Deal with that stress

Stress is anything that poses a challenge or a threat to our well-being. Stressor is an agent or stimulus that causes stress. Stress is the feeling we have when under pressure, while stressors are the things we respond to in our environment. Examples of stressors are noises, unpleasant people etc .
Some stresses get you going and they are good for you, without any
stress at all our lives would be boring and would probably feel pointless. However, when the stresses undermine both our mental and physical health they are bad.
We all react differently to stressful situations. What one person finds stressful another may not at all. Almost anything can cause stress and it has different triggers. It is possible that a person feels stressed and no clear cause is identified. Common causes of stress are Bereavement, Family problems, Financial matters, Illness, Job issues(retirement, losing your job), Lack of time, Relationships (including divorce), Abortion, Conflicts in the workplace, Driving in bad traffic, Fear of crime, Miscarriage, Overcrowding, Pregnancy, Too much noise, Uncertainty (awaiting laboratory test results, academic exam results, job interview results etc), feeling of frustration, anxiety and depression.
When we are stressed Blood pressure rises, Breathing becomes more rapid, Digestive system slows down, Heart rate (pulse) rises, Immune system goes down, Muscles become tense, We do not sleep (heightened state of alertness).
Some of the effects of stress on your body includes:
A tendency to sweat, Back and Chest pain, Childhood obesity, Cramps or muscle spasms, Erectile dysfunction, Headache, Heart disease, Hypertension, Loss of libido, Lower immunity against diseases, Muscular aches, Nail biting, Nervous twitches, Sleeping difficulties and Stomach upset.
Effect on your thoughts and feelings are Anger, Anxiety, Burnout,
Depression, Feeling of insecurity, Forgetfulness, Irritability, Problem concentrating, Restlessness, Sadness and Fatigue.
Effect on your behavior includes:  Eating too much, Eating too little,
Food cravings, Sudden angry outbursts, Drug and Alcohol abuse,
Higher tobacco consumption, Social withdrawal, Frequent crying and
Relationship problems.
Ways one can treat stress include self-help, self management, and medication.
Self help for treating stress includes:
1. Exercise -Exercise is an extremely effective stress buster.
2. Division of labor - try to delegate your responsibilities at work, If you make yourself indispensable the likelihood of your feeling highly stressed is significantly greater.
3. Assertiveness - don't say yes to everything. if something is not your responsibility, try to seek ways of not agreeing to do them.
4. Alcohol and drugs -cut down your alcohol and drugs intake. They will not help you manage stress.
5. Caffeine - Cut down your coffee and caffeine consumption.
6. Nutrition - eat plenty of fruit and vegetables. Make sure you have a healthy and balanced diet.
7. Time - make sure you set aside some time each day just for yourself. Use that time to organize your life, relax, and pursue your own interests.
8. Breathing - there are some effective breathing techniques which will slow down your system and help you relax.
9. Talk - Express your thoughts and worries to families, friends and loved ones.
10. Seek professional help - if the stress is affecting the way you function; go and see your doctor.
11. Relaxation techniques - meditation or massage have been known to greatly help people with stress.
Self management can help you to either remove or change the source of stress, alter the way you view a stressful event, lower the impact that stress might have on your body, and teach you alternative ways of coping. Stress management techniques can be gained if you read self-help books, or attend a stress management course. You can also seek the help of a counselor or psychotherapist for personal development or therapy sessions. Many therapies which help you relax, such as aromatherapy, or reflexology, may have a beneficial effect.
Medication will not help you deal and cope with stress but rather mask the stress. Doctors will not prescribe medications for coping with stress, unless the patient has an underlying illness, such as depression or some type of anxiety. If that is the case, the doctor is
actually treating a mental illness and in such cases, an antidepressant may be prescribed.
Bear in mind that your body doesn’t care if it's a big stress or a
little one. Stress can make people do stupid things. We can
control how we respond to stress. The best strategy is to handle stress in the moment. Always laugh as this help to lower stress hormone.
Deal with that stress. Its not the best for you.