All to know about stress
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Anything that poses challenge to our well-being is stress.
CAUSES OF STRESS
ü Work
ü Major life changes
ü Relationship challenges
ü Financial constraints
ü Being too busy
ü Responsibilities
ü Education/schooling
ü Unrealistic expectations
ü Inferiority complex
SIGNS
We can classify the signs of stress into two:
Cognitive/Emotional Signs
These include:
- Memory loss
- Inability to concentrate
- Poor judgement
- Pessimism
- Worrying
- Agitation
- Sense of loneliness
- Depression
Physical Signs
- Nausea
- Weakness
- Diarrhoea
- Body aches
- Loss of sex drive
- Sleeping too much or too less
- Substance abuse, such as alcohol, drugs etc
- Nervous habits such as nail biting, pacing about
NB: It is important to note that the above-mentioned signs and symptoms could be indicative of a disease; hence there is the need to seek medical attention, having identified any.
WHAT HAPPENS TO YOUR BODY DURING STRESS?
v Blood pressure increases
v Breathing rate increases
v Digestion slows down
v Pulse rises
v Immune deficiency efficiency goes down
EFFECTS
Stress can have devastating effects on your body. If not well managed, your body becomes at risk of
- Body pains
- Hypertension
- Obesity
- Diabetes
- Autoimmune diseases
MANAGEMENT
Stress is inevitable, and cannot be eliminated. Absence of stress means death! However, we need to manage how it affects us.
Here are 10 effective ways to manage stress:
- Exercise
- Avoid or reduce intake of alcohol, caffeine and any other drug.
- Take a balanced diet
- Express your thoughts and worries
- Share your problems with others
- Try relaxation techniques such as meditation, massaging, yoga etc
- Keep a positive attitude. Be assertive instead of being aggressive
- Make time for hobbies, interests and fun.
- Always get enough sleep and rest.
- Seek professional help. Talk to your doctor or a clinical psychiatrist
Author: Patrick Fynn
Follow on twitter: @PatrickFynn
ABOUT: Nana Kwesi Coomson
[email protected] An Entrepreneur, Corporate Social Responsibility, Corporate Communications Executive and Philanthropist. Editor-in-Chief of www.233times.com. A Senior Journalist with Ghanaian Chronicle Newspaper. An alumnus of Adisadel College where he read General Arts. His first degree is in Bachelor of Arts - Political Science (major) and History (minor) from the University of Ghana. He holds MSc in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Energy with Public Relations (PR) from the Robert Gordon University in the United Kingdom. He is a 2018 Mandela Washington Fellow who studied at Clark Atlanta University in USA on the Business and Entrepreneurship track.
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