Let’s look at some ways to cope with stress… There are three main types of stress: acute, chronic and post traumatic. Let’s look at each type and see what you can do about them…
1. Acute Stress
Despite the name, acute stress is not necessarily more intense than other types of stress. It is called acute because it arises quickly and usually relates to one event. After the event is over, the stress will be gone.
An example might be having an injection at the doctor’s office, or being due to give a presentation at work. In some cases, such as giving the presentation, the stress may help you to perform better and is not a bad thing. However, in other situations you might want to perform relaxation techniques or even take something to calm you. Relaxation techniques provide some great ways to cope with stress.
2. Chronic Stress
Chronic stress is different than other types of stress because the cause may not be so clearly identifiable. It relates to a situation where you are under stress most of the time, or at least for long periods in your life. It is when you have a worry or pressure always at the back of your mind. You may not even be aware that you are stressed, you are so used to living with it. But the condition is constantly there.
Chronic stress often leads to debilitating health conditions and illnesses. Stress mainly affects the circulatory, digestive and immune systems. So when a body is under constant stress, it is likely that problems such as high blood pressure and digestive disorders will occur.
A person suffering from chronic stress is also more likely to develop viral illnesses like colds and flu, because the immune system is compromised. If the person has a tendency to an autoimmune disease like eczema, rheumatoid arthritis or lupus, these are likely to get worse in times of stress.
Because of the risk of serious illnesses developing, it is important to deal with chronic stress by finding a way to resolve the stressful situation. If this is not possible, for example in the case of people who are just naturally anxious, regular practice of relaxation techniques may help.
3. Post Traumatic Stress
Post traumatic stress can be traced back to a particular traumatic incident. Examples could include being involved in a plane crash, earthquake, serious traffic accident or war, being raped or held hostage, being abused as a child and other situations where a person’s life or integrity is at risk or they see others being seriously hurt or killed.
A person suffering from post traumatic stress disorder may have memory loss, nightmares, insomnia, severe depression or anger outbursts. Sometimes this can go on for years, either continuously or with symptoms reappearing when minor traumas later in life trigger a reminder of the incident.
PTSD requires professional treatment. Therapy is most effective if it can start quickly after the incident, but it is important to seek help whenever you become aware that you or someone close to you may have suffered a serious trauma that is causing one of these types of stress.
