Stress is a normal part
of everyday life. At times it is a
driving force for us to achieve better and succeed. It is not always easy to define stress and it
has different meaning for different people.
Mostly stress represents a negative feeling or experience and rather
than a positive one. People vary in how they react to stress; same event can be
stressful to one and not others. Similarly some recover quickly where others
may not be able to cope. Stress can
affect both physical and mental health if it continues for longer
duration.
Stress can be defined
as the brains response to any demand or pressure. Chronic stress changes the balance of
neurochemicals and hormones in the body and one may feel on high alert all the
time. Chronic stress can also lead to structural changes in some areas of the
brain.
Stress has been broadly
classified into three groups. First
group comprises of the routine stresses brought about by day to day life e.g.
work, family and other responsibilities.
Second group of stress is more severe in nature such as sudden change or
loss in life e.g. divorce, losing a job, illness, death of a loved one
etcetera. Third group is commonly known
as trauma like major accident, war, disaster, rape. There is severe threat to life or integrity
of an individual and most people find this type of stress difficult to manage
and cope with.
Physical effects of
stress can come across as loss of sleep, tiredness, appetite changes, aches and
pains, headaches etcetera. Stress can
affect the immune system negatively and people become more prone to
infections. Long term stress and strain can
lead to serious health problems and people become predisposed to develop conditions
such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and other illnesses. Stress can also worsen existing physical
health problems like asthma, diabetes, ischemic heart disease etcetera.
Stress has numerous
mental health or psychological effects and sometimes stress is seen as such a
mental health problem. Most people cope
with day to day life stress but some find it difficult and can develop anxiety,
irritability, insomnia, fatigue, poor concentration and forgetfulness. Some find it hard to deal with other people
or social situations and may become recluse.
Chronic stress can lead to something called adjustment disorder which can
present as severe anxiety, agitation, irritability, tearfulness, and suicidal
thoughts, self-harm, depression. People
change life style and can engage in harmful activities like smoking, use of
alcohol and drugs in an attempt to self-medicate to get some relief. This often worsens the symptoms in long run
and ultimately leads to drug addiction. It is know if the stress is removed
from the person’s life, there is usually good recovery. Chronic fatigue
syndrome is one of the outcomes of modern age life style and stress.
In contrast, when
someone is traumatised by an extreme kind of stress like disaster, war, rape,
and torture it can lead to severe and enduring mental illness. People can
develop acute stress disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and other mood problems.
Repeated exposure to such stress can lead to chronic posttraumatic
stress disorder, change in personality and even psychotic symptoms.
Dissociation is very common and people can develop dissociative amnesia to
multiple personality disorder.
It is very important to
identify stress early on and make necessary changes if possible to avoid long
term problems. Talking to friends and family helps to overcome routine and day
to day stress. Sometimes people need
help by professional counselling and at times medication if symptoms are
severe. There should be no hesitation in
seeking appropriate help as failure to address the problem can lead to long
term physical and mental health problems in addition to poor quality of
life. It is important to realise that
the sometimes the solution can be in making simple life style changes. If that
does not work one should seek help from a mental health professional who can be
a counsellor, psychologist and psychiatrist.
It is also important to seek the right advice than get caught up into a
cycle of doctor shopping. People often
end with cocktail of medications after having multiple investigations which are
not often warranted. It is often stigma
and shame which holds people back from seeking the right help.
With any stressful
situation, it is helpful to take a step back and try to think rationally.
Regular exercise, good sleep, balanced eating and quality time with friends and
family are helpful. It is necessary to keep balance between work and other
leisure activities. Faith and spirituality are good for reducing stress and
better coping. Avoiding drugs, alcohol and smoking are helpful in long run
though they may seem attractive at the time. The most important step that leads
to recovery is recognising that there is a problem. Once acknowledged, recovery can begin.
