"My wife left me,and I had to raise two children on my own.It was hard being a single parent.On top of that, I lost my job and I couldn't afford to get my vehicle inspected for registration. I had no idea how to handle things. The stress was overwhelming. I knew deep down that It was wrong to kill myself,so I begged God to end my misery" - Stephen.
Like Stephen,do you sometimes feel overwhelmed with stress?If so,you can find relief and comfort from the following articles. They examine common causes of stress,how stress can affect us,how we can get at least a measure of stress relief.
"Most adults report being under increasing levels of stress",says the well-known Mayo Clinic. "Modern life is filled with change and uncertainty." Consider just some of the changes and uncertainties that contribute to stress:
1.crime
2.disasters - natural or man-made
3.a hectic pace of life
4.the death of a loved one
5.divorce
6.severe illness
7.worries about employment and financial security
8.pressures at school or work
9.serious accidents.
The American Psychological Association says, "The loss of a job" "can be devastating, putting unemployed workers at risk for physical illness,marital strain,anxiety, depression and even suicide. Loss of a job affects every part of life.
What Is Stress?
Stress is your body's response to a demanding situation.your brain causes hormones to flood your system. These increase your heart rate,regulate your blood pressure,expand or constrict the capacity of your lungs,and tense your muscles. Before you are fully aware of what is happening,your body is primed for action. When a stressful episode is over,your body comes off "high alert" and returns to normal.
Good and Bad Stress
Stress is a natural response that enables you deal with challenging or dangerous situations. The stress response begins in your brain. Beneficial stress enables you to act or react quickly. A certain amount of stress can also help you to reach your goals or to perform better, perhaps during an exam,a job interview,or a sporting event.
However,prolonged, extreme,or chronic stress can harm you.When your body is repeatedly or constantly on "high alert", you may begin to suffer physically, emotionally,and mentally. Your behavior, including the way you treat others,may change. Chronic stress can also lead to substance abuse and other unhealthy means of coping. It may even spiral into depression,burnout, or thoughts of suicide.
Muscular system
Your muscles tense up to protect you from injury. Too much stress can lead to:body aches and pains,tension headaches,muscle spasms.
Respiratory system
You breathe faster to take in more oxygen. Too much stress can lead to: hyperventilation and shortness of breathe,as well as panic attacks in those who are prone to them.
Endocrine system
Your glands produce the hormones adrenaline and cortisol,which help the body react to stress. Your liver increases your blood-sugar level to give you more energy. Too much stress can lead to: diabetes,lower immunity and increased illness,mood swings,weight gain.
Reproductive system
Stress can affect sexual desire and function. Too much stress can lead to: impotence,disrupted menstrual cycle.
Nervous system.
Your nervous system causes hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol to be released. These increase your heart rate,your blood pressure,and the glucose levels in your blood all of which enable you to respond quickly to danger. Too much stress can lead to: irritability, anxiety, depression,headaches, insomnia.
Cardiovascular system.
Your heart beats faster and harder to distribute blood throughout your body. Blood vessels dilate or constrict to direct blood where your body needs it the most,such as in your muscles. Too much stress can lead to: high blood pressure,heart attack, stroke.
Gastrointestinal system.
The way your body processes food is disrupted. Too much stress can lead to: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation.
How to Deal With Stress
To deal effectively with stress,you need to think about your physical health,the way you interact with others,and your goals and priorities in life - that is,what you consider to be truly important. This article will review some practical principles that can help you to deal better with stress and perhaps even reduce it.
Meaning:Daily anxieties are part of life. But do not increase today's anxieties by adding tomorrow's to them. Try to live one day at a time.
Stress can cause anxiety. So try this: First, recognize that some stress are inevitable. Fretting over things you cannot prevent increases your stress. Second, understand that quite often things do not turn out the way we may fear they will.
Set Reasonable Standards
Meaning: Do not become a perfectionist. Avoid setting unrealistically high standards for yourself or others.
Be modest,set Reasonable standards,and know both your limitation and those of others.
When you do this,you will reduce stress all around and even encourage greater success. Also, keep a sense of humor.when you laugh - even when something goes wrong - you relieve tension and brighten your mood.
Meaning: Negative emotions can cloud clear thinking,so try to stay calm.
Identify what stresses you,and not your response. For example,when you feel stressed,note your thoughts, feelings, behaviour, perhaps even making a record of them.
By becoming more aware of your response to stress,you may be able to deal with it effectively.Also think of ways to elimate stressful things from your life. If that is unrealistic,look for ways to reduce their impact,perhaps by managing your tasks or time more efficiently.
Try to see things in a different light. Do not be quick to assume bad motives.see the positive side of a situation.keep the big picture in mind
Try to Be Orderly
Meaning: Try to maintain order in your life.
We like a reasonable amount of order in life. One thing that can contribute to disorder and stress is procrastination,and this may lead to growing list of unfinished tasks.why not try these two suggestions?
1.Make a practical schedule,and stick to it.
2.Identify and correct any attitudes that cause you to procrastinate.
Meaning: Workaholics can deprive themselves of the benefits of their"two handfuls of hard work". They may have no time or energy left to enjoy what they worked for.
1.Have a realistic view of work and money. More money does not mean more happiness or less stress. In fact,the opposite can be true."The plenty belongings to the rich one does not permit him to sleep,"says Ecclesiastes 5:12. So try to live within your means.
2.Make time to relax. You relieve stress when you do things you enjoy. However,passive recreation,such as watching TV,may not help.
Keep technology in it's place. Avoid constantly checking e-mail,texts, or social media sites. Unless circumstances require it,do not check work-related e-mail outside of working hours.
Meaning: Regular exercise promotes better health.
Develop healthful habits.physical activity can lift your mood and improve your body's response to stress. Eat nutritious food,and try to avoid skipping meals. Be sure to get enough rest.
Avoid harmful "solutions" to stress,such as smoking or drug and alcohol abuse. In the long run,these heighten stress, perhaps by robbing you of your health and hard-earned money.
See your doctor if your stress becomes overwhelming. Getting professional help is not an admission of failure.
Set Priorities
Meaning: Carefully consider your priorities.
List your tasks in order of importance. This will help you focus on the more important jobs,and it will reveal which ones you put off, delegate,or even eliminate.
For a week,keep track of how you use your time. Then look for ways to make better use of it. The more you are in control, the less pressured you will feel.
Schedule some downtime. Even short breaks can reinvigorate you and reduce your stress.
Get Support
Meaning: Kind, compassionate words from others can lift your spirit.
Talk things over with an understanding person. A confidant may help you to see things differently or even to see a solution you overlooked. And just unburdening yourself can make you feel better.
Ask for help. Can you delegate a task or share the workload?
If a work associate stresses you,look for ways to improve the situation. For example,could you kindly and tactfully tell the person how he or she makes you feel? If such measured fail,can you reduce the time you spend with the person?
Meaning: As humans,we need more than food, clothing, and shelter. We have a spiritual need. To be happy,we must be conscious of that need and attend to it.
1.Prayer can be a big help. God invites you to "throw all your anxiety on him,because he cares for you".(1Peter 5:7). Prayer and wholesome medication can result in deep inner peace. (Philippians 4:6&7).
2.Reading spiritually uplifting things. The principles discussed in this article come from the Bible,which was written to satisfy our spiritual need. These also foster "practical wisdom and thinking ability". (Proverbs 3:21) Why not set a goal to read the Bible? The book of Proverbs might be a good place to start.
Kindness and forgiveness have also been discovered to "kill Stress". The book Overcoming Stress has a chapter entitled "Kill Your Stress with Kindness." Treating others kindly, according to the author, Dr. Tim Cantopher,can promote health and happiness. On the other hand,an unkind or cruel person makes himself unhappy because he alienates himself from them. - Proverbs 11:17.
In the Journal of Health Psychology, Loren Toussaint states that "stress degrades(health)." He adds: "Forgiveness is the release of negative and potential enhancement of positive feelings,emotions,and behaviours toward an offender." He thus concludes that a forgiving spirit "may help minimize stress - related disorders."
Indeed the wisdom in the Bible can help us to avoid much needless stress.
Comments
Post a Comment