“Stress acts as an accelerator: it will push you either forward or backward, but you choose which direction.” - Chelsea Erieau
Whenever I get on the topic of stress with people, I always start to ask them these specific questions.
Do you know what the definition of money is? Well, of course, so you can manage it.
Do you know what the definition of a house is? Well, of course, so you can manage it. But do you know what the definition of stress is?
Then they completely go silent and I ask them back if you don't know the definition of stress, how can you manage that. This is one of the primary issues that people who deal with stress have problems with it. They don't understand basic fundamental concepts regarding stress, and lack the knowledge of how to cope with it when it arrives. Now let's define stress, and break down some fundamental concepts concerning it.
Hans Seyle is an Austrian born endocrinologist who came up with the word "stress" and it derives from the Latin word, "stringere"which means to "draw tight" Also he described it as being a physiological and emotional response to a threat. According to the National Cancer Institute, the medical definition of the word "stress", means it's your body's response to physical, mental or emotional pressure. Stress is both a stimulus and a response, it's what's on your plate and how you react to what's on your plate. Beliefs, assumptions, thoughts, point of views, and perspectives will determine how much stress that you will have. Stress is not a disease itself and a catalyst that leads to many other diseases, such as depression, sleep dysfunction, heart disease, common cold, etc. Let's go more in depth and speak on the stress response.
The stress response is the "fight or flight" reaction you have during the time that you occur stress which is triggered by your sympathetic nervous system. It includes thought and physical responses to your perception of different situations. When this occurs your body releases substances called cortisol and adrenaline which rush through your body and make you anxious to react. These substances are produced from your adrenal glands. Stress as well can be either acute or chronic depending on the stressors which are affecting the individual. Chronic stress is a sense of feeling pressured and overwhelmed over a long period of time. While acute stress is a reaction which is generated due to an unexpected life crisis, but doesn't last very long! Therefore it's important to know the difference and understand how to handle each one which we will be speaking about in later blogs. I hope you enjoyed my intro to stress and took a lot from this blog because we will be speaking about stressors next and how these stressors activate the stress response and make you either go in fight or flight.
Thanks for stopping by, hope you enjoy your day, cheers!!
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