Stress Stress Symptoms
Some physiological stress symptoms include raised blood pressure, rapid heartbeat, a lower digestive rate, and a rise in blood sugar level. And although the stress symptoms are still being debated in both the psychological and medical communities, these are the stress symptoms that are generally agreed on.
Although more subtle, the psychological stress symptoms are just as important as any other stress. Stress symptoms that last for a long time often leads to irritation, making an individual hot-tempered and more prone to anger. This comes with impatience and the fear of coping with the present. Those who suffer from stress also find it harder to focus and have problems making everyday decisions.
These stress symptoms are usually related in some way. The pituitary gland and the hypothalamus are both components of the brain that charge when stress comes into play. They then release something called adrenocorticotropic hormones (ACTH) that makes the adrenal gland react, and cortisol is released. The cortisol levels than fluctuate during the day and the excess cortisol can then be attributed to the “flight or fight” response one goes through when stress is present.
Stress can lead to tension in the neck, as well as bowel and stomach upset and other stress symptoms. If the stress persists, the immune system will also weaken, making colds more frequent, as well as other stress health effects.
If stress reaches higher levels, it may cause a shortened span of attention, a lower recall of memory and objectivity, as well as other problems of cognition. The higher the stress level, the harder it is for people to concentrate on everyday challenges rationally. Unreasonable anger, moodiness and unwarranted feelings of injustice are regular stress emotions that follow.
Depression, inexplicable tears, apathy, increased fear of failing, as well as an overall sense of doom are other stress symptoms. These are extreme stress cases, however, and do not always occur.
The struggle between “I can’t” and “I must” is the main element of stress, causing a lack of confidence in dealing with everyday challenges of life. This then, in turn, becomes a prophecy that is fulfilled in the long run.
Stress reduction is completely feasible if one focuses on the stress symptoms, and evaluates them and their consequences. In fact, stress might even be completely eliminated this way, whether in the short term or the long term.
Stress Stress in Relationships
No matter whether it is a spouse, a domestic partner, or a live-in boyfriend or girlfriend, as long as you live with someone, stress can occur. Being in a romantic relationship tends to bring about stress symptoms along with its problems, on both sides of the party.
Stress usually comes about when someone is caught in-between a decision of “I must” or “I can’t”. This is usually mingled with a feeling that something must be done, but the resources are blocked, resulting in a feeling of loss.
Relationships, in general, cause problems. But those with a significant other bring about more extreme symptoms of stress than regular relationships do. Because each person is unique, everyone has different interests and preferred lifestyles, as well as different ways to deal with or approach situations. Men tend to be stoic, if not repressed. Some people tend to leave their stress problems at bay while others like to attack situations that deal with stress head on.
It can be a very difficult task indeed to try and adjust to the style of another person and deal with the various everyday choices that need to be made. This can often lead to conflicts, which, in turn, leads to stress. Stress comes about most often when the people involved are unrealistic or not willing to compromise or communicate.
In a lot of cases, the only feasible solution is to separate. However, before this happens, any valuable relationship will try to work things out by resolving conflicts and hoping to avoid stress.
Acute stress refers to the type of stress that does not last long. Whether major or minor, these episodes of stress are simply inevitable in romantic relationships. There are no limits to the stress problems that could occur, mostly involving stress health, finances, family, children, and careers.
However, acute stress hardly does any harm. Acute stress episodes tend to fade or are resolved easily, while life returns to normal afterwards. When a list of these stress problems come up, however, and more importantly, if those involved think the stress problems cannot be resolved, chronic stress comes into play.
What people tend to misconstrue is that the way out is difficult; it is, in fact, quite simple. It is actually a rarity to find a stress problem that cannot be resolved. If life were full of stress problems that we could not deal with, insurance companies would all go bankrupt.
Stress reduction in relationships can be done through several stress reduction techniques that is easy to learn and adopt. Simply look at the problem from an outsider’s point of view; or take a look at the long-term repercussions; or remind each other why you were together in the first place, in order to alleviate the symptoms of stress in the relationship.
This will also help give you a better perspective of how to solve any stress problem you may have in the future.
Stress Stress Health
There are certain stress symptoms that have not been borne out by research. Ulcers, for example, were always thought to be a stress disorder. But, although stress may produce acids that could increase ulcer discomfort, modern research has pointed out that certain genetic factors combined with specific stomach viruses should be blamed for this. However, more evidence is coming up of how some stress health effects may be influencing symptoms of stress.
The more primary and blatant symptoms of stress include excessive muscle tension, headaches, rapid heartbeat, interrupted digestion, and high blood pressure. However, there are also more serious potential stress symptoms that could last longer and lead to chronic stress.
A number of studies by the National Institutes of Health have greatly proven that stress actually affects the immune system, both in positive and negative ways.
Stress is defined as an individual’s ‘fight or flight’ response to perceived threats, so it can have positive effects. Since stress tends to release biochemicals that could potentially heal bite and puncture infections, this stress theory makes sense, most of all if evolution is taken under consideration and how the immune system should deal with such stress symptoms. This effect can only be harmful if this response to stress lasts for a long time.
One result would be that the immune system actually alleviates stress. This could happen if the body runs out of chemicals and no longer has anything to act on, making chemicals dissolve until more are made to counteract reactions. This will then result to a higher risk of infections and a lower resistance to colds and other viruses and illnesses.
Another result would be general tiredness and maybe even depression. Stress can last for a long time, and when it does, the feedback between the symptoms of stress and the effects of stress makes the person believe that there is no stress relief, thus fulfilling the prophecy on its own.
Chronic stress could also bother the body’s circulatory system by releasing stress hormones during the ‘fight or flight’ trigger that will get used up the more activities are done physically, resulting in physiological stress on the body.
High blood pressure heightens physical tension on blood vessel walls. The body will then respond by healing the micro-tears and scar tissue is made, which will lessen the ease of blood flow. If this goes on for long periods of time, or if it is in the genes of a person, heart attacks may occur. Blood vessels may narrow, causing an insufficient delivery of blood and oxygen when they are most needed. Rheumatoid arthritis is also more at risk of becoming worse, when stress is involved.
Make sure you constantly keep both your mental and physical well-being safe from stress by practicing techniques for stress reduction. Try to adopt a philosophy that helps will help alleviate the stress in your life. Think about your health.
Stress-How to Deal with Work Stress
Stress usually occurs when one is placed in a situation that demands the impossible. Unrealistic deadlines and useless goals made by unreasonable bosses are common in work scenarios. However, those who find themselves stuck in these situations can still possibly find stress relief.
Several stress relief exercises exist for symptoms of stress that could work as ultimate cures in the long run. Since the effects of stress include shallow breathing, muscle tension, and a compromised immune system, actions must be taken instantly in order to fight it.
For stress relief, slowly take a couple of deep breaths, just to allow your chest to expand; this will result in stress relief in the tension in your body. Also stretch your shoulders and arms, then work your head, then flex your calves.
Work the processes in your mind, as well. Stress tends to destroy one’s focus and concentration, in turn decreasing one’s memory retention. The irritation of stress may even cause one to shift the focus on anger instead.
While concentrating on your deep breathing, keep your eyes closed and try to meditate for a few minutes to let the outside world dissolve. It is important not to focus on the stress and anger that you may be feeling, but to focus instead on a pleasant image, such as a child, a pet, a sport, anything that may work best for you.
After you take care of the symptoms of stress, go to the main root of the problem.
For those who have decided to start their own businesses, an entire set of challenges comes with them. Work will come with a set of long hours with hardly any recognition. Without external rewards, however, the internal rewards come aplenty in the form of satisfaction of being in charge of everything. This usually keeps those people working.
A lot of people still work with the hope of achieving positive changes in the company they currently work in. Merely being able to partially succeed in doing so serves as a satisfaction for these people, as they know that they are at least trying to do something about their unpleasant situation.
Your choices when it comes to work are to transfer jobs within the company or hope that the unreasonable manager will leave. Keep in mind that things in companies change almost every half a year, so this isn’t an impossible hope.
While waiting for stress relief, however, try to focus on the process itself rather than the results you hope to receive. Be realistic as to what you can control and what you cannot; what you cannot control should not matter too much. Instead, find people in the same stress position as you and don’t bother with the others as much.
Feel free to let out some steam with your close friends and relatives outside of work to deal with stress. But stay focused when actually at work for optimum results.
Stress-How Pets Can Help Relieve Stress
Children aren’t the only stress-inducing things to raise; pets are stressful, too. However, pets can also provide one of the best stress relief mechanisms most of the time.
Many studies have claimed that owning a pet helps recovering surgery patients with stress health. This really shouldn’t be surprising, with the link between stress and infection, as well as the positive effects on the immune system.
A lot of people find a lot of psychological pluses, as well, if they own pets. Since cats are pretty clueless to a person’s problems and they only think about themselves, for example, the owner may shift their focus to the cat and serve as relief stress by forgetting about the stress.
Signals and hormones may also be generated through the sympathetic nervous system, which produces the ‘fight or flight’ mechanism. If we turn attention away from this, the parasympathetic nervous system will react will serve as stress relief. The body will then reach homeostasis, balancing back down from stress.
Dogs help in stress relief as well, provided they are not creating stress. Dogs can cause stress through a number of things: digging backyard holes, running shoes, creating a mess on the carpet, etc. However, a short game of fetch with a tennis ball can be a stress reducer. Simply seeing the joy the dog gets from such a simple activity is an easy way in managing stress.
For eons, dogs have been trained to live with humans and have thus learned how to take part in tons of human activities and rituals that may offer stress relief from the symptoms of stress. Hiking and fishing, for example, are stress reducers in themselves, but bringing a dog along will make it even more enjoyable.
Aquarium fish, too, can be great aids in stress reduction. Since taking care of tropical fish takes a lot of careful planning, as well as execution, this concentration will help keep one’s mind off of stress.
Most pets, from tropical birds to hamsters and ferrets do a lot of things that make people laugh. And laughter is definitely the best medicine in managing stress.
Stress-Eliminate Holiday Stress
Whether it’s Christmas, Thanksgiving or any other holiday, people tend to experience more stress than usual. Although there may be a lot of pressures that can only come within a holiday season, this extra stress is really unnecessary.
Weather may be one cause of stress, by being uncomfortable and giving a hard time in getting around. This may seem like a minor factor, but over time, they could greatly encourage stress more and more.
Another form of stress that comes with the holidays is the urge and need to buy presents for others; this usually includes buying gifts for people you do not particularly like, but feel obligated to give something to. The stress accumulates mostly for those on a tight budget, though packed streets, crowded stores, and the lack of space to park are in themselves causes for stress.
All of the factors mentioned above are similar to everyday stress factors that people come across. Jobs usually come with deadlines that produce stress, for example, when people are faced with difficulties in meeting them. Physical problems, such as health factors, also produce a lot of stress. But the most common stress factor known to date usually has to do with money.
Holiday stress is very similar since people are then subjected to the same treatment. Stress usually stems from an unknown, unfixable conflict between “I can’t” and “I should”. So make sure you take care of these factors well during the holiday season.
The important thing to do is ask yourself if you really need to do something that causes stress. A lot of families opt to raffle family member’s names to buy gifts for each other, so there is no need to get multiple gifts for the holidays. With fewer obligations, stress is easily alleviated by having to spend less and worry less.
Other people opt to buy gifts and decorations way before the season itself starts. However, a lot of people find it hard to get into the spirit before the holidays. For those who have this problem, try online shopping or going places that are father away. Although this may take longer, it usually requires less searching and therefore less stress.
If you do not want to get ready that early, plan ahead, at least, to lower the stress. If you have a low budget, start saving way beforehand. Manage your money and let go of the unnecessary guilt of spending more or less. Remember that gifts should come from the heart and not because you feel you need to.
Being busy during the time of the holidays will make it more challenging and more difficult to get things done, and these challenges will just lead you to more stress. So stop getting yourself into complicated dilemmas and declare yourself independent from stress, even during the holidays.
Stress-Causes of Work Stress
‘Work stress’ can mean two things. One, it could refer to the stress that one experiences while working; and two, it could refer to the stress at work. Stress tends to work on people in unfortunate unpleasant ways.
Although there are two meanings to the phrase, they are actually related to each other. Going through work-initiated stress could result in harm to your stress health, both mentally and physically. Like with other problems, it is essential to look at the causes of stress to find a solution to deal with it in the long run.
There are thousands of possibilities related to job stress. Unrealistic deadlines to nearly impossible goals are some factors that cause stress to both managers and employees. Although fast-paced competition in businesses can be fun once in a while, not being able to reach the goals, such as sales improvement, work flow optimization and communication enhancement, they can be resented.
Additionally, there is always the uncooperative colleague and the unreasonable boss to worry about. Whether the company is small or large, there will always be people in charge who aren’t qualified to lead others with their disrespectful attitudes. Generally, they end up flattering their boss rather than improving their productivity and actually doing the job.
The unfair managers and misdirected greatly justify people’s responses when asked if they go through stress at work. A lot of people, however, have developed skills in obtaining stress relief.
Usually, working mothers in particular are very good at multi-tasking and managing times, as well as coming up with new solutions since they practice these skills at home daily. They are also more capable in settling disputes among people, who may either be right or wrong.
Men practice some things at home, as well, such as prioritizing resource expenditures, dealing with complaints, and deciding when is best to compromise and when is best to push.
The workplace, however, does not mirror these thinking skills and power when actually on the job. If anything, the goals come from above and debate is next to impossible. Those employed with such organizations with maximum obligations with no authority are guaranteed to suffer from stress.
The most common reason for stress at work is getting demands without the resources to achieve them. When someone is put in this conflict of “I can’t” and “I must”, stress is sure to result.
Thankfully, a lot of organizations have come to notice this and are even willing to change. If you are lucky, you currently belong in one and can say hello to stress reduction.
