Stress and Stress Management free essay sample

Stress resulting from major life changes, such as graduating, becoming a parent, getting fired, retirement and marriage can cause a loss of interest in or ability to perform a job because of stress and result to stress- related emotional illness. SWhen a doctor suspects that a patients illness is connected to stress, he orshe will take a careful history of recent stress (family or job problems, other illnesses, and so on). Many doctors will evaluate the patients personality as well, in order to judge how well the person copes with stress. There are a number of psychological tests that doctors can use to help diagnose the amount of stress that the patient experiences and the coping strategies used to deal with them. Stress-related illness can be diagnosed by family doctors as well as by mental health specialists. Recent advances in the understanding of the many complex connections betweenthe mind and body have produced a variety of popular ways to treat stress-related illness: †¢Medications. We will write a custom essay sample on Stress and Stress Management or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page These may include drugs to control blood pressure or other physical symptoms of stress, as well as drugs that affect thepatients mood (tranquilizers or antidepressants). †¢Stress managementprograms. These may be either individual or group treatments, and usually involve analysis of the stressors in the patients life. They often focus on job or workplace related stress. †¢Behavioral approaches. These strategies include relaxation techniques, breathing exercises, and physical exercise. †¢Massage. Therapeutic massage relieves stress by relaxing the large groups of muscles in the back, neck, arms, and legs. Cognitive therapy. These approaches teach patients to reinterpret stress in order to alter thebodys physical response. †¢Meditation and spiritual practices. Relaxing, meditating and spiritual practices can help reduce stress. Treatment of stress is one area in which the boundaries between traditional and alternative therapies have changed in recent years, in part b ecause some forms of physical exercise (yoga, tai chi, aikido) that were once considered to be fads have become widely accepted as useful parts of mainstream stress reduction programs. Other alternative therapies for stress, which are occasionally recommended by mainstream medicine, include aromatherapy, dance therapy,nutrition-based treatments (including dietary guidelines and nutritional supplements), acupuncture, and herbal medicine. The prognosis for recovery from a stress-related illness is related to a widevariety of factors in a persons life, many of which are inherited or beyondthe individuals control (economic trends, cultural stereotypes and prejudices). It is possible, however, for humans to learn new responses to stress. A persons ability to remain healthy in stressful situations is sometimes referred to as stress hardiness. Stress-hardy people have a cluster of personality traits that strengthen their ability to cope. These traits include believing in the importance of what they are doing; believing that they have somepower to influence their situation; and viewing lifes changes as positive opportunities rather than as threats. Its not possible or desirable to totally prevent stress, which is an inevitable part of life. In addition, specific strategies for preventing stress varywidely from person to person, depending on the nature and number of the stressors in a persons life, and the amount of control he or she has over thesefactors. In general, a combination of attitude and behavior changes works well for most patients. The best way to prevent stress is for parents to teach healthy attitudes and behaviors within their family.