STRESS MANAGEMENT IS MEDICINE! Stress, like love, is invisible but can manifest in powerful ways. Stress has taken on a negative connotation in social parlance. However, stress is defined as pressure or tension exerted on a particular object and can be good or bad depending on the circumstance. In the context of this article the object is our mind and body.
The are two types of stress, eustress and distress. Eustress, the good stress, is a survival mechanism used in the "fight or flight" response to dangerous situations like seeing a bear in the woods or for those us in urban environs, encountering a potentially dangerous individual with a firearm in-hand. It activates a cascade of physiological reactions that allow us to act quickly. Eustress also functions to motivate us to become more focused and productive like when we have a bill to pay or project deadline at work. It can be nurtured and cultivated to find what some refer to as a "flow state" signaling optimum performance.
Distress or bad stress is what we want to minimize or avoid altogether. It can cause dysfunction or malfunction, of our cardiovascular system, immune system and psychological state causing or contributing to heart disease, type II diabetes, autoimmune diseases and depression.
Chronic distress, which is overrepresented in communities of color, low- income communities and with individuals in socially- isolated circumstances has to be and must be avoided or managed to reach a more optimized state of health. It is characterized by long-term production of hormones such as epinephrine, norepinephrine and cortisol which while beneficial in the short-term can have unhealthy consequences when produced over long periods of time.
There are several ways to accomplish stress management without consuming alcohol, marijuana or any other mind altering substance. Stress management techniques such as exercise, listening to music or watching movies, talking to a supportive person, safe sexual activity, meditation, mindfulness, journaling, engaging in a hobby, walking in nature or just about anything that relaxes you can function as an anti-stressor. So find out what works for you and use it whenever you feel overwhelmed.
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