Question by Angie F.: Wha is STRESS, what are the causes, and how can we deal with it??
i heard that everybody can get stress, even little kids..
why does this happen? please help!

Best answer:

Answer by Carole
Many things (or the anticipation of them) can lead to stress.
Here are some examples…

pressure to perform at work or at school
threats of physical violence
money worries
arguments
family conflicts
divorce
bereavement
unemployment
moving house
marriage
Often there is no particular reason for developing stress, and it’s caused by a build-up of a number of small things.

Stress can be caused by a range of common situations. However, people have very different responses to stress. For some people, stress can be useful, helping motivate them to achieve more. In others, particularly if it goes on for a long period of time, it causes a sense of not being able to cope.

It’s important to differentiate between temporary stress that you know will go away when a situation is resolved, and long-term or chronic stress. Most people can cope with short periods of stress. Chronic (long-term or continuous) stress is much harder to deal with, and can be psychologically and emotionally damaging, both for you and your friends and family.

Symptoms
Everyone reacts to stress differently, but there are some common effects to look out for. In times of extreme stress, people may tremble, hyperventilate (breathe faster and deeper than normal) or even vomit. For people with asthma, stress can trigger an asthma attack. People who are chronically stressed may have:

periods of irritability or anger
apathy or depression
constant anxiety
irrational behaviour
loss of appetite
comfort eating
lack of concentration
loss of sex drive
increased smoking, drinking, or taking recreational drugs There can also be physical effects, which may include the following:
excessive tiredness
skin problems, such as eczema
aches and pains resulting from tense muscles, including neck ache, backache and tension headaches
increased pain from arthritis and other conditions
heart palpitations
feeling sick
stomach problems
for women, missed periods
Post-traumatic stress
Post-traumatic stress can affect anyone who has been through an extremely difficult or violent experience, such as witnessing a violent death or disaster, being involved in a serious car crash, or surviving a fire.

People suffering from post-traumatic stress may experience any of the symptoms listed. They may also feel a mixture of emotions such as fear, shame, depression, guilt or anger, and recurrent memories or images that may be haunting or lead to nightmares. These feelings can last for weeks, months or even years after the traumatic event that triggered them. Specialist treatment, possibly with medicines and psychological therapies, is available.

Self-help
Here are some ways you can help yourself to deal better with stress:

take regular exercise – even if you are not sporty, brisk walking for 30 minutes every day can be a very effective stress buster
delegate or share your responsibilities at work – making yourself indispensable can be a major source of problems
learn to be more assertive – for example, not agreeing to things you know you can’t do well or know shouldn’t be your responsibility
don’t drink too much alcohol or take drugs – these will not help you to cope better and may make you ill
don’t drink too much caffeine
try to eat a healthy, balanced diet, rich in fruit and vegetables
set aside some time to organise yourself
find some quiet time to listen to music or relaxation tapes
learn breathing techniques – this can help you to “centre” yourself and slow down
A good way to tackle stress is to talk to your friends or family – sharing your thoughts and worries can help It’s important to talk directly to your manager if you are suffering from work-related stress. Your manager has a duty to take reasonable steps to try to resolve the problem.

If stress is causing physical symptoms, severe distress or making it difficult for you to function as normal, it’s worth seeing your doctor. It’s important to remember that although stress is a usual part of life, extreme or prolonged stress can be harmful and needs treatment.

Your doctor will be able to spot the physical symptoms of stress. In case there are physical reasons for your symptoms, the doctor may also want to do some tests to exclude certain conditions. He or she may also help you identify the things that are causing your stress and give advice on learning techniques to help you relax.

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