What is Stress? Causes and Treatment

Stress is defined as a state or situation involving demand on physical and mental energy. The medical definition of stress is a perturbation, or change, of the body's homeostasis: the body's normal state. This demand on mind and body occurs when it tries to cope with incessant changes in life, or sometimes one sudden life-altering change.

A 'stress' condition often seems relative in nature. Extreme stress conditions, psychologists say, are detrimental to human health but in moderation stress is normal and, in many cases, proves useful. Stress, nonetheless, is synonymous with negative conditions. Today, with the rapid diversification of human activity, we come face to face with numerous causes of stress and many develop the symptoms of stress and depression.

Stress and anxiety in children and teenagers is just as prevalent as in adults. Parents, who are not emotionally available for their children or lack positive coping mechanisms themselves, often cause stress in their offspring. High expectation in academic or other performance, a deprived childhood, general growing pains, and demand for familial responsibility are also causes of childhood and teen stress.

Signs and Symptoms

Stress affects mind, body and behavior in many ways; the signs and symptoms of stress vary from person to person, but all have the potential to harm your health, emotional well-being, and relationships with others. Some of the common symptoms of stress are:

• Memory loss
• Difficulty making decisions
• Inability to concentrate, short attention span
• Confusion
• Repetitive or continual thoughts
• Headaches
• Digestive disorders
• Muscle tension and pain
• Sleep disturbances and insomnia
• Fatigue
• Less interest in hobbies or fun
• Sudden shifts in mood
• Frequent uneasiness, restlessness
• Frustration
• Anger, resentment
• Unwarranted jealousy
• Either staying home from work or staying at work for extended hours
• Increased use of tobacco, alcohol, drugs, caffeine
• Loss of interest in sex, or a greater obsession with sex than usual
• Engage in nervous habits such as nail biting, hair twisting, pacing

Treatment of Stress

Your doctor or a mental health professional may suggest a combination of medications and behavior therapy for the treatment of stress. The objectives of treatment are to reduce your emotional distress and the associated disturbances to your sleep and daily functioning, and to help you better cope with any event that may have triggered the disorder. Here are some natural treatments for stress.

• Tyrosine is an amino acid used by the body to produce certain adrenal stress hormones and chemical messengers in the nervous system (neurotransmitters).
• Supplementing with vitamin C can reduce blood levels of stress-related hormones and other measures of stress. Controlled studies of athletes have shown that vitamin C supplementation (1,000 to 1,500 mg per day) can reduce stress hormone levels after intense exercise
• Some studies have suggested that Asian ginseng can enhance feelings of well-being in elderly people with age-associated memory impairment, nurses working night shifts, or people with diabetes.
• Aromatherapy comprises of fifty varieties of essential oils distilled from plants and flowers are used for healing various health disorders, especially stress-induced ones.