What are Stressors?
What are Stressors?
Stressors are external events that cause an emotion and/or physical reaction. The impact of an event is determined by how your judge it. Do you judge it negatively or positively or do you view it as a neutral event without much impact on you? Think of a time when you felt stress. How did your body respond? What were the symptoms you experienced?
The “Fight or Flight” Response.
Some of the ways the body prepares itself to meet danger:
Stored sugars and fats are released into the bloodstream to provide quick energy
The heart pumps faster to provide more blood to the muscles
The breathing rate is increased to provide more oxygen to the blood
Blood-clotting mechanisms are activated to protect against possible injury
Muscles tense in preparation for action
Digestion ceases so that more blood is available to the brain and muscles
Perspiration increases to help reduce body temperature
The pupils dilate and the senses of smell and hearing become more acute
Symptoms that could indicate too much distress:
Dry Mouth
Headache
Sighing
Overeating
Chain smoking
Stomach cramps
Stroking beard/mustache
Hair twirling/ pulling/tossing
Clenched fists
Nervous cough
Mouth noises (i.e. tongue clucking)
Inability to talk
Talking too much/too fast
Lump in throat
Lack of sexual interest
Sweating
Menstrual irregularities
Blushing
Fingernail biting
Leg wagging
Depression
Rocking back and forth
Anger
Irritability
Resentment
Tic in eye or elsewhere
Desire to “run away”
Desire to “hide out”
Muscle spasm or tightness
Fatigue/Weariness
Continual boredom
Hypochondria
Clammy hands
Lip biting
Listlessness
Under or Overeating
Constipation
Inability to be alone
Sleeping too much
Insomnia
Heart palpitations
Distractibility
Proneness to errors
Forgetful
Decreased productivity
Confusion
Alcoholism/drug dependence
Nightmares
Butterflies in stomach
Stomach knots
Excessive giggling
Ulcers Indigestion
Skin problems
Backaches
Unforgiving
Cynicism
Lashing out
Ready tears
Hyperactivity
Which of these symptoms do you experience?
Everyone experiences stress. Why do some people get sick and others seem to be resilient? Resilient people have good coping skills and have a sense of personal power.
Personal Power means you have an inner security that you have the capacity to meet whatever challenge you face and that what you do makes a difference. The good news is these skills can be learned!
“…although we cannot avoid stress as long as we live, we can learn a great deal about how to keep its damaging side-effects, ‘distress’ to a minimum.” Hans Selye, MD
There are skills and tools you can learn to build your coping and resiliency skills to help you transform your stress and stop its damaging effects on your body. Contact Fit to Live if you are interested in one-on-one stress management or stop emotional eating coaching.