“The body responds to stress by going through three stages:
1.) Alarm
2.) Resistance
3.) Exhaustion
“Let’s take the example of a typical commuter in rush-hour traffic. If a car suddenly pulls out in front of him, his initial alarm reaction may include fear of an accident, anger at the driver who committed the action, and general frustration. his body may respond in the alarm stage by releasing hormones into the blood stream, which cause his face to flush, perspiration to form, his stomach to have a sinking feeling, and his arms and legs to tighten.
“The next state is resistance, in which the body repairs damage caused by the stress. If the stress of driving continues with repeated close calls or traffic jams however, his body will not have time to make repairs. …”
Handling stress –
“When stress does occur, it is important to recognize and deal with it.”
Helps for handling stress:
Exercise – go for a walk, etc.
Talk to someone about what you’re going through
Eat and sleep correctly
“Know your limits – If a problem is beyond your control” accept it (at least for the time being, until perhaps it could be changed in the future).
Relax – take that mini-vacation; read a book for 30 minutes
From article “Plain Talk about Handling Stress” (in Lupus Lifeline Sept 2004 – Lupus Foundation of America) NIMH, U.S. Dept of Health and Human Service, ed. Ruth Kay