What is Stress?
Stress is an big issue in today's society and stress is becoming more widely recognised. Unfortunately stress can be something that you can see in others but failed to recognise in yourself. When we are under stress, it can be hard to acknowledge the problem or to accept that it is affecting us.
Stress is simply the body's non-specific response to any demand made on it. Stress is not by definition synonymous with nervous tension or anxiety. Stress provides the means to express talents and energies and pursue happiness; it can also cause exhaustion and illness, either physical or psychological; heart attacks and accidents.
Our responses to events and life changes are unique to us and what may be stressful for one person may be empowering for another.
Whilst you cannot always control the situations that are causing you stress, you can control your own response to them and there are a range of practical things that can help. The most important thing is to learn to recognise your own response to stress and take positive action to deal with it.
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How your body deals with stress
As the body responds to various forms of physical or psychological stress, certain predictable changes occur. These include increased heart rate, blood pressure (systolic and diastolic), and secretions of stimulatory hormones. These responses to stress will occur whether the stress is positive or negative in nature. In lay terms, it is known as the "fight or flight" mechanism. Continual exposure lowers the body's ability to cope with additional forms of psychological or physiological stress.
Continued stress may cause disruption in one or more of the following areas of health:
- physical
- emotional
- spiritual
- social
More About Stress
Recognising Stress
Stress in the Workplace
Stress - How I can help companies
Stress - How I can help individuals
"I enjoyed the contents of the course; it has given me many tools to deal with my stress. I find since taken the course things don’t bother me anymore, I am much calmer. " |
