So, if stress can be good for us, when do stress levels become harmful? The factors that seem to make any situation dangerously stressful are:
• Lack of predictability
• Lack of control
• Lack of outlets for frustration
When these elements are present, even innocuous situations can become stressful and produce a reaction that is completely out of proportion to the cause. It comes down to the fact that it’s not the situation but our reaction to it that creates the stress in our lives. Our fears and anxieties about past events repeating themselves add to the vicious circle, and the uncertainties of life crowd our mind with frightening possibilities.
CASE HISTORY
Age: 37
Sex: Male
Profession: Small business owner
• Symptoms: Carlos came to my clinic suffering from upper back pain. He was anxious and depressed – chiefly because of the constant pain. When Carlos was thirteen, he had had a bad riding accident. Stress and the pressure of running a small business had exacerbated his back problem.
• After the first treatment: He felt a little dizzy (this is normal) but very mellow. His upper back was still aching. I advised him that, for something to get better, there often has to be a period of transition when the pain almost seems worse. However, the following day Carlos noticed a considerable decrease in the pain.
• After subsequent treatments: He felt spaced out, but in a nice way. His back problem was no longer a cause for concern because he no longer suffered from pain.
• Further recommendations: To attend my clinic once a fortnight for a month, then once a month for a further three months.
As human beings we have a tendency to focus on the past and the future and withdraw our attention from the present moment. Yet it is in the present moment that we have the greatest clarity to deal with any situation. Life is a journey and enjoying it can replace the holding back and the holding on which in turn create fear and ultimately stress. Struggle begins almost at birth and we must not forget that positive lessons can be learned through adversity. If you or I truly knew what stretched out before us there would be no growth.
Growth is usually preceded by change. However, handling change can be difficult in the short term and the following life-changing events have been identified as the most likely to cause negative or harmful stress:
• Bereavement
• Moving house
• Debt
• Ill health
• Difficult relationships
• Stressful work
• Family problems
Even positive events, such as a marriage, pregnancy or a child starting school or university may cause you stress, and may ultimately lead to illness. In war, which is a state of extremely heightened and continual stress, front-line soldiers will eventually go into shell shock or battle fatigue if kept under fire for too long, and the same is true of our daily struggles. But remember that your personality and coping-mechanisms will largely determine how you deal with these daily stresses and strains. Now you have a very important ally in the battle against stress: Indian head massage!
HOW YOUR BODY REACTS TO STRESS
When someone is subjected to stress, input from the five senses travels through the nervous system and triggers the hypothalamus in the brain to send out signals. These signals reach the pituitary gland, which is the master gland of the endocrine system. A hormonal response sent from the pituitary gland triggers the adrenal glands to release adrenaline into the bloodstream to prepare the body for ‘fight or flight’.
The normal functioning of the body is disrupted, as a body in a state of stress needs to conserve its energy to propel muscles. The adrenaline coursing through the bloodstream causes blood pressure to rise and muscles to tense. Breathing becomes shallow and rapid, sexual desire and hunger are suppressed and digestion stops. The brain becomes hyper-alert.
As a temporary expedient, the stress response is vital, but if the situation is prolonged, with no release of tension, the result can be disastrous. As well as increasing the heart rate and the blood pressure, the body also diverts vital resources from the immune system and cholesterol levels rise. Common symptoms of prolonged stress include fatigue, headache, heartburn, indigestion, hair loss, insomnia and depression.
Some more serious conditions and diseases associated with prolonged stress are acidosis, backache, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Crohn’s disease, diverticulosis, pancreatic and kidney disease and even heart attacks.
‘Regular [head] massage helps people work better. Absenteeism through stress would drop immediately if everyone had a massage at least once a week.’ Daily Mail
Do You Recognize this Person?
Although your body’s reaction to stress, described on the previous page, may sound drastic, we don’t always realize immediately when we are suffering from stress. There are several physical symptoms that can act as warning signals: advance notice from our body telling us to take preemptive action. Check the following list. The more symptoms you have, the more pressure your body is under.
• Shallow and/or faster breathing
• High blood pressure/palpitations
• Constipation
• Excess sweating
• Diarrhoea
• Muscular tension
• Hair loss
• Dilated pupils
• Constant tirednees
• Loss of appetite
• PMT
• Irregular menstruation
• Disturbed sleeping pattern
• Impotence
• Poor skin
• Low sex drive
• Poor hair condition
As well as experiencing one or more of the physical symptoms listed above, the emotions can also be thrown into turmoil. Anyone under a lot of stress will feel uneasy and vulnerable and may feel like crying continually. It is common to feel overwhelmed by negative emotions and to simply feel unable to cope with life. Different people react to these feelings in different ways but they can sometimes lead to violent behaviour or reliance on alcohol or drugs. The important thing is to recognize that these symptoms are the result of stress and to tackle the underlying cause.
Emotional disturbance