April is Stress Awareness Month
April 6, 2023
Stress and Physical Health
April is stress awareness month.
STRESS IS THE NUMBER ONE CAUSE OF DISEASE AND ILLNESSES IN OUR BODIES
People define stress differently; the most common types of stress are mental, emotional, and physical. Just like stress is different for us all, so is how we each cope with stress.
So what is stress and why do we stress so much?
I heard this saying from Tony Robbins that said stress comes from making things more important than they are. The truth is we spend a lot of time majoring in minor things. The things we stress about occur because we attach meaning to them. Stress is unavoidable, and almost anything can cause anxiety, and it shows up differently for each of us; there are some stressors we CANNOT avoid, and others we can prevent or control the outcome.
The key is to identify the sources of stress ( identify your triggers) and find ways to avoid them or lower their impact on your life.
Sometimes we create stress from old habits and traits, which can be harmful because of ineffective coping mechanisms.
We can define stress as a situation or emotion that comes up when we believe we don't have enough personal or social support to meet the demands we have in our life.
According to the American Psychological Association (APA), there are three different types of stress which can also be categorized as physical (caused by any physical trauma), chemical (Bacteria, processed food, viruses, medications, etc.), and psychological (relationships, loss, negative thinking, finances, et). ALL OF which PUTS OUR MIND AND BODY OUT OF BALANCE.
1. Acute or short-term may be related to negative thinking about something that’s happened or is about to happen, but it usually goes away once the person stops thinking that way or the stress is removed.
Signs in the body: tension, headache, back pain, neck pain, jaw pain, gut or bowel problems, heartburn, diarrhea, constipation. Increased blood pressure, rapid heartbeat and pulse, sweaty palms, dizziness, migraines, shortness of breath, chest pain, and even difficulty sleeping. 2. Episodic Acute Stress – people who live a life of chaos and crisis. Always in a rush or feel pressured. They take on too much and struggle with time management and have trouble staying organized. By the way, these are your Type A personality types with a greater risk of coronary heart disease and the Worrier.
The worrier is that person who always has a negative view of things and only sees the worst case, and they may see the world as dangerous or everything disastrous for them, and they tend to be overly anxious and depressed, often inducing physical and mental stress.
Signs in the body are like acute stress but cause ongoing suffering emotionally; they suffer from mental fatigue and more defined health issues that affect the digestive system, like IBS – irritable bowel syndrome, colitis and Crohn's, high blood pressure, and heart disease. Someone experiencing this type of stress won't think they need help and often seek help when the pain they’re experiencing emotionally and physically gets to be too much.
3. Chronic Stress is the most harmful, especially when not treated. Chronic stress can cause significant damage to your physical and mental health and shut down your immune system.
Some examples of chronic stress are abuse, repeated abuse, dysfunctional family dynamic, substance abuse, and unhappy marriage or relationships.
This type of stress can be from traumatic experiences – childhood or current and can manifest in much the same way as acute and episodic stress but more severely and often lead to a mental and physical breakdown that leads to suicide, violence, psychotic episodes, heart attack, and strokes. The worst part about chronic stress is that some people get used to it and often do not recognize it until they are experiencing some breakdown.
References: American Psychological Association: https://www.apa.org/topics/stress/health https://spacioustherapy.com/3-types-stress-health-hazards/ Video: https://youtu.be/XIgqpRaI-pc
STRESS IS THE NUMBER ONE CAUSE OF DISEASE AND ILLNESSES IN OUR BODIES
People define stress differently; the most common types of stress are mental, emotional, and physical. Just like stress is different for us all, so is how we each cope with stress.
So what is stress and why do we stress so much?
I heard this saying from Tony Robbins that said stress comes from making things more important than they are. The truth is we spend a lot of time majoring in minor things. The things we stress about occur because we attach meaning to them. Stress is unavoidable, and almost anything can cause anxiety, and it shows up differently for each of us; there are some stressors we CANNOT avoid, and others we can prevent or control the outcome.
The key is to identify the sources of stress ( identify your triggers) and find ways to avoid them or lower their impact on your life.
Sometimes we create stress from old habits and traits, which can be harmful because of ineffective coping mechanisms.
We can define stress as a situation or emotion that comes up when we believe we don't have enough personal or social support to meet the demands we have in our life.
According to the American Psychological Association (APA), there are three different types of stress which can also be categorized as physical (caused by any physical trauma), chemical (Bacteria, processed food, viruses, medications, etc.), and psychological (relationships, loss, negative thinking, finances, et). ALL OF which PUTS OUR MIND AND BODY OUT OF BALANCE.
1. Acute or short-term may be related to negative thinking about something that’s happened or is about to happen, but it usually goes away once the person stops thinking that way or the stress is removed.
Signs in the body: tension, headache, back pain, neck pain, jaw pain, gut or bowel problems, heartburn, diarrhea, constipation. Increased blood pressure, rapid heartbeat and pulse, sweaty palms, dizziness, migraines, shortness of breath, chest pain, and even difficulty sleeping. 2. Episodic Acute Stress – people who live a life of chaos and crisis. Always in a rush or feel pressured. They take on too much and struggle with time management and have trouble staying organized. By the way, these are your Type A personality types with a greater risk of coronary heart disease and the Worrier.
The worrier is that person who always has a negative view of things and only sees the worst case, and they may see the world as dangerous or everything disastrous for them, and they tend to be overly anxious and depressed, often inducing physical and mental stress.
Signs in the body are like acute stress but cause ongoing suffering emotionally; they suffer from mental fatigue and more defined health issues that affect the digestive system, like IBS – irritable bowel syndrome, colitis and Crohn's, high blood pressure, and heart disease. Someone experiencing this type of stress won't think they need help and often seek help when the pain they’re experiencing emotionally and physically gets to be too much.
3. Chronic Stress is the most harmful, especially when not treated. Chronic stress can cause significant damage to your physical and mental health and shut down your immune system.
Some examples of chronic stress are abuse, repeated abuse, dysfunctional family dynamic, substance abuse, and unhappy marriage or relationships.
This type of stress can be from traumatic experiences – childhood or current and can manifest in much the same way as acute and episodic stress but more severely and often lead to a mental and physical breakdown that leads to suicide, violence, psychotic episodes, heart attack, and strokes. The worst part about chronic stress is that some people get used to it and often do not recognize it until they are experiencing some breakdown.
References: American Psychological Association: https://www.apa.org/topics/stress/health https://spacioustherapy.com/3-types-stress-health-hazards/ Video: https://youtu.be/XIgqpRaI-pc
I’m Renea Jones-Hudson
A retired army veteran, international bestselling author, and empowerment coach. I help military and veteran women transition to civilian life, unlocking their unique talents and achieving personal and financial growth through empowering sessions and proven strategies.
Financial Independence Blueprint for Veterans: 5 steps to build wealth outside the uniform
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