What is stress?

Stress is the "wear and tear" our bodies experience as we adjust to our continually changing environment; it has physical and emotional effects on us and can create positive or negative feelings. As a positive influence, stress can help compel us to action; it can result in a new awareness and an exciting new perspective. As a negative influence, it can result in feelings of distrust, rejection, anger, and depression, which in turn can lead to health problems such as headaches, upset stomach, rashes, insomnia, ulcers, high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. In so adjusting to different circumstances, stress will help or hinder us depending on how we react to it.

Women have unique sources of stress in their lives - multiple-role conflicts, an inability to say "no" to colleagues or family members, perfectionism, the need to prove yourself, the need to "do it all."

Four steps to stress management

Awareness - The first step in managing stress is to become aware that it is there. Do this by identifying your stressors, those things that make us angry or upset, happy or excited. Symptoms-tight neck and shoulder muscles, headaches, upset stomach, etc. You must realize that you may be causing your own stress by negative thoughts and the snow ball effect.

Acceptance - Keep it in perspective. There is stress in everything we do and the only way we experience no stress is to be dead! Self-talk in stressful situations helps us accept stress and readies us for the next stressful event. Examples of self talk include saying: “this won't last forever,” “things could be worse,” “someday I will laugh about this” Keep a positive attitude!

Coping - You can literally run away from stress, swim, bike, walk or work in the garden. Housework helps too! When you know an upcoming event will be stressful, make sure you are doing some preventive medicine like eating right, exercising, enjoying your hobby, keeping up with friends, and doing something that relaxes you.

Action - Much stress is caused by lack of communication and we know that men are very poor communicators. We must attempt to improve our communication skills in dealing with people by expressing our feelings in a non-threatening way to others and being good listeners. Always be precise, sensitive, keep an open mind, focus on the message and check for understanding.

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