Life Happens, But What About the Stress It Generates?

This article suggests an idea of how to deal with the normal stresses of every day life by identifying them, listing them and then working to reduce them.  

You would create the list by placing the more stressful items at the top and the least at the bottom of the list.  The article gives the advice of startng on the bottom of the list to work out the issues causing the stress.  If the issue is connected to other people in your life it also suggests that you enlist their help in clarifying the stress and working it out.  

Working from the bottom of the list is intended to kee you from becoming overwhelmed and once you complete a few items, you will feel you have accomplished something.  It also describes that your goals of accomplishing things should be realistic because if it isn't then you set youself up for feelings of frustration and failure.  Important ideas are to plan a time line, stay positive and pause from time to time to pat yourself on the back for your progress.

Questions

Do you ever get stressed?  When you find you are stressed do you think a technique like this could work? What do you do when you get stressed out ?

Stress and Your Social Memory

Memory and stress dont go well. When you are under stress you should not panic, just calm down and don't make a big deal. 

Managing your stress could be done so easily by five simple steps: practice "deep" processing, think while you speak, repeat the person's name after you are introduced, correct your mistakes early, and don't get rattled if you make a mistake. Social memory should be improved when you follow these steps.

Do you feel that when you're under social stress that these steps could help you get through the situation?

Too Much Stress? Try Pleasure

This article is about when people turn to pleasurable activities when they feel stressed

Sometimes the pleasurable activities are considered as being an “escape” or an unhealthy coping mechanism which could include over-eating or resorting to sexual behavior. At the University of Cincinnati their recent research demonstrated that food or sexual activity can actually reduces stress because brain pathways inhibit anxiety responses. 

 They also found that small amounts of “yummy” foods can reduce a person’s stress level for a week but they are just pushing away the stress not necessary taking care of it. Foods help reduce a person’s stress because of the taste of the food instead of the quantity; the foods can include spicy, sweet, or any other kind of food that is appealing to the person. 

Researchers at the University of Cincinnati also found that the access to a sexual partner has the same effect as food, which helps explain why people seek activities during stressful times. A person with a stressful situation can take try numerous activities to relieve stress but sometimes the activities that people can exhibit unwanted behaviors such as over-eating, or sexually acting out which can lead to a sexual addiction. Other activities such as exercise can help reduce stress even if the person finds it to be time consuming or they feel that they have to do it.

Question: Do you have a coping mechanism to relieve stress? If so what is it?

Too Much Stress? Try Pleasure.

When people are feeling stressed out they usually turn to things that give them pleasure. Sometimes these pleasurable things or activities can be considered as an unhealthy coping mechanism because whatever it may be is not solving the problem; it is only putting it off for the moment. 

 

Common pleasurable “escapes” are food and sex. Recent studies at the University of Cincinnati have showed that pleasurable activities like food and sex actually does reduce stress levels through brain pathways by inhibiting anxiety responses in the person’s brain. Even small amounts of food can reduce a person’s stress levels for a week—this is due to the taste of the food not the quantity. It doesn’t matter whether its sweets, spicy food, or any other kind of food, all that matters is that it is appealing to the person. 

Research has shown that people crave food or just want to engage in certain activities even if it is out of their norm during times of stress because it is their body’s way of trying to relieve itself of the stress. Stress leads people to overeat and even act-out sexually which in turn can lead to obesity and sexual addiction. These findings prove that these pleasurable activities reduce stress so therefore other pleasurable activities can serve as an alternative in reducing stress. 

 

Past research has shown that there are many different activities out there that the body finds pleasurable and effective in reducing stress even if the person themselves does not think of it as enjoyable. There are many different activities out there, it is up to the individual to find which one is pleasurable to them.

Q: What kinds of activites are pleasurable to you during periods of stress?

Tetris As A Vaccine Against PTSD

My article that I chose was about, how playing Tetris after a tragic event may eventually decline symptoms that you would get from having post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). 

PTSD is when you have horrible flashbacks that may interfere with someone's normal daily life and in some cases this may make the person become suicidal. Surprisingly, by playing Tetris this makes less flashbacks happen. No body yet knows why Tetris is a reliever of PTSD but it seems to be working on some people. This may be the start of a new way for scientist to find a cure for stress.

My question for you is....Do you think that games like these can really get rid of peoples stress? What do you do to relieve stress?

Family Therapy for the Holiday

This artical was about how family members and friends stress out when it is time for the holiday's. 

Most people stress because they never know what gift they should buy the next family member or friend. Others stess about the money that can buy gifts for family and friends, not everybody has the time or the money to get people what they want and make sure that they are satified. 

According to Jacqueline Hudak, familes should come up with a stategic plan for change. I think coming up with a plan so that things are less stressful for everyone is a great idea.

My question to you is...

Do you get stressed out when holiday's come around and why?

Can stress be benificial?

In a study done in 1981 it was shown that some people actually thrive on stress rather than fall. While some have problems others take it as an oportunity to improve their life. There were three common aspects with these people.

1. Commitment- tendency to see your task as important enough to hold all of your attention.

2. Control- the feeling that whatever happens you can still try to change the outcome.

3. Challenge- The understanding that life doesn't have to be completely worry free.

Question: Do you believe that stress can be benificial to people?

The Connections Between Emotional Stress, Trauma and Physical Pain

Pain is something that everyone goes through , the thing is pain doesn't always necessarily occur from something physical. 

Pain can also be brought out by constant stress such as the pressure of getting a good grade on a test, which can give people headaches, the pain can also become more severe and have the potential to last longer than the standard healing period which would then become chronic pain. 15-30% of those who suffer from chronic pain have been shown to have stress of some sort.

Do you believe that pain of any sort could be caused by stress of any kind ?