adore your spouse and know down to your very soul that this is
the right decision for you, and still feel stressed by this
huge life change.
·
Job interview: Most people usually feel ecstatic
when they finally secure a job interview, but that elation can quickly turn to
worry as you contemplate actually going to the interview.
·
Starting college: Many teens spend their high school
days anticipating that moment when they can enter college, and be seen as an
official adult; one that is "free". However, once the reality of
separating from their friends and family, and often leaving the hometown they
grew up in begins to seep into their consciousness, many teens might feel
anxious and nervous about the new expectations that are being placed upon them.
Usually this sense of anxiousness leaves once the teen
becomes accustomed to his or her new surroundings and schedule, but it can feel
pretty nerve-wracking while he or she is going through it.
·
Having a child: Many people have spent several years
waiting and anticipating the birth of their first child, yet may feel stressed
and scared as the impending birth looms. Fears associated with not being
"ready" for such a life-changing event, or feeling inept in some way,
is quite common.
·
Buying a large ticket
item: From purchasing a car
to buying your first house, purchasing a large ticket items is a prime example
of how a "good" stressor can make your blood pressure rise. In short,
you are excited and happy, but you may still have some gnawing fears in the
back of your mind.
Examples of Bad Stressors
Some of the more common examples of "bad"
event stressors include:
·
Losing your job: No one needs a detailed explanation
of why losing your job, and the prospect of not being able to support yourself,
or family is enough to keep anyone awake at night.
·
The death of a loved one: The death of a loved one,
particularly someone close, like a spouse, can be a tremendous blow and a
devastating event that takes a long time to come to terms with. It's easy to
see why this is considered a major stress as it can have a direct impact on
almost every area of your life.
·
Weather: When you think of stressors, the
weather doesn't usually come to mind, but the truth is that a major disaster
can have a huge, and sometimes stressful impact on your life. Weather events
from tornadoes that destroy or wreak havoc to floods that leave your basements
crippled in water can be an unexpected monetary concern and also traumatic if
you happen to lose sentimental mementos or family heirlooms.
·
Confronting physical
danger: Being in physical
danger is also quite a stressor. Although not read as dangerous on the body
as long term hassles, confronting a robber or being swept
away by a fast moving river is certainly considered a
stressor.
·
Illness: Illness, whether relatively short in
duration, for example having the flu, or something more
long-term, like recovering from bypass surgery, can also have quite an impact
on your life.
WHAT ARE OTHER EXAMPLES
OF WAYS ON TO DEAL WITH STRESS
1.
Avoid Caffeine, Alcohol, and Nicotine.
Avoid, or at least reduce, your consumption of nicotine and any drinks
containing caffeine and alcohol. Caffeine and nicotine are stimulants and so
will increase your level of stress rather than reduce it.
Alcohol is a depressant when taken in large quantities, but acts as a
stimulant in smaller quantities. Therefore using alcohol as a way to alleviate
stress is not ultimately helpful.
Swap caffeinated
and alcoholic drinks for water, herbal teas, or diluted natural fruit juices
and aim to keep yourself hydrated as this will enable your body to cope better
with stress.
You should also aim to avoid or reduce your intake
of refined sugars - they are contained in many manufactured foods
(even in savoury foods such as salad dressings and bread) and can cause energy
crashes which may lead you to feel tired and irritable. In general, try to eat
a healthy, well-balanced and nutritious diet.
2.
Indulge in Physical Activity
Stressful situations increase the level of stress hormones such as
adrenaline and cortisol in your body.
These are the
“fight or flight” hormones that evolution has hard-wired into our brains and
which are designed to protect us from immediate bodily harm when we are under
threat. However, stress in the modern age is rarely remedied by a fight
or flight response, and so physical exercise can be used as a surrogate to
metabolize the excessive stress hormones and restore your body and mind to a
calmer, more relaxed state.
When you feel
stressed and tense, go for a brisk walk in fresh air. Try to incorporate
some physical activity into your daily routine on a regular basis, either
before or after work, or at lunchtime. Regular physical activity will
also improve the quality of your sleep.
3.
Get More Sleep
A lack of sleep is a significant cause of stress. Unfortunately though,
stress also interrupts our sleep as thoughts keep whirling through our heads,
stopping us from relaxing enough to fall asleep.
Rather than
relying on medication, your aim should be to maximise your relaxation before
going to sleep. Make sure that your bedroom is a tranquil oasis with no
reminders of the things that cause you stress. Avoid caffeine during the
evening, as well as excessive alcohol if you know that this leads to disturbed
sleep. Stop doing any mentally demanding work several hours before going to bed
so that you give your brain time to calm down. Try taking a warm bath or
reading a calming, undemanding book for a few minutes to relax your body, tire
your eyes and help you forget about the things that worry you.
You should also
aim to go to bed at roughly the same time each day so that your mind and body
get used to a predictable bedtime routine.
4.
Try Relaxation Techniques
Each day, try to relax with a stress reduction technique. There are
many tried and tested ways to reduce stress so try a few and see what works
best for you.
For example, try
self-hypnosis which is very easy and can be done anywhere, even at your desk or
in the car. One very simple technique is to focus on a word or phrase that has
a positive meaning to you. Words such as "calm" "love" and
"peace" work well, or you could think of a self-affirming mantra such
as “I deserve calm in my life” or “Grant me serenity”. Focus on your
chosen word or phrase; if you find your mind has wandered or you become aware
of intrusive thoughts entering your mind, simply disregard them and return your
focus to the chosen word or phrase. If you find yourself becoming tense again
later, simply silently repeat your word or phrase.
5.
Talk to Someone
Just talking to someone about how you feel can be helpful.
Talking can work by either distracting you from your stressful thoughts
or releasing some of the built-up tension by discussing it.
Stress can cloud
your judgement and prevent you from seeing things clearly. Talking things
through with a friend, work colleague, or even a trained professional, can help
you find solutions to your stress and put your problems into perspective.
6. Keep a Stress Diary
6. Keep a Stress Diary
Keeping a stress diary for a few weeks is an effective stress management
tool as it will help you become more aware of the situations which cause you to
become stressed.
Note down the
date, time and place of each stressful episode, and note what you were doing,
who you were with, and how you felt both physically and emotionally. Give
each stressful episode a stress rating (on, say, a 1-10 scale) and use the
diary to understand what triggers your stress and how effective you are in
stressful situations. This will enable you to avoid stressful situations
and develop better coping mechanisms.
7.
Take Control
Stress can be triggered by a problem that may on the surface seem
impossible to solve. Learning how to find solutions to your problems will help
you feel more in control thereby lowering your level of stress.
One
problem-solving technique involves writing down the problem and coming up with
as many possible solutions as you can. Decide on the good and bad points of
each one and select the best solution. Write down each step that you need to
take as part of the solution: what will be done, how will it be done, when will
it be done, who is involved and where will it take place.
8. Manage Your Time
8. Manage Your Time
At times, we all feel overburdened by our 'To Do' list and this is a
common cause of stress. Accept that you can not do everything at once and
start to prioritise and diarise your tasks.
Make a list of all
the things that you need to do and list them in order of genuine priority. Note
what tasks you need to do personally and what can be delegated to others to
do. Record which tasks need to be done immediately, in the next week, in
the next month, or when time allows.
By editing what
might have started out as an overwhelming and unmanageable task list, you can
break it down into a series of smaller, more manageable tasks spread out over a
longer time frame, with some tasks removed from the list entirely through
delegation.
Remember as well
to create buffer times to deal with unexpected and emergency tasks, and to
include time for your own relaxation and well-being.
9.
Learn to Say ‘No’
A common cause of stress is having too much to do and too little time in
which to do it. And yet in this situation, many people will still agree
to take on additional responsibility. Learning to say “No” to additional
or unimportant requests will help to reduce your level of stress, and may also
help you develop more self-confidence.
To learn to say
“No”, you need to understand why you find it difficult. Many people find
it hard to say “No” because they want to help and are trying to be nice and to
be liked. For others, it is a fear of conflict, rejection or missed
opportunities. Remember that these barriers to saying “No” are all
self-created.
10.
Rest If You Are Ill
If you are feeling unwell, do not feel that you have to carry on
regardless. A short spell of rest will enable the body to recover faster.
