TRANSCRIPT
Good Day,
I am Marcyline Bailey of Real Social Workers Online Magazine and you are inside the Get Through the Holidays Without Losing It Challenge for hardworking professionals who want to be happy.
Pain, whether it is physical or emotional, perceived or real causes intense feelings that are directly related to increased stress. While we often view stress as a negative, it is a constant in our lives. There are different types and levels of stress.
Under stress is recognized by lack of motivation. There is no desire to do anything but sit or lay around. There is no interest, enthusiasm or incentive to move or act.
Eustress is known by the excitement we feel when we anticipate a special event, like a birthday, anniversary, or big game. Imagine winning the lottery, seeing your first grandchild or going on that long desired vacation.
Overstress is the state many hard-working professionals find themselves in during the holidays. They are pushed to be everything to everybody. Work demands increase requiring employees to get things done immediately before the end of the year. Family gifts must be found, purchased, wrapped, or shipped. Overstress requires increased energy. We feel tired, find it hard t think or remember and may be short-tempered. This is where many hard-working professionals find themselves during the holiday season.
Distress is debilitating in nature. This type of stress prevents us from functioning. We are physically, emotionally and mentally unable to do begin and complete daily tasks. Simple things take an enormous amount of energy. Distress brings physical illness or exacerbates physical conditions. It also contributes to incapacitating anxiety.
During the Get Through the Holidays Without Losing It Challenge, we are focusing on over-stress. This week, we are sharing strategies to mind your stress and limit the negative effects of anxiety.
Do you remember learning about the fight or flight response in 2nd or 3rd grade science class? The image we were shown was of a cave man holding a spear to fend off a saber-toothed tiger. We learned that the cave man had two options. One was to fight the saber-toothed tiger or to run away.
We learned that the fight or flight response was initiated by events that frightened us, like being confronted by a saber-toothed tiger or the sound of a raccoon rummaging through our trash. However, the fight or flight response is initiated by any actual or perceived event. This means that anything we think, believe, feel, see or hear can cause our bodies to start fight or flight.
Another phrase for fight or flight is the stress response. By understanding the stress response, we can have a better understanding of how our beliefs, emotions and actions contribute to our personal stress levels by understanding the functionality of the stress response.
The stress response is initiated and controlled by a part of our brain that operates based on instinct. It is primitive in a sense and is responsible for those actions that keep the body alive and functioning. For example, this part of the brain makes sure we breathe, eat, drink, and rest.
If you have ever hyper-ventilated or had trouble breathing, you may remember a feeling of panic coming over you. Your heart beat harder, faster; your muscles tightened, and you felt an overwhelming urge to do something.
You may have also experienced something similar if you have ever swallowed chlorinated water at a swimming pool which caused your ability to breathe to became totally constricted.
That part of your brain jumps into action and begins sending signals that SOMETHING IS WRONG. THE BODY IS IN DANGER. DO SOMETHING QUICK!
I described a few of the physical reactions. Cognitively you may have trouble thinking which prevents you from coming up with a solution. It may seem as if your brain is misfiring. Because your brain is misfiring and you can’t think straight, you may begin to panic. Panic is an overpowering feeling of uncontrollable fear.
The same stress response happens when you are called into the bosses’ office after you made a mistake. We know that being called to the bosses’ office is like being called to the principal’s office and that is never good. The brain cannot distinguish between actual or perceived stimuli. It also cannot distinguish between positive or negative stimuli. So, the part of the brain that initiates the stress response will do so whether we win the lottery, or whether we lose our job.
The physical response is the same. The difference is in how we emotionally and mentally experience those events.
This week of assignments begins with your assessing and becoming more conscious of how you breathe. We are shallow breathers, breathing in our upper chest only and rarely filling our lungs to capacity. Breathing is life.
In the examples I spoke of previously, when breathing is constricted, panic sets in because the brain believes the body is in distress. This also happens when we have a disagreement or when our thoughts are negative.
This week begin to take notice of how your breathing changes based on uncomfortable situations. Take note of the circumstances including who is involved, your feelings around the encounter, the tone of the conversation or situation. Also take note of the time of day and your frame of mind, mood or attitude.
For each situation or encounter, describe how your breathing changed. Was it shallow? Was it fast? Did you hold your breath at intervals? Did you hyperventilate? Did you gulp or gasp for air? Was it even?
Changes in breathing will help you to notice when the stress response is initiated and what causes it.
Continue to watch @happyin30 Instagram TV for more Get Through the Holidays Without Losing it posts. Also, for more resources go to www.forrealsocialworkers.com/gifts.
I’m Marcyline Bailey and as always Take Good Care