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Writer's pictureShruti GOCHHWAL

FAQs about Stress

The word “stress” has become such a popular and frequent word used in conversations. It’s the one thing all of us humans have in common. The relevance of mental health has become more popularised as people are starting to understand its importance and influence on your overall health and quality of life. Here are some answers to the FAQs on stress.

7  most common answers to the FAQs about stress

⦁ What Is Stress?

Stress is defined as your body’s natural response to a real or imagined event, which alters the normal functioning of the body. Sometimes this reaction is unnecessary for the body but in most cases, it is necessary for survival.

This reaction or response could either be in the form of mental or physical change. ⦁ What are the different types of stress? Stress can be classified based on their cause or nature. ⦁ Acute stress This is short term stress that is the most common with obvious triggers like running late or being involved in a sudden accident.

⦁ Episodic Acute stress It is similar to periodic stress but occurs more frequently and consistently. People with nervous energy who are always anxious about deadlines are most probably suffering from episodic acute stress.

⦁ Chronic stress This is the most intense form of stress that really wears a person out day after day or even years. This is because it is usually triggered by ongoing issues like poverty, financial difficulties, unhealthy relationships, or hating your job or livelihood.

⦁ Stress management techniques: How do I reduce stress?

Here are some tips that will help you control and manage your stress.

⦁ Maintain a positive attitude ⦁ Accept the things you cannot control. ⦁ Be assertive instead of aggressive. This can be done by evaluating your feelings, opinions, or beliefs instead of becoming angry and volatile. ⦁ Practice relaxation techniques like meditation, yoga, etc. ⦁ Exercise regularly. Go for long morning walks. ⦁ Stick to a routine and schedule. ⦁ Eat healthy and balanced meals. ⦁ Learn to say no to anything that will put you in a stressful environment. ⦁ Indulge in the hobbies and interests you enjoy. ⦁ Get enough rest and sleep to help your body recover from stressful events. ⦁ Avoid depending on alcohol, drugs, or compulsive behaviors to reduce stress. ⦁ Seek out social support and professional treatment.

⦁ Stress symptoms: What are the warning signs?

They include: ⦁ Difficulty falling or staying asleep ⦁ Nausea ⦁ Diarrhea ⦁ Feeling exhausted even after resting ⦁ Muscle tension ⦁ Body aches ⦁ Headaches ⦁ Reduced interest in sex ⦁ Feelings of sadness, hopelessness, or helplessness ⦁ Increased irritability ⦁ Lowered frustration tolerance ⦁ Feeling easily overwhelmed ⦁ Loss of motivation ⦁ difficulty concentrating ⦁ Feelings of restlessness ⦁ Obsessive thinking patterns ⦁ Change of eating habits, either by overeating or undereating ⦁ Reduction of activities that once were important, such as exercise or hobbies ⦁ Isolation ⦁ Angry outbursts ⦁ Use of tobacco, alcohol, or other drugs

⦁ Is stress harmful to health?

No, stress is not necessarily harmful to health.

Firstly, there are different types of stress ranging from eustress to chronic stress.

Eustress is a positive and exciting form of stress while chronic stress comes with serious health issues and is the type of negative stress.

As important as it is to eliminate chronic stress, it is also important to maintain positive stress which enables your body to remain vital.

However, too much of anything is never good. Eventually, if we experience too much positive stress it could overwhelm the body and contribute to excessive stress levels.

This is why it is important for us to maintain balance and keep your body in a relaxed state from time to time.

⦁ What are some physical effects of stress?

As a reaction to stress, the body releases hormones, adrenaline, and cortisol. The amount of chemical released is directly proportional to the extent of stress.

Such chemicals and hormones bring about physical changes to the body.

They include: ⦁ Acne ⦁ Sudden change in body weight ⦁ Increased blood glucose levels ⦁ Heart problems like attack and stroke ⦁ Raised blood pressure ⦁ Irregular menstrual periods and pain ⦁ Diarrhea ⦁ Body and headaches ⦁ Sexual dysfunction ⦁ Tension in the jaw and neck ⦁ Sleeplessness ⦁ Digestive problems

⦁ What are the psychological effects of stress?

A person who is stressed out may experience acute stress, episodic acute stress or chronic stress may develop a depressive disorder. Other effects include:

⦁ Difficulty in focus ⦁ Increased forgetfulness ⦁ Decreased motivation ⦁ Loss of interest ⦁ Mental fatigue

⦁ Who is at risk for a higher stress-related outcome?

At some point in their lids, everyone experiences stress. However, some people may suffer from worse outcomes or symptoms as a result of this stress.

This is because some people are more vulnerable to the effects of stress. Scientists claim that this vulnerability is highly linked to past experiences.

They include: Experiencing childhood trauma ⦁ Victim of abuse or neglect ⦁ Poor lifestyle/ poverty ⦁ People exposed to prejudice and discrimination ⦁ Lack of support from loved ones ⦁ Lack of resources to solve their problems

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