Let's Stop being stressed for once

What is stress? Glad you asked. Stress is a term that causes one to think of emotional and mental states of mind. It was discovered by Hans Selye in 1936, who defined it as “the non-specific response of the body to any demand for change.” He tested animals to see how they would subject to acute, but different noxious physical and emotional stimuli such as, (blaring light, deafening noise, extremes of heat or cold, perpetual frustration), all exhibited the same pathologic changes of stomach ulcerations, shrinkage of lymphoid tissue and enlargement of the adrenals. He later demonstrated that persistent stress could cause these animals to develop various diseases similar to those seen in humans, such as heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease and rheumatoid arthritis. At the time, it was believed that most diseases were caused by specific, but different pathogens. Tuberculosis was due to the tubercle bacillus, anthrax by the anthrax bacillus, syphilis by a spirochete, etc. What Selye proposed was just the opposite, namely that many different insults could cause the same disease, not only in animals, but in humans as well.

Stress is a very serious situation and we need to realize that we can control it to a certain degree. Because it was apparent that most people viewed stress as some unpleasant threat, Selye subsequently had to create a new word, stressor, to distinguish stimulus from response. Stress was generally considered as being synonymous with distress and dictionaries defined it as “physical, mental, or emotional strain or tension” or “a condition or feeling experienced when a person perceives that demands exceed the personal and social resources the individual is able to mobilize.” Thus, stress was put in a negative light and its positive effects ignored. However, stress can be helpful and good when it motivates people to accomplish more. As I researched this I realized that stress is not all bad.  It does motivate one to get motivated to accomplish task that they may not intend to ever finish.  For example, being in college has been very stressful for me and I had to learn how to become responsible and complete assignments on time.  The pressure would build up if I was not prepared.  Once I learned how to prioritize my schedule and life, I felt better about my class load.  Also, I have learned that if I cannot change a situation then I must learn to change myself.  I am the only one who can make me feel good or bad.  Others cannot do that and now that I realize how deadly stress can be, I refuse to allow me to put myself through any trauma.  I do not want to cause my own afflictions such as disease to destroy my body and life.  I have learned that situations are not worth me harming myself.  The bottom line is DON’T WORRY… INSTEAD BE HAPPY!

 

http://www.stress.org/what-is-stress/