By Jennifer Davis Rash
The Alabama Baptist
“Stressed” is a description commonly heard among people conversing about their lives and an almost accepted way of life for the “successful.”
But how does stress affect a person’s total wellness?
“Stress relates very significantly to the rest of your health,” said Bart Grooms, a licensed professional counselor with Samaritan Counseling Center. “Any kind of stress is going to exacerbate physical and emotional symptoms,” he noted. “(According to Hans Selye, a Dutch physician who was one of the first people to discuss the effects of stress) stress from emotional frustration is more likely to produce disease than physical stress. In fact, physical exercise has proven to be helpful in working through emotional frustration,” Grooms said.
Still, “stress is normal,” said Beth Gregory, program director of behavioral health services at Baptist Health System. “We need some level of stress to motivate us, so we have some sense of purpose and will get out of bed in the morning.”
It is when stress becomes distress that it is harmful, she said. “Distress is a level that is overwhelming, where we are spinning our wheels and not making any progress,” Gregory said.
“(Distress happens when) we have so many external demands placed on us, when we are multitasking with technology and experiencing sensory overload. One cause of increased stress is trying to learn so much so fast to keep up.
“When stress moves to distress, you feel overwhelmed, tired and irritable,” Gregory said. “When you stay at a level of distress, it causes all kinds of physical and medical problems — muscular tightness, headaches, chronic back pain from muscle spasms, hypertension, cardiac problems, gastrointestinal problems, excessive acid production and sleep problems. People wake up with their mind racing. They have too much to do and can’t figure out how to do it all.
“A lot of people are also stress eaters,” Gregory said. “They eat a lot when stressed and/or eat a candy bar for a quick pick-me-up, but they feel worse. Eating a healthy, balanced diet is important.”
‘Think through what we think’
Grooms, whose office is at Dawson Memorial Baptist Church, Homewood, said one approach to dealing with distress, which he described as continually readjusting or adapting, is “to think through what we think.” Some common stressors include:
“Something horrible is going to occur if I make a mistake.”
“Everyone has to approve of me all the time.”
“I never have the option of challenging someone in authority.”
“There is only one way to do this.”
“I have to be perfect.”
“Those are examples of cognitive things in our mind we need to rethink,” Grooms said. “We have to look at our life and determine what it is we want to change.
“One of the new kinds of thinking is the idea that in many of the workplaces the pressure is not going to go away,” Grooms said. “So it is helpful to recognize that some of the stress does not come from our career, it comes from the way we perceive things.”
Sometimes people are distressed and do not know it, Grooms noted. “You have to pay attention to how you are doing, how your relationships are, your productivity, how you feel emotionally and how you are doing physically,” he said.
Gregory said people often have to experience distress at least once in order to recognize it the next time. “If you are at a level of distress, do something to stop it or you will experience burnout, depression or even deeper problems,” she said. “When you see you are in distress and prioritize, then you will feel energized again.”
Establishing and keeping focused on a personal value system is the key to balance, Gregory said. “Take some time off to think through what has meaning to you, what gives you pleasure, what is most important for yourself, your family, your faith, your community and your work,” she noted. “Then let go of the things that don’t fit in with what is important.
“We can’t be all things to all people,” Gregory explained. “Accept that you can’t control everything, and let God run the world.”
It starts with self-assessment, she said. Once a value system is determined, “reorganize your life to fit. Set priorities according to your value system not by what somebody else tells you you ought to be doing.
“And it’s OK to say no,” she noted.
“The people I know who seem very satisfied with their lives have a deep sense of faith and live according to the values they have set in their faith and belief system,” Gregory said.
Finding a balance between work and home is another important key in determining a value system, she said. “Make some boundary between work and home. Try to disconnect from work before getting home.
“Once you leave work, don’t call back and check your (voice) messages or your e-mail messages,” she suggested as one way to leave work at work. Detaching may also mean taking a few minutes between work and home to stop by a park, enjoy a few minutes of quiet or debriefing during the drive home.
“It is important to find some way to relax,” Grooms said. “Many people don’t relax.
“Relaxation really means doing something you can get deeply and pleasantly involved in,” he explained. “It is something you value for the pleasure of the experience. You don’t have to accomplish anything or necessarily have competition.”
Total wellness also means taking care of the body physically, Grooms said. “Eat well, exercise and get enough sleep, which for most adults is eight to nine hours a night.
“Research indicates that people who are chronically sleep deprived are up for all kinds of health problems,” he said, noting that sleep deprivation is thought to be related to an early onset of diabetes.
Grooms also suggested talking out frustrations, spending time in prayer and meditation and maintaining a strong support network of friends and family.
It also is important to build calm times into the daily routine, Gregory said. “Find out when you feel the calmest and build that into your life daily.”
Dealing with one situation at a time is also helpful, Grooms said.
“Stress accumulates,” Gregory said. “You need a chance to work through it before you move to the next thing.”
Grooms noted several benefits to reducing stress including better health, more personal satisfaction and longer careers. “We need to rethink some of our thinking patterns and take some pleasant diversions on a regular basis.”
Gregory added that “accepting we can do it all, just not all at the same time” will also make a difference in reducing stress and pressure. “Take a year to focus on one area, then change each year. Don’t try to do everything all the time.”
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