• Stress
• Stress Reactions

Stress

Stress occurs when the pressures on us exceed our ability to cope. Stress is commonly thought of as negative; however, some degree of stress is necessary to challenge and motivate us. Therefore, the goal is not to eliminate stress but to manage the negative aspects.

As with all feelings, we can control our reactions. Some reactions to stress are helpful because they manage the stressful feeling in a positive way. For example, if I make a poor grade on my test, I can talk about ways to improve the grade with my teacher. Some reactions are harmful because they create additional stress. For example, if I make a poor grade on my test, I can throw my books in the trashcan.

Stress Symptoms
Constant exposure to stressful situations may affect physical and mental health. Stress overload may occur, resulting in variety of symptoms that include:

• muscle spasms
• body aches
• indigestion
• skin irritations
• asthma
• sleep problems
• changes in eating habits
• drug abuse
• mood swings
• inability to concentrate

Some people respond to stress with mental symptoms, while others experience symptoms physically. Some people experience stress mentally and physically. It may help to know how you experience stress so you can choose coping strategies that are most effective.

Coping Strategies for Stress
People who experience mental symptoms may benefit from coping strategies that involve the mind. Working crossword puzzles, playing a board game or talking with a friend are examples. People who experience stress physically may choose coping strategies that involve the body. Any type of physical activity would be appropriate for them. People who have both types of symptoms should choose both kinds of activities. The important point is to have a repertoire of several coping strategies you enjoy and to use them regularly to manage stress.

Stress Reactions

Stress is part of life. This physical reaction is related to powerful feelings such as fear, anger and frustration. When individuals experience strong feelings, their bodies respond with physical changes called the "fight or flight" response.

To prepare itself for physical activity, the body produces a hormone called "adrenaline" that is released into the bloodstream. Adrenaline causes the heart to beat faster and increases respiration rate. Another hormone is released that causes the liver to release sugar for extra energy. The mouth becomes dry, pupils of the eyes dilate, and the lungs take in more air. Blood moves from the stomach into the skeletal muscles. Hearing becomes more acute and muscles contract.

This fight or flight response provides animals and people the extra energy and strength they may need to protect themselves in times of crisis. It allows the body to perform at maximum capacity for a short period of time.

After the crisis has passed, the body systems return to normal, and the body is able to relax. However, sometimes people have problems or concerns that keep bothering them, and their bodies stay in a constant state of alert. We say that these people are feeling stress.

Too much stress or prolonged stress can lead to mental and physical health problems. Muscle spasms, body aches, indigestion, skin irritations, breathing problems (asthma), sleep problems, changes in eating habits, drug abuse, mood swings and the inability to concentrate are symptoms of stress overload.

Coping Strategies
Learning assertive coping strategies for dealing with stress is an important mental health skill. Unfortunately, this skill is seldom modeled. The media often portray aggressive reactions as glamorous and desirable ways to deal with strong feelings, especially anger.

Assertive reactions reduce stress by allowing people to take steps to resolve the feelings. Passive and aggressive reactions may provide an immediate outlet, but usually create additional stress over time.

Physical and mental activities help manage stress. Physical activity is an especially good coping strategy, because it uses the bodily changes that are produced in the fight or flight response. People can determine the coping strategies that work best for them.

Coping strategies include:

Physical	Mental
any physical activity	crossword puzzles
jogging	watching TV
dancing	having a hobby
swimming	talking to a friend
gymnastics	going to a movie
relaxation techniques	playing a game
massage	listening to music
	writing in a journal