Mental health: What is stress?

Anything that is away from the normal causes stress. That is when things are not in equilibrium one gets into a situation wherein one feels a subjective feeling of uneasiness.

"Some amount of stress is normal in day to day life and we call it Eustress, but when it reaches pathological levels then it's called Distress and this is what we need to deal with" informs Dr Kersi Chavda, Psychiatrist, P. D. Hinduja Hospital & MRC, Mumbai.

Signs of Stress

Palpitation, sweating, cold, clammy extremities, butterflies in stomach feeling, desire to keep going to the toilet, headache, dizziness, appetitive and sleep disturbances, difficulty with breathing, acidity, problems related to sexuality. All these symptoms are related to psychological distress.

Causes for Stress

The causes for stress can be innumerable and maybe divided into factors

a) Internal

b) External.

The internal factor refers to the personality types which in itself maybe anxious, depressed, obsessive, or dependent. The external environment may refer to stress related to study, relationships, death and divorce, chronic physical illness, financial matters etc.

Treatment for Stress

The treatment lies in dealing with the cause if there is one. This refers to coping with the triggers of fights with the dear ones, putting in war effort at study so as to reduce the stress of inadequate preparation etc. In certain situations, medications maybe indicated to reduce excessive anxiety. The use of exercise and supplements like vitamins and antioxidants also plays an important role in helping cope with stress.

Tips to Control Stress

In order to lead a healthy and stress-free life, it is vital to follow certain guidelines or steps. They will help you get a better control over life and alter the way you view stress or its trigger factors.

Regular Exercise: Not surprisingly, exercise is one of the best ways to deal with stress. A regular 20-30 minutes of physical activity every day is vital to decrease stress hormones like cortisol and increase your body's feel good chemicals called endorphins. Besides this, certain forms of exercise like martial arts or boxing can act as an outlet for releasing all your vent-up emotions and frustrations.
Relaxation Techniques: This not only involves taking time to relax everyday but also employing certain basic relaxation techniques. This involves deep breathing techniques, meditation and practicing different yoga postures to relax your body muscles. What is Stress?

Tips to Tackle Stress

Balanced Diet: What you put inside your body also determines your ability to cope with stress or anxiety. A balanced diet comprising fresh fruits and vegetables is a must to reverse the negative impacts of stress and lead a healthy life.
Avoid Stressful Situations: As far as possible, ensure that you avoid unnecessary arguments, conflicts or any other stressful situation. Try to keep yourself calm in every way and avoid indulging in unnecessary situations.
Sleep: Finally, a regular 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep is also important to relax your mind and body. If you face any difficulty in sleep, you can also make use of relaxation techniques like listening to music or reading a book.