Stress FAQs

1. What is stress?
2. What are the sources of stress?
3. Is all stress bad?
4. How do I know when stress is affecting my body?
5. What kind of illnesses have been attributed to high stress?
6. Does everyone react to stress in the same ways?
7. What can I do to start managing and reducing my stress?
8. What is the difference between stress management and stress reduction?
9. What are some things I can do to reduce my stress?

What is Stress?
Stress is the body’s natural response to demands. It is usually felt as an urgency or tension.

What are the sources of stress?
Stress is experienced from four basic sources:

1. The environment (weather, noise, traffic).
   
2. Social expectations (social engagements, presentations, obligations).
   
3. Physiological (growth, illness, aging, accidents).
   
4. Cognitive (our perception of what is stressful to us as individual).

Is all stress bad?
No, there are two types of stress. One is called “eustress,” which is a positive stress. It takes the form of extra energy, momentum and gives a boost to one’s productivity. The other type of stress is called “distress,” this is a destructive stress which if not resolved will build in the body and lead to emotional and physical illness.

How do I know when stress is affecting my body?
The effects of stress begin as a process.The process of stress has four steps.
Step I -- Feelings of anxiety and imbalance.
Step II -- Tension and physical symptoms of sore muscles or tension headaches.
Step III -- Nervous impulses such as an increased heart rate, breathing or blood pressure.
Step IV -- Stress is felt to a high intensity manifested by actual illness or an extreme level of energy such as in a "fight or flight" scenario.

What kind of illnesses have been attributed to high stress?
Increase in blood pressure, increase in blood cholesterol, increase in heart rate, increased risk of stroke or heart attack, ulcers, colitis, asthma and other respiratory disorders, muscle tension, headaches, cold sores, skin conditions and hives, panic and anxiety disorders, loss of sleep, loss of appetite, confusion, irritability, anger, depression and even suicide.

Does everyone react to stress in the same ways?
No. Stress and how it affects you is unique to each person’s perception of what stress is. Each of us is vulnerable to stress to differing degrees. Test your vulnerability to stress at our Stress Test page. Your individual vulnerability to stress depends on your current lifestyle and stressful events currently experienced.

What can I do to start managing my stress?
The first thing I teach at my stress management seminars is to identify how vulnerable you are to stress and to identify exactly what stresses you out. Once you have identified those two things, you are ready to develop an individual plan of action to combat stress and promote relaxation.

What is the difference between stress management and stress reduction?
Stress management is a proactive approach to stress whereas stress reduction is a reactive approach to stress. In other words, stress management anticipates stressful events and works to minimize them. Stress reduction considers stress inevitable and works to reduce it’s negative effects.

What are some things I can do to reduce my stress?
Techniques such as Aromatherapy, deep breathing, massage, and guided imagery are some of the manner ways to combat stress. Yoga and other forms of exercise help too. Sound machines are helpful as well. There is no limit to your personal creativity and what avenues you take on the road to peace and serenity.