Stress

 In November 1981 I received a Ph.D degree with dual majors, Behavioral Medicine and Humanistic Psychology. The focus of the first major was psychosomatic illness with an emphasis on stress and its affect on the human body.

 My interest was stimulated by listening to and reading a book by Norman Sheely, M.D. from Madison Wisconsin. His premise was that we can add thirty years to our lives by learning to manage stress.

 I also became very familiar with the work of Hans Selye, M.D. (1907-1982) from Canada. He was the first one to connect the stress of worry to the endocrine system and ulcers. He formulated the classic phrase, “the flight or fight” syndrome.

 It means “confrontation or escape.” His metaphor was an example of our pre-historic ancestors, confronting a saber toothed tiger. Immediately his eyes would dilate, his heart would beat rapidly, adrenaline would flow to his limbs, hunger would vanish, the sex drive would disappear and he would collapse in his cave.

 After a rest, his heart would slow down, his breathing became normal, and he became ravenously hungry and very sexual. The flight syndrome.

 There aren’t any saber toothed tigers around today. But there are many different stressors today. Dr. Selye differentiated them between dis-stress and eu-stress. The first is bad or negative kind of stressors: death of a spouse, divorce, a care taker, loss of a pet, and accident, etc.

 A eu-stress is a good or nice stress: getting up in the morning, a promotion, your birthday, a vacation, getting married, etc. Both kinds of experiences are stressful.

 Dr. M. Lazarus, Ph.D. of Stanford University added a different dimension to the list of stressors. He called them “hassles”; loss of car keys, getting stuck in traffic, late for an appointment, burning the roast, spilling a paint can, the IRS etc, all stressors.

 In the process of my study, I studied with Norman Cousins, Ph.D., Carl Simonton, M.D., Bernie Segal, M.D., Irving Katz, Ph.D., Victor Frankl M. D. and Ph.D. (1905-1997) Plus many others.

 I came to certain conclusions about stress.

 First, everyone is affected by it, but no two people respond the same way. What is stressful to me may not be stressful to you. The degree of intensity may also vary.

 Second, at times eu-stress can be as deadly as dis-stress. During the Vietnam War I pastored a large Methodist church in Orange County. One of the church families had a son in Vietnam. They received word he had been killed. They were obviously grief stricken. Two weeks later they again received word from the U.S. Army that a mistake had been made and he was on his way home.

 The mother had a heart attack and almost died. The good news almost killed her. It was stressful.

 Third, both kinds of stress are cumulative. For example, the affects of the loss of a spouse or a divorce can last for several years. Taking responsibility for the care of a loved one or friend is extremely stressful, plus hassles, plus housework, or maintenance, all add up to a lot of stress.

Fourth, stress causes or aggravates the major causes for death and other sickness. Major killers are: heart attacks, cancer, strokes and accidents. I’ll bet you a nickel that the last time you had the flu, headache, or sore throat, a few days before you had a stressful experience..

Fifth, and closely related to number four, is the fact that stress lowers the immune system. Our immune system is weak at three distinct times: when we are babies; when we are elderly; and when we are under stress.

The stress ridden person has a tendency to engage in what I call “maladaptive behaviors” or negative compulsive actions. They begin drinking too much (booze and a myriad kinds of alcoholic beverages); they beginning eating too much or too little (becoming anorexic or bulimic);  they engage in sexual promiscuity; they have sleeping problems (too much or too little); they engage in drugs and become addicted and they often become very abusive-especially to members of their family.

Studies have shown that 60% of our stress is job related; which includes limited income, pressure to perform and domestic responsibilities. Forty per cent of our stress is family related. The imposition of a spouse, parents, siblings, relatives and others can be unbelievably stressful. The sequence often begins with expectation, subtle pressures that erode one’s tranquility. The shoulder and neck muscles tighten; a nervous stomach and periodic headaches are evidence of stress.  The mind becomes clouded with depression. The psyche (mind)   affects the soma (body) in many ways.      

Amen. Selah. So be it.

 

WORDS TO THINK ABOUT

G. W. Abersold Ph.D.