East of the River | June 2007 | Stress: How “Handling” It May Improve One’s Health

Stress

How “Handling” It May Improve One’s Health

by: B. Michelle Harris

Many of us have heard that “stress can kill you.” There is much truth in these words. Stress has been shown to be a factor in many unhealthy conditions, including premature birth, heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, depression and autoimmune diseases. Stress has been implicated in the disparities in health outcomes between African-Americans and the general population. Managing the stressors in our lives might be the key to living a healthier and fulfilling life.

Stress in the form of post-traumatic stress disorder is not limited to our troops and their families; PTSD can affect others, too. Persons who have experienced life-changing events such as death of loved ones, divorce, rape, loss of employment, natural disasters (including Hurricane Katrina) or terrorist events (the 2001 anthrax attacks, 9-11, Virginia Tech and Columbine) also need support to prevent their acute stress from having long-term effects on their health.

This month’s column focuses on the importance of addressing life’s stressors. We should take care of stress now – today!

Health Conditions Associated with Stress
Years ago, mothers, grandmothers and midwives would chastise pregnant women by telling them to relax and stop worrying. People understood that a stressed-out expectant mother could put her infant at risk. Results from the Black Women’s Health Study (www.bu.edu/bwhs) reveal that stress resulting from racism may, indeed, be a factor for premature birth.

How many of us know someone who reaches for a bottle of wine, beer or hard liquor to relax and de-stress? Likewise, how many know folks who are stressed out and self-medicate by smoking marijuana or cigarettes or by using street drugs to calm themselves? How often do people abuse prescription medicines to escape the stressors in their lives? What about overeating? Who among us has never reached for a “comfort food” to escape from the stressors of the day?

These attempts to escape from life’s stressors can lead to serious addiction problems. Addictions are mirages that mask the problem but do not resolve them. In fact, escaping from stress through addictive behaviors can make our situations worse.

To learn more about addictions, visit the Web site of the National Institute on Drug Abuse www.nida.nih.gov/NIDAHome.html. You may also e-mail your questions to information@nida.nih.gov, or call 301-443-1124. For Spanish, call 240-221-4007.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Usually, when people think about PTSD, they think of wars and veterans. Not only are many of our valiant men and women who served in Iraq and other wars affected by PTSD, but this disorder abounds among other populations.

Survivors of violent crimes, including sexual assaults, domestic violence and other traumatic events, may experience acute and/or chronic stress. If folks do not receive proper care, they may explode by hurting others, or they may implode by acting in ways that harm themselves.

Acute and chronic stress can lead to depression, lowered self-esteem and thoughts of suicide. Getting the right support in a timely manner is important. Not getting help when needed can be deadly for the stressed-out person and others in their lives. To learn more about PTSD, visit the National Institute of Mental Health Web site at www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/NIMHptsd.cfm. You can print a free 10-page booklet on PTSD from their Web site, or call NIMH at 301-443-5413 (toll free at 1-866-615-6464).

Generational Stress
Most of us learn from our families how to cope with stress. If our parents or other relatives turned their stress on themselves through alcohol, other drugs or acting as martyrs, we might do the same. If our family members had chips on their shoulders and dealt with “the Man” and his or her unjust treatment of us through passive-aggressive actions, we likely would do the same thing when faced with similar situations. If our family exploded at the drop of a hat and was ready to “fight” figuratively (through arguments) or literally (through exchanging blows with fists or with knives or guns), then we might believe that this is an acceptable way to deal with those we feel are sources of our stress.

To break this cycle of handling stress badly, we might need to learn from scratch some healthier ways of managing stressors in our lives. Our families might not be the best to guide us through the maze of issues that confront us. We still need their love and support, but their guidance might be a problem if they also have issues coping with stress.

Stress: Solutions and Resources
Dealing with the causes of stress is a courageous act. How can one “handle” stress? Counseling, changing jobs, changing neighborhoods or changing one’s attitude may be what it takes to reduce the stress in our lives. Keeping a journal can reveal to us what the sources of our stress are. Some individuals find guidance in dealing with stress by reading scripture in the Bible, the Koran, the Torah or other faith-based guides to living. Others learn to meditate to get stressors to roll off their backs or to purge their hearts of the anger, fear and zest for retribution that may result from their feelings of being disrespected. Prayer helps others. Still others find solace through talking to spiritual advisors or lay counselors.

We may have mental health or physical conditions that cause us to feel stressed out and full of anxiety. Getting a physical exam is a good place to start to deal with stress. A healthcare provider can identify physical and mental health problems that might make it harder for us to deal with the stresses of daily living or with stresses that result from horrific situations such as natural disasters, crimes and deaths. Regular exercise, proper diet and adequate sleep play important roles in handling stress.

Visit the MedlinePlus Web site of the National Library of Medicine (www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/managingstress/htm/_yes_50_no_0.htm) for an interactive video to learn more about stress and how to handle it. MedlinePlus can connect you to many more resources for managing stress. The National Institute of Mental Health is another great source for information on mental health and on how stress can impact our health.

In “Healthier Holiday Eating” (EOR, November 2005), it was noted how residents of Washington, DC, can access the District of Columbia Department of Mental Health. Call 202-576-6512 (Spring Road, NW) for information on mental health services available to District residents. In “‘Super Dad’ Tracy Patten: A Holiday Hurrah for a Valiant Veteran” (EOR, December 2006), Mr. James Street, a VA Hospital counselor was introduced as a great support for local veterans.

Veterans can telephone him at 202-745-8000, extension 6944. Veterans outside of the District can visit www.va.gov to connect to VA social services nationwide.

Check out your jobsite’s Employee Assistance Program, which provides free and confidential help to individuals and families. Getting help could keep us from the “kick the dog” syndrome where we end up taking our stress out on our families and others.

Relax. Enjoy a Low-Stress Summer!

Michelle Harris, PhD, MPH, RD, LD, is Assistant Professor at the University of the District of Columbia. Her focus is public and community health through education, information and research. Contact her at bharris@udc.edu.


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Stress
How “Handling” It May Improve One’s Health
by: B. Michelle Harris
Many of us have heard that “stress can kill you.” There is much truth in these words. Stress has been shown to be a factor in many unhealthy conditions, including premature birth, heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, depression and autoimmune diseases. Stress has been implicated in the disparities in health outcomes between African-Americans and the general population. Managing the stressors in our lives might be the key to living a healthier and fulfilling life. Stress in the form of post-traumatic stress disorder is not limited to our troops and their families; PTSD can affect others, too. Persons who have experienced life-changing events such as death of loved ones, divorce, rape, loss of employment, natural disasters (including Hurricane Katrina) or terrorist events (the 2001 anthrax attacks, 9-11, Virginia Tech and Columbine) also need support to prevent their acute stress from having long-term effects on their health. This month’s column focuses on the importance of addressing life’s stressors. We should take care of stress now – today! Health Conditions Associated with Stress Years ago, mothers, grandmothers and midwives would chastise pregnant women by telling them to relax and stop worrying. People understood that a stressed-out expectant mother could put her infant at risk. Results from the Black Women’s Health Study (www.bu.edu/bwhs) reveal that stress resulting from racism may, indeed, be a factor for premature birth. How many of us know someone who reaches for a bottle of wine, beer or hard liquor to relax and de-stress? Likewise, how many know folks who are stressed out and self-medicate by smoking marijuana or cigarettes or by using street drugs to calm themselves? How often do people abuse prescription medicines to escape the stressors in their lives? What about overeating? Who among us has never reached for a “comfort food” to escape from the stressors of the day? These attempts to escape from life’s stressors can lead to serious addiction problems. Addictions are mirages that mask the problem but do not resolve them. In fact, escaping from stress through addictive behaviors can make our situations worse. To learn more about addictions, visit the Web site of the National Institute on Drug Abuse www.nida.nih.gov/NIDAHome.html. You may also e-mail your questions to information@nida.nih.gov, or call 301-443-1124. For Spanish, call 240-221-4007. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Usually, when people think about PTSD, they think of wars and veterans. Not only are many of our valiant men and women who served in Iraq and other wars affected by PTSD, but this disorder abounds among other populations. Survivors of violent crimes, including sexual assaults, domestic violence and other traumatic events, may experience acute and/or chronic stress. If folks do not receive proper care, they may explode by hurting others, or they may implode by acting in ways that harm themselves. Acute and chronic stress can lead to depression, lowered self-esteem and thoughts of suicide. Getting the right support in a timely manner is important. Not getting help when needed can be deadly for the stressed-out person and others in their lives. To learn more about PTSD, visit the National Institute of Mental Health Web site at www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/NIMHptsd.cfm. You can print a free 10-page booklet on PTSD from their Web site, or call NIMH at 301-443-5413 (toll free at 1-866-615-6464). Generational Stress Most of us learn from our families how to cope with stress. If our parents or other relatives turned their stress on themselves through alcohol, other drugs or acting as martyrs, we might do the same. If our family members had chips on their shoulders and dealt with “the Man” and his or her unjust treatment of us through passive-aggressive actions, we likely would do the same thing when faced with similar situations. If our family exploded at the drop of a hat and was ready to “fight” figuratively (through arguments) or literally (through exchanging blows with fists or with knives or guns), then we might believe that this is an acceptable way to deal with those we feel are sources of our stress. To break this cycle of handling stress badly, we might need to learn from scratch some healthier ways of managing stressors in our lives. Our families might not be the best to guide us through the maze of issues that confront us. We still need their love and support, but their guidance might be a problem if they also have issues coping with stress. Stress: Solutions and Resources Dealing with the causes of stress is a courageous act. How can one “handle” stress? Counseling, changing jobs, changing neighborhoods or changing one’s attitude may be what it takes to reduce the stress in our lives. Keeping a journal can reveal to us what the sources of our stress are. Some individuals find guidance in dealing with stress by reading scripture in the Bible, the Koran, the Torah or other faith-based guides to living. Others learn to meditate to get stressors to roll off their backs or to purge their hearts of the anger, fear and zest for retribution that may result from their feelings of being disrespected. Prayer helps others. Still others find solace through talking to spiritual advisors or lay counselors. We may have mental health or physical conditions that cause us to feel stressed out and full of anxiety. Getting a physical exam is a good place to start to deal with stress. A healthcare provider can identify physical and mental health problems that might make it harder for us to deal with the stresses of daily living or with stresses that result from horrific situations such as natural disasters, crimes and deaths. Regular exercise, proper diet and adequate sleep play important roles in handling stress. Visit the MedlinePlus Web site of the National Library of Medicine (www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/managingstress/htm/_yes_50_no_0.htm) for an interactive video to learn more about stress and how to handle it. MedlinePlus can connect you to many more resources for managing stress. The National Institute of Mental Health is another great source for information on mental health and on how stress can impact our health. In “Healthier Holiday Eating” (EOR, November 2005), it was noted how residents of Washington, DC, can access the District of Columbia Department of Mental Health. Call 202-576-6512 (Spring Road, NW) for information on mental health services available to District residents. In “‘Super Dad’ Tracy Patten: A Holiday Hurrah for a Valiant Veteran” (EOR, December 2006), Mr. James Street, a VA Hospital counselor was introduced as a great support for local veterans. Veterans can telephone him at 202-745-8000, extension 6944. Veterans outside of the District can visit www.va.gov to connect to VA social services nationwide. Check out your jobsite’s Employee Assistance Program, which provides free and confidential help to individuals and families. Getting help could keep us from the “kick the dog” syndrome where we end up taking our stress out on our families and others. Relax. Enjoy a Low-Stress Summer! Michelle Harris, PhD, MPH, RD, LD, is Assistant Professor at the University of the District of Columbia. Her focus is public and community health through education, information and research. Contact her at bharris@udc.edu.