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Stress Management Techniques
Introduction
Stress is a part of day-to-day
living of every individual. The college students may experience
stress in meeting the academic demands, people on the job,
business men may suffer stress to reach office in time and
to complete the projects on time and even the house hold ladies
may experience stress in managing the home affairs and to
look for the maid servant. The reasons for the stress differ
from person to person. The stress people experience should
not be necessarily treated as harmful. An optimum amount of
stress can always act as an energizer or motivator and propel
people to apply the efforts and complete the work. But a high
level of Stress can be a serious threat to the personality
traits of the Individual and can cause physiological and social
problems.
What is Stress?
We generally believe that
the stress is caused by the external events and the dynamics
of the environment. But we need to emphasis the fact that
the Stress is caused by our reaction to the external environment.
The manner in which we perceive and understand the changes
or the particular event creates same event can bring happiness
and cause Stress in two different people depending upon how
they react to it. When students are asked to prepare a presentation,
some may take it to be an opportunity to reveal their talents
and to improve upon their weakness while the other students
may be perturbed by it for the fear of his weakness. So, Stress
is our reaction to external events and it can be positive
or negative depending upon how we react. It is the general
wear and tear of the body machine that takes place due to
extra demands put on it.
We can define Stress as “
body's non-specific response to any demand made on it”.
Stress is not by definition synonymous with nervous tension
or anxiety. On one side Stress provides the means to express
talents and energies and pursue happiness on the other side
it can also cause exhaustion and illness, either physical
or psychological.
Symptoms of Stress
As stated earlier Stress
is caused by or reaction to the external events and bring
about changes in our response and our general behavior. The
presence of Stress can be estimated by the analysis of certain
symptoms an individual shows. These symptoms can be divided
into three different categories. They are Feelings, Behavior
and Physiology. When the individual experience Stress, one
or more of the following symptoms can be exhibited.
Feelings
* The individual becomes
anxious about the outcomes and is scared. The person feels
that he has got something to loose or something wrong will
take place.
* In an anxious state the person does not want to be corrected
or interrupted. He looks out for other areas where he can
forget about the stress-causing event for a while. The person
becomes irritable and moody.
* During high level of Stress the individual develops a negative
frame of mind and suffers from low self-esteem. The person
loose faith in his capabilities and is afraid of the failures.
The individual does not have a focused approach and is not
able to concentrate and is involved in his own plans and thoughts.
Physiological and Behavioral
Changes
* Speech problems.
* Impulsive Behavior
* Crying for no apparent reason.
* Laughing in a high pitch and nervous tone of voice.
* Grinding of teeth
* Increasing smoking and use of drugs and alcohol.
* Being accident-prone
* Perspiration /sweaty hands
* Increased heart beat
* Trembling
* Nervous ticks
* Dryness of throat and mouth.
* Tiring easily
* Urinating frequently
* Sleeping problems
* Diarrhea / indigestion / vomiting/ nausea
* Butterflies in stomach
* Headaches
* Premenstrual tension
* Pain in the neck and or lower back
* Susceptibility to illness
* Loss of appetite or over eating
Causes of Stress
Both positive and negative
events in one's life can be stressful. However, major life
changes are the greatest contributors of stress for most people.
1. If people have to travel
a lot and have to move from place to place, it can cause stress.
2. Individuals can also be
under stress if they are about to enter some new environment.
They may be going to a new colony. To a new college or they
may be joining a new organization.
3. Some events, which are
generally once in a lifetime can also cause stress. The social
institutions of marriage or divorce can cause stress. Pregnancy
can also generate Stress.
4. Some of the untoward incidents
like critical illness or death of a relative can also cause
stress in individuals.
These are some of the major
events in the life of the individual that cause stress. It
is also supplemented by the environmental factors that act
as catalyst cause increment in stress. They are:
* Time pressure
* Competition
* Financial problems
* Noise
* Disappointments
(Continued
In Stress Management Techniques & Strategies Pt 2...)
| Authors Details: Madhup Johri, Assistant
Director, IPM
Meerut |
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More Articles On Stress Management Techniques
(Stress
Management Techniques & Strategies Pt 1)
(Stress
Management Techniques & Strategies Pt 2)
(Stress Management
Techniques - 7 ways To Reduce Stress Immediately)
(Stress Management)
(Breathing
& Stress Relief)
(Successful
Stress Management Techniques) |
