[Evermont]

I read this article with great interest and learned a LOT. Really there's too much in it to summarize - just do yourself a big favor and soak it in.

ScienceDaily (Jan. 11, 2008) Understanding Role Of Stress In Just About Everything

[princesslinda]

What a great read! Thanks for sharing.

[caswellhb]

Oh goodness! Let's all stand around and look amazed. Honestly? Don't we all know stress is a bad thing and still rush headlong into it anyway? How many people can say they lead a stress free life?
One moment while I build a nice bubble and take up residence there.
Ok. I'm being sarcastic but we do all know the side effects of stress. I see it every day in my job in the most extreme forms.
It is nothing new and the more intelligent people learn to find a safe release and avoidance.
Hmmmmm, got on the soapbox there didn't I? Maybe I'm stressed! LOL.

Heather.

[princesslinda]

I KNOW the effects of stress, but knowing and avoiding are two different things, and I think that sometimes its impossible to avoid stress. I don't think its the actual stress that gets us, rather our response to it. I do think that some of us have better learned to handle stress, while others seem to strive on it. I think, too, that as we age, we are often better to handle it.

I also think are responses to stress are learned from an early age. I had a babysitter I stayed with from the time I was 6 weeks old until I was 5 years old, while my parents worked. She was a dear lady, but was very "nervous" about things, biting her nails and was very scared of storms. I picked up her nervous habit of nail biting, and to this day, if i'm feeling stressed, I will pick or bite my nails.

I think that since my diagnosis with diabetes, I handle stress better than I did previously. I've learned that stress will cause my blood sugar to rise, therefore I try extremely hard to minimize the stress in my life, and what can't be eliminated, I try to consciously monitor my responses to so as not to have that "fight or flight" feeling.

[Evermont]

Originally Posted by princesslinda

What a great read! Thanks for sharing.

I feel the same way Linda. I got a lot more from this than just "stress is bad".

I don't know anyone that leads a stress free life but I certainly know some that work to mitigate the bad effects of it. I feel that a deeper understanding of stress is important to effective prevention or management of it. Before this article I had never encountered such a comprehensive sketch of the many facets of stress, it's effects, and guidance on how to deal with it.

My personal ability to prevent and deal with stress may be ahead of most, regardless I'm keenly interested in improving. Not just for myself either, I'll be sharing this with my wife, who had some unfortunate upbringing, and my Type A daughter who's not doing herself any favors with that, and my other daughter who's a new mommy and could benefit both herself and her baby with some of this. Each of these situations were mentioned in this article.

I think we all have too much stress, so understanding and improvement in dealing with it could benefit every last one of us. I'm convinced that, as Heather mentioned in another thread, "Information is power folks!" and so I'm glad to share this here with all my new friends just hoping it can help a little.

[caswellhb]

Ummmmmm sorry folks. Blame it on the hormones.

Heather.

[Evermont]

Originally Posted by caswellhb

Ummmmmm sorry folks. Blame it on the hormones.

Heather.

You're double pregnant - you get a double pass. Peace Heather.

[caswellhb]

Thank you. Goodness, my brain is useless right now.

Heather.

[Doulton]

Thank you for posting the article. I know that I cannot eliminate stress in my life but I can try to find a place for stress reduction.

For me it's holding or sitting with a cat. Also knitting helps. Cutting down on social obligations related to work that are not mandatory has also helped.

[caswellhb]

Animals are great for stress reduction. They love the attention and give back unconditional love.

Heather

[DonnieD]

Great Article, Evermont ... Unfortunately it's my doctor that needs to read this ... Stress is the root cause in lots of illnesses ... but doctors generally treat symptoms.

We don't have to accept stress as a normal part of everyday life ... so much of stress occurs because we have misplaced priorities .... we bring it on ourselves ..