Health Feature Articles
When Stress Is Not Normal
Mary Gosche, Human Development Specialist, Cape Girardeau County and Southeast Region, University of Missouri Extension
Everyone has stress and a moderate amount of stress is
normal. A stressor is any demand on your body or your
mind. Stressors can be unpleasant or pleasant
experiences like a family reunion, the holidays, or
exercise. Situations that are considered stressful for
one person may have little effect on another person.
Let's imagine taking a nice walk on a beautiful fall
day. You are enjoying the fresh air and the colors of
fall. Suddenly, a big, angry dog is running toward you.
How do you react? Most likely, you will turn and run
from the dog. Whenever people are faced with an
emergency like this, the body turns on its alarm
reaction, called the fight-or-flight syndrome. The
adrenal glands give off a large amount of adrenaline,
the heart rate increases, and small veins and arteries
constrict to prevent the loss of blood. Once the
emergency is dealt with, the nervous system kicks in and
calms the fight-or-flight response.
Stress is also like a powerful medicine. The right
amount of medicine or stress will help you meet
deadlines and be productive.
Too much medicine or stress can burn you out or make
you unable to perform normal activities. Too little
medicine or stress doesn't do your body any good and may
even prevent you from getting out of bed in the morning.
Articles have been read on stress management and
coping strategies are well known - exercise, humor,
healthy diet, a friend to talk to, and saying "no" to
demands when possible. There are different levels of
human reactions:
- Stress: low risk, need self-help techniques through education
- Crisis: need help from outside trained therapist
- Depression: needs therapy by a trained therapist and referral to medical resource
- Destruction: very high risk and needs specialized professional therapy
Pay attention to how you currently react to life's
events. Stress can build up without you realizing it.
The pile-up effects of everyday hassles can become very
harmful to your mental and physical health if you aren't
managing them effectively. So what are the signs of
stress that are not normal?
Warning Signs of Clinical Depression:
- Sleep problems (early morning wakening, difficulty getting to sleep, sleeping too much)
- Lack of energy and feeling tired all the time
- Problems with eating (no appetite or weight loss or gain)
- Loss of interest in normal activities including sex
- Frequent crying bouts
- Feelings of emptiness, ongoing sadness or anxiety
- Aches and pains that don't go away
- Difficulty with memory, concentration, or decision making
- Feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, or future looking grim
- Irritability
- Thoughts of death or suicide
IF YOU SEE YOURSELF OR A LOVED ONE IN THE LIST ABOVE, IT
IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU SEEK PROFESSIONAL HELP FOR
YOURSELF OR YOUR LOVED ONE. Call a local counseling
center for an immediate appointment.
Sources:
Sotile, W. and Sotile, M., Supercouple Syndrome,
John Wiley, & Sons, Inc.1998.
University of Missouri publication, Stress Management The Challenge of Balance. Barakat, I. and Clark, J. GH 6651.
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Last Updated 04/25/2008
