Managing Stress
This month, CaLana D. Loveless explains the best ways to handle stress and stressful situations. She is currently earning her Doctorate in Business Administration (D.B.A.) from Nova Southeastern University, and she holds a Master's in Business Administration (M.B.A.) from NSU and a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Sociology from Florida A&M University. CaLana is the contributing editor on Stress Management at Suite 101.
KT: What is the difference between "good" and "bad" stress?
CL: "Good" stress, or eustress, is tension caused by positive events and situations in our lives. Because, during these times, our emotions are happy, ecstatic, excited, etc., we don't realize that our tri-balance (the state of our mind, body, and spirit) is being strained. We use more mental, physical, and spiritual energy to cope with the eustressful situation than if it did not exist. A classic example is when a bride begins to prepare a wedding. There are times during that process, however, that the bride will experience "bad" stress, or distress.
Distress is the exact opposite of eustress in that we may be aware of its affects, yet not attribute it directly to the obstacles in our lives. What's interesting about distress is that much of it is self-induced. But you didn't lay you off, your boss did! True, but your boss doesn't control your attitude and coping abilities. Since we do have that control, we can monitor the amount of stress we experience.
We all need a bit of both kinds of stress to keep growing as indivduals. What's important to realize is that an excess of either types of stress is not healthy. Living to avoid stress is not only unrealistic, but a stressor (the "thing" that causes stress) in itself.
KT: What effect does too much stress have on the body?
CL: Each person is different, therefore each responds to stress differently. Symptoms can range from minor aches to a cold that won't dissappear to chronic acne. These are signs that excessive stress is present, which tends to deplete the immune system.
When we "stress out", we focus on the stressor so much that we pay less attention to our health regimen. For instance, have you ever lost sleep worrying about an uncomfortable situation (maybe no money and a big credit card bill)?
It's important to visit your primary health care provider on a regular basis and to contact her/him when experiencing unusual or sudden symptoms of any kind. Also, regular exercise, limited alcohol consumption, and a healthy diet have a tremendous impact
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