Note: This article was first published in Life in the Delta in November 2004.
Stress is unavoidable in our busy lives these days. But how much stress is too much?
Stress is a problem for several reasons. Emotionally it can lead to anxiety and depression. Physically it can lead to illness and pain, such as headaches, ulcers, and heart disease. It is estimated that 70% of all doctor’s visits are for physical or emotional problems that are stress related.
First of all, how do we define stress? Until 1950, stress was a physics term defined as “the load that is exerted on a physical structure, such as a bridge or cross beam.” But Hans Selye borrowed the term to use in psychology describing stress as “the load or tension exerted on individuals, which might alter an individual’s ability to respond or react normally.” Practically speaking, stress is being stretched beyond your limits and finding you cannot cope with your demands; it is overextending yourself without adequate time for recovery; or it is believing you can do more than your human form can take.
There are two types of stress – positive and negative. Positive stress can cause us to move forward and accomplish goals as a result of the force exerted, whereas negative stress manifests in adverse effects. It is very subjective – what is negative stress for one person may be a positive exhilaration for another.
No matter the source of stress – positive or negative – the body reacts in a similar fashion, preparing for emergency by sending out chemicals for “fight” or “flight.” The adrenal glands produce these chemicals, or hormones. First is the alarm reaction, brought about by hormone adrenaline. Next is the vigilance reaction, preparing the body to face the stressful event for the long haul, brought about by the hormone cortisol. Physiologically, the body responds with rapid breathing, sugars are released from fats into the blood stream for quick energy, blood pressure rises, acid is increased in the stomach, and you experience difficulty sleeping. But what happens if your body prepares for battle and there is none – that is, not one that is socially acceptable? Then you “freeze” with all those hormones floating around prepared for action.
Adrenaline and cortisol may be called “sad messengers” because they send signals to our brain that make us depressed, anxious, sleepless, or fatigued. They rush in like fighter pilots to defend us, for which we should be grateful should real fear or terror strike. Yet in our fast paced lives, we experience stress by living too hurried and hassled and overextended.
Stress also depletes our natural brain tranquilizers, which include serotonin, dopamine, noradrenaline, and GABA. These could be called our “happy messengers.” When the sad messengers overtake us, we must have some recovery time to build back up the happy ones. Stress is only positive when it is shortlived. Prolonged stress is never good. By paying attention to your shift in mood, you can discover how much stress you can tolerate.
Be warned, if you are an adrenaline junkie and thrive on the excitement of the fast paced life, you are at risk for developing physical and emotional disorders. The difference between now and 100 years ago is they had lots of recovery time from stress built into the natural life cycle. They traveled on camels or horseback, they had to gather and prepare food, and they had to sleep when it got dark. In our urbanized and industrialized culture, we think we can sustain compulsive activity, but we pay a price if we don’t pace ourselves. If you want to preserve your sanity and achieve a healthy life, you have to make some choices to live a balanced life. Also, remember to help your children do the same. The antidote to stress is tranquility, achieving a balance that is calming, peaceful and serene. So be sure to counterbalance the stress in your life with healing recovery time.
