Use Stress as a Positive Force

“Stress is the pressures of life and how one perceives, believes, reacts, and copes with these pressures.” -- Dr. Don Colbert, M.D.

By definition, then, stress is not always a negative force. It can be positive, negative, chronic or acute. By illustration, stress can be compared to music played on the strings of a violin. If the strings are too loose, the sound is low and unclear; if the strings are too tight, the sound is high and irritating; but if the strings are set just right, the sound produced is pleasing and beautiful.

Positive or healthy stress is needed to help us operate at maximum potential, both mentally and physically. Stress is necessary for the normal functioning of our bodies, bringing productivity and joy into our lives. But on the other hand, if we have too little stress, there is no movement and we become aimless and stagnant.

In the January 1999 issue of Occupational Health and Safety Magazine, Statistics Canada estimated that stress-related disorders caused by overwork cost Canadian businesses $12 billion annually. From this we see that the result of negative stress can be costly in terms of health and loss of productivity. But this was not always the case. In primitive times stress was needed for war and hunting when the concept of "fight or flight" was used as a means of survival.

When the body experiences stress, it releases sugar into the blood, along with increased insulin. Digestion shuts down, the level of cholesterol increases, the blood thickens and the heart rate rises. In the days of fight or flight, the physical activity that followed made these symptoms useful.

Today, however, there is little outlet for the fight or flight behaviour, so we must learn other ways to handle stress wisely. For example, consider being caught up in a road rage incident. You may be innocent and in control of your senses, willing to talk the problem through. However, the other driver is reverting to the automatic "fight" mode and is bent on doing you harm with his tire iron. In this scenario your body behaves as though under attack, but because you are "civilized," you do not follow through as our ancestors might have.

Stressful situations like this, compounded frequently without proper outlet, cause serious negative stress. If this continues, it becomes chronic stress, and if not resolved acute stress results - a situation in which we become incapacitated.

In this complicated technological age, stressors such as pollution, overcrowded facilities, and demanding family and work responsibilities urgently require that we develop coping strategies to deal with these pressing and complex problems.

Thankfully, there are psychological/emotional warning signs that identify when a person is not adequately coping with stress. Some early signs may include irritability, tension headaches, impatience, anxiety, poor job performance and susceptibility to colds and flu.

As the stress becomes more acute, more serious signs may appear, such as high blood pressure, depression, substance abuse, gastric problems and chest pain. It is important to take action when the symptoms first appear, before the stress becomes acute.

Our thought patterns have an important impact on our stress level. However, with some effort we can change our irrational thinking by analyzing our own thoughts and replacing faulty ones with truthful ones. Dr. Burns, in his book, Feeling Good, The New Mood Therapy, mentions that rational thinking is crucial in helping people gain control over their negative thought patterns. Doing so will change people’s moods and increase their capacity for productive living.

Becoming a successful “stress manager” requires using a few key strategies. First, take inventory of the past week’s activities, both in your personal and business life, noting what your body was feeling and what caused these feelings. Doing so will help give you an idea of the stressors you have been feeling and your reactions to them.

While beginning to manage stress may seem like an awesome task, you soon will realize why the motivation to manage it must be stronger than the fear of discovery.

An important strategy in combating stress is learning to relax. There are techniques that can be used at any time, even at a moment’s notice, in the “heat of battle,” or others that can be used at a structured time you have set aside for relaxation.

At some point, most of us have experienced neck and shoulder pain, which, when investigated, would likely have been discovered to be the result of muscle tension. This would be an example of the proverbial “pain in the neck,” the body’s response to our irritation with someone.

One way of relieving this tension is through tightening and relaxing of the various muscles in the neck. In doing so you will feel a lessening of tension in your body as the muscles automatically relax. Another relaxation technique is to scan the body’s muscle groups for tense areas. After doing this, take a few slow, deep abdominal breaths and say to yourself, "Relax and let go." This exercise will also help you to think more clearly when confronted with an immediate stressful situation.

It is wise to schedule a time in your day when you can practise progressive relaxation. Begin by lying down on your back and telling the large muscle groups in your body to relax. Move progressively from one muscle group to another until your entire body is in a state of relaxation.

While we experience situations that bring stress, blaming others for it is not the solution. But by taking personal control over the stressful situations we face, and developing our own stress management techniques, we can help ourselves move toward a more peaceful and orderly life.