YOU HAVE TO LIVE WITH STRESS AND SURVIVE

Our cells are constantly eavesdropping on our thoughts and are being changed by them. A bout of depression can wreak havoc with the immune system, falling in love can boost it. Joy and fulfillment keep us healthy and extend life.

Anger, anxiety, depression, fear and many other feelings are unhealthy only if they remain buried inside, unexpressed and not dealthwith.

------ Candace Pert

Most people find it much easier to hold on to negative thoughts than the positive ones. On an average, a person can hold a positive thought for only 4-7 seconds, whereas we worry for hours, days or even years about something that hasn't yet happened.

------ Anonymous

You take control of your life by taking control of your thoughts. Transform your thinking, and you transform your life.

------ Rex Johnson

Stress is the body's response or reaction to any change in body's environment requiring an adjustment.

The body reacts to these changes with physical, mental and emotional responses. Stress is a normal part of our life and can affect the body physically and psychologically. In general psychology, the term stress means a feeling of pressure or strain or a threat.1 Stress can be due to sickness, injury, grief, anger, anxiety, depression, financial problem, death of a loved one, divorce, separation, marriage, etc. Bad or even good experiences are the factors which can cause stress. Physical or psychological demand arising from your environment can trigger stress. Stress affects each of us at certain time in life.

The father of stress phenomena Hans Selye, Austrian endocrinologist wrote about stress as General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) which was published in 1936 in British Journal "Nature". He described three stages of GAS, first the "initial alarm reaction stage" which occurs for a short time after the stressful event. It is followed by the second "stage of resistance" which is the resistance by autonomic nervous system. Finally stage 3 or exhaustion stage arrives in which body has depleted it's sources in an attempt to repair, so either the body recovers or exhausts if stress persists. Stress can increase the risk of strokes, heart attacks, ulcers and mental illnesses such as depression.2

Stress is a positive force that enables you to survive. Small amount of stress may be desired, beneficial and even healthy. Positive stress helps improve athletic performance. When you are waiting to cross a busy road you need to be temporarily stressed.

Because you are alert, vigilant, and aware of danger, you are more likely to cross safely. Like an electric current, stress increases arousal, gives you energy, and improves your performance. However, if the current is turned up too high, stress can produce unpleasant effects and cause your performance to deteriorate. Conversely, too little stress can cause you to feel listless and unstimulated, and you are likely to perform slowly and inefficiently. A definition of too much stress might be when you see your environment as taxing or exceeding your ability to cope, endangering your well-being.3

The stress is a state of physical, mental, emotional or other strain. It is the pressure exerted on a person by his environment. It is a shortening of distress, which means extreme anxiety or suffering. Man feels stress when he feels that his ability to cope with the demands are not enough. You have to be stress free. Try to handle the stress and also try not to increase stress or produce unwanted stress from routine life situations. Dr. Benson of Mind and Bony Medical School of Boston, USA says that 60 to 80 percent visits to health care professionals are stress related. I have observed at the Apollo Clinic, Gurgaon, Haryana, India, that most of the persons coming for annual health checkups are found suffering with stress related sicknesses and I have also observed the increasing level of stress among youngsters now a days.

Physiology of Stress

The symptoms of stress are due to certain hormones called stress hormones.

1.Adrenaline or acute stress hormone:

It produces a "fight or flight" response to acute stress, which causes physiological change in the body to prepare the body to fight with the external stimulus or run away.

Our metabolism increases to provide more energy. The heart beats faster and the rate of breathing increases to provide blood and more oxygen to body. Digestion diminishes. Muscle of limbs contract to pool blood in vital organs where the requirement goes up in preparation for a fight or flight response.

2.Cortisol or chronic stress hormone:

It is released specially under chronic stress. Chronic stress causes hypertension and coronary arterial blocks. It weakens the immune system, develops osteoporosis and memory disturbances and may cause infertility.

A very much overlooked side of stress is its positive adaptation.4 It gives feeling of hope, and motivation rather than anxiety and depression. Positive stress is also called 'Eustress'. Overstress is called hyperstress and low stress is called hypostress. The aim of us should be to have maximum eustress and no hyperstress. Selye advocates balancing these. ... stress is extremely useful for a productive lifestyle because it makes working enjoyable instead of distress.

Stress Busting

Stress is the negative response of the body and the mind to the external stimuli so if we change our response to external stimuli we can reduce the stress or even we can convert the negative situation to the positive one.

Scientific studies have proved that most of the heart attacks are caused by anger and emotional stress.

It is observed that quite a good percentage of heart attacks are caused at a time of fit of anger or emotional outburst. Mr. Kumar got heart attack and that too a massive one while he was shouting at his subordinate. He was immediately shifted to ICCU and angiography revealed advance coronary artery disease, to everybody's surprise. He is 42 years old and physically very active and healthy, his annual health checkup done recently showed everything in normal limit except the lipid levels which were at upper limit of normal value. His anger and eating habits were responsible for his condition.

When a patient comes to me and starts describing his complaints. I ask him few questions about his job, family life and social life. My talks with him give me an idea about the level of stress he has and whether he belongs to high-risk group of future heart attack or not. I advise him to go slow in life, change the attitude towards life and practice yoga and meditation.

When you feel stressed, leave the job and take 15 minutes off, go to a good restaurant and sit there, order a herbal tea or light mint tea or earl gray tea and sit silently, observe people around you or you can just sit in some place and close your eyes and do few deep breathing exercises.

"Relax I Calm down, stop rushing

around and take hold of your life.

You must be able to handle tension

Not let it manhandle you."

------ George Shinn

What Celebrities do to Burst The Stress

Ricky Martin – When in stress, goes to a crystal therapist, which brings equilibrium in his body.

Jennifer Lopez – Goes to a quite room and does deep breathing exercises and comes back rejuvenated.

Britney Spear – Takes help of acupuncture.

Robbin Williams, An American actor and comedian committed suicide on August 11, 2014 at the age of 63. He was suffering with anxiety and depression. After his death it was revealed that he was suffering with sleeplessness and insomnia also along with stress, anxiety and fear. He also suffered with alcohol and substance abuse.

Marilyn Monroe, American actress, model, and singer became one of the most popular sex symbols of 1950s and 1960s. She died with drug overdose i.e. acute barbiturate poisoning at young age of 36. Stress, anxiety and depression doesn't differentiate between poor and rich or common individual and a celebrity.

False Stress Busters

1. Cigarette Smoking:

Nicotine acts as a tranquiliser but increases heart rate and blood pressure.

2. Caffeine:

Coffee, tea, cola, etc., stimulate the body and relieve tiredness, but also increase heart rate and blood pressure and cause insomnia.

3. Alcohol:

It depresses the brain and causes reduced tension and anxiety.

However, regular overuse leads to disturbed sleep and depression and causes problems of liver and heart.

Why You Have to Avoid Stress or Handle It ?

Stress is good for you if it is in small quantity or in mild degree as then it is a positive factor helping you to accomplish tasks and succeed. It improves your performance. You can't get rid of stress, it is a part of our life. To reduce stress you have to have clear idea of your life, what you have to do in life? What is your goal? You have to be positive for changes in life and not to be negative. Barring these, you have to pass time with your family and friends to relax. Keep some hobbies to keep yourself happy and satisfied. Passing time with family and eating at least once a day with family makes one happy and stress free.

We have to avoid stress or to reduce it so that we should not fall sick due to it's negative effects. Stress if continuous then may affect you physically as well as psychologically. It can lead to following problems:

•Depression

•Eatin- g disorders

•Drinking problems

•Chronic fatigue

•Headaches

•High blood pressure

•Anger

•Gastrointes- tinal problems

•Panic attack

•Sleep problem

•Addiction to drugs

Mental health problems develop due to stress and that can lead to suicidal tendencies, famous actors, politicians, scientists, historical figures have committed suicide.

Ernest Hemingway, American journalist and writer who was awarded Nobel Prize in literature in 1954 committed suicide though his writings were inspiration to generations. Who can forget his some creations such as A farewell to Arms, The Sun Also Rises and The Old Man and The Sea. He shot himself in the head. He was a reporter for wars, covered Spanish civil war, the Normandy landings and others. Continuously reporting wars affected his health both physically and mentally. He developed depression and one day committed suicide.

How to Know That You Are Under Stress?

You can diagnose yourself suffering with stress or atleast can suspect it by introspection.

Everybody reacts to stress differently, some suffer with headache, nervousness, sleep disturbances, bowel disorders, panic attack or anxiety others may have worries, lack of confidence or low self-esteem. You can suspect the influence of stress by asking yourself following questions.

•Are you loosing interest in sex life or developing early ejaculation or erectile dysfunction?

•Do you get feeling of fear or panic suddenly?

•Do you have problem in getting sleep or you are sleeping for a short time only?

•Are you becoming irritable and short tempered? Your family members may also tell you about this change in yourself?

•Are you feeling inability to concentrate and fading memory?

•Do you feel exhausted or tired inspite of a night's sleep?

•Do you take deep breath quite often, as there is a feeling of short of breath?

•Do you frequently suffer with acidity, burps, upset stomach, indigestion, constipation or diarrhoea?

•Do you sometimes feel much emotional and cry?

•Have you lost interest in life and feel it is not worth living or you get suicidal thoughts?

•Do you wish to be left alone and don't wish to meet friends?

The factor which causes stress is called, 'stressor'.

Actually stressor is a neutral factor contrary to public belief and it can cause either distress or eustress depending upon our responses to it. Stressor's response from us can lead to psychological or physical problems like high blood pressure, heart disease or depression. Usually the recurrent attack of stressors on our health leads to illness. Recent attacks of stressor may not lead to sickness but chronic effect of stressor can lead to sickness as it requires time to cause sickness. Usually the acute attack of stressors doesn't lead to sickness but chronic attack of stressors can only lead to sickness.

Spirituality gives a sense of connection to higher and bigger entity or God. Spirituality helps in improving mental health and reducing stress. It helps by concentrating on a spiritual goal rather than worrying that what will happen. Spiritual persons deal with stress better than nonspiritual individuals. Spirituality gives an idea about meaning and purpose of life. So one gets positivity and better mental and physical health. Prayer can reduce stress, and anxiety and heal. Praying for oneself is delineating a helpful practice but even praying for stress, intercessory prayer, is also beneficial. Regular prayer improves the confidence and self-esteem and thus reduces negative thoughts and it's resultant stress. Spirituality may include prayer, chanting of mantras, meditation, ritual etc. Spirituality teaches kindness, helping and loving others and caring for everybody even animals.

Isolation is dangerous and has negative effects on health and spirituality connects you to the world which removes isolation makes life happy and fruitful.

Some people lean over spirituality or religious practice to stabilize disturbed state of mind and find peace. One can also learn to reduce stress by use of faith. Daily prayer can make you calmer and connected to God. It also helps you to reduce stress by understanding who you are? And what is life? Spiritual practices can break the stressor – response – stress cycle and stress induced symptoms like headache, anxiety and sleeplessness. Some people feel meeting with divine in touch with nature i.e. trees, water, mountains etc. Loving nature can reduce your stress. Connect to God or higher power by spiritual practice such as meditation, prayer etc. and lead a stress free life.

The connecting link between the body and the mind was not clear for ages. The supply of this missing link was the work of the Canadian endocrinologist Hans Selye. In his classic work "The Stress of Life" Selye showed that mental stress was the root cause of several types of common illness such as hypertension, peptic ulcer, etc. although stess itself may have a purely psychological cause such as a mental conflict or emotional upsurge or the accumulation of 'life's little hassles'. The original source of stress, the 'stressor,' excites the hypothalamus in the brain (through pathways not yet fully understood). This vital organ which controls the autonomic nervous system activates the pituitary to secrete the 'stress hormone' (known technically as ACTH) which stimulates the secretion of several hormones and steroids (including the well-known adreline or epinephrine).

The final result of these changes is the release of more sugar into blood, increase of blood pressure, and various other inner and outer changes in the body, preparing it to face the danger. According to Selye, stress is unavoidable in life and is even necessary for healthy growth. Bet when it goes beyond a certain tolerance level (which varies from person to person) the system breaks down resulting in illness.

Hans Selye, Father of "Stress Phenomenon" who first described the effects of stress. He said, "Every stress leaves an indelible scar, and the organism pays for it's survival after a stressful situation by becoming a little older….. Mental tensions, frustrations, insecurity, aimlessness are among the most damaging stressors, and psychosomatic studies have shown how often they cause migraine headache, peptic ulcers, heart attacks, hypertension, mental disease, suicide, or just hopelessness, unhappiness".

Over half of U.S. medical schools now include in their curricula courses on religion, spirituality, and health.5

Some Starling Facts

•Repeated and frequent episodes of anger increase chances of a heart attack.

•Discussing problems with one's life partner relieves stress.

•50 per cent of single middle-aged have a chance of dying within 15 years, compared to 17 per cent for a married man with many friends.

•Tension stresses and depresses the immune system (bone marrow, spleen, thymus and lymph nodes), leading to an increased risk of infection.

•Cancer is commonly seen in patients with depression but a strong will and desire to survive reduces the risk of relapse.6

•Stress diminishes white blood cell formation and function, and causes the thymus gland to shrink.7

Hans Selye, "Father of stress", states that it transforms mental suffering into physical illness, by involving the nervous system and hormones. New researches have demonstrated the importance of genetic factors in our susceptibilities to stress.

An article "Doc keeps the faith" was published on 1st June, 2008, in Times Life, Times of India. On 2nd June, 2008, a young girl, Ms. Suman Dave (name changed), aged 23-24 years, attended my OPD in Apollo Clinic, Gurgaon. She started crying and explained that her father was suffering from cancer of the food pipe (esophagus). Her father was a very jolly and optimistic man, but over the last four to five weeks, had turned depressed and pessimistic. Mr.

Dhruve Sahai Dave, aged 68, after reading the "Doc keeps the faith" article became optimistic and started feeling better and hopeful.

I visited his home. He was anaemic, weak and depressed. His voice was very faint, almost a whisper due to weakness. It was a post-surgery recurrence. I shook hands with him and held his hands for few minutes. He required a blood transfusion as his haemoglobin was 6.5 gm (less than half the normal value in an adult). He was depressed and weak and his appetite was reduced as a result of the disease. His family members gathered around him. He was reluctant to undergo blood transfusion, but we made him understand that it would improve his general well-being and he would be able to eat well, which was essential for recovery and remission.

We told him that we would all pray for his health and he was not alone in his fight against cancer. He would come out a winner. He was later transfused three bottles of blood. His general condition improved, as did his appetite. His depression was reduced. I visited him twice later and he looked better and more positive.

He is undergoing treatment and accepting the advice of doctors. The prayers and hope provided him his family the much needed strength and comfort.

Paula Ceccaldi et al write in their book Stress, the good and bad that stress may also enhance the progress of cancer or reduce the inhibition of resistance to it. Though cancer is often accompanied by depression, a strong will to live seems to reduce the risk of relapse. Specialists at London Hospital compared survival rates of women treated for breast cancer over five years and found high rates of survival among those who refused to submit to the illness.29

The word stress comes from the Latin word "stringer", which means to squeeze, clasp or wound. It became "estresse" in French, meaning narrowness or oppression and gave English the word "distress".

Stress is the main troublemaker of today's life. "Stress is a situation, which produces a negative body response." Though stress is good for the human body if it occurs in small amounts, recurrent heavy stress can lead to psychological problems as well as physical illness.

According to Philip T. Hagan, MD, Mayo Clinic, USA, technique like guided imagery, meditation, muscle relaxation and relaxed breathing can help in relaxation. It lowers heart rate, blood pressure and muscle tension.30

Ten Commandments to Beat Stress

1.Set a realistic goal for yourself.

2.Don't remember failure or disappointments.

3.Learn to say "No".

4.Exercise regularly and play games of your liking

5.Sleep for a full 6-7 hours.

6.Follow a low-fat vegetarian diet. A diet rich in fibre, fruit and fresh vegetables relaxes the mind and body.

7.Be happy and enjoy life.

8.Be positive in your thoughts.

9.Practice a few minutes of meditation, yoga and deep abdominal breathing daily

Open your heart to your partner – discuss every problem.

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