Adult Resources
Stress Management
Stress is the "wear and tear" experienced by our bodies, as we adjust to our continually changing environment. It has physical and emotional effects on us and can create positive or negative feelings. On the positive side, stress can invoke action. On the negative side, it can result in feelings of distrust, anger, and depression, which in turn can lead to health problems like upset stomach, rashes, insomnia, ulcers, high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. Events like death, the birth of a child, or a promotion, cause stress and we need to make adjustments to cope with stress.
Positive stress adds anticipation and excitement to life. We all thrive under a certain amount of stress. Some of these deadlines, competitions add depth and enrich our lives. We need to learn how to manage stress to our advantage. We need to find the optimal level of stress for motivation. But our personal stress requirements and the amount which we can tolerate changes with our age and the type of life we lead. It has also been found that illnesses are connected to unreleased stress.
Identifying stress and being aware of its effect is not enough.
( a ) Become aware of your stressors and your emotional and physical reactions.
( b ) Recognize what you can change.
( c ) Reduce the intensity of your emotional reactions to stress.
( d ) Learn to moderate your physical reactions to stress.
( e ) Build your physical reserves.
( f ) Maintain your emotional reserves.
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