BAJAN SUN
WHAT
IS
STRESS
Bajan Sun Magazine
JUN 2014
By Norma T. Hollis
Stress is the "wear and tear" our bodies experience as we
adjust to our continually changing environment; it has
physical and emotional effects on us and can create
positive or negative feelings.
Norma T. Hollis
America’s Leading Authentic Voice Doctor®
Mentor, Transformational Artist ~ Visionary
Advocate of the Human Spirit
As a positive influence, stress can help push us into
action; it can result in a new awareness and an exciting
new perspective.
As a negative influence, it can result in feelings of
distrust, rejection, anger, and depression, which in turn
can lead to health problems such as headaches, upset
stomach, rashes, insomnia, ulcers, high blood pressure,
heart disease, and stroke. With the death of a loved one,
the birth of a child, a job promotion, or a new
relationship, we experience stress as we readjust our
lives.
In adjusting to different circumstances, stress will help or
hinder us depending on how we react to it.
There have been many different definitions of what stress
is, depending on whose addressing it. What complicates
this is that we all feel that we know what stress is, as it is
something we have all experienced. A definition should
therefore be obvious...except th at it is not. Different
people experience different aspects of stress and because
of that they may define stress differently.
During a stressful situation, the brain signals the release
of stress hormones. These chemical substances trigger a
series of responses that gives the body extra energy:
blood-sugar levels rise, the heartbeat and blood pressure
increases. The muscles tense for action. The blood supply
is diverted away from the stomach to the hand and foot to
help the body deal with the situation at hand.
Stress is with us all the time. It comes from mental or
emotional activity, as well as physical activity. It is
unique and personal to each of us. So personal, that what
may be relaxing to one person may be stressful to
another. For example, if you are an executive who likes
to keep busy all the time, or someone who is constantly
on the go, "taking it easy" at the beach on a beautiful day
may feel extremely frustrating, nonproductive and
upsetting. You may be emotionally distressed from
"doing nothing."
People feel little stress when they have the time,
experience and resources to manage a situation. They feel
great stress when they think they can't handle the
demands put upon them. Stress is therefore a negative
experience. And it is not an unavoidable consequence of
an event: It depends a lot on people's perceptions of a
situation and their real ability to cope with it.
Without stress, life would be dull and unexciting. Stress
adds flavor, challenge and opportunity to life. Too much
stress, however, can seriously affect your physical,
spiritual and mental well-being. A major challenge in
today's stress-filled world is to make the stress in your
life work for you instead of against you.
I NFO @ B AJ A NS U N O N L I NE . CO M
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