A small amount of stress is not a bad, but when stress takes over, it usually become too much. Stress is a way of life for many. Hats off to those who can handle the stress in their lives.
There are people who just cannot or knows how to handle stressors. Everyone handles stress differently. Some have come to recognize the side effects of stress and have stress side effects but do not understand what is happening.
The side effects from stress can be feelings of panic or anxiety or the person may feel like their muscles are tight. Some people habitually clench their jaw tightly when they are awake or sleep.
When asleep, they may grind their teeth, resulting in a painful jaw/dental condition called temporomandibular joint (TMJ) syndrome. People under stress may also become paranoid and fearful.
When a person is under episodic stress and in situations called fight or flight, they may feel like their heart is going to jump out of their chest. They may feel their heart pulsating in every part of their body.
Their respiratory rate may become fast and shallow. Their hands become sweaty and their mouth dry. Their legs may become weak and shaky. This type of stress is short term.
Excessive prolonged stress is the stress that can causes problems not recognized and dealt with. This stress can cause continuous fatigue, with possible mood swings and insomnia.
This stress can bring about nightmares, and can trigger illness disease processes. Common long-term stressors may be one’s job situation, a troubling neighbor, a chronic illness, school schedules, and finances are a few of these stressors.
The person may require the services of therapy in order to be taught the correct way to deal with these long-term stressors.
Episodic stressors are short term. Their occurrences are brought on by some unusual, sudden event. Episodic stressors could include moving to a new home, a new job or school, a wedding, the birth of a child, a separation or divorce, or the death of a loved one.
Riding a scary roller coaster can bring on stressors until the person gets off. Coming face to face with another person, animal or situation that threatens bodily harm will bring about a fight or flight stress.
Soldiers often deal with post-traumatic disorder when they return home from war. People who force themselves to always have their ducks in a row and everything has to be organized, may have a diagnosis called obsessive compulsive disorder.
Their stressors come about when everything and everyone is not in order. Generally these people will see improvement in their stressors through counseling services.
A person can opt for traditional treatments or alternative holistic treatments. Counseling can give the person ideas that will help them cope with stress.
While chronic illness and disease processes, such as anxiety or panic attacks can bring about long-term stress, so can the medications that are treating the condition.
There are medication side effects to all medications on the market. Some of these medication side effects can bring about the same symptoms one would experience with stress.
The same holds true for some foods and beverages. Smoking, alcohol, soda, coffee, and tea consumed in abundance can bring about the same symptoms as stress.
There are many things that will help to eliminate stress and it has to do with a new mindset and lifestyle changes, through a healthy diet, and exercise program, and taking time for yours truly every day.
Counseling can give the person ideas to incorporate into a lifestyle change that will help them cope with or eliminate stress.