Understanding Stress

Stress is a conditioned response that has both physical and mental attributes. We, meaning all of us, usually refer to the mental aspects by saying, "I had a terribly stressful day at work." In this sense we are referring to a feeling; stress is what you feel when you think you have more things to deal with than you normally do.

That stress thought triggers physiological responses inside your body. Adrenaline and cortisol production speed up to allow you to either overcome the situation or run from it. Referred to as the fight or flight response, your heart speeds up, you breathe faster and you actually have a burst of energy.

Your body prepares itself for your next decision. That increased energy will help you stand and fight, or it will give you added strength to head for the hills. All of this is normal. The fight or flight response helps us react quickly to situations; it helps us work harder to complete a work assignment.

It is your body's natural resopnse to a perceived threat.

When we talk about stress it rarely has to do with how our body's stress hormones are helping us. "What a stressful day I had!" is not what we say after a successful day at the office even though stress may have played a part in that success.

You and I talk about the dark side of the force: headaches, tense neck and shoulder muscles, upset stomach, back pain, ulcers and sleeping difficulties. Others see our moodiness. Our mood shifts usually come from a natural Cycle of Response: fatigue, confusion, frustration, guilt and depression.

We actually wear ourselves out worrying about the threat. That's usually not a good time to be making decisions, is it? Beth has a magical quality that allows her to look into my eyes and know if I'm too tired for her to bring up a subject that requires acute thinking skills. She'll say something like, "After you take a nap, I've got something for us to discuss."

When our brains are fatigued, we easily become confused and then it is just a short step to frustration over not knowing what to do. Then it comes. 'I should know what to do in this situation. Why don't I know what to do?' The negative thoughts rush to take over our brain and we feel guilty.

Once we begin feeling guilty about our abilities to NOT do something, we also begin to have thoughts about uselessness. 'My boss would be better off without me. My family would be better off without me. I can't do anything right.' Welcome to depression.

Acute stress is normal. It is defined as your body's normal reaction to a perceived threat. Your body has an autonomic nervous system that is activated during times of acute stress. This is what causes the increased levels of adrenaline and cortisol and other hormones. You will actually experience higher blood pressure as your body redirects blood flow from your extremities to the big muscles in preparation for fight or flight.

The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is the part of the nervous system in charge of regulating involuntary vital functions such as your heart, digestive system and glands. In other words, it senses a need and automatically responds to it. Your ANS has two subsystems.

The sympathetic nervous system is the one that prepares the body for fight or flight. The parasympathetic nervous system is the other side. It is your relaxation response. Think of these two subsystems as a light switch. The sympathetic system speeds the heart rate, constricts the blood vessels, decreases digestive activity, raises blood pressure and says, "Bring it on." The parasympathetic system says, "Turn it off." It slows the heart rate and returns those other body functions to normal.

The increased hormone levels subside; tensed muscles relax and, once again, the world is a beautiful place.

Chronic stress is defined as a state of ongoing physiological arousal due to a perceived threat. That threat is running through your nervous system flipping every light switch it can find and not turning any of them off. Those two subsystems are designed to work in harmony. Remember that famous phrase from the movie Karate Kid? "Wax on, wax off." Well, imagine waxing your car using just one side of the equation: wax on, wax on, wax on, wax on. What would your car look like if you continued adding wax and never buffed it to a brilliant shine?

That is the way chronic stress works. The two subsystems are not working in harmony. The fight or flight response is being triggered time after time after time but the relaxation response is not being activated. The perceived threat is not going away. Or, a second threat piles on...and a third...and a fourth.

Once upon a time there were certain professions we considered to be high pressure: sales, military during times of war, and the medical professional for example. Today, every job fits the category because of layoffs and salary & benefit reductions.

As Beth approached her 25th anniversary with her company last year, she was laid off. That was in mid-April. She found a new job paying considerably less and returned to work - on December 29! That's over eight months without a paycheck. Think, however, about how she felt when a company she had devoted nearly 25 years to simply turned its back on her. How would you feel?

The threat of joblessness met the threat of financial difficulty met the threat of reduced social activity met the threat of birthday and Christmas gifts for family members, and so on. Threat, threat, threat, threat: the light switches were flipping on; where was the relaxation response to turn them off? What relaxation?!?

When the body's automatic response is deactivated by continuing threats, you and I must come up with ways to do it ourselves.

We need to relax more! Do you eat lunch at your desk? Well, don't. Get up and go somewhere. Walk up and down the stairs. Walk around the block. Walk up and down the hall. Do something. Get away from your desk and channel some energy in a different direction.

Remember, it's the automatic relaxation response that's not working. You and I need to develop some manual relaxation techniques. One of the simplest things most of us can do without a lot of effort is a soothing soak in a warm bath. Add bubbles, candles and music. Just make certain you take precautions to not fall asleep and drown.

Walking, or exercise of any kind, can help take your mind away. I always make sure to wear an mp3 player and listen to rousing music when doing any type of exercise. The music helps take your mind away, and you can sing along silently or out loud for even more benefits.

Another approach to achieving relaxation is through the use of Guided Imagery. Guided imagery CD's and mp3's are available, some on Amazon for as low as $.99 (99 cents). Guided imagery is a combination of soothing music combined with a soothing voice channeling your thoughts toward a state of relaxation.

Numerous psychologists and therapists use this with their clients during professional counseling. Before you seek professional treatment, you might want to give the lower-cost Amazon products a try.

Changes in our lives cause more real perceived threats than anything else. Every four years Americans go to the polls wanting change in the way government does things, and this was never more evident than the 2008 presidential race.

In our own lives, however, change threatens us. Life's changes simply do not fit in our comfort zone. It could be a new boss, a new love interest, a new neighbor or, even, a new president.

It could be a change in job status, a change in a relationship with a family member or, even, a change in automobiles.

Something has happened (or may happen) and life today will not be like it was yesterday. Once you have consumed the information on this lens, I recommend you take a look at another lens that deals with this subject.

Who Stole My Cheese is about dealing with change.

Stress and Stress Management Solutions

Stress Causes Physiological Changes

Types of Stress

Effects of Stress

Dealing with Stress

Stress Management with Guided Imagery

Long Term Stress Management Solutions

Who Stole My Cheese