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Physical manifestations of stress may include any of the following: high blood pressure, poor digestion, overeating, chronic illness, migraines, ulcers, alcoholism, hyperactivity, neck pains, infertility, insomnia, accelerated aging.
Although this list is only a small representation of the manifestations of long-term stress in our bodies, it is easy to see that stress management is valuable in maintaining your personal health and wellness.
Stress can be defined as a physical and psychological response caused by physical, chemical, or emotional factors that are unanticipated, stimulating, or disruptive.
Short- term stress can be helpful in crisis situations, but when stress becomes long-term it can be dangerous to your health.
Stress can come from many sources such as environment, family, your job, other people, and yourself.
The following are areas of health concern that are a good place to start in managing stress: avoid cigarettes or consider switching to low-tar and low-nicotine brand, if you drink do it sensibly and never mix drinking and driving, be careful when using medications and avoid illegal drugs, eat sensibly, learn to distinguish those things worth spending your energy on and those things that aren't.
Effectively managing personal stress requires learning to let yourself relax; finding a support system for any lifestyle changes you decide to make such as quitting smoking or losing weight; setting goals for yourself daily, and revising them occasionally as an outlet for creativity.
If your stress level manifests any of the following symptoms: severe head pain or dizziness, severe emotional depression, irritability, or anger, disorientation or memory lapses, professional help may be necessary to deal with the stress in your life.
Stress is unavoidable, but your body is equipped to handle it in short-term doses. The danger comes with accumulated stress that depletes your body of its energy reserves. Try to focus on the positive things in your life so you don't suffer health risks due to the stressful situations.
from: Harcourt Learning Direct and Websters Collegiate Dictionary
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