STRESS
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Post-traumatic stress disorder Pressure-cooker living (sermon)
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WHAT'S YOUR STRESS SCORE?
Score yourself on the Life Change Test
If any of these life events have happened to you in the last 12 months,
please check the “Happened” column and enter the Value in “Your Score” column.
ITEM ITEM EVENT YOUR
No. Value Happened Score Life Event
I 100 __________ ______ Death of spouse
2 73 __________ ______ Divorce
3 65 __________ ______ Marital separation
4 63 __________ ______ Jail term
5 63 __________ ______ Death of close family member
6 53 __________ ______ Personal injury or illness
7 50 __________ ______ Marriage
8 47 __________ ______ Fired at work
9 45 __________ ______ Marital reconciliation
10 45 __________ ______ Retirement
11 44 __________ ______ Change in health of family member
12 40 __________ ______ Pregnancy
13 39 __________ ______ Sex difficulties
14 39 __________ ______ Gain of new family members
15 39 __________ ______ Business readjustment
16 38 __________ ______ Change in financial state
17 37 __________ ______ Death of close friend
18 36 __________ ______ Change to different line of work
19 35 __________ ______ Change in no.of arguments w/spouse
20 31 __________ ______ Mortgage over $30,000
21 30 __________ ______ Foreclosure of mortgage of loan
22 29 __________ ______ Change in responsibilities at work
23 29 __________ ______ Son or daughter leaving home
24 29 __________ ______ Troubles with in-laws
25 28 __________ ______ Outstanding personal achievement
26 26 __________ ______ Wife begins or stops work
27 26 __________ ______ Begin or end school
28 25 __________ ______ Change in living conditions
29 24 __________ ______ Revision of personal habits
30 23 __________ ______ Trouble with boss
31 20 __________ ______ Change in work hours or conditions
32 20 __________ ______ Change in residence
33 20 __________ ______ Change in schools
34 19 __________ ______ Change in recreation
35 19 __________ ______ Change in church activities
36 18 __________ ______ Change in school activities
37 17 __________ ______ Mortgage or loan less than $30,000
38 16 __________ ______ Change in sleeping habits
39 15 __________ ______ Change in number of family get-togethers
40 15 __________ ______ Change in eating habits
41 13 __________ ______ Vacation
42 12 __________ ______ Christmas
43 11 __________ ______ Minor violations of the law
TOTAL SCORE FOR 12 MONTHS ________
DR. THOMAS HOLME’S STRESS TEST INTERPRETATION
The more change you have, the more stress you'll experience. Too much stress becomes distress, which increases your chances of becoming ill. Of the people with scores over 300 (major stress), almost 80% will get sick in the next two years; with 200-299 (moderate stress) about 50% will become sick in the future; with 50-199 (mild stress) about 30% will have a tendency to become ill and less than 50 (low stress) have a low probability of illness. How you cope with your stress is a major factor in how it will affect you. Learn to recognize the sources of your stress and work to minimize them. A positive attitude and healthy body are your two best defenses against distress.
Dr. Thomas Holme designed this test originally in the early 70’s to measure stress. This edition was revised to accomodate the stress levels of people in the 90’s. Naturally, he had to upgrade the levels of stress and their numerical values for we High Stress 90’s people. How much more stress do you think we’re perceiving in the New Millennium?
Put the Glass Down
A lecturer was giving a lecture to his students on stress management.
He raised a glass of water and asked the audience, "How heavy do you think this glass of water is?"
The students' answers ranged from 20g to 500gm.
"It does not matter on the absolute weight. It depends on how long you hold it.
If I hold it for a minute, it is OK.
If I hold it for an hour, I will have an ache in my right arm.
If I hold it for a day, you will have to call an ambulance.
It is the exact same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes."
"If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, we will not be able to carry on, the burden becoming increasingly heavier."
"What you have to do is to put the glass down, rest for a while before holding it up again."
We have to put down the burden periodically, so that we can be refreshed and are able to carry on.
So before you return home from work tonight, put the burden of work down. Don't carry it back home. You can pick it up tomorrow.
Whatever burdens you are having now on your shoulders, let it down for a moment if you can.
Pick it up again later when you have rested...
Rest and relax.
Life is short, enjoy it!!
THAT CAN LEAD TO CONFLICT AND VIOLENCE
The 18 major sources of stress that may lead to conflict and violence are:
1. Troubles with the boss.
2. Troubles with other people at work.
3. Laid off or fired from work.
4. Arrested or convicted on some serious charge.
5. Death of someone close.
6. Foreclosure of mortgage or loan.
7. Pregnancy or childbirth.
8. Serious illness or injury.
9. Serious problem with health or behavior of a family member.
10. Sexual difficulties.
11. In-Law troubles.
12. Much worse off financially.
13. Separated or divorced.
14. Big increase in number of arguments with spouse or partner.
15. Big increase in hours of work or job responsibility.
16. Moving to a different neighborhood or town.
17. Child kicked out of school or suspended.
18. Child caught doing something illegal.
The average person interviewed reported two stressful events during the last year.
Can you name your stressors that "push your buttons?”
1.____________________________________________________________
2.____________________________________________________________
3.____________________________________________________________
4.______________________________________________________
The following are some examples of coping responses. The list is not exhaustive and none of the responses are particularly bad or good. Each one could work for you at any given point in time.
1. REAPPRAISE THE SITUATION
Change your perception of interpretation of the situation. You can do this by decreasing the importance of the situation, modifying your expectations of self and others. See the threat as a challenge or a non-threat. Try to find something humorous in the situation.
2. COGNITIVE REHEARSAL
Use self-talk or imagery to talk or think yourself through the situation.
3. DELAY ACTIVITY (goals)
Sometimes it can be to our advantage to procrastinate until we are better able to make a decision. Putting off tasks that could cause overload is not bad and sometimes you need to wait for more information and consider other alternatives before making decisions.
4. SET LIMITS
Learn to say no.
5. EXPRESS YOUR EMOTIONS
Ventilate your emotions with the persons involved. Discuss both negative and positive feelings; sometimes just getting your feelings out in the open releases the tension valve. You can use discretion here - in that sometimes you need to wait to express your emotions when you feel more in control.
6. PLAN
Plan ways to avoid stressful situations by considering the alternatives before you embark on a course of action or accept another job. Also plan time for relaxation and enjoyment. Remember to take time for yourself.
7. DIVERSION
Do something different. Do something for fun. Be creative, go to a movie, read, etc. Break your old cycle.
8. SELF-STATEMENTS
POSITIVE SELF-TALK
9. FANTASIZE
Create new alternatives; use your imagination to create new ways of coping.
10. VENTILATE WITH OTHERS
Talk with friends or peers. Discuss your concerns with others who can look at the situation objectively and do not be upset by their suggestions.
11. MAXIMIZE YOUR POTENTIAL FOR COPING
Make friends and create social supports. Make sources of information available to you by collecting information and working through mentally several options.
Letter From God
Dear One:
Just remember. . .
You are not responsible for all things, for all people, in all circumstances!
That’s My Job!
All My Love,
Almighty God
P.S. Please resign immediately as Master of the Universe. That’s My Job, Too!
Courtesy of Sheepfold Ministries, Sharon, PA - 724-981-5683
STRESS AND LAUGHTER
A continuously expanding body of medical research now confirms that laughter is a powerful medicine in alleviating the impact that stressful events have on our lives and in actually preventing accidents and reversing disease.
Grief work involves allowing yourself to feel your feelings: ALL feelings are OK. You are allowed to enjoy a moment of laughter without being disrespectful to the memory of the person you are grieving. In some instances, the loved one you have lost to death enjoyed humor themselves. Allowing yourself to laugh at what they found humorous can actually facilitate the grieving experience.
Laughter is a happy and pleasant experience. It temporarily diverts our attention and dissipates feelings of fear, isolation, anger, and physical pain. Laughter can be the doorway to purging harmful emotions and resolving mental tension. It is a form of therapy that encourages us to release the painful emotions of anger, fear, and boredom.
Laughter enables the processing of information in a new way. New perceptions can lead to different and healthier solutions. William Fry, M.D., psychiatrist and professor emeritus at StanfordUniversity, documented physiological changes from laughter similar to intense aerobic exercise. He stated ”One hundred laughs is equal to ten minutes of aerobic exercise.”
Laughter can also help the immune system. Research at the Department of Clinical Immunology at Loma Linda University School of Medicine has demonstrated that the experience of laughter lowers the level of certain stress hormones and stimulates the immune systems by increasing the number of activated T-cells and activated T-helper cells.
In addition, mirthful laughter enhances the activity of natural killer cells that play a crucial role in preventing disease. To create more smiles and laughter, try any or all of these humor strategies:
1) Cultivate a playful attitude.
2) Find humor in daily life.
3) Learn to belly laugh and tell jokes.
4) Learn to laugh at yourself.
5) Hang out with people who are fun to be with, who make you laugh.
Courtesy of Sheepfold Ministries, Sharon, PA - 724-981-5683
Phil Roland, Grief Counselor
STRESS OVERLOAD SYMPTOMS
1. Mild to Moderate Depression / Malaise
2. Blue Feeling
3. Lack or Absence of Motivation
4. Low or Missing Sexual Drive
5. Self Pity
6. Chronic Guilt Feelings
7. Insomnia
8. Loss of or Increase in Appetite
9. Change of Bowel Habit
10. Apathy
11. Listlessness
12. Indifference to Others
13. Sleeping Too Much
14. Obsessional Thinking
15. Fleeting Suicidal Thoughts.
16. Problems Managing Anger
17. Panic Attacks
18. Negative Thinking
Six or more of the above indicators reveals a serious tendency toward “Stress Overload." Anti-Depressants, personal therapy and an active spiritual life are recommended for healing and restoration.
Courtesy of Sheepfold Ministries, Sharon, PA
pastor Phil Roland
POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS
Post-Traumatic-Stress-Disorder (PTSD) is the normal emotional and psychological response to trauma. Any painful, shocking experience that is too painful at the time for the mind to cope with can result in a PTSD problem. The trauma can be grief-loss, warfare experience, sexual abuse/incest (loss of innocence and childhood), an automobile accident resulting in death or serious injury, witnessing some act of physical or sexual violence, etc.
PEELING THE ONION
The long-term memory represses and stores the visual memories of the trauma. The traumatic event(s) are repressed by a covering of "forgetfulness" covering the event, and it is stored in the victim's long-term memory. The event and how the victim feels about it, unwinds with flashbacks and "body-memories." With each incident of recall, the victims feel great emotion before, during and after the memory. The Process of Healing and Recovery involves reattaching memories of what has happened with appropriate feelings. I call the incidental, individual process, "peeling the onion." The onion is peeled, a layer of pain (repressed memories) is exposed, tears are shed, strong feelings are released, and the process is repeated. In the situation of sexual abuse in childhood victims when the abuse sometimes stretches out over the entire childhood, the layers of pain are deeper that can be comprehended. So, recovery is thought of more as a process than a single event.
SYMPTOMS OF POST TRAUMATIC stress
Victims of PTSD may experience some of the following symptoms:
1. RECURRENT MEMORIES OR FLASHBACKS
2. NIGHTMARES AND INSOMNIA
3. DEPRESSION
4. LACK OF INTEREST IN LIFE
5. SURVIVOR GUILT (Involving mass tragedy)
6. OVERWHELMING EMOTIONS
7. IRRITABILITY OR JUMPINESS
8. CONFLICTS WITH PEOPLE
9. ABUSE OF ALCOHOL OR OTHER DRUGS
10. ISOLATE THEMSELVES.
STAGES OF RECOVERY
Survivors go through anticipated stages as they move toward healing and restoration.
1. FEAR AND SADNESS
2. DENIAL
3. WORKING THROUGH FEARS
4. GROWTH
Relapses happen often and plateaus are reached in the journey toward wholeness. A relapse may make the victim/survivor feel as though they are making no progress. One way to measure progress is to note how quickly the survivor bounces back after a relapse. When the abuse victim reaches a plateau in the healing process, they may wrongly think they are finished with the healing. Caregivers and therapists will have to be encouraging, supportive and available if the survivor begins spontaneously to peel another layer of the onion.
COURTESY OF PASTOR PHIL ROLAND, SHEEPFOLD MINISTRIES, SHARON, PA