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Scientific Definitions of Stress

Date: January 15, 2010
Author: Penny Pettman
Categories: Advice
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It is said that you can find every definition and explanation you seek in life. The problem comes when you have to distinguish them and choose the definition that is accurate if you believe accuracy exists in the first place. When it comes to the topic of stress, you will find very many views and perceptions and the main ones are scientific and conservative views. Firstly, scientific and conservative definitions of stress differ greatly and you will be convinced by the explanation that is going to make more sense to you. Background and orientation of various groups of people will affect their view on stress.From a lay mans view, stress is an occurrence that will make an individual loose themselves mentally, physically and psychologically. It is often seen as a culmination of a breakdown where all systems of a person become less motivated to go on. The modern or scientific explanation of stress recognizes stress as a motivating factor which is sometimes necessary to enable human beings to go the extra mile and in the process learn a few life lessons. Stress has been observed to produce some of the greatest achievements in society. This has been evident in people who have risen above the common and uncommon barriers to come up with great discoveries, inventions, ideas and to go through great hurdles under very stressful situations.It has been said that there is a type of stress that is good and there is stress that is harmful. Conservative definitions of stress totally reject the above statement. Their belief is that stress is not good period. Therefore, conservatives are always seeking ways to eradicate stress totally because it is not acceptable to have severe suffering from stress. The scientific definitions of stress will often seem to make a lot of sense and the following statement is a summary of the definition. Stress is what you will have when your resources are not greater than the demands for the same resources in your life.Many people can easily identify with the above definition because it describes the feeling of being pushed into a corner where there is no escape which is stress. Our minds constantly want to have the ability to conceive that everything is under control or that there is something that can be done about a specific situation. This is however contrary to life and as we progress to become more mature, we realize that we cannot always have everything under control. This feeling or knowledge will give rise to a certain kind of frustration which can be defined as stress.Although with many differences, scientific and conservative definitions of stress agree that certain levels of it will cause harm to the body. Although there is no tangible evidence of how exactly stress causes this, the effects and results of stress are only too evident. Remedies for stress today have not been able to totally eradicate it but there is management available that will see a person regain their sense of being. Make sure your are not caught up in the definition debate, in expense of what you can do to solve the problem in your life.

Effective Stress Management

Date: January 1, 2010
Author: Penny Pettman
Categories: Advice
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It happens to all of us and sometimes, we feel there is no way out. I’m talking about stress which is one of the leading challenges that the human kind is constantly grappling with trying to understand and deal with it effectively. There might be simple words to describe stress and sometimes it does not need any definition because we all go through it. Experts have been working on effective stress management methods which would seek to remedy all harmful effects that stress is associated with and eradicate it all together. So far, some models have been devised and, they might hold the key to deal with stress and they include the following.The first model in effective stress management is the transactional model. The first thing it seeks to do is to explain what stress is. This model was designed by Richard Lazarus and Susan Folkman who defined stress in the following way. According to them, stress is simply an imbalance between the resources that are in possession of a person and the demands that they have to meet every day . Usually, when one has to offer more than they have, the next logical thing that will happen is that they will be drained out. Therefore, the imbalance can be viewed from this perspective. Their explanation of stress, further seeks to suggest that one will not have stress when they have enough resources to cope with the demand.Their perception on stress also implies that stress is not a direct result of a stressor. The traditional view of stress is pretty different because there is a belief that a specific cause or stressor has to be present for stress to be conceived. Therefore, the transactional model has been designed to identify the factors that will predispose a person to shortcomings in regard to their resources. The methods of effective stress management in this model root from the external factors that are unique to each individual and hence the solution to their stress problem will be formulated to act effectively for their case.Finally, in this model, there is a very interesting suggestion which is that if people felt confident enough or resourceful enough to deal and cope with the demand, then the severe stress aspect might be non existent. Therefore, people who constantly choose to feel under pressure will find themselves more stressed. Pressure can therefore act as a stressor although the model creators do not base their model on stressors. The second effective stress management model is the health realization model which is also called innate health model. This model highly banks on the source of a thought and its ability to shape your actions and perceptions.According to this model, stress is only a by product of what an individual chooses to perceive of themselves and others. The thought process when affected by negativity, insecurity and other factors, will obviously produce stress. Therefore, this model will seek to help individuals equip themselves with initial positivity which will also be the outcome, escaping stress. After analyzing the above models, it is clear that there are causes of stress or specific sources whether external or internal and one thing that will help you manage your stress problem, is realizing what the problem is and working towards the betterment of your general well being.

The 7 Ways Stress Effects Your Health

Date: December 24, 2009
Author: Penny Pettman
Categories: Advice
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All of us stress out sometimes, but there are times we are so stressed out it effects our health.Unknown to a lot of people, stress is a direct cause of a number of health problems. Many people dismiss stress as a result of overwork, but it is in fact a medical condition that can lead to more serious complications if not treated properly.Stress 101: Everything You Need to KnowFor such a fairly common problem, the public doesn’t really know a lot of information about stress. This is probably why most people just dismiss it instead of seeking treatment for it. In fact, here are a few interesting statistics that may just encourage people to take stress more seriously:

Two Main Types of StressThe first type of stress is a good type of stress. This stress is called eustress. The other type of stress is called distress or chronic stress. This type of stress is the one that is harmful for the body.As serious as Chronic stress can be it is hard to detect. Most times chronic stress will go be undetected until symptoms arise. By then it means that the chronic stress has progressed and at this point it is treatable but is much more difficult than if caught early on. What Could Happen With Prolonged Stress1. Depression Depression is a side effect that is commonly seen in people with chronic stress. Depression is a serious condition that effects not only you physically, but emotionally, and economically. It not only makes your tired, but sad and from being sad it effects your willingness to go to and perform at work.2. AnxietyThis is a condition very similar to depression but also quite different. Physiological effects can be seen in the body when anxiety and depression occur at the same time.3. Heart Conditions Although stress is not a direct cause of heart attacks, it certainly plays a huge part in the process.4. Diabetes This illness is characterized by the unnaturally high levels of sugar in the bloodstream. It has been said that stress is one of the most common reasons for the irregularity in glucose levels in the blood.5. Hair Loss There are times a couple of weeks after a stressful situation occurs that clumps of hair will fall out. Although most of the time hair loss is blamed on genetics, stress is a common cause that is commonly overlooked.6. Excessive Weight Weight gain is extremely common when someone is under a great deal of stress. Stress slow your metabolism and causes people to over-eat to have the endorphins, a chemical in the body to be released when the stomach is full. Endorphins gives you a temporary high that chronically stressed people enjoy. These two factors can be deadly to a healthy physique.7. Loss of Libido Now, if the last 6 steps didn’t convince you stress is a serious problem this will. Libido is diminished when there is severe or prolonged stress in a persons life, and for some reason or another this condition is more commonly found in men than women.Although these conditions are severe there are many more conditions to consider. These are simply the most reported. However these conditions alone should be enough to make you reconsider your options for medical treatment. It is best to catch the problem before it’s too severe to treat.

Learn Why You Must Start Combating Stress Immediately and Six Resources For Stress Management

Date: December 21, 2009
Author: Penny Pettman
Categories: Advice
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The real problems with stress arise when you don’t do anything at all. Some people are not aware they are at risk for problems such as heart attack and stroke. Stress is so common and strikes so slowly that few people are aware of any danger till its too late. A little statistic might make this a little clearer; webmd.com estimates that 75% to 95% of all doctors’ visits are stress related!

In other words, if you have symptoms of stress, heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, sleep problems, headaches, faster aging, strokes, depression, ulcers, asthma, weaker immune system (reducing your natural ability to fight off infection), panic attacks, loss of memory or even obesity…stress can be a significant factor.

Stress occurs when you perceive a demand on you to be greater than your resources. This can happen studying, working, dealing with events, holidays, running your own business and so on. The symptoms include an elevated blood pressure, release of hormones, increase of tension in your muscles, rapid breathing, and sweating.

Some stress can actually be good for you, as it can motivate you. But all the physical symptoms of stress can make your body weaker, breaking down its immune system. So stress for a longer period of time than a few days can be very dangerous.

Think of it this way; If you bought a car and then drove it around recklessly, not taking proper care of it, the car will break down. You are putting way too much exertion on the engine to keep it running for very long.

Your body is the same way with stress. You have to consciously take control of and manage stress, or your body will begin to run like a broken down car.

Unfortunately the fast paced living we are used to is designed to put your body into a state of stress from the very moment you wake up! It begins with the sharp sound of an alarm bell, followed by the stress of the morning commute, add coffee and sugar filled snacks and your body is beginning to get hit hard…and all of this before the work day has even begun!

By the time you get home there is so much stress stored up in your body that you may even find it difficult to allow your mind to relax. You have probably been “storing” stress in your body for years and don’t realize it. This leads to trouble relaxing and sleeping, one of the most common symptoms of stress.

“Stress is harmful to the body as well as the mind.”
Time Magazine January 20, 2003

The topic of stress relief has been the object of controversy in recent decades due to the various ways to administer it. There are different ways for different cultures. Where the Hindus have yoga the Japanese have Zen. Both of these methods are excellent in relieving stress. There are many types of yoga and this practice includes stretching of the muscles and various positions to relax each body part. Meditation and concentration for each movement will eventually with continued effort give you a youthful glow and allow you to keep stress levels at a minimum. Zen, on the other, hand is a style focusing on more of the meditation. Zen is a more philosophical approach to stress relief and really works if practiced on a regular schedule.

Other ways to relieve stress include deep breathing exercises, light physical exercise, reading, getting out into nature, the calming effects of light music; each individual has their own method. Some may prefer bingo or bowling while another may choose baking or smoking a cigarette. Whatever the choice, there are certain consequences. For instance, if you choose to smoke to relieve your stress it may not be the best solution and could result in a health risk. Other ways to relieve stress are acupuncture and hypnosis. To locate a professional simply use the internet or it’s as easy as your phone book under physicians or alternative medicine.

I have researched and compiled a list of 6 extremely useful resources on the internet. Each resource has a description from it’s website to give you an idea of what to expect. This will give you a jump start on understanding the roots of stress and how to efficiently reduce stress in your life today.

1. A Completely Free Stress Management And Stress Relief System: If you want to learn exactly how you can control stress in all aspects of life, step by step, you will love this program. I think this is the most effective stress management & stress relief system on the net today and it’s available free. Might as well take advantage of it. Read about it @ http://www.InstantStressManagement.com

2. The American Institute of Stress: Many studies have proven beyond any doubt that stress affects your mind AND body. This site is “Dedicated to Advancing Our Understanding of: (1)The Role of Stress in Health and Illness, (2) The Nature and Importance of Mind-Body Relationships, and (3) Our Inherent and Immense Potential for Self-Healing.” @ http://www.Stress.org

3. American Psychological Association Help Center: As stated on the website, “APA’s Help Center is your online resource for brochures, tips and articles on the psychological issues that affect your physical and emotional well-being, as well as information about referrals.” @ http://www.apahelpcenter.org

4. International Stress Management Association: This is a charity that, “exists to promote sound knowledge and best practice in the prevention and reduction of human stress. It sets professional standards for the benefit of individuals and organizations using the services of its members.” @ http://www.isma.org.uk

5. The Job Stress Network: Everybody gets stressed at work. Although there are many good methods for quick stress relief (see resource #1), sometimes it is important to get information on work stress in particular. This can help you cope with your job better. As stated on the website, “The purpose of this site is to bring together, for public dissemination, information about and related to Job Strain (specifically) and Work Stress (in general).” @ http://www.workhealth.org

6. Stress Management Information at About.com: At this website you will find collections of articles, tips and tests that you can take. If you are looking for a general understanding of stress then this is the place to go. http://stress.about.com

It is very easy to maintain a relaxed mind and body if you just have the tools and knowledge. We all have to deal with life’s every day stresses but they don’t have to destroy our lives. Being able to control our stress levels is important to our overall body health.

Making some time for yourself that is quiet and free from things like your children or your spouse is very important because just because we love the people in our lives; they often cause a lot of our stress.