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Articles - Stress
OAK LEAVES FAMILY SERVICE
COLUMN - FEBRUARY, 1998
Lately I feel as if my life is one mad roller
coaster ride. Between work and home responsibilities I feel so stressed
out. Any suggestions for getting my life back on a calmer track?
Everyone experiences stress at one time or another. It's a normal, and perhaps
necessary part of our lives from our earliest childhoods. Stress adds vitality
and challenge to everyday life, often motivating us to make positive changes
in our lives. What we need to learn is to make stress work for us, rather
than against us. We must keep everyday stress from becoming "distress".
Too much emotional stress can cause or aggravate a host of physical and
emotional problems from high blood pressure to heart disease, insomnia to
depression. People overwhelmed by stress may turn to alcohol or prescription
or recreational drugs to ease their anxiety. These "management" techniques
often cause their own set of problems, exacerbating rather than reducing
stress.
Identify Stressors
Before learning how to manage stress, it's important to identify the personal
"stressors" in your life and how you react to them. Stress is a very personal
thing -- while your co-worker Sam may find juggling multiple projects at
work invigorating, you may become overwhelmed when asked to take on more
than one task at a time. You may react with an upset stomach, headache,
or a loss of concentration. Understanding what causes you stress and how
you respond to it may not make the stress go away but it can often help
you feel more in control of your reactions.
Want to learn more about managing stress?
Check the library or bookstore for these resources:
- Bensen, H. The Relaxation Response
- Lakein, A. How to Get Control of Your Life
- Hart, Archibald D. Stress and Your Child
- Kornfield, Jack, Buddha's Little Instruction Book
- Rogers, C., Stevens, B. Person to Person
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Stress is a manifestation of the "fight-or-flight" response. When you experience
an emergency, real or imagined, your body produces chemicals that cause
your pulse to quicken, your muscles to tense, and your blood pressure to
increase. Your body is preparing you to either fight or flee from the distress.
When the stressful situation is prolonged or repetitious causing a continuous
fight-or-flight response it's easy to understand how you can end up in "distress"
with physical or emotional problems.
Gain Perspective
Once you've become aware of what causes your stress, you need to gain some
perspective. "Identify the things you can change and accept those situations
that cannot be change," says Barb Grimes-Smith, Prevention Program Coordinator
at Family Service & Mental Health Center of Oak Park & River Forest. "We
humans have a unique capacity for worrying about things over which we have
no control. For those things under your control, develop a contract with
yourself to resolve and manage the stress causing situations."
For instance, if you find yourself stressed and harried at work unable to
complete tasks because of constant interruptions, hang a "Do Not Disturb"
sign on your door and use voice mail to record calls and return them all
one-half hour before ending the day. If you feel overwhelmed by family obligations,
develop daily task lists and prioritize your duties. And don't feel it's
all your responsibility -- delegate tasks to other family members.
It's also important to cut yourself a little slack. Give up all the "I should
have's" and "if only's" and concentrate on your accomplishments, says Grimes-Smith.
Substituting positive action for negative thinking will go a long way to
reducing stress. Finally, realize that you don't have to handle all your
problems alone, a counselor, family member or friend can go a long way towards
helping you see your problems in a different light and identifying ways
to make change.
Learn Coping Techniques
Even if you can't eliminate all the situations causing your stress, you
can learn techniques to help you cope with its effects. Physical activity
has long been known to help ease the "fight-or-flight" response connected
with stress. Almost any exercise can help here. Jogging, swimming, walking,
aerobic exercises, as well as nonaerobic activities such as yoga can often
produce a mental state similar to meditation, helping you to relax and feel
less "uptight." Of course, exercise also helps you become more fit and able
to handle the physical and emotional demands of stress.
You may also want to explore relaxation techniques, including deep-breathing
exercises, which can be helpful in relieving tension.
Remember that in life, balance is essential. While we can't expect a totally
stress-free life we can learn how to keep it at levels that work for us,
instead of against us.
Located at 120 S. Marion, Oak Park, Family Service & Mental Health Center
of Oak Park & River Forest is a not-for-profit social service and mental
health agency that provides counseling, psychiatric and prevention/education
programs to men, women, youth and families. To learn more about our programs
or to make an appointment, contact us at (708) 383-7500.
  
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