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STRESS AND DISTRESS. |
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The
word stress creates sensation everywhere. It brings on
goosepimples in some, and people think that stress is the
most ferocious tiger that will eat you up. It brings to
mind premature deaths, heart attacks, ulcers and colitis
and what have you. Truth is otherwise! Stress is the only
engine that powers our activities on this planet and one
cannot survive here devoid of stress. If we are able to
achieve anything in life, and if humanity has done what
it claims to have done today, it is all because of
stress. In short, stress is the integral part of life
itself. It is distress, abnormal response to stress that
kills, and kills prematurely.
Every stage in life, from the time one is made in the
mother’s womb till the time one is put to rest in
the tomb, stress keeps playing its part. Life is a
ceaseless, continuous change until death. This change
needs a catalyst and that is called stress. If one learns
to use this catalyst for one’s good, stress becomes
our best friend. If, on the other hand, one keeps bending
under all kinds of change, one burns himself out faster.
The three building blocks of an individual are his mind,
his genes and, of course, his physical self. Of the
three, the last is the least important. How one is able
to cope with difficult situations in life depends purely
on one’s mind and to a limited extent on his genes.
Human beings have a functional curve in their life.
Performance in any field of human endeavour depends to a
large extent on our capacity to arouse our dormant
sympathetic system. As long as man keeps up this with a
positive attitude, the results are going to be positive.
A time comes for most of us when further stimulation of
the arousal may not be matched by better performance.
This peak level is different for each of us and it is in
knowing the peak that the secret of happy living depends.
If one does not know one’s limitations, one gets
into a state where the arousal keeps on going up but the
constructive phase gives place to a destructive downward
trend with disease, disability and death. The capacity to
know all these depends on the human mind, to a large
extent.
The human function curve, first described by a thinking
London cardiologist, Peter Nixon, is something like this.
It is in the bad phase (Catabolic phase) that problems
start for mankind. Some people have been well and healthy
and even productive even in their old age. Take the
example of President DeGaull of France, who was in his
peak at the age of 96 years as the head of the Government
there, only to get into the catabolic phase soon after
his defeat in the general elections when he was 97 years
old, to die of a massive heart attack. The only change
was in his mind. (frustration and depression). His genes
and his physical body remained the same. Many such
examples could be given from history but suffice it to
stress that mind runs the body.
If you are distressed how do you cope with it?
- Soothing sleep does a
lot of good to relieve distress. It is the worry
of not sleeping (insomnia) that produces more
distress indeed. Cat naps-short dreamy sleep, do
a lot of good to the system (REM sleep). During
this period the body undertakes the flushing
operation of all systems. It is like the mother
cleaning the kitchen after the children have
messed it up. The body is cleansed of all the
debris of the day’s work to get it ready to
face another day. Worrying over the length of
sleep and also its depth is of no use.
Body’s internal clock knows when to wake you
up. Do not use the artificial external clocks to
time your sleep. I find the best remedy is not to
look at any watch after one gets home until one
wakes up in the morning. Avoid sleeping pills !
- Plan everyday in such
a way that you have timing for everything
including some leisure to "laugh"
preferably at yourself.
- Pace yourself in such
a way that too much is not packed into your
baggage. Know your capacity and pack your sack
just enough to cope with.
- One must always
define one’s goals. There is no point in
running after any mirages.
- Eat sensibly. Small
frequent meals which are enjoyed will go a long
way. Large infrequent meals are not good. Do not
let your mind eat into your stomach, either to
reduce or increase your appetite.
- Life is a struggle.
Happiness is to live dangerously! Troubles come
and troubles go. Nothing is permanent in this
life. Even if you think you have the biggest
calamity in life, sunshine awaits you round the
corner.
- Learn to say no
when it is necessary and, if possible, make it as
sweet as your yes.
- It is in giving that
you get. Give love in abundance. it does not make
you any poorer; on the contrary it makes you
richer.Said Amy Cassidy, the American poetess,
"If joy is what you give away, joy is what
comes back each day."
- Beware of short cuts.
Alcohol is no solution for your problems.
It may help you to drown your sorrows
temporarily, but in the long run, your sorrows
will swim and you will drown in alcohol.
- Many people use
cigarette smoke to fight distress. The only risk
factor which definitely kills is cigarette smoke.
If one smokes to avoid stress, it definitely
ignites one’s last smoke as well.
- The best antidote for
all kinds of distress is universal love. If you
have any distress, sit down with a piece of paper
and pencil and try to get at its roots. You will
invariably end up with jealousy, hatred, anger
and pride at the root of all your distress. What
better tool there is to fight all those human
enemies except abundant love for all...?!
Love is the
salt of life; a higher taste
It gives to pleasure, and then makes
It last............................Buckingham
Love is a
God
Strong, free, unabounded, and as some define
Fears nothing, pitieth none..................Milton.
[index]
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