Stress

What is stress? And how can you lessen its power ...

stress

Stress is one of the most deliberated terms in our language today, a noun used to describe the root cause or source of a wide range of physical and mental health disorders, from the common cold to impulse buying.

There is no doubt that continual, unabated stress leads to distress on both the body and mind. Scientists and researchers continue almost daily to find physiological links to disease and illness related to stress. (see The Effects of Stress.) A vicious cycle, unrelenting stress inevitably leads to one or more mental health disorders – depression (see Depression), anxiety (see Anxiety), and post-traumatic stress disorder (see PTSD) to name only a few – and suffering with a disorder inevitably leads to stress.

Yet most people forget the importance of stress. Biologically, sudden acute situations of danger or threat induce the fight-or-flight response, a response that keeps us alert and responsive. A car quickly changing lanes into our lane signals danger, as do footsteps following ours on a dark, deserted street.

Athletes use stress and the fight-or-flight response to their advantage, as adrenaline pulses through their bloodstream to their muscles. And without at least a little stress, many individuals wouldn’t receive the internal “push” to finish projects at work, home, or at school.

Stress and Children

Findings from the American Psychological Association’s (APA) 2010 “Stress in America” survey demonstrates the toll that stress is having on our nation’s children, especially when it comes to the rising trend of childhood obesity. (see also Childhood Developmental Psychology).

The survey stated that obese and overweight children feel more “stressed” than children of normal weight. Thirty-one percent of overweight children felt stressed compared to 14% of normal weight, and 36% of those who are overweight stated that they worry how the extra weight looks.

And 36% of overweight or obese children reported that their parents were stressed compared to 30% of normal weight.

The survey also reported that overweight children also are more likely to experience physical illnesses and conditions associated with stress. They were more likely than children of normal weight to report that in the past month they had trouble falling asleep, suffered with headaches, ate too much or not enough, and felt angry – which resulted in getting into more fights.

Tweens and teens also reported becoming sedentary to shield themselves from stress, especially when they are worried. About 56% of tweens and 41% of teens turn to playing video games, and 34% of tweens and 30% of teens turn to watching television.

More than half of the parents surveyed said that it requires some or a great deal of effort to get their families to eat healthy foods, and to become physically active.

The American Institute of Stress (AIS) states that any definition of stress should include the “good” stress, or necessary stress for getting things accomplished. But, the AIS reports, stress increases productivity up to a certain point, and after that point, “things begin to deteriorate rapidly.”

But differing thresholds or resiliency levels for stress makes it a subjective condition, which makes it difficult for scientists and researchers to accurately measure. Tolerance levels vary widely.

Despite its subjectivity, however, the AIS states that an accepted definition of stress does exist, and it has to with issues of control.

To put a definition of stress into context, the organization uses the example of a theme park or carnival ride, such as a roller coaster. What separates those from the front of the roller coaster, screaming and yelling, hands in the air, enjoying every second from those sitting in the rear, hunched over, eyes shut, scared and frightened?

Even more perplexing are those who don’t seem affected one way or another, their boredom a sharp contrast to the thrill seekers and the petrified.

The stressor – the roller coaster – differed for the riders depending on their “sense of control” over the event, according to the AIS. No group exerted more control over the others, yet those in the fearful group felt little to no control over the event. In other words, this group’s perception of the roller coaster ride differed from the others.

It’s the perception of having little to no control over one’s life or situation that defines stress, or the negative stress associated with distress and mental anguish.

The goal of mental health professionals, from therapists to counselors, doctors and psychologists, is to teach individuals how to perceive stressors differently. In other words, to teach them how to move from the scared, hunched over position of the roller coaster to the one of sitting in the front, enjoying each dramatic plummet and thrill-seeking turn.

Mental health counselors help those with misguided perceptions, re-defining them, and re-establishing more healthy responses to stressors of every kind and intensity.

If you desire to use therapeutic stress interventions, helping individuals cope with stress and countless stressors, consider a career as a mental health counselor.

To become a mental health counselor, at least a master’s degree is required. Most states also require licensing. For more information, contact schools offering degrees in Mental Health counseling or psychology.