June / July 2012 - Navy

Stress is an essentially normal response to feeling overwhelmed or threatened. Fight, flight and freeze are survival responses that are meant to protect us from danger. In moments of stress, hormones release and, as our heart beat speeds up and blood pressure increases, we breath quicker, move faster, see better, and hear more accurately than we could only seconds earlier. These neurological and physiological changes enable us to protect ourselves better in the moment. But once the danger has passed, our nervous systems calm down and we return to a state of equilibrium or neurological balance. The association between stress and health has been documented for years. Although stress can be helpful in small doses, if not managed, it can lead to psychological distress and maladaptive behaviors such as overeating or smoking. Just as each person is different, so is their individual response to stressful situations. One person’s exhilarating challenge may be another’s terrifying experience.

Some stressors can be thrilling, but there are disadvantages of a stress filled lifestyle that keeps us running on overdrive. Constant physiological stimulation prevents our bodies from returning to a quieter, calmer state of balance. The stress system was not designed to handle stressors that are of a lingering duration. When our bodies have to deal with constant or consistent stressors, the wear and tear that occurs can make us vulnerable to disability and disease. Stress has been shown to be involved in a variety of illnesses, such as peptic ulcers, hypertension, and irritable colon. Fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and rheumatoid arthritis can be the result of processes related to chronic stress. The problem is that often lifestyles and patterns of behaving are so habitual with some individuals that they have trouble seeing that their choices are creating the distress in their lives.

Trauma is defined as an event that is life-threatening or that severely compromises the emotional well-being of an individual or causes intense fear. Trauma and loss are a part of life. Like normal stress, trauma is experienced differently; how we react to a traumatic event makes us more or less vulnerable. Traumatic events or disasters can cause a full range of mental and physical reactions. Some people may become traumatized, locked into a pattern of neurological distress that doesn’t go away even when the life-threatening event has passed.

It is important to remember that there is not a standard pattern of reaction to the extreme stress of traumatic experiences. Response to extreme stress can occur months or even years later rather than right away. Some experiences profoundly affect personality and disrupt the individual’s ability to cope effectively with emotional and physical demands. Lingering feelings of sadness or overwhelming nervousness can adversely affect interpersonal relationships and ability to function at work/school. Often, it is not what happens to us, but how we react to an event that determines whether or not a life-threatening experience or a series of less intense experiences will, in fact, be traumatizing.

Clinical intervention, social support and stress management interventions can help to reduce the harmful effects of stress. Learning more about traumatic stress and how to handle everyday stressors can aid in coping, as well as talking to friends, family, and/or healthcare professionals. There are also numerous support groups available that provide the opportunity to talk to others who have gone through similar traumatic experiences. Other tips for reducing stress include use of relaxation techniques (for example, breathing exercises, positive imagery), participating in treatment as recommended by professionals, increasing positive lifestyle practices and altering negative lifestyle practices. Medications may be prescribed to help decrease physical symptoms and decrease anxiety, depression and panic. Family members of individuals suffering from traumatic stress may also benefit from clinical intervention such as family counseling, couple’s counseling, parenting classes, and conflict-resolution education.

Stress is a part of life and, often, sources of stress are unavoidable. You can’t prevent or change stressors such as a serious illness, the death of a loved one or a natural disaster. In those circumstances, the best way to cope with stress is to accept things as they are. Acceptance may be difficult; but in the long run, it’s easier than raging against a situation you can’t change. Forget powerlessness and focus on the positives in your life. When coping with stressors, try remembering to make time for relaxation and reflection. Each of us has control of our thoughts, emotions, and the way we deal with problems; we have the ability to change our thinking, behavior and lifestyle to live healthier, less stressful lives.