Dear stress, Let's break up!

Ronny is fed up constantly fighting with his spouse. During work he is unable to concentrate properly. He spreads negative energy around in his work place and the colleagues have started to avoid him. He started to think his co-workers dislike him.

Shahid is under debts. He is constantly stressed about how he is going to solve his money problems. While his friends enjoy and laugh during their weekend meet. He is infuriated over petty things and he explodes, spoiling the meetings.

Deepa has a new boss who is making her life hell. She often feels very anxious and moody. When she gets back home, she is so stressed out that she just wants to take rest and has no energy to spend time with her spouse. Her spouse feels hurt.

Considering these above situations, they are very much related to our life or to the lives of people around us. Stress is so common today as we juggle with different roles in our lives. It can be so daunting, it can feel as if we have forgotten how it feels to be relaxed and calm!

Hans Selye, an Endocrinologist of Hungarian origin was first to coin the word 'stress'. He defined it as a non-specific response of the body to any demand for a change. He also said that 'Adopting a right attitude can convert a negative stress into a positive one. 

Now you may wonder, What! Can stress be positive? Yes. The positive stress is known as eustress. 

No, no, it doesn't mean to give stress to others and then scream YOU STRESS! It means stress in moderation that helps us to face challenges and accomplish tasks. This is important for feelings of accomplishment, wellbeing and wholeness.

Hans Selye described the three stages of Stress known as Selye's syndrome or General Adoption syndrome in short GAS syndrome. GAS syndrome, very easy to remember. Isn’t it ? :))

1. Alarm stage - This is the stage when stressed the body releases hormones like cortisol and adrenaline for that sudden burst of energy in order to prepare to confront or flee the stressor. The heart rate goes up and the blood glucose increases.

2. Stage of Resistance - The body continues to be in a state of alertness if the stressor is still present. Body continues to direct the energy towards the stress and we can easily be prone to flu and colds at this stage. If the stressor is removed, body starts to heal and return slowly to its default state known as the homeostasis.

3. Exhaustion stage - If the stress is prolonged the body uses up all the deep energy reserves and gets into exhaustion mode, failing to recover. If we don't do something quick at this stage then stress related diseases manifest such as depression, ulcers, viral infections, heart disease etc

 So now we will learn how to quickly manage stress. Read carefully

a) Realization of stress - Answer these simple questions below 

- Do you feel drained of energy?

- Do you have inability to concentrate?

- Are you feeling nervous lately?

- Do you have stomach upsets?

- Are you able to have a good night sleep?

- Do you feel you are unable to relax and feel the muscles tense?

If the answer is yes to most of them, then it is time to act quickly before the stress can start to seriously affect your health.

b) Response to stress 

How do we respond in a stressful condition? We can get very angry and yell at the other person or shut down and withdraw from the situation. And lastly, we can also feel paralyzed, but inside we are boiling with anger. These are the common responses described by psychologists.

c) How to quickly relieve stress. 

This is the key to resilience. It is a very important step that needs to be discovered. You need to do some homework to find out about what can reduce your stress quickly and make a small list on a paper. Keep this paper handy in your wallet to run through it when faced with stressful situations. As you learn it and master it, you can discard it. What works for me may not work for you. For ex: Classical music and rock music are stress for me! But I know one aunt who can listen to classical music for days together and a friend who gets pepped up after listening to rock music. You have to find what works for you. Use your five senses. To help you understand below are some examples.

- See a space in your house like a backyard filled with favorite plants or even close your eyes to imagine a beautiful place that feel peaceful.

- Hear the soundtrack of nature sounds or uplifting recitation of holy books.

- Smell your favorite perfume or some fresh flowers.

- Taste that delicious dark chocolate that melts the tension as it melts in the mouth.

- Touch that soft coat of your pet or squeeze the rubbery stress ball.

As we learn through practice, this skill will helps us to overcome challenges in life and display qualities of trust, confidence and empathy. Nutritious food, avoiding a sedentary life and negative people is also beneficial in the long run. If you feel nothing is working, you need to see a specialist for a therapy.

Now read the changed situations I described in the beginning.

Ronny starts his day at work by listening to some soothing sounds of nature. He feels relaxed to take on the day and focuses on his work. He is pleasant to his colleagues.

Shahid recollects his favorite vacation to the Swiss alps and with renewed energy focuses on finding ways to repay his debts. He feels he is able to have a clarity to tackle his money problems.

Deepa, when she reaches home she goes to her backyard and spends time watering and tending to her little garden. By the time her spouse comes home, she is much more balanced person.

Stress is an inevitable part of life. Being emotionally intelligent to manage stress is vital for good health. How did you tackle your stress after reading this blog post? Please do share your thoughts in the comment section and let me know how did you find this post. 

Till next time, wishing you positivity and happy de-stressing! Share it with anybody you feel who needs it.

Love,

Fizz

 The above article was published on FTC annual newsletter 2019-2020

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