DEALING_WITH_STRESS
Stress is a common problem that affects almost
all of us at some point in our lives. Stress is a fact
of life, wherever you are and whatever you are doing. Stress may sound simple,
but has a tremendous impact on the person concerned and people around him/her.
The psychological condition eventually leads to physical disorders. Stress is the feeling of being under too much mental or emotional
pressure. Pressure turns into stress
when you feel unable to cope. People have different ways of reacting
to stress, so a situation that feels stressful to one person may in
fact be motivating to another. Many of life's demands can cause stress,
especially work, education, relationships and financial problems,
and when you feel stressed, it can affect everything you do. Stress
can affect how you feel, how you think, how you behave and how your body
works.
Symptoms of stress:
Stress is not itself an illness but it can cause serious
illness if not tackled. It is important to recognize the symptoms of
stress early. This will help you figure out ways of coping and save
you from adopting unhealthy coping methods, such as drinking or
smoking. Spotting the early signs of stress will also help prevent it
worsening and potentially causing serious complications, such as high blood
pressure, anxiety and depression.
Let us list out the common symptoms (Psychological,
Behavioral and Physiological) that you see when a person is exposed to stress.
Symptoms of stress often build up gradually before you start noticing them.
When under stress, you may feel:
·
Low in self-esteem
·
Have a low mood
·
Anxious, aggressive,
apathetic
·
Bored, tired, lonely
& strained
·
Depressed, frustrated,
guilty
·
Irritable, paranoid
& restless
·
Lacking in confidence,
self pity
·
Tense, nervous,
worried, drained
You may find that you:
·
Have too many thoughts
racing in your head and you worry constantly
·
Imagine the worst
·
Go over and over things
·
Are Unable to
concentrate
·
Experience Loss of the
feeling of self pride
·
Have Difficulty in
making decisions, solving problems and experience forgetfulness
There
may be noticeable changes in your behavior and habits.
You may notice you are:
·
Having temper
outbursts
·
Drinking and smoking
more
·
Talking more or
faster/ becoming extremely silent
·
Changing your eating
habits
·
Feeling unsociable
·
Being forgetful or
clumsy
·
Being unreasonable
·
Struggling to concentrate
·
Work never finished,
rushing to catch up, do a “ little bit more”
Along with the psychological and behavioral aspects, stress
is accompanied by changes in the physiology of your body.
The physiological symptoms of stress might
be:
·
Headaches
·
Difficulty sleeping
·
Excessive sweating
·
Muscle tension and
pain
·
Stomach problems
·
Sweating and feeling
dizzy
·
Bowel or bladder
problems
·
Breathlessness
·
Dry mouth
·
Sexual problems
The difference
is in how you handle stress. While there is little
you can do to prevent stress, there are many things you can do to manage stress
more effectively, such as learning how to relax, taking regular exercise and
adopting good time management techniques. It’s important to find at
least one stress management technique that works for you and then use it
constantly. It helps you build new habits that promote increased calmness,
happiness and peace of mind.
-
Dr.
N. Deepa Mohan,
Head, Dept.
of Psychology, GITAM Institute of Management