Don't let everyday stress wreak havoc on your life

By Maria Endah Hulupi

JAKARTA (JP): You may assume that the pressure you experience -- at the office and at home -- are just part of daily life, but you never give serious thought as to what it can do to your psychological and physical condition.

You continue the routine, and the next thing you know is that your performance slowly declines and even worse, your health starts deteriorating.

After giving details of your health complaints, your doctor hinted a possible link to your stressful activities and referred you to a psychiatrist.

A psychiatrist with Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital Danardi Sosrosumihardjo explained that stress is an external stimulus that is perceived as emotionally disturbing and menacing.

He pointed out that stress may be an unavoidable part of our daily lives because it largely depends on how someone is able to cope with specific conditions. Expecting a child, loosing your job or someone you love, working with or for irritating people, long working hours, family or financial problems are only a few of the long list of stressors.

However, at some point, stress can be a positive thing as it can motivate someone to take action toward a situation.

He added that during a stressful event the adrenaline kicks in with an increase in heart rate, a physiological condition which actually prepares a person to "fight or flight".

The physical symptoms that may appear are cold sweat, stomach churning, muscle stiffness or spasms, breathing and sleeping problems, headache, loss of appetite and hair loss.

He added that unmanaged stress may in the short term show underrated mild effects, like headache which is likely to be ignored. "Ignorance won't help because such discomfort will not go away as long as the stress-inducing situation still exists. But the stress would continue to accumulate and further worsen the person's condition," he said, referring to psychosomatic symptoms or physical discomfort stemming from a psychological problem.

"If the person "fights", the adrenaline level would slowly lower. But it's wrong if he or she remains silent and defenseless when facing a stressful situation," Danardi explained.

Stressed-out people would experience fatigue due to lack of sleep and experience either unusual weight gain or loss due to eating irregularities and develop sexual problems, which may become chronic.

People of all age groups are at risk of suffering from stress but personality does play an important role in stress and how they react to it. People under the age of 20 may face it with anger or aggressiveness, but those aged between 20 and 40 years would likely exercise self control, while those above 40 would react wisely to it and maintain calmness.

"People with a wider perspective would make an assessment and weigh the risks. They may equip themselves with a strategy or a sort of plan A-plan B to better protect themselves against the stressor or disappointing situation," he added.

Danardi also pointed out that being transparent, or speaking honestly about the situation is healthier than keeping the dissatisfaction or problems to oneself.

When things get out of control and become overwhelming, it's better to seek professional help and discuss your problem with a psychiatrist.

Danardi also advised stressed people to manage their own stress by identifying the stressor and to try to find ways to avoid it or to lessen its impact on themselves.

"If the stressor is their job, for example, they may learn to adapt themselves to it. Otherwise they may need to learn to let go, or quit," he said.

He further explained that people with a mature personality can better deal with stress-causing situations, mainly because they can interact with many different people, think positively and are not egoistic.

But if stress levels have risen, talk to someone you trust about your situation and problems. "It's similar to what psychiatrists do during a consultation session. Sharing your problems with someone is relieving. It's a plus point to have a good listener. And if he or she can give you constructive advise it's another step forward," he said.

As for stress relieving activities, Danardi advised people to take some days off to forget about the stressful routine and get involved in recreational activities. "Recreation helps rejuvenate your restless mind," he added.

Other activities are deep breathing, to calm the body and soul while massage can relax stiff muscles, ease back and neck pain and relieve mental and emotional distress which in turn will restore your physical wellbeing.

However, Danardi explained the best form of stress-soothing activity is exercise. Adequate exercise not only boosts your stamina and thereby protects you from illnesses but also makes you feel relaxed afterward and helps you sleep better at night.

"Exercise strengthens the internal organs, especially the heart. The brain would also release endorphin, whose analgesic properties would ease physical discomfort," he said.

Stressed-out people are also advised to learn to laugh at life's events as it prevents stress from building up; be more friendly to themselves by setting realistic personal goals to achieve and brush up on their communication skills to say "no" to people with expectations they cannot fulfill or cope with.