Stress: Frequently Asked Questions

• What is stress?
• Is all stress detrimental?
• How would I know if stress was affecting my body?
• What can I do in order to manage my stress?
• What separates stress management from stress reduction?
• Does everybody react to stress in the same manner?
• Does Stress effect the immune system?
• What would I be experiencing if I were suffering from stress?
• Am I able to seek professional help for stress?
• What is the correct level of stress I should endure?

In essence, stress is the body’s own natural reaction to physical and mental pressures.

No, there are two disparate types of stress. The first is known as ‘eustress’. This is a positive type of stress. It may take the form of additional energy and will act as a motivator, to achieve more, at a quicker rate.

The other type however is called ‘distress’, this is a negative type, which is left unresolved, will develop in the body and lead to emotional and physical illness.

The effects of stress start as a process, and have three steps. You will be able to tell when stress is affecting your body at different stages of stress. If you feel or experience any of the following effects, its time to take action to prevent anything worse happening.

Step 1 -Tension and physical symptoms such as sore muscles and tension headaches

Step 2 - Nervous behavior such as increased heart rate, breathing or blood pressure

Step 3 - A high level of stress can lead to illness or extremely low energy levels.

The best thing you can do is chat to somebody that can help you work out how susceptible you are to stress and what stresses you out. A plan can then be drawn up, in order to combat stress and increase relaxation. From medications, to medical devices like the Cefaly to therapy sessions, there is something that can help you.

Stress management is a constructive measure whereas stress reduction is a reactive measure. To put it another way, stress management anticipates possibly stressful events and aims to reduce them. Stress reduction however looks at stress that is bound to happen and serves to reduce negative effects.

The affects that stress have upon the body will depend upon the person and the way they view stress. Everybody is vulnerable to stress in different ways. It may depend upon the lifestyle of the sufferer.

Stress can in fact damage the immune system, as it does all systems inside the body. Short term stress and bodily reactions, are best explored by looking at the original source of the stress. For example, if you were to walk into your home to find a burglar, there would be immediate effects. These bodily responses are referred to as stress. Responses to acute stress can affect the immune system, which may cause the spleen to discharge greater numbers of white blood cells, directing them to parts of the body that are more likely to be under attack, most notably the skin, bone marrow and lymph nodes.

There are a number of common symptoms of stress:

• Rapid Heartbeat
• Headache
• A stiff neck and possibly tight shoulders
• Excess sweating
• Upset stomach and sickness
• You may also find yourself becoming less tolerant and patient
• You may feel more jumpy yet tired
• It may become difficult to focus your attentions and focus on tasks in hand
• You may find yourself worrying needlessly

As a sufferer of stress, you are almost certainly not on your own, and are able to seek professional advice. It may become overwhelming, requiring some gentle intervention. If this is the case then you could seek advice from a professional counselor or health official. This will help you make any decisions regarding stress reduction.

Professional help is accessible, utilising the following therapies:

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy - Allows you to become more aware of how you view your own stress, and enables you to comprehend how the way you see it, will have a nock effect on your reactions.


• Biofeedback – This is a method that enables a sufferer to control any bodily functions that are ordinarily out of their control, e.g. muscle tension, blood pressure and heart rate.


• Hypnosis – This will help to allow you to welcome any advice concerning their stress management. Some dentists, psychologists and counselors are experienced in this field.

There is no correct level. People will have disparate methods to cope with different scenarios, and each person will have their own personal needs, values and skills. Most illness is related to unrelieved stress. If you are experiencing any symptoms, you have gone beyond the correct or ‘optimum’ level of stress, thus requiring you to reduce it.