BEAT THE STRESS
Feeling moody, irritated and lonely? You could well be suffering from
stress. Today's lifestyle and work pressure always tend to keep us on our toes.
With regular hassles, deadlines, frustrations and demands, stress has become a
way of life for many. In small doses, it can help us give our best under
pressure. But when we are on emergency mode 24X7, our mind and body pay the
price. And it can be fatal, sometimes.
KAKOLI THAKUR
At times, it
may seem that we can do nothing to control stress. But the simple realisation
that we are in control of our life is the foundation of stress management. It's
all about taking charge of our thoughts, emotions, schedule, and the way we
deal with problems.
What causes
stress? Dr Sanjay Chugh, senior consultant, psychiatrist,
says: "Stress is a part of our regular lives. Every individual will have
his own triggers or causes for stress. Stress is also contextual. There can be
stressors at work, at home, in your relationships, or at a social level. In the
face of an unfamiliar situation, our system makes us experience a certain
amount of anxiety which is necessary for us to get into action. However, if we
are still unable to cope with the situation or feeling anxious in a situation
despite it being familiar, it turns into stress.
So, one may
feel stressed at work due to dissatisfaction with the job, an unpleasant work
environment, excessive workload, etc. At home, one may get stressed due to
increasing expenses, poor communication in relationships, lack of love or
warmth in relationships, etc.
Socially, one
may struggle due to an inability to deal with people, talk confidently in front
of people, etc. For students, exams, tests, stage performances, expectations of
friends or teachers can all be potential stress elements, says Dr Chugh.
Manas, a
journalist, has been continuously working on night shifts for over 15 years.
Being in a senior position, he is constantly under pressure to ensure zero
errors, maintain deadlines and not miss news.
"Stress
is slowly taking a toll on my health and behaviour as well. I am just 38 and
there is hardly any black hair left. Basically I was a very calm and composed
person but I have noticed a change in behaviour over the years. I have become
short-tempered and sometimes I even shout at my team. I get irritated when I am
on the road even over trivial matters," says Manas.
Dr Dhirendra Anand, Internal Medicine Specialist, elaborates:
"Stress is caused because people are in too much hurry and worry. They
hardly have time to work on relationships. They are in a rat race, they are
never content. If they have a small car they aim for a big car and then there
is no end."
People tend
to ignore stress till it reaches an unbearable level. "When too much of
stress and anxiety leads to headache and affects other organs of the body,
people come to us. On an average, one to two patients come to us on a regular
basis," says Anand.
Jaya had to
commute for two hours between office and home, located at two extreme ends of
the city. With the responsibility of running a household, a small kid to look
after and a highly stressful job, she decided to quit and instead work from
home.
"I often
reached home late. My son used to ask why I am late regularly. I used to think
about office work even at home. I started getting migraine attacks. There was
hardly any family time left. On Sundays, my off days, I used to have Monday
blues. After I started working from home, I am so relaxed. And most
importantly, my family is happy."
Stress
affects all age groups. Talking about one of his patients, Dr Chugh says,
"One guy, 35 years old, came in feeling unable to deal with work, wanting
to quit. Things were more complicated because he was living away from his
family and there was hardly any social support. At work, he had a boss who was
almost impossible to please. The boss would only look at the things that he had
not done. So, he found that despite trying all possible measures, he was making
no headway. His promotions were getting affected. He had been struggling for the
past two years and now he was ready to collapse. His health had gone down
drastically and he had developed high blood pressure."
With the help
of some medication and regular, intensive counselling, he was able to slowly
get a grip on his life. "He learnt how to handle small situations,
modified his own perspective and attitude in several situations, started
exercising on a regular basis among other things," Dr Chugh says, adding
almost all patients who come to him have stress in their lives.
Stress cuts
across professions. Rajesh, a banker hardly in his 30s, was working almost 15
hours on a regular basis. When he went to doctor one day, his cholesterol level
was touching the danger mark and even his pressure was not normal. "My
schedule was affecting my health. My doctor asked me to quit my job
immediately. Fortunately, I got a day job now with normal working hours. My
wife is the happiest person now," he beams.
Stress may
take a person to a breaking point and can be life-threatening at times but then
there is always a way out of the mess.
Dr Anand
says: "People should reduce their working hours to a limit. It is also
important to spend at least half an hour on recreation and activities like
brisk walking, jogging, working out in gym depending on the age, which act as
great stress busters. Even meditation and other yogic exercise help a
lot."
According to
Dr Chugh, the most important factor is being aware of how to manage our stress.
"One first needs to understand and chart out the individual's stress
patterns -- the triggers, the effects (mental/psychological, physical, on work,
socially, personal life), the support system and strengths available to the
individual. After this, one needs to tailor a plan specific to these
factors."
Some effective ways to reduce stress:
* Relaxation
exercises.
* Exercise.
* Cognitive
restructuring.
* Good sleep.
* Effective
communication.
* Assertiveness
skills.
* Healthy
relationships.
Diet plays a
great role in managing stress. "A healthy diet that goes well with your
system is what needs to be worked out. Eating light at night is great as it
allows you to digest the food properly, and lets you sleep better,"
advises Dr Chugh.
Salad, green
vegetables, sprouts and other natural anti-oxidants also help a lot in reducing
stress, says Dr Anand.
Do not ignore symptoms
Stress can
vary from emotional to physical, to cognitive to behavioural:
Emotional
* Moodiness.
* Irritability
or short temper.
* Agitation,
inability to relax.
* Feeling
overwhelmed.
* Sense of
loneliness and isolation.
* Depression
or general unhappiness.
Physical
* Aches and
pains.
* Diarrhoea
or constipation.
* Nausea,
dizziness.
* Chest pain,
rapid heartbeat.
* Loss of sex
drive.
* Frequent
cold.
Cognitive
* Memory
problems.
* Inability
to concentrate.
* Poor
judgment.
* Seeing only
the negative.
* Anxious or
racing thoughts.
* Constant
worrying.
Behavioural
* Eating more
or less.
* Sleeping
too much or too little.
* Isolating
yourself from others.
* Procrastinating
or neglecting responsibilities.
* Using
alcohol, cigarettes, or drugs to relax.
* Nervous
habits (e.g. nail biting, pacing).
Unhealthy ways of coping with stress
* Using pills
or drugs to relax.
* Sleeping
too much.
* Procrastinating.
* Filling up
every minute of the day to avoid facing problems.
* Taking out
your stress on others (lashing out, angry outbursts, physical violence).
* Smoking.
* Drinking
too much.
* Overeating
or under-eating.
* Zoning out
for hours in front of the TV or computer.
* Withdrawing
from friends, family, and activities.
Healthy ways to de-stress
* Go for a
walk.
* Spend time
with nature.
* Call a good
friend.
* Sweat out
tension with a good workout.
* Write in
your journal.
* Take a long
bath.
* Light
scented candles.
* Savour a
warm cup of coffee or tea.
* Play with a
pet.
* Work in
your garden.
* Get a
massage.
* Curl up
with a good book.
* Listen to
music.
* Watch a
comedy.
Scary points
·
The Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA) -- the main federal agency charged with the
enforcement of safety and health legislation in the US -- declared stress a
hazard of the workplace. Stress costs American industry more than $300 billion annually.
·
Forty-three per cent of all adults
suffer adverse health effects from stress.
·
Seventy-five per cent to 90% of all
doctors' office visits are for stress-related ailments and complaints.
·
Stress can play a part in problems
such as headaches, high blood pressure, heart problems, diabetes, skin
conditions, asthma, arthritis, depression, and anxiety.
·
The lifetime prevalence of an
emotional disorder is more than 50%, often due to chronic, untreated stress
reactions.
Food plays a key role to de-stress
* Vitamins
in B-Complex group: Found in whole grains such as wheat bran and oats.
* Folic
acid: Broccoli, spinach, asparagus.
* B12:
Eggs, dairy products.
* Biotin:
Yeast, nuts such as almonds.
* Vitamin
B5: Whole grains, legumes and avocado.
* Choline:
Milk, eggs and legumes.
* Vitamin
C: Citrus fruits, blueberries.
* Oats
with organic milk.
* Fruits:
Orange, guava, papaya, pomegranate, coconut water.
