STRESS AND ANXIETY

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STRESS AND ANXIETY

• LORRAINE HALL COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH NURSE
• COUNTRY LIAISON SERVICE

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RECOGNIZING STRESS

• Most people are exposed to much higher levels of
  stress than they realize.
• Stress tends to be associated with worry, but
  stress is many kinds of things.
• Many people consequently carry enormous stress
  loads.

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WHAT IS STRESS ?

• Although seen as synonymous with worry, the human
  body has a much broader definition.
• To the body stress is synonymous with change.
• Any change, good or bad can cause stress.
• If its a change in your life, its stress as
  far as your bodys concerned.

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WHAT IS STRESS ?

• Imagined change is also stress (worry).
• Whether the event imagined is good or bad it can
  be just as stressful as real changes.
• Anything that causes change in daily routine
  or that causes change in body health can be
  described as stress.

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TYPES OF STRESS

• Emotional - conflict, arguments.
• Illness change in bodys condition.
• Pushing the body too hard - causing changes to
  the bodys internal environment.
• The drain on the system causes the body to
• fall behind in repair work and replace brain
• neurotransmitters.

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TYPES OF STRESS

• Environmental factors climatic extremes,
  toxins, poisons, will all cause change to the
  bodys internal environment.
• Hormonal factors- puberty ,menopause, post
  partum.
• Taking responsibility for others actions -eg.
  changes occur in your life over which you have no
  control.

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TYPES OF STRESS

• Allergic stress allergic reactions are part of
  the bodys natural defense mechanism. If the body
  considers something toxic, the body tries to
  attack it, rid it or neutralize it.
• Allergy is a definite stress requiring large
  changes in energy expenditure by the body to
  fight off something it perceives as dangerous.

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CHEMICAL MALFUNCTION AND THEIR SYMPTOMS

• Brain- fatigue, aches /pains, crying spells,
  depression, panic /anxiety attacks.
• G.I.Tract ulcers, cramps, colitis, irritable
  bowel.
• Glandular system thyroid malfunction
• Cardiovascular system increased B.P., heart
  attack, arrhythmias, stroke.
• Skin rashes, psoriasis.
• Immune system less resistance to infection.

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BRAIN CHEMICAL MESSENGERS

• So, stress causes physical changes in the brain.
• Brain cells talk to each other by means of a
  chemical messenger, increased stress makes
  chemical communication in the brain fail
  resulting in sleep disturbance, aches/pains,
  anxiety, and depression.

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THE THREE HAPPY MESSENGERS

• Known as the biogenic Amine/Endorphin system.
• Three brain messengers
• Serotonin controls sleep.
• Noradrenalin (cousin of adrenalin) energy
  levels.
• Dopamine levels of pain and pleasure.

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THE THREE HAPPY MESSENGERS

• The brain has other messengers more somber and
  quieting. Nerve centres receive input from both,
  if balanced everything runs smoothly.
• Stress interferes with the happy messengers, as
  stress continues happy messages begin to fail.
  The brain becomes chemically imbalanced.

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SEROTONIN

• Serotonin sets body clock (in pineal gland)
  serotonin is stored converted to melatonin, and
  back to serotonin. This takes 25 hrs, hence the
  body clock.
• Your body clock coordinates body temp, stress
  fighting hormone (cortisol), and sleep cycles. If
  not coordinated poor sleep, wake not feeling
  rested.

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AMINE /ENDORPHIN SYSTEM BRAIN CHEMICALS (cont.)

• Serotonin is usually the 1st happy messenger to
  fail under stress the 1st sign when you have
  the inability to obtain restful sleep.
• Noradrenalin (energy levels) with stress levels
  decrease lethargy.
• Dopamine (pleasure /pain) when levels decrease
  ,so do endorphins affecting the bodys natural
  pain killer. The pleasure centre is also affected.

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TREATMENT

• So with extended prolonged stress all systems
  coincide leading to feelings of being
  overwhelmed, periods of panic panic/anxiety
  attacks, depression.
• Using chemicals ,alcohol and drugs, may
  temporarily restore brain chemical function, but
  not for long.
• Treating the symptom and not the cause is like a
  roller coaster ride which wont properly rebalance
  brain chemistry.

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TREATMENT

• Biggest mistake made in handling stress is using
  pick me ups to temporarily boost the happy
  messengers while still piling on the stress.
• Sugars, caffeine, own adrenalin.
• Many people use these pick me ups as maintenance
  and or binge.
• REDUCE YOUR STRESS LOAD!

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10 SIMPLE WAYS TO REDUCE YOUR STRESS LOAD. Feel
well and stay that way.

• Make your life as regular as clockwork.
• Reset your body clock. This may take 3 weeks.
• Give yourself a break today. Make a list of
  things to do ,then halve it.
• Lighten up your social load if necessary.
• Dont be afraid to say no to others
  requests.
• Minimize changes to living environment.

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REDUCE YOUR STRESS LOAD

• Reduce the number of hours at stressful things.
  Allow time for yourself. (relaxation)
• Focus on healthy diet. Maintain B.S.Ls, vitamin
  supplement if necessary.
• Reduce the pick me ups, eg. alcohol, caffeine
  etc.
• Avoid allergies.

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REDUCE YOUR STRESS LOAD

• Commence an enjoyable exercise.
• Exercise rests the mind, when exercising you
  rest the nerve cells that worry.
• If youve attempted all the preceding and are
  still experiencing significant symptoms visit
  your doctor who may need to exclude other
  physical illness.

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3 RULES TO PERMANENTLY CONQUER STRESS.

• Learn to read your bodys signs. (early warning
  indicators)
• Exchange your stresses. Swap one for another.
  Dont allow a pile up.
• Use what you now know to deal with stress.