Wednesday 28 March, 2007
EFFECTS OF STRESS ON BODY AND MIND
1. Psychophysiological Reactions. Stress stimuli secrete catecholamines through herve channel. Catecholamine has various effect on different organs :-
(a) Heart.
(i) Increase heart & pulse rate.
(ii) Reduce pumping efficiency of heart.
(b) Lungs. Fast and shallow breathing.
(c) Stomach and Intestine.
(i) Increase blood circulation.
(ii) Alteration in Motility.
(d) Nervous System.
(i) Excitement.
(ii) Stupor.
(iii) Vomiting.
(iv) Restlessness.
(v) Panic Attack.
(vi) Dryness of Mouth.
(vii) Sweating.
(viii) Tensing of Muscles.
(e) Metabolism.
(i) High oxygen consumption.
(ii) High Blood Sugar.
2. Reduced Physical and Mental Efficiency. Excess stress reduces mental and physical efficiency due to neuroral exhaustion. A person under stress develops loss of interest in his work, feels fatigued, has impaired decision making and difficulty in concentration.
3. Drug Addiction. People under stress for temporary relaxation turn to smoking, alcohol and other drugs. Drugs provide temporary relief from stress. Addiction represents a form of psychological dependence and indicate that the person has been unable to attain adequate satisfaction or self esteem in his or her personal life. The addiction to drugs and to alcohol are associated with a high risk of suicide. The underlying lack of self confidence is often so deep seated that prolonged treatment and rehabilitation is required. Drug users also rapidly develop tolerance to the psychoactive effect and various adverse health consequences.
(a) Heart.
(i) Increase heart & pulse rate.
(ii) Reduce pumping efficiency of heart.
(b) Lungs. Fast and shallow breathing.
(c) Stomach and Intestine.
(i) Increase blood circulation.
(ii) Alteration in Motility.
(d) Nervous System.
(i) Excitement.
(ii) Stupor.
(iii) Vomiting.
(iv) Restlessness.
(v) Panic Attack.
(vi) Dryness of Mouth.
(vii) Sweating.
(viii) Tensing of Muscles.
(e) Metabolism.
(i) High oxygen consumption.
(ii) High Blood Sugar.
2. Reduced Physical and Mental Efficiency. Excess stress reduces mental and physical efficiency due to neuroral exhaustion. A person under stress develops loss of interest in his work, feels fatigued, has impaired decision making and difficulty in concentration.
3. Drug Addiction. People under stress for temporary relaxation turn to smoking, alcohol and other drugs. Drugs provide temporary relief from stress. Addiction represents a form of psychological dependence and indicate that the person has been unable to attain adequate satisfaction or self esteem in his or her personal life. The addiction to drugs and to alcohol are associated with a high risk of suicide. The underlying lack of self confidence is often so deep seated that prolonged treatment and rehabilitation is required. Drug users also rapidly develop tolerance to the psychoactive effect and various adverse health consequences.
STRESS MANAGEMENT AT HOME
1. Measure Your Stress. To lighten your load, first find out where you're carrying it - in piled-up bills, career worries, sleep difficulties, weight problems. Graph your stress peaks and valleys, and draw up an action plan to change what's working against you.
2. Consolidate Your Errands. Bundle the chores you find irritating, time-chomping downers; errands, bill paying, laundry, shopping. Do them all at once, instead of in lurches that produce stabs of stress. There's a real rush of satisfaction when you whack `em all off your list in one simple crack. Plus, it leaves more time for unwinding on the other days.
3. Pet a Pet. Having a dog or cat to care for and cuddle is a proven stress releaser. According to one study, after a heart attack(the ultimate stress wakeup call), pet owners had only 20 per cent of the recurrence rate of than without pets.
4. Designate a `No Stress' Zone. Pick a place to be your sanctuary from stress. No problems are thrashed out here. No bills are paid here. No newspapers are read here. No hassles, no worries. It could be a whole room or just a comfortable chair in a quiet corner.
5. Tune Out Irritants. Whose phone(fax, beeper, TV, radio) is it anyway? Just because you have a houseful of communication gadgets doesn't mean you have to be at their mercy. If noises and interruptions plague you all day at the office, shut them off at home, at least for an hour or so.
6. Put a Lid on Your Worries. Make an old shoe box your `worry box'. If you wake up during the night with distressing thoughts, or you can't even get to sleep, write what's bothering you on a slip of paper, put it in the box, close it, and tell yourself that now is your time for rest and you'll open the box in the morning when you can deal with the contents.
7. What has been discussed above is managing your stress in generic terms. For each personality different responses are required to control stress and this must be realised by oneself. So identification of real cause is the crux of the problem and solution will automatically come to you.
2. Consolidate Your Errands. Bundle the chores you find irritating, time-chomping downers; errands, bill paying, laundry, shopping. Do them all at once, instead of in lurches that produce stabs of stress. There's a real rush of satisfaction when you whack `em all off your list in one simple crack. Plus, it leaves more time for unwinding on the other days.
3. Pet a Pet. Having a dog or cat to care for and cuddle is a proven stress releaser. According to one study, after a heart attack(the ultimate stress wakeup call), pet owners had only 20 per cent of the recurrence rate of than without pets.
4. Designate a `No Stress' Zone. Pick a place to be your sanctuary from stress. No problems are thrashed out here. No bills are paid here. No newspapers are read here. No hassles, no worries. It could be a whole room or just a comfortable chair in a quiet corner.
5. Tune Out Irritants. Whose phone(fax, beeper, TV, radio) is it anyway? Just because you have a houseful of communication gadgets doesn't mean you have to be at their mercy. If noises and interruptions plague you all day at the office, shut them off at home, at least for an hour or so.
6. Put a Lid on Your Worries. Make an old shoe box your `worry box'. If you wake up during the night with distressing thoughts, or you can't even get to sleep, write what's bothering you on a slip of paper, put it in the box, close it, and tell yourself that now is your time for rest and you'll open the box in the morning when you can deal with the contents.
7. What has been discussed above is managing your stress in generic terms. For each personality different responses are required to control stress and this must be realised by oneself. So identification of real cause is the crux of the problem and solution will automatically come to you.
STRESS MANAGEMENT IN YOUR SOCIAL LIFE
1. Seek Supportive Family and Friends. A study published in the Journal of Personality and Society Psychology suggests that a strong social network can buffer the detrimental effects of stress. For five weeks before taking medical school entrance exams, 56 students kept track of their social contacts; they also rated their anxiety levels. The study revealed that social contacts decreased tension, but obligatory social contacts did nothing to reduce stress.
2. Learn to Detach. While men and women both feel stress when bad things happen to family members, women are far more likely to be affected when stressful events occur in the lives of friends, coworkers, even acquaintances. Women get involved in other people's problems while men are able to stay detached. So what can women do? Take up a hobby or a sport, suggest psychologists. The mental health effects are clear. As long as you're busy perfecting your serve in tennis you won't be worrying about other people's problems.
3. Make Time for Your Friends. Especially when a relationship is under stress, carve out time to get together and protect that time from all your other deadlines and responsibilities.
4. Maintain Balance in Your Relationship. Even when all is well, it's important to talk about balance in friendship. Is the relationship reciprocal? Are both people's needs being met? By bringing this up when everything is fine, you let your friend know the subject is discussable. Then in times of stress, the foundation is there for honest communication.
5. Don't Argue on an Empty Stomach. A surprising number of nasty arguments are actually blood-sugar battles. If you know you get cranky when your stomach's empty, stop for a snack before you launch that serious discussion. A piece of fruit could make the difference between a rational conversation and a blowout.
6. Help Somebody. Studies show that altruism reduces stress, boosts your immune response, improves your cardiovascular health and may even increase your longevity. Focusing on other people's troubles puts your's in perspective. Volunteering to help one person, face to face, on a regular basis produces the most healthful effects, research suggests. But random acts of kindness count, too.
7. Be Compassionate. Don't neglect personal relationships at the expense of your work. A study conducted on 1,000 men and women shows that when people begin treating themselves and others with compassion and forgiveness, their risk of having a heart attack drops 40 per cent.
2. Learn to Detach. While men and women both feel stress when bad things happen to family members, women are far more likely to be affected when stressful events occur in the lives of friends, coworkers, even acquaintances. Women get involved in other people's problems while men are able to stay detached. So what can women do? Take up a hobby or a sport, suggest psychologists. The mental health effects are clear. As long as you're busy perfecting your serve in tennis you won't be worrying about other people's problems.
3. Make Time for Your Friends. Especially when a relationship is under stress, carve out time to get together and protect that time from all your other deadlines and responsibilities.
4. Maintain Balance in Your Relationship. Even when all is well, it's important to talk about balance in friendship. Is the relationship reciprocal? Are both people's needs being met? By bringing this up when everything is fine, you let your friend know the subject is discussable. Then in times of stress, the foundation is there for honest communication.
5. Don't Argue on an Empty Stomach. A surprising number of nasty arguments are actually blood-sugar battles. If you know you get cranky when your stomach's empty, stop for a snack before you launch that serious discussion. A piece of fruit could make the difference between a rational conversation and a blowout.
6. Help Somebody. Studies show that altruism reduces stress, boosts your immune response, improves your cardiovascular health and may even increase your longevity. Focusing on other people's troubles puts your's in perspective. Volunteering to help one person, face to face, on a regular basis produces the most healthful effects, research suggests. But random acts of kindness count, too.
7. Be Compassionate. Don't neglect personal relationships at the expense of your work. A study conducted on 1,000 men and women shows that when people begin treating themselves and others with compassion and forgiveness, their risk of having a heart attack drops 40 per cent.
STRESS MANAGEMENT FOR YOUR INNER SELF
1. Awareness of Stress. Try to get clear in your mind what stresses you the most. What are your particular stressors? Be on the lookout for your stress signals so that you know as soon as you need to take action.
2. Cultivate a Sense of Control. Stress is different things to different people. Discovering another person's long-distance calls on your phone bill may be your last straw, while that same snafu might challenge some one else to get to the bottom of the mystery-and feel great for the effort. It's not the event, but your perception of it that makes for stress. Stressed-out people feel that life is spinning out of control and that they're powerless, while stress-resistant personalities feel a distinct sense of control. The challenge; Do something about what's bugging you if that's possible or forget about it if it's not. The trick is being able to distinguish which is which.
3. Look Inward. One of the best ways to find your focus is by meditating. Take 20 minutes to concentrate on a line from a poem, a pleasing image or even your breathing. Studies generally show that meditation reduces heart rate, blood pressure and feelings of anxiety.
4. Breathe Deeply, Smoothly and Slowly. The most basic stress-busting relaxation technique - deep breathing- is as easy to do on a jammed highway as in the supermarket checkout line. Breathing through your nose, exhaling twice as long as you inhale and not pausing between the in and the out breaths. In one large controlled study of heart patients it was revealed that those who practiced deep, diaphragmatic breathing were 50 per cent less likely to have another heart attack.
5. Begin with Prayer, End with a Walk. Start your day with a 10 minutes spirituality check-in, and end it up with a brisk walk or run. Exercise is nature's best tranquilizer.
6. Do Something With Your Hands Other Than Wringing. Make paper planes, a birdhouse, a needlepoint pillow, a cheesecake from scratch. A soothing manual task distracts the mind from worries and sometimes frees it to come up with a sudden, inspired solution to a problem.
7. Take a Mind Flight. For just a minute or two, close your eyes and imagine being on a quiet beach. Imagine the texture of he san, the warmth of the sun, lapping waves, the scent of flowers. Or picture yourself riding on the back of a huge graceful bird in flight. Mental imaging has been proven to have a powerful effect on blood pressure and heart rate.
8. Suck on Sour Balls. Research at MIT on the role of diet in stress has shown that both simple and complex carbohydrates may have a eating them; primal, rhythmic sucking or sipping may do even more. A hard boiled sweet, eaten slowly, may just do the trick.
9. Smile. When your life gets frantic, a smile will work wonders. Research conducted at the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research links smiling to changes in brain chemistry that reduce feelings of tension. Smiling allows you to breathe through your nose, which cools your brain and, in turn, cuts down on the release of grief-inducting neuro transmitters.
10. Laugh. When an earing slides down the drain or your bread ignites in the toaster, chuckles and chortles can take the sting out of stress. Laughter can improve respiration and circulation and can suppress damaging stress-related hormones. A 35 yrs long study of 268 Harvard University graduates found that those who had a good sense of humour coped with stress better and lived longer.
11. Analysis and Treatment of Actual Stressor. There are basically four alternative strategies for managing your stresses:-
(a) Take Action.
(b) Withdraw.
(c) Do Nothing.
(d) Adjust Your Attitude.
(i) Put the stressor in correct perspective.
(ii) Avoid negative thoughts and fantasies.
11. Put in Perspective. Stress gets us up and out of bed in the morning, spurs us to be productive and proves we're alive. So it isn't all bad news. Stress is simply the body's response to any demand to adapt.
2. Cultivate a Sense of Control. Stress is different things to different people. Discovering another person's long-distance calls on your phone bill may be your last straw, while that same snafu might challenge some one else to get to the bottom of the mystery-and feel great for the effort. It's not the event, but your perception of it that makes for stress. Stressed-out people feel that life is spinning out of control and that they're powerless, while stress-resistant personalities feel a distinct sense of control. The challenge; Do something about what's bugging you if that's possible or forget about it if it's not. The trick is being able to distinguish which is which.
3. Look Inward. One of the best ways to find your focus is by meditating. Take 20 minutes to concentrate on a line from a poem, a pleasing image or even your breathing. Studies generally show that meditation reduces heart rate, blood pressure and feelings of anxiety.
4. Breathe Deeply, Smoothly and Slowly. The most basic stress-busting relaxation technique - deep breathing- is as easy to do on a jammed highway as in the supermarket checkout line. Breathing through your nose, exhaling twice as long as you inhale and not pausing between the in and the out breaths. In one large controlled study of heart patients it was revealed that those who practiced deep, diaphragmatic breathing were 50 per cent less likely to have another heart attack.
5. Begin with Prayer, End with a Walk. Start your day with a 10 minutes spirituality check-in, and end it up with a brisk walk or run. Exercise is nature's best tranquilizer.
6. Do Something With Your Hands Other Than Wringing. Make paper planes, a birdhouse, a needlepoint pillow, a cheesecake from scratch. A soothing manual task distracts the mind from worries and sometimes frees it to come up with a sudden, inspired solution to a problem.
7. Take a Mind Flight. For just a minute or two, close your eyes and imagine being on a quiet beach. Imagine the texture of he san, the warmth of the sun, lapping waves, the scent of flowers. Or picture yourself riding on the back of a huge graceful bird in flight. Mental imaging has been proven to have a powerful effect on blood pressure and heart rate.
8. Suck on Sour Balls. Research at MIT on the role of diet in stress has shown that both simple and complex carbohydrates may have a eating them; primal, rhythmic sucking or sipping may do even more. A hard boiled sweet, eaten slowly, may just do the trick.
9. Smile. When your life gets frantic, a smile will work wonders. Research conducted at the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research links smiling to changes in brain chemistry that reduce feelings of tension. Smiling allows you to breathe through your nose, which cools your brain and, in turn, cuts down on the release of grief-inducting neuro transmitters.
10. Laugh. When an earing slides down the drain or your bread ignites in the toaster, chuckles and chortles can take the sting out of stress. Laughter can improve respiration and circulation and can suppress damaging stress-related hormones. A 35 yrs long study of 268 Harvard University graduates found that those who had a good sense of humour coped with stress better and lived longer.
11. Analysis and Treatment of Actual Stressor. There are basically four alternative strategies for managing your stresses:-
(a) Take Action.
(b) Withdraw.
(c) Do Nothing.
(d) Adjust Your Attitude.
(i) Put the stressor in correct perspective.
(ii) Avoid negative thoughts and fantasies.
11. Put in Perspective. Stress gets us up and out of bed in the morning, spurs us to be productive and proves we're alive. So it isn't all bad news. Stress is simply the body's response to any demand to adapt.
MANAGING STRESS IN ONE'S WORK LIFE AND ROUTINE
1. Tend to Your Goals. Set clear goals to help prioritize your daily tasks and manage time at the office. Goals keep you from doing extraneous things and help you manage stress. Write down your long and short-term goals whether it's improving communications with colleagues, drafting crisper memos or landing a promotion - as well as a realistic deadline for achieving them.
2. Work Smarter, Not Harder. Instead of reacting to job stress by simply working longer and harder, work more efficiently; have a group meeting rather than a series of individual ones, schedule difficult tasks during your best hours, get bothersome chores like paperwork out of the way all at once.
3. Be Ergonomically Correct. The proper equipment will reduce your physical stress-neck, back and shoulder strain as well as debilitating tendon and nerve damage in wrists and arms. Here's what you need; an adjustable chair with lower-back support, proper light, appropriate table and a keyboard positioned so your wrists stay straight and your upper arms remain at your sides.
4. Team Up. Working alone can be a huge contributor to stress. A pivotal study of the effect of isolation on life expectancy showed that loners were up to three times more likely to die early than socializers. Try collaborating with your colleagues on projects, or going to lunch together. Ride to and from work in pairs. Colleagues can give you new insights, feedback and emotional support.
5. Speak Your Mind. Many people, especially women, feel stressed out at work because they fall into a passive or nurturing role. Be assertive at meetings, speak up and present ideas. Don't silently accept too much work. And ask for feedback when you need it.
6. Make Your Breaks Count. When you take a break from work it should be an act of pleasure, a true diversion. Dive into an Agatha Christie mystery, crank up Asha Bhosle on your headphones. Don't just catch up on paperwork. Get your mind on other things. In the long run, it makes you more effective.
7. Watch those Double Lattes. You don't have to give up that wonderful early morning java jolt, but beware of those afternoon coffee urges when you're tense. Coffeine acts like stress on your body, stimulating the release of adrenalin and increasing heartbeat, blood pressure and shallow breathing.
8. Eliminate Distractions. Curtail the needless interruptions that bombard you all day; Hang a `quiet time' sign on your door. Put up a divider in your cubicle. Hold your calls. Move noisy machines away from your desk.
9. Diversify Your Life. Workaholics who depend too much on their job for self esteem feel a lot more stress than those with rich social lives. Try rekindling and old friendship. Become a volunteer for a worthy cause. How about a dance, music or art class? People with a balanced life are better able to withstand job pressures because they get goodies outside of work.
10. Prepare and Organize Your Work. One of the big things you can do to avoid stress is to prepare yourself thoroughly, in your work and in your private life. Coping with the unexpected is much harder than managing the expected :-
(a) Take a look at the systems and equipment that you use.
(b) Try to write things down.
(c) Only work on one thing at a time.
(d) Keep an eye on the next thing to do.
(e) Keep your work place tidy.
(f) Be able to lay your hands at once on everything you need.
(g) Store everything you use often within easy reach.
11. Prepare Plan B. If fears of unknown/sudden changes and demands are adding to your anxiety, start making plans for every contingency. Update your resume, set up informational interviews, sharpen your skills with a discussion.Research also shows that people who have at least some control over a stressful situation handle it much better.
2. Work Smarter, Not Harder. Instead of reacting to job stress by simply working longer and harder, work more efficiently; have a group meeting rather than a series of individual ones, schedule difficult tasks during your best hours, get bothersome chores like paperwork out of the way all at once.
3. Be Ergonomically Correct. The proper equipment will reduce your physical stress-neck, back and shoulder strain as well as debilitating tendon and nerve damage in wrists and arms. Here's what you need; an adjustable chair with lower-back support, proper light, appropriate table and a keyboard positioned so your wrists stay straight and your upper arms remain at your sides.
4. Team Up. Working alone can be a huge contributor to stress. A pivotal study of the effect of isolation on life expectancy showed that loners were up to three times more likely to die early than socializers. Try collaborating with your colleagues on projects, or going to lunch together. Ride to and from work in pairs. Colleagues can give you new insights, feedback and emotional support.
5. Speak Your Mind. Many people, especially women, feel stressed out at work because they fall into a passive or nurturing role. Be assertive at meetings, speak up and present ideas. Don't silently accept too much work. And ask for feedback when you need it.
6. Make Your Breaks Count. When you take a break from work it should be an act of pleasure, a true diversion. Dive into an Agatha Christie mystery, crank up Asha Bhosle on your headphones. Don't just catch up on paperwork. Get your mind on other things. In the long run, it makes you more effective.
7. Watch those Double Lattes. You don't have to give up that wonderful early morning java jolt, but beware of those afternoon coffee urges when you're tense. Coffeine acts like stress on your body, stimulating the release of adrenalin and increasing heartbeat, blood pressure and shallow breathing.
8. Eliminate Distractions. Curtail the needless interruptions that bombard you all day; Hang a `quiet time' sign on your door. Put up a divider in your cubicle. Hold your calls. Move noisy machines away from your desk.
9. Diversify Your Life. Workaholics who depend too much on their job for self esteem feel a lot more stress than those with rich social lives. Try rekindling and old friendship. Become a volunteer for a worthy cause. How about a dance, music or art class? People with a balanced life are better able to withstand job pressures because they get goodies outside of work.
10. Prepare and Organize Your Work. One of the big things you can do to avoid stress is to prepare yourself thoroughly, in your work and in your private life. Coping with the unexpected is much harder than managing the expected :-
(a) Take a look at the systems and equipment that you use.
(b) Try to write things down.
(c) Only work on one thing at a time.
(d) Keep an eye on the next thing to do.
(e) Keep your work place tidy.
(f) Be able to lay your hands at once on everything you need.
(g) Store everything you use often within easy reach.
11. Prepare Plan B. If fears of unknown/sudden changes and demands are adding to your anxiety, start making plans for every contingency. Update your resume, set up informational interviews, sharpen your skills with a discussion.Research also shows that people who have at least some control over a stressful situation handle it much better.
Monday 19 March, 2007
STRESS MANAGEMENT
1. Stress Management implies the considered conditioning of an individual's environment and responses to those influences, which disturb natural equilibrium of the human being and there by limit the negative effects of the same. Western contemporary management thought looks for externally oriented approaches to management of stress. These approaches include restructuring the external environment, changing the person's level of mental, physical and social skill by supporting him in the use of these skills, or by altering his perceptual and cognitive processes and also through what is called social engineering. To amplify the idea, social engineering may make simple but extreme forms such as spouse or resigning a difficult job. In this approach, it is not uncommon to find that in many cases new problems get created as old ones get solved. The management of stress through a human value approach on the contrary is an inward looking process which focuses on the individual's value based strengths to combat the fallout of stressful management through problem prevention rather than through problem solving.
2. Stress management encompasses various areas of interaction on a personal level as well as on a social level. Ways of managing stress in these areas are different for every individual however there are stress management techniques or solutions in general for every sphere of activity listed below. The more general methods and those which have been researched and found acceptance are being covered under the following heads :-
(a) Work Life.
(b) Inner Self.
(c) Social Life.
(d) At Home.
2. Stress management encompasses various areas of interaction on a personal level as well as on a social level. Ways of managing stress in these areas are different for every individual however there are stress management techniques or solutions in general for every sphere of activity listed below. The more general methods and those which have been researched and found acceptance are being covered under the following heads :-
(a) Work Life.
(b) Inner Self.
(c) Social Life.
(d) At Home.
STRESS AND PERSONALITY
1. Every person has a distinct personality of his own. This is acquired over a period of time during initial stages of life and depends upon the education, environment, family background and experiences. We often describe people as ambitious, pessimist, optimist, sadist, happy-go-lucky, serious, jovial etc. All these are based on the responses of the individual to certain given situations. Analysis and Effects of Stress on Various Personalities
2. You analyse yourself as a personality yourself and have yourself slotted.
3. Ambitious Types. The ambitious types are particularly liable to get the physical diseases of stress, i.e. Peptic Ulcer, Coronary heart disease, migraine and high blood pressure. The ambitious persons are generally in control of their emotions and mental stress is not very common. Feelings of anger, irritability, nervousness and depression are sometimes noticed in these people, but they quickly suppress the same. The stress thus has its main impact on the body.
4. The Worrying Types. The worrying types are more likely to have mental stress. The reactions of the nervous system which we all feel occasionally, happens very frequently with them. These people are less likely to develop the physical diseases of stress, although they do more often than the placid types.
5. Placid Types. Placid types show the least harmful stress. This is predictable, because they are seekers of stability, not of change, and happiest when few demands are made on them. They experience less stress in all its forms, both healthy and harmful, than the other types and so suffer much less from its ill effect.
6. Conscientious Types. The conscientious types who like to have their entire life organized in advance, suffer stress if they are repeatedly made to undergo changes which are beyond their control. They generally show both the mental and physical stress, but generally tend towards the latter. Their high principles and strong sense of duty often lead to greater stress than in other types of personalities.
7. Carefree Types. The carefree types are the closest to the placid types and have a much lower predisposition to harmful stress. But their desire for variety and excitement may lead them into potentially harmful situations. They are more likely to have accidents because they take risks in all spheres of life. They generally lack foresight and do things which fulfill their need for excitement because of the risks involved.
8. The Dependable Types. The dependable types are more likely to have mental consequences of harmful stress. They do not like being alone and any prolonged isolation is unpleasant for them. They express their feelings readily, which may at times sound exaggerated. They are likely to respond to the ups and downs of life with appropriate displays of emotions.
9. The Suspicious Types. The suspicious types, like the dependable types, are more likely to have the mental consequences of harmful stress, but under different circumstances. They prefer being alone and are most distressed when forced to rub shoulders with many people, particularly when there is no opportunity to avoid them.
10. The stress which is actively desired by the dependable types is harmful to the suspicious types because it reinforces their worries and suspicions and shows in both the mental and physical spheres. Such people prefer a few people around them whom they can trust absolutely; the rest of humanity is their potential enemy.
11. Each one of us has an ideal level of stress which satisfies us. Below this level we get bored and above it we feel under strain. Different personalities have different levels of stress. The ambitious ones have the highest level and the placid types the lowest. The worrying and the suspicious types have moderately low levels. The dependable and the conscientious types have moderately high ones. It is thus impossible for all personality types to be satisfied under same situations.
2. You analyse yourself as a personality yourself and have yourself slotted.
3. Ambitious Types. The ambitious types are particularly liable to get the physical diseases of stress, i.e. Peptic Ulcer, Coronary heart disease, migraine and high blood pressure. The ambitious persons are generally in control of their emotions and mental stress is not very common. Feelings of anger, irritability, nervousness and depression are sometimes noticed in these people, but they quickly suppress the same. The stress thus has its main impact on the body.
4. The Worrying Types. The worrying types are more likely to have mental stress. The reactions of the nervous system which we all feel occasionally, happens very frequently with them. These people are less likely to develop the physical diseases of stress, although they do more often than the placid types.
5. Placid Types. Placid types show the least harmful stress. This is predictable, because they are seekers of stability, not of change, and happiest when few demands are made on them. They experience less stress in all its forms, both healthy and harmful, than the other types and so suffer much less from its ill effect.
6. Conscientious Types. The conscientious types who like to have their entire life organized in advance, suffer stress if they are repeatedly made to undergo changes which are beyond their control. They generally show both the mental and physical stress, but generally tend towards the latter. Their high principles and strong sense of duty often lead to greater stress than in other types of personalities.
7. Carefree Types. The carefree types are the closest to the placid types and have a much lower predisposition to harmful stress. But their desire for variety and excitement may lead them into potentially harmful situations. They are more likely to have accidents because they take risks in all spheres of life. They generally lack foresight and do things which fulfill their need for excitement because of the risks involved.
8. The Dependable Types. The dependable types are more likely to have mental consequences of harmful stress. They do not like being alone and any prolonged isolation is unpleasant for them. They express their feelings readily, which may at times sound exaggerated. They are likely to respond to the ups and downs of life with appropriate displays of emotions.
9. The Suspicious Types. The suspicious types, like the dependable types, are more likely to have the mental consequences of harmful stress, but under different circumstances. They prefer being alone and are most distressed when forced to rub shoulders with many people, particularly when there is no opportunity to avoid them.
10. The stress which is actively desired by the dependable types is harmful to the suspicious types because it reinforces their worries and suspicions and shows in both the mental and physical spheres. Such people prefer a few people around them whom they can trust absolutely; the rest of humanity is their potential enemy.
11. Each one of us has an ideal level of stress which satisfies us. Below this level we get bored and above it we feel under strain. Different personalities have different levels of stress. The ambitious ones have the highest level and the placid types the lowest. The worrying and the suspicious types have moderately low levels. The dependable and the conscientious types have moderately high ones. It is thus impossible for all personality types to be satisfied under same situations.
CLASSIFICATION OF STRESS
1.Depending upon the type of reaction on the body and its effects stress can be classified as healthy or harmful stress, with corresponding positive and negative effects.
(a) Healthy Stress. Stress is valuable under certain circumstances, e.g. sports, making speeches and taking exams. The stress response puts people on their mettle, increases alertness, improves sight, strengthens muscles and reduces reaction time. The stress response increases our ability to stand and fight or turn and flee; and to moblise all our resources to achieve whatever we decide to do.
(b) Harmful Stress. More often that not, stress is always harmful. It includes distress and strain and has no advantages what so ever. It is this kind of stress which would be discussed in today’s lecture. Harmful stress leads to certain negative effects. The negative effects show particularly when a person allows harmful stress to remain in the body, usually when there is no chance to take necessary steps to release a stress response that is too strong or lasts too long. The negative effects of stress show up in three ways in particular :-
(i) Unsuitable Behaviour.
(ii) Lower Energy and Performance Levels.
(iii) Poor Health.
2. The key difference between healthy and harmful stress is that in healthy stress there is rapid adjustment to change while in harmful stress, there is little or no adjustment. A person is surrounded by changes, but has no trouble in adjusting to most of them. It is only those changes for which he has no answer that leads a person to harmful stress. This is the stress which people complain about and is the cause of physical and mental sufferings.
(a) Healthy Stress. Stress is valuable under certain circumstances, e.g. sports, making speeches and taking exams. The stress response puts people on their mettle, increases alertness, improves sight, strengthens muscles and reduces reaction time. The stress response increases our ability to stand and fight or turn and flee; and to moblise all our resources to achieve whatever we decide to do.
(b) Harmful Stress. More often that not, stress is always harmful. It includes distress and strain and has no advantages what so ever. It is this kind of stress which would be discussed in today’s lecture. Harmful stress leads to certain negative effects. The negative effects show particularly when a person allows harmful stress to remain in the body, usually when there is no chance to take necessary steps to release a stress response that is too strong or lasts too long. The negative effects of stress show up in three ways in particular :-
(i) Unsuitable Behaviour.
(ii) Lower Energy and Performance Levels.
(iii) Poor Health.
2. The key difference between healthy and harmful stress is that in healthy stress there is rapid adjustment to change while in harmful stress, there is little or no adjustment. A person is surrounded by changes, but has no trouble in adjusting to most of them. It is only those changes for which he has no answer that leads a person to harmful stress. This is the stress which people complain about and is the cause of physical and mental sufferings.
STRESS RESPONSE:EFFECTS OF STRESS
1.The stress response can be described as a chain reaction of changes within the body. These are also called as symptoms, some of which are :-
(a) Shallower, Quicker Breathing.
(b) Greater Production of Adrenalin.
(c) Faster Heartbeat.
(d) Rise in Blood Pressure.
(e) Reduction in Blood Supply to Hands and Feet.
(f) Increase in Body's Metabolism.
(g) Faster clotting of blood.
(h) Reduction of blood supply to the stomach and abdomen.
(j) Increased blood flow to the muscles.
(k) Tensing of Muscles.
(l) Sharpening of all Senses.
(m) Reduction of Tension in Bowel and Stomach Functions
(n) Reduction in the Efficiency of the Immune System.
(a) Shallower, Quicker Breathing.
(b) Greater Production of Adrenalin.
(c) Faster Heartbeat.
(d) Rise in Blood Pressure.
(e) Reduction in Blood Supply to Hands and Feet.
(f) Increase in Body's Metabolism.
(g) Faster clotting of blood.
(h) Reduction of blood supply to the stomach and abdomen.
(j) Increased blood flow to the muscles.
(k) Tensing of Muscles.
(l) Sharpening of all Senses.
(m) Reduction of Tension in Bowel and Stomach Functions
(n) Reduction in the Efficiency of the Immune System.
STRESS SIGNALS
1. The causes of stress lead to stress in an individual, which he shows in the form of certain signals. These signals or indicators may be physical, mental, emotional or behavioural.
2.Physical.
(a) Change in Breathing Rhythm.
(b) Tense and Aching Muscles.
(c) Headaches.
(d) Sweating.
(e) Cold Hands and Feet.
(f) Changes in Appetite.
(g) Stomach Problems, Heartburn.
3.Mental.
(a) Lack of Concentration.
(b) More Frequent Mistakes.
(c) Forgetfulness/Absent Mindedness.
(d) Tendency to Over-react.
(e) Poorer Judgment.
4.Emotional.
(a) Irritation/Short Temper.
(b) Nervousness.
(c) Depression/Silence.
(d) Emotional Outbursts/Crying.
4.Behavioural.
(a) Insomnia.
(b) Increased Drinking/Smoking/Eating.
(c) Absenteeism.
(d) Clumsiness.
2.Physical.
(a) Change in Breathing Rhythm.
(b) Tense and Aching Muscles.
(c) Headaches.
(d) Sweating.
(e) Cold Hands and Feet.
(f) Changes in Appetite.
(g) Stomach Problems, Heartburn.
3.Mental.
(a) Lack of Concentration.
(b) More Frequent Mistakes.
(c) Forgetfulness/Absent Mindedness.
(d) Tendency to Over-react.
(e) Poorer Judgment.
4.Emotional.
(a) Irritation/Short Temper.
(b) Nervousness.
(c) Depression/Silence.
(d) Emotional Outbursts/Crying.
4.Behavioural.
(a) Insomnia.
(b) Increased Drinking/Smoking/Eating.
(c) Absenteeism.
(d) Clumsiness.
Sunday 18 March, 2007
SOCIAL STRESSORS:INTER PERSONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL
(1) Different Values.
(2) Obligations.
(3) Waiting Time.
(4) Poor Service.
(5) Smokers/Non-Smokers.
(6) Driving Habits.
(7) Social Expectations.
(2) Obligations.
(3) Waiting Time.
(4) Poor Service.
(5) Smokers/Non-Smokers.
(6) Driving Habits.
(7) Social Expectations.
SOCIAL STRESSORS:FAMILY
Numerous stressors are at work in the family front and the worst stress is the separation of husband and wife and the stress is the highest for the newly wed couples on their initial separation due to job profile.
Other stressors to include are as listed below:
Other stressors to include are as listed below:
(1) Sharing of Workload.
(2) Jealousy.
(3) Sex Roles.
(4) Different Values.
(5) Death or Illness in the family.
(6) Different Lifestyle.
(7) Money Problems.
(2) Jealousy.
(3) Sex Roles.
(4) Different Values.
(5) Death or Illness in the family.
(6) Different Lifestyle.
(7) Money Problems.
SOCIAL STRESSORS:SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL.
(1) Unemployment.
(2) Inflation.
(3) Cost of Housing.
(4) Taxes.
(5) Crime.
(6) Pollution.
(7) Technological Changes.
(2) Inflation.
(3) Cost of Housing.
(4) Taxes.
(5) Crime.
(6) Pollution.
(7) Technological Changes.
PHYSICAL STRESSORS
Physical stressors are as listed below:
(1) Heat.
(2) Cold.
(3) Noise.
(4) Poor Working Conditions and Equipment.
(5) Fire.
(6) Traffic.
(7) Violence.
(8) Own Illness.
(1) Heat.
(2) Cold.
(3) Noise.
(4) Poor Working Conditions and Equipment.
(5) Fire.
(6) Traffic.
(7) Violence.
(8) Own Illness.
CAUSES OF STRESS
The first step in learning to control your stress, is to find out what your stressors are i.e. what stresses a person most. Stressors can be divided into physical and social groupings. The social stressors lead to emotional stress and can be further sub-grouped. The physical & social groupings are discussed in subsequent posts.
TYPES OF STRESS
1.Stress is essentially of two types -physical and mental. Mental stress can also be at times termed as psychological or emotional stress. Physical and emotional stresses are essentially the same as far as the effects on the body are concerned. The only difference being that the emotional stress seldom reaches the same intensity in its demands on the body as the physical stress. The body does not take any notice of the kind of emotion being shown. It makes no difference whether a person is red in the face from anger or heat or bothered with embarrassment. The body reacts in the same way.
Saturday 17 March, 2007
DEFINITION OF STRESS
1.Physical science defines stress as a constraining or impelling force exerted on a body. Medical sciences have defined stress as any influence, which disturbs the natural equilibrium of the body and includes within its reference physical injury, exposure, deprivation, all kinds of diseases and emotional disturbances.
2. Stress may also be defined as under: -
(a) A stimulus (a negative force) impinging upon an individual either from outside or from within himself.
(b) A response, emotional or physiological, of the individual, to external or internal events.
(c) An interaction between the individual and his surrounding.
3.As is the case with every material, whether it be gold, steel or clay, human beings also can tolerate certain levels of stress. Damage, whether psychological or physical occurs when they are continually exposed to low or high levels of stress. However, unlike physical matter, human beings have the unique ability to condition their responses to the stress and thus alter the effects caused.
2. Stress may also be defined as under: -
(a) A stimulus (a negative force) impinging upon an individual either from outside or from within himself.
(b) A response, emotional or physiological, of the individual, to external or internal events.
(c) An interaction between the individual and his surrounding.
3.As is the case with every material, whether it be gold, steel or clay, human beings also can tolerate certain levels of stress. Damage, whether psychological or physical occurs when they are continually exposed to low or high levels of stress. However, unlike physical matter, human beings have the unique ability to condition their responses to the stress and thus alter the effects caused.
STRESS-PRESSURES,TENSIONS AND STRAINS MANAGEMENT
1.What is stress? Before we actually get down to analyze stress academically, let me tell you a story. Story of how stress came into human lives. It was in 1905 that an ambitious, young endocrinologist named Hans Selve had a bad habit of dropping lab rabbits, chasing them around the room and catching them under the sink. When they developed ulcers and sheverlen immune tissues, Selve carried out tests and realized what was happening. His clumsiness was making them sick. Searching for a word to describe this response to life under tension, he borrowed a term from engineering and "Stress" was born.2.Today, we're working longer hours than our parents ever did, the equivalent of an extra month per year. We are cramming too much stuff into our dwindling leisure hours; our weekends disappear as we run errands, do the laundry, cook dinner, and pay the bills. And then we feel guilty when we can't find time to stay in close touch with family, nurture friendships keep up with our reading, throw dinner parties etc.
3.Stress connotes various types of pressures, tensions and strains, which an individual is subjected to in his or her work environment. Depending on the type of work, it can take the form of physical, emotional or psychological stress, or even a combination of these. The more intelligent honest and industrious an individual, the more is his work output likely to be and the more vulnerable will he be to stress. However, with experience, discipline and an organized mode of functioning the individual can become more conditioned and resilient.
STRESS-CAN WE ESCAPE IT?
1. Stress is unavoidable. Always has been. Always will be. We are all struggling to keep our feet amid all the pushing and shoving; we are looking to do jobs well, raise our kids right, to romance our spouses. We want time for friends, our family, ourselves. We want to play sports and enjoy hobbies. We want to care for our homes, our cars, our bodies. We want all this and on top of it all, we want more money, more power, more respect, more recognition, more promotions, more, more and more. Well, we cannot have it all. There is a very specific pt where we reach overload, where the demands on us exceed our limits. We gradually lose our ability to cope with the demands facing us. We get `stressed' out.
2. Stress affects people from all walks of life in varied forms. Paparazzi stalking Late Diana resulting in her death, Ronaldo experiencing Fits before the big match, drop in performance of Sachin Tendulkar on assuming captaincy of Indian cricket team are all related to stress in one way or the other.
3. When you say `I feel stressed', you probably mean you are feeling tired, irritated, overworked, exhausted, depressed, tense, disappointed etc. In fact, there is something definitely wrong with your life. What do you do?
2. Stress affects people from all walks of life in varied forms. Paparazzi stalking Late Diana resulting in her death, Ronaldo experiencing Fits before the big match, drop in performance of Sachin Tendulkar on assuming captaincy of Indian cricket team are all related to stress in one way or the other.
3. When you say `I feel stressed', you probably mean you are feeling tired, irritated, overworked, exhausted, depressed, tense, disappointed etc. In fact, there is something definitely wrong with your life. What do you do?
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