The Three Levels of Stress

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Background

Stress can be defined as one of the body's natural responses to our

ever-changing environment. We use stressful situations such as physical,

mental or emotional pressures to motivate and challenge ourselves. We

all respond to stressful situations in different ways. What may seem

like a challenge to one individual may seem overwhelming to another. As

there are varying degrees of stress, it is your reaction to the

situation which determines whether it is good or bad stress. As

increased stress over a period of time can be harmful to your health, it

is important that you understand what creates the stress in your life,

and how to deal with various situations which make you feel stressed.

We all experience stress on a daily basis, however certain situations

trigger more stress than others ie.: death of a loved one, birth of a

child, divorce, marriage, new job, or unemployment. Long term worries

may include: concern about the future/retirement, economy/security,

children's future or illness.

By understanding what causes stress you are well on your way to managing

your own reaction to stress.

How Stressed Are You?

What adds to your stress may differ, however there are three levels of

stress which you may encounter:

Level One: Typical reaction to a stressful moment. Adrenaline is

released, your heart beats faster, sweating may occur and you start to

breathe more quickly.

Level Two: Stressful moment does not seem to pass: feel anxious,

pressured and tired. You may consume more food, drink, cigarettes, etc.

Level Three: You are chronically stressed. Experience personality

changes, difficulty in sleeping and errors in judgment. You may become

more vulnerable to illness such as depression.

Six Steps to Coping With Stress

Everyone copes with stress in different ways. Through the long-term

strategies you can learn to reduce the stress you encounter:

1. Identify Your Problems: What do you think is creating the stress in

your life - once you identify the problem you can find a solution.

2. Solve Your Problems: Think about solutions which can alleviate the

stress in your life. Are you creating extra stress in your life?

Reevaluate what is important to you and learn how to say no.

3. Talk About Your Problems: Talking things out really helps you deal

with stress. Friends and family members might not realize how you are

feeling. They can give you the support you need or they can offer

solutions to dealing with your stress. If you need to talk to someone

outside your circle of friends consult your family doctor who can refer

you to a mental health counselor.

4. Learn About Stress Management: There is an assortment of books,

magazines and videos which focus on dealing with stress, including

workshops and time management seminars.

5. Take Your Mind Off Your Problems: Worrying about your problems will

not help them go away. Give yourself some distance and get busy in a

project which will take you away from your stress for a while, this will

allow you to reassess your situation with a clearer mind.

6. Reduce Tension: Physical activity is great for reducing stress and it

does not have to be a major work out; go for a walk, work in your

garden. Simple breathing exercises and stretching can also reduce

physical stress.

REMEMBER - whatever works for you is the best solution. By reducing your

tension you have more energy to solve the problems which caused your

stress. The best way to deal with the stress in your life is to know

what to look for, and know how to prevent it.

There are three steps which you can take to help avoid stressful

situations:

MAKE DECISIONS: Not making decisions causes undue worry and stress.

AVOID PUTTING THINGS OFF: Make a weekly schedule and try to stick to it,

getting things done will free you from the pressure which comes with

procrastination.

DELEGATE: At work and at home, do not do everything yourself, get people

to help you.

If your stress cannot be controlled and it is causing physical or

emotional problems, you may want to contact your family physician or

other clinicians. http://www.cmha-tb.on.ca/stress.htm