Stress costs
Canadian businesses over $16 billion each year, 75% to 90% of all visits to primary care physicians result from stress-related disorders.
To cope with stress, North Americans consume over five billion tranquilizers, five billion barbiturates, three billion amphetamines, and 16,000 tonnes of aspirin (not including ibuprofen and acetaminophen) each year. People used to believe that stress was a fact of life—we could manage it but we couldn't eliminate it. That’s changing, however, thanks to some revolutionary new breakthroughs and techniques.
Stress Influences
As a positive influence, stress can help compel us to action; it can result in a new awareness and an exciting new perspective. As a negative influence, it can result in feelings of distrust, rejection, anger, and depression, which in turn can lead to health problems such as headaches, upset stomach, rashes, insomnia, ulcers, high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. With the death of a loved one, the birth of a child, a job promotion, or a new relationship, we experience stress as we readjust our lives.
Here are some tips on how to deal with stress:
- Make close relationships and friendships your No. 1 priority.
- If your job drives you nuts, you might consider a new one (not easy), or working less (be happy with less money). Request more control over decisions. Don't complain, but offer your boss concrete solutions that benefit him or her as well.
- Reduce commuting stress - use transit or car pool.
- Laugh at least 20 times a day and look for the humour in all situations. Refuse to take yourself too seriously.
- Keep a pet, or start on a new hobby. It helps not only in reducing stress but helps in reducing blood pressure also.
- Become a bit more spiritual - people with some kind of faith tend to live longer and are less depressed.
Stress That Comes From Expectations
Your parents, teachers, coach, and friends put stress on you when they expect you to do more than you think you can do, or when they want you to be different than the way you are. There are ways to deal with this stress that comes from their expectations. Try exercising, taking walks, massaging, or just learning to speak your mind if someone asks you to do too much.
Note: Image(s) the courtesy of http://www.dreamstime.com.