Stressed Out
The Age
Monday November 3, 2003
In Lorraine's case, stress has come at a hefty price. "I've spent a fortune on gym memberships, aromatherapy oils and massage sessions," she says, "but nothing seems to work. I feel better for an hour or two and then the reality of my life comes back to haunt me like a playground bully."
Bullied as a child at school and brought up in a home where verbal and physical abuse were the norm, Lorraine struggles to relax or give herself time off.
"For me, stress is normality. My job is full-on. I've got two demanding kids. If I don't feel under pressure I feel lazy and useless. I know I often manufacture stress in my life because it feels safe. It's a way of life I understand.
"I know it can't be good for me. I know it affects my health, but I don't know how to escape the cycle. These days 'stress' just seems to be another word for 'life'."
What is stress?
Stress is both a buzzword and a term describing a specific physical and mental state.
Doctors use it to denote the "fight or flight" response: some 1500 physical and mental responses that result from elevated levels of adrenalin and other stress hormones in the body.
When in danger, stress is a useful response, designed to rescue us from peril.
As a buzzword it is used to describe the pace and pressures of modern life. As one British-based stress counselling service puts it: "stress is the uncomfortable gap between how we would like our life to be and how it actually is."
How do I know if I am stressed?
The internet is peppered with psychometric tests and stress-meters that offer on-line diagnosis.
Physical symptoms can range from headaches and indigestion to heart complaints and stomach ulcers. Blood sugar levels can be disrupted as the body releases glucose to give quick bursts of energy.
Emotional symptoms normally include intrusive feelings of anxiety, panic, hopelessness or depression.
Behavioural symptoms can be easy to spot: a good sleeper suddenly starts waking at night.
If stress has become a more permanent fixture they can be harder to see: long-term sleep problems, isolation and anxiety become part of someone's "personality".
What causes stress?
Stress comes from a wide variety of sources. Environmental stress can result from noise, light, pollution or uncomfortable working conditions.
Emotional stress can result from parenting issues, marital discord, abuse or even boredom.
Critical stress results from a life-changing event, such as the death of someone close, losing a job or having an accident.
One theory, put forward by two US doctors specialising in hormonal activity, states that stress can even be hereditary. The hormonal systems that trigger the "fight or flight" response are innately hypersensitive.
The theory also states that stress feeds on stress. Adrenalin release can become a habit learnt by the body and then hardwired into its pattern of behaviour. As time goes on the body reacts more rapidly and forcefully to stressful circumstances.
What should I do about it?
The short answer is something. Stress should not be left to fester. At its most extreme, doctors agree that persistent, unrelenting stress can lead to serious health problems.
The best solution is to identify and remove the source of the stress through change. Regular exercise and relaxation techniques can help to alleviate symptoms.
Visit www.relate.gov.au for information on coping with divorce, parenting and other forms of stress. Discuss concerns with your doctor. Relationships Australia on 1300 367 512 may also be able to help.
© 2003 The Age