Dealing With Stress

A common result of the increase of adrenaline and blood pressure in the body is headaches. The blood vessels in our bodies dilate to accommodate the increased blood flow of the “Fight-or-Flight” state. This can cause sensitive nerves in our brain to be squeezed by the engorged blood vessels, resulting in headaches or even migraines.

Yep, this is the biggie. Stress is a leading cause of lupus flares. During a flare, lupus symptoms appear or worsen, causing rashes, fever, severe fatigue, joint pain, kidney or CNS involvement, or any other of the myriad of symptoms that we’re all so familiar with.

So now that you know the effects that stress can have on your body, I’m sure that you want to know the answer to the next logical question: What can you do about the stress in your life?

The answer is...nothing.

That’s right...you can’t do a darned thing about the stress that you will encounter in everyday life, much less have much effect on global events. Some things are beyond our control.

However, you can do something about how you react and cope with stress. Here are some suggestions for everyone, not just lupies:

• Exercise

  Regular exercise can reduce the body’s negative reactions to stress. It lowers blood pressure and bad cholesterol levels, it increases endorphins (the body’s natural painkillers) and it offers a victim-free release for any pent-up emotions like anger and frustration. Better a punching bag than your husband, right? :-)

• Find A Positive Outlet

  Figure out what you can and cannot do about your stressors. For example, many people who were outraged by the events on 9/11/01 have found amazingly positive ways to channel their energy. By joining the relief efforts, by organizing blood drives, donating time, food, money and other supplies, or even by standing on the streets of New York and cheering on the relief workers, a strong sense of purpose and a feeling of satisfaction has replaced the despair and anxiety. If you can’t do much physically or financially, why not try your hand at poetry or art, expressing yourself creatively? You may be amazed at how much stress you can release by pounding on a lump of clay!

• Turn Off The Television

  While there are many stressors that we cannot do anything about, we need to distance ourselves from the ones we can. Don’t expose yourself to extra stress unnecessarily. If you “must” get a dose of the news, wait until

  The copyright of the article Dealing With Stress in Lupus is owned by Karyn Moran Holton. Permission to republish Dealing With Stress in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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