FAILURES OF THE SOUL

Stress is not something that happened to you, but how you perceive it. These words belong to a Canadian endocrinologist of Austro-Hungarian origin, Hans Selye, who introduced the concept "stress" in everyday life. Back in 1936 he noticed that in response to any demand of the environment the body reacts with tension (literally "stress" means "tension"). In other words, stress is a purposive adaptive response, providing adaptation to diverse new conditions. Selye identified two types of stress - physiological (eustress) and pathological (distress). The latter occurs under the influence of excessive adverse stimuli. And we clearly understand that dismissal from work, failure in exams, quarrel with a friend are all sources of stress.

What is stress?

It is important not to move from the stage of physiological stress to the pathological one when it is much more difficult to resolve psycho-emotional problems, psychologist Azad Isazada said in an interview with R+. "These are two stages of stress: the stage of alarm, when the body mobilizes its forces, and the dangerous stage of exhaustion, characterized by the strong influence of negative factors. In this case, the adaptive forces of the body are depleted, which can lead to various diseases." According Isazada, almost all people experience stress, otherwise they would not be human beings. "But the stress reaction cannot be allowed to be painful and be accompanied by apathy, neuroses, depression and physical pain. There can be so many symptoms of stress - for example, inadequate response to profound minor problems, intolerance, lack of appetite or overeating, a feeling of constant anxiety which people often do not perceive as signals of stress." Very often, strong psycho-emotional stress can disrupt sleep, a person has no desire to do anything, work and make decisions. Experiencing self-doubt under stress, people make wrong decisions."

According to the specialist, today the problems of the vast majority of people seeking medical help start with stress. Statistics show that 90 per cent of all diseases are due to nervousness and stress in varying degrees. The psychologist noted that in Europe every year more than 1.5 million people die because of diseases caused by stress. Such diseases include strokes and myocardial infarction.

From a physiological point of view, stress is a biochemical reaction in our bodies to emergencies. When there is any threat or something causes extreme agitation, the oldest part of our brain - the so-called "consciousness of reptiles" reacts to it, sending certain information which gives us the opportunity to better cope with such emergencies. It is this process that we see as stress later.

Actually, for us it would not be a problem at all, if it were not for one "but". If we are in a state of stress too often, it can cause physical and mental problems. Nevertheless, we must clarify for ourselves the following: Stress is a reasonable reaction of our body. But a state of prolonged stress can be dangerous and entail risks for us. In this case, stress can actually lead to organic and psychological problems and develop various diseases. These may be insomnia, high blood pressure, heart diseases, allergies, stomach pains, headaches, depression and sexual dysfunctions.

How to overcome stress?

Asked how to overcome a state of stress, almost all psychologists will reply that the most effective way is to contact a specialist. However, many prefer to overcome this state on their own, often offended that someone advised them to consult a specialist.

But it is still possible to fight the state of apathy and hopelessness, if the main thing in dealing with stress is the desire of the "depressed person" to change the situation. "You can do sports, walk around the city daily. It is important to do something. It is equally important to speak out and talk about your problem. Even a conversation with a stranger can give you a sense of relief. In this case, the factor of anonymity is essential: they do not know you and most likely, you will never see them again. You can trust your feelings with a sheet of paper and write a letter. As a result, it will turn out that all is not so bad. Sometimes the cause of depression can be a busy schedule. In this case, it is better to relax, maybe go on vacation or go somewhere for a while. It is very important to change the atmosphere," said Isazada.

Autogenic training (auto-training) - a method of autosuggestion - is very effective. Autosuggestion can be used directly before bedtime, and at any other time. It is important that there is no interference to concentrate - "to withdraw into yourself." Therefore, before auto-training you should turn off TV, radio and telephone. In any case, even calm music is useful for this. With eyes closed, you mentally pronounce a number of calming words 2 or 3 times in a row, at a slow pace. The best prevention against depression is to treat yourself in a positive way, to forgive yourself little weaknesses and not to reproach yourself over trifles.

Psychologists say that if you cannot manage stress, because it is not in your power, then pay attention to its early signals, because the sooner you discover them, the easier it will be to deal with the causes and consequences of the looming failure of the body. Without a doubt, trying to understand yourself, you will be able to significantly change your life, and a serious attitude to the early signals of impending danger will help choose the right path, contributing to the preservation of health and longevity.