A Simple guide to Stress

A Simple guide to Stress
----------------------------

What is Stress?
-----------------

Stress is a very common condition characterised by exaggerated worry and tension.
People with stress worry excessively about money, health, family, or work, even though there are no signs of trouble.
They are unable to relax and may suffer from insomnia.

What are the common warning signs of stress?
------------------------------------------------------

The signs vary from person to person.
Some of them are:

1. Headaches
2. fast heartbeats
3. Muscle tension; muscle aches
4. muscle tremors
5. Inability to concentrate
6. Stomach ache
7. Diarrhoea
8. Chest pain
9. Breathlessness; hyperventilation
10.Dry mouth
11.Excessive sweating
12.Cold clammy hands
13.Under eating or overeating
14.Anxiety or panic
15.Irritability
16.Hyperactivity
17.Loss of sex drive
18.Fatigue
19.Sense of impending doom
20.Difficulty in falling asleep or frequent nightmares

Other signs may include chills, thirst, dizziness, nausea, fainting, twitches, vomiting, weakness, stuttering,shaky and strained voice,high-pitch laughter and higher blood pressure.

Even for children of school-going age, there are stress.
Symptoms include:

1.Fear of being away from the family
2.Refusal to go to school
3.Fear of strangers
4.Fear of falling asleep or having recurrent nightmares
5.Unnecessary worry

What can we do to lower our stress level?
------------------------------------------------

There are some ways to manage Stress:

1.Be more organised.
Plan your time well.
Do a list of all the things you need to do.
Arrange them in order of importance.
Decide how much time you need for each job.
Keep to your plan.

2.Give yourself time to adjust from one change to another.
Spread out the changes in your life.
Don't do too many things at one time.

3.Always do your work according to your own ability and interest.
Be realistic about what you can do.
Do not ask for the impossible.
Set goals which are achievable so that you don't feel frustrated or discouraged.

4.Think before making decisions.
Get all the relevant information first.
Don't decide blindly.
Consider all the pros and cons of each choice.
Get the people who will be affected by the decision involved in the process.

5.Learn to like yourself.
Don't worry about your external appearance and other faults.
Make the best of what you have.
Accept what you cannot change.

6.AlwaysThink positively.
Prevent negative feelings from building up.
Try to find the source of these feelings.
Always deal constructively with them.
Do not blow things out of proportion.

7.Do not keep all your problems and worries to yourself.
Remember you are not alone.
Share your problems with your spouse, friend or supervisor .
They may have had experience with similar situations.
They may be able to solve your problem.

8.Always build a happy family.
Be kind and loving to your family.
They will provide you with love and support in your times of need.
Always set aside some time each day to talk, play or relax together.
Your home should be a happy place to return to after a hard day's work.

9.Have good friends.
You also need good friends to talk to and laugh with.
They will visit you, go out with you and help you in times of need.
Treat others the way you would like them to treat you.
Respect their views and be patient with their faults.
Always try to give and take.

10.A healthy body is important to overcome stress.
Keep healthy by exercising regularly, eating wisely and getting enough sleep.
Do not smoke or drink to relieve your stress.
Smoking and drinking do not solve anything.
They will cause more problems for your health.

11.Spend some time on yourself.
Do something that you really enjoy like a hobby or an exercise.
Take a short break when you feel tensed or tired.
You deserve to have a little fun sometimes.

12.Try to learn some Relaxation Techniques:
Deep breathing exercise,
meditation,
massage and
muscle relaxation techniques
can be helpful in relieving stress.

What is the Treatment of Stress?
---------------------------------------

Stress can be treated with conventional medicine, psychotherapy and alternative approaches.
A combination of conventional and alternative methods has been shown to be effective.

Conventional Medicine
Psychotherapy and psychoanalysis helps to identify the buried conflicts and worries that may be causing the stress.

Behaviour modification, on the other hand, focuses on changing patterns of behaviour to help the patient avert stress or to cope better with it.

Cognitive therapy similarly concentrates on changing ways of thinking.

One of the best forms of treatment for stress is daily exercise and a healthy lifestyle.

Medication relieves symptoms of stress and is often prescribed in conjunction with other therapies.

Alternative Medicine:
--------------------------
music therapy,
yoga,
herbs and
aromatherapy
are some ways that have helped stress sufferers to relax.

"Remember that you are not alone.
There are always people who are willing to help you.
In this life you must always give and take.
Be happy! Don't worry unnnecessarily!"