Post Traumatic Stress Disorder / Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome

Stress is the emotional and physical strain caused by our response to pressure from the outside world. Common stress reactions include tension, irritability, inability to concentrate, and a variety of physical symptoms that include headache and a fast heartbeat.

It's almost impossible to live without some stress. And most of us wouldn't want to, because it gives life some spice and excitement. But if stress gets out of control, it may harm your health, your relationships, and your enjoyment of life.

• You and your spouse both work full time, gping to school part time while you are raising your family. At the same time, your parents may need your help can become dependent on you.

• You are a single person living alone, having a hard time getting by, paying the bills.

• You are a divorced parent and share the custody of your children with your former spouse. But the friction between the two of you on matters concerning the children is becoming more bitter and more frequent.

• The expectations and competition at your workplace is becoming fierce. You find yourself going beyond your initial job description. You find yourself taking work home at night and the weekends.

Managing stress involves learning about:

• How stress affects the mind and body

• How to identify the warning signs of stress

• How to develop good stress-management techniques

• When to seek professional help

What Are The Signs Of Stress

Stress can cause both mental and physical symptoms. The effects of stress are different for different people.

The mental symptoms of stress include:

• Tension

• Irritability

• Inability to concentrate

• Feeling excessively tired

• Trouble sleeping

The physical symptoms of stress include:

• Dry mouth

• A pounding heart

• Difficulty breathing

• Stomach upset

• Frequent urination

• Sweating palms

• Tight muscles that may cause pain and trembling

To be able to learn to manage your every day and extra stress you have to learn what your triggers are, what causes you stress, and have to find what your unique personal characteristics are. Once you have the basic knowledge you will know what you need to do to manage your stress.

Managing Stress

Stress Management involves responding to major life events and everyday hassles by relaxing as well as tensing up. Relaxation actually is a part of the normal stress response. When faced with life's challenges, people not only tense up to react rapidly and forcefully, but they also become calm in order to think clearly and act with control.

Techniques for managing stress include:

• Body and mental relaxation
• Positive thinking
• Problem solving
• Anger control
• Time management
• Exercise
• Responsible assertiveness
• Interpersonal communication

Physical benefits of managing stress include:

• Better sleep, energy, strength, and mobility
• Reduced tension, pain, blood pressure, heart problems, and infectious illnesses

Emotional benefits of managing stress include:

• Increased quality of life and well-being
• Reduced anxiety, depression, and irritability

Steps in Managing Traumatic Stress

Step One is recognizing the signs of posttraumatic stress. Trauma is so shocking that it causes memories that are impossible to forget or sometimes impossible to recall. Trauma memories often repeatedly come back when you are not trying to think about them. Memories arise as unpleasant thoughts or nightmares. Sometimes you may feel as if you cannot stop reliving the event. The shock of trauma also may create blank spaces in your memory because it is too much for the mind to handle, and so the mind takes a time out.

Traumatic stress reactions are normal responses to abnormal events. Most people experience posttraumatic stress reactions for days or even weeks after a trauma. Usually these reactions become less severe over time, but they may persist and become a problem.

Step Two is recognizing the ways of coping with traumatic stress that are natural but don't work, because they actually prolong and worsen the normal posttraumatic stress reactions. The ways of coping that do not work include:

• Trying to avoid people, places, or thoughts that are reminders
• Shutting off feelings or connections to other people that are reminders
• Being hyper-vigilant or on guard

Trying to avoid bad memories, trying to shut out feelings or people, or trying to stay always alert may seem reasonable. However, they don't work because trauma controls your life if you run from it.

Step Three is to get help from people who are coping with traumatic stress reactions or PTSD (Posttraumatic Stress Disorder) and their families. Trauma memories cannot be erased, but the stress they cause can become very manageable.

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