STRESS - MANAGE IT

[Kavitaparna]

OM SRI SAI RAM

Dear All, Sai Ram!

Acute Stress

1. Undue exhaustion
2. Highly irritable
3. Loss of appetite
4. Communication Block
5. Need for alcohol
6. Sleeplessness

Symptoms

1.  Head Ache
2.  Giddiness – Due to blood vessel constriction
3.  Dry mouth – due to activation of sympathetic chain of nervous system
4.  Sweating – specific in palms
5.  Nausea and Vomitting
6.  Loss of Apetite
7.  Palpitation
8.  Breathless ness
9.  Nervousness / Insomnia
10. Muscle Spasm , Diarrhoea and flushing

Contd...
Jai Sai Ram

[Kavitaparna]

OM SRI SAI RAM

Chronic Stress and symptoms

1.  Ulcer :  Sensation of more acid which starts eating the mucous membrane of stomach leading to erosion of mucous & creation of crator leading to Ulcers that is to Perforations .

2.  Hyper tension : This is mainly due to disturbance in fat metabolism. This usually happens in chronic stress conditions.

3.  Diabetes : Stress completely knocks off the immune system

4.  Asthma:  As above

5.  Migraine :  This lasts for 2-3 hours due to Vaso constriction due to lack of blood supply to brain

6.  Sleep Disorders:  As at 3

7.  Skin Allergy

8.  Obesity:  A person under stress, to avoid boredom etc., tend to eat more leading to obesity. This is of two kinds.

         a.   Subcutaneous : Below the skin- relatively harmless and these fatty cells are usually metabolized.
         b.   Visceral : That is in the diaphram -  accumulated in the abdomen since the fatty cells are not utilized, rather , excess. Eg. Fat lying loose in the abdomen. Exercise help in reducing the visceral fat.

9.  Anxiety Neurosis

10. Heart Attack :  Where the blood supply to the heart is affected

11. Stroke : Where the blood supply to the heart is affected.

Contd...
Jai Sai Ram

[Kavitaparna]

OM SRI SAI RAM

Factors leading to Heart Attack

The coronary system is mainly involved which does blood circulation exclusively for heart muscles.

If this – the coronary system gets a spasm, that particular portion of heart where the spasm occurs is left without blood supply and if such a condition persists for a longer time, it results in pain.

It is medically termed as Ischemia leading to myochordial infarction. That is the time when the patient feels the pain.

1. Smoking
2. High BP
3. High cholesterol
4. Obesity
5. Lack of exercise
6. Diabetes
7. Mental Stress
8. Diet Habits
9. Alcohol

It is always better to keep the Weight and BP under check.

Height in cms less 100 gives your standard wt.  in kgs. – After 50 yrs of age, reduction of 10% to be applied.

Contd...
Jai Sai Ram

[Kavitaparna]

OM SRI SAI RAM

Factors leading to Stroke
 
Carotid system supplies to brain. In case of stress this can happen sudden stopping of blood supply to any part of brain, can make that portion of brain devoid of blood & oxygen leading to death of cells which cause a stroke and lead to paralysis.

General Anxiety Disorders ( GAD )

The entities are,

1. Anxiety state
2. Panic attacks
3. Phobias
4. Obsessive compulsive disorder

Features

1. Restless, feeling keyed up
2. Easily fatiguable
3. Concentration difficulties
4. Highly irritable
5. Insomnia – lack of sleep

Contd...
Jai Sai Ram

[Kavitaparna]

OM SRI SAI RAM

Stress has 3 stages :

1. Alarm stage : 1st step shock and 2nd step counter shock (defence system wakes up)
2. Adjustment stage
3. Exortion stage :

Stress Conditions:

1. Insufficient stress : leads to 
    a.Boredom
    b.Dejection
    c.Depression
2. Optimum stress : of
    a.Satisfaction
    b.Sense of achievement
    c.Enrichment
3. Excessive stress : ( workholic ) gives
    a.Anxiety
    b.Worry
    c.Tension


(Note: This is from the notes when I attended a seminar on Stress in 2003)

Contd...
Jai Sai Ram

[Kavitaparna]

OM SRI SAI RAM

How to manage Stress

You need to reduce / modify the stressors

Find out source of stress                    Find out reaction to stress

[Kavitaparna]

OM SRI SAI RAM

Be aware of your stressors and your physical and emotional reactions
Recognize what you can change –

Firstly, moderate your physical reactions to stress by

   Counting ten
   Slow deep breathing i.e, more oxygen to brain & alertness to think
   Allow the other person to burnout
   Communicate effectively i.e, avoiding ambiguity
   Empathise i.e, with others
   Consult a Doctor – counseling
   Medication if necessary
   
Secondly, moderate your emotional reactions to stress by Putting the following questions

   Are you exaggerating your stress
   Are you over reacting
   Do you want to prevail in every situation
   Are you over zealous

Contd....
Jai Sai Ram

[Kavitaparna]

OM SRI SAI RAM

After these questions,


   Moderate your views

   Temper your excess emotions

   Be assertive ; don’t  be  aggressive

   Don’t labour on the negative aspects

   Be compassionate


Contd...
Jai Sai Ram