You have a test in algebra this morning and you did not study for it. You are under stress.

You are waiting to hear from your doctor about the results of some tests he made. You are under stress.

You have four minutes to get to the bus stop, and you cannot find your wallet. You are under stress.

We are all under stress every day. Without it we would not move, think, get out of bed or care. We need it...but, we do not need an excess of it.

In order to deal with stress, we must understand how it works so we can learn to recognize it and cope with it.

We must also learn to recognize when too much stress becomes more than one can handle alone. Then, help is needed.

What is stress?

Stress is pressure from the outside which makes us feel tense inside. It is anything that

• threaten us
• scare us
• worry us
• prod us
• thrill us.

Physical stress

Physical stress can be in the form of an injury, a virus, extreme temperature change, a foreign body, exhaustion or many other irritants.

Psychological stress

Stress is usually some form of a threat to security, self-esteem, way of life or safety. Threats produce fear, especially the fear of loss.

Another major threat is uncertainty. The greatest cause of uncertainty is change. Sometimes changes are also losses. The combination of change and loss contributes enormously to excess stress.

Symptoms of stress

• Tense muscle, sore necks, shoulders and back
• Insomnia
• Fatigue
• Boredom, depression, listlessness, dullness and lack of interest
• Drinking too much
• Eating too much or too little
• Diarrhea, cramps, gas or constipation
• Palpitations B heart skips
• Phobias
• Restlessness or itching

Reducing stress

For reducing stress, the first two guidelines are:

• One must recognize stress for what it is, and
• One must understand how it works.

Tips for reducing stress

• Avoid stress-producing situations
• Relax
• Exercise regularly
• Get enough sleep
• Develop a hobby
• Become involved in public service projects

Everyone is under some form of stress every day. We need a certain amount of it to motivate us, but too much stress in too short a time can be harmful. If we are able to understand and recognize stress, we can learn to cope with it.

What is your own risk for stress?

Take a moment and add up the score for all the items which applied to you in the last year. If you score below 150 points, you are on safe ground. If you score between 150 and 300 points, your chances rise to about 50-50. If you score more than 300 points, your chances are almost 90 percent.

• Death of a spouse -- 100 points
• Divorce -- 73 points
• Marital separation -- 65 points
• A jail term -- 63 points
• Family members= death -- 63 points
• Personal injury or illness -- 53 points
• Marriage -- 50 points
• Fired from your job -- 47 points
• Retirement -- 45 points
• Pregnancy -- 40 points
• Sex difficulties -- 39 points
• Gain a new family member -- 39 points
• Change in financial status -- 38 points
• Death of a close friend -- 37 points
• Mortgage more than $10,000 -- 31 points
• Son/daughter leaves home -- 29 points
• Trouble with in-laws -- 29 points
• Begin or end school -- 26 points
• Change in residence -- 20 points
• Change in school -- 20 points
• Change in recreation -- 19 points
• Change in social activity -- 18 points
• Change in sleeping habits -- 16 points
• Change in eating habits -- 15 points
• Vacation -- 13 points
• Christmas -- 12 points

The items listed above are only a sample of factors from the Social Readjustment Rating Scale developed by Thomas H. Holmes, M.D., University of Washington School of Medicine.

The Oklahoma Psychiatric Physicians Association is available for information and referral for psychiatric care. You may contact the Association by writing to P.O. Box 1328, Norman, OK, 73070, by calling 405-360-5066 or by email at oklapsychiatry@yahoo.com.

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June 30, 2006 12:05 PM