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Mental Health News Articles
Page: 1
| Posted: 7th August 2004 |
| Stress |
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What is stress? Stress is the feeling of not being able to copeIt is the excessive pressure felt around the temple that develops into a seething headache, the increased heart rate, sweating and inability to relax or to stop thinking about a problemIn its most severe form, when the body and mind are under immense pressure, it can result in panic attacks, blackouts, even complete mental or physical shut downWe feel stress when under pressure at work, when relationships at home are unsettled, when something is challenging, threatening or just different, when we overexert or overtire ourselves, or when we are generally feeling uncomfortableStress is the demand made on our systems which is not met with effective ways of coping.
A little stress can be healthy, it can increase energy and mental functioning and attitude. But when we become over-stressed problems occur, psychologically and physicallyWith today’s demands on our time and abilities there is the potential for stress at every turn.
When experiencing stress, or the stressors that cause it, we can either choose to ignore it or adapt to itWhich we choose has as much to do with our basic personalities and inherited attitudes as it has our experiences of the past.
Some of the symptoms of stress include:
Physical
headaches
Fatigue
Gastrointestinal problems
Inability to focus / lack of concentration
Sexual problems
Sleep disturbances
Hypertension (high blood pressure)
Sweating palms / shaking hands
Anxiety
Heart problems (tachycardia, palpitations)
Psychological
Behavioural irritability
Disruptive eating patterns
Increased smoking or alcohol consumption
Harsh treatment of others
Isolation
Compulsive shopping
Difficulty in communication.
Most people don’t plan how to respond to stress, their reactions just happen without thinking. |
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