Stress Awareness

"Pick up those toys. Everyone of them. Right now. Did you hear me, I said, Right now!"

You had better do what I told you. You've got to the count of five! 1-2-3-4
-Did you hear me? I said to the count of 5. 1-2-3-4 -

You're gonna be in trouble if you don't listen to me..1-2-3-4 -
Did you wake up screaming and realized you weren't asleep? You're not crazy; you've just been in a bad mood for the last 2 years. Uh oh, Mom. I think you might be a little stressed out? Let's talk about it, okay?

Did you know that: 75-90% of visits to physicians are stress related Job stress costs an estimated $150 billion annually.

Stress is a natural part of life because every day there are responsibilities and pressures that challenge you. Each person handles these daily stresses differently. Believe it or not, some people actually seek out situations that would be stressful to others. Moving, buying a house, or changing careers might be more than you could stand but a refreshing change for someone else. Hey, some people actually find sitting in traffic a nice time to take a breather. (Makes me nervous to think about it!)

You know, lots of people are suffering from stress and have absolutely no idea what's wrong with them. Maybe you're one of those people. If you are, now is the time to get control before it affects your health and your happiness.

Do you get overly upset at minor problems and disappointments
Do the small pleasures of life fail to satisfy you?
Are you constantly tired?
Are you unable to stop thinking of your worries?
Do you suffer from self-doubt?
Do you get really mad over things that once would not have bothered you?
Have your sleeping and eating patterns changed?
Do you suffer from chronic pain, headaches, or backaches? If you answered yes to most of those questions, it's time to take stock of your stress level

(NAPSI) Though we all have stress in our lives, this is one area where we can learn from those who have a chronic illness and have to handle even more stress than the rest of us. Here, from experts at the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, are some strategies for taming stress day by day:

-Simplify your life. Relax a few of your standards. In other words, let the grass grow. o Plan ahead in situations that could cause stress. For example, if you expect to be in a situation in which you'll have to be waiting, take a book with you.
- Make plans for extra sleep before family gatherings or important events.
- Learn to say no!
-If old interests and activities become more difficult or too time consuming, replace them with new ones that fit your current needs.
-Do the unpleasant things early in the day so that you don't have to worry about them.
-Don't try to answer the phone on the first ring. Let it ring. Consider buying an answering machine.
-Schedule rest periods. Knowing that you are going to rest on a regular basis can stop you from feeling guilty about not completing a task.
-Learn to revise time schedules. If you told a friend you would meet at noon, and are running late, is there any reason the appointment can't be changed to one?
-Finally, work toward the award for "Has the Best Sense of Humor." It never hurts to be able to laugh at yourself.

These are just a few of the things that you can do to aid in stress relief.
Specialists also recommend:
Deep Breathing Exercise
Stretching
Aerobic Exercise
T'ai Chi
Yoga
Massage
Meditation
Hobbies

Remember, stress can not only make you miserable, it can affect your health. It is an important contributing factor in heart disease, high blood pressure, headaches, arthritis, and menstrual disorders. Some evidence even suggests that there could be a link between stress and cancer - if stress decreases the body's ability to fight disease, it loses the ability to kill cancer cells. Scary, isn't it?

By all means, try to get control over the stress in your life. You might not be able to remove the things that cause you stress, but you can do some of those things to help you manage it.

One More Very Important Thing!

Watch for signs and symptoms of stress in your children. A happy child who suddenly becomes sad is telling you something is not right. Look over this list, with you child in mind, and evaluate if you need to seek help for him:

Irritable Whining
Daydreaming a lot
Clinging to a parent
Withdrawing from friends
Sad most of the time
Loses appetite
Doesn't want to go to school
Aches and pains for no reason
Loses interest in things he used to like
Cruel to others or animals
Uncooperative
Pulls out own hair
Stares into space for long periods of time
Wets the bed
Can't concentrate
Can't sit still
Gets into many fights
Lies
Yells or is generally too loud
Suicidal thoughts
Steals
Cries easily
Eats too much
Insomnia
Nightmares
Talks to self
Wants to sleep all the time
Vomiting

Look to see if some of the signs are appropriate at certain ages. Sudden changes should always be suspect. People who are depressed and suicidal will, sometimes, become very happy just before attempting suicide. Some problems are easily solved, while others take time. Whatever the situation, it's your job as a parent to help create a happy, well-adjusted adult, and I feel quite certain that will happen or you would not have taken the time to read this article!

Happy Days Ahead ~ Judy

About the author: Judy Hand is retired school teacher and retired co-publisher of a shopper/newspaper. She loves being at home with her cowboy husband on their TN Walking Horse farm. They have 3 children, 4 grandchildren, 40+ horses, 4 dogs, and more cats than one can count. She loves her family, loves to ride her horse, and loves southern gospel music.