Identifying Stress in Kids

 

Adopting the right attitude can convert a negative stress into a positive one  ~ Hans Selye

 

Imagine yourself as a child. Barely able to run, just walk. There was nothing to really walk to, but you wanted to get somewhere out of curiosity. The carefree time, the laughter. The time when you were not expected to do anything, just be a child. Eat your meals, do your potty and sleep. Then slowly as you grew up, you were told there are things you can do and some that you can’t. Those things you could do and couldn’t do slowly built up over a period of time and started affecting you internally. And this is the beginning of stress. The expectation of doing something that someone else wants us to do, pulls us down very often. Can you recall your laughter? Have you laughed recently with total gay abandon and felt pure joy? What is this pure joy?

Stress and Heart disease

Worry and stress affects the circulation, the heart, the glands, the whole nervous system, and profoundly affects heart action.  ~  Charles W. Mayo

 

Stress is the body’s reaction to wear and tear. Every activity sets up a stress. Most diseases stem from this common cause.  It is important to understand that emotions influence body health. As such, stress is not the culprit. The trouble arises when it is prolonged or when it comes too often or when it is concentrated on any one particular organ in the body. The stressor sets off the adrenalin glands which force adrenalin into the system. When the excitement is over, the body quickly reverts to normal activities. Stressors need not necessarily be violent. For example, a gentle stroking on your forehead may help you drop off to a sleep. Emotional stress is useful in many ways. A new job can be very exciting, which will make you handle the job with greater efficiency.  An exciting match peps you up, any let down followed is healthy relaxation. If it weren’t for stress, you would be living like a vegetable. The stress that is destructive is the one that you don’t recognize. It comes from persistent anger, fear, frustration and worry.

Stress and disease

Despair often breeds disease ~ Sophocles

 

The translation of emotional distress to physiological change, and thence to a physical symptom is known as 'transduction'. In transduction, a situation is perceived, a meaning is assigned to it, an emotional response is elicited and a physiological reaction results. A complex auto immune facilitates this. When most of us think of the physical effects of stress, our minds jump to common complaints like headaches and upset stomachs. Stress, however, can affect many aspects of physical and mental health, ranging from hair, teeth, and skin to memory and concentration skills, and even how well we sleep. Psychosomatic refers to a disorder having physical symptoms but originating from mental or emotional causes. Also relating to or concerned with the influence of the mind on the body, and the body on the mind, especially with respect to disease. The good news is while these problems may seem serious, stress relief can lead to real improvements in your overall health and well-being.

Dealing with Stress

Adopting the right attitude can convert a negative stress into a positive one  ~ Hans Selye

 

Every activity sets us up for stress. We are not to blame for stress. It happens to all of us, despite our best efforts to avoid it. There are situations beyond our control that cause stress in our lives like a sudden illness or death of a loved one, a personal assault, a terrorist attack, a tsunami or earthquake etc. People who experience such events have difficulty sleeping, feel detached, have nightmares. Some even suffer from an extreme level of stress called Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. It is often accompanied by depression, substance abuse, memory problems, and other physical and mental health problems. The disorder can affect people's day-to-day life, including their ability to function socially.

Stress and Children

As much as we thirst for approval we dread condemnation ~ Hans Selye

 

As adults and caretakers, we tend to view children as carefree and happy beings. Children do not have bills to pay, jobs to do, children to take care off, so what could possibly worry kids? Stress is a function of demands placed on us and our ability to deal with them. Demands usually come from outside sources, family, friends, jobs or school. But demands also come from within, often related to what we think we should be doing as against what we're actually able to do. So stress can affect anyone who feels overwhelmed - even kids. In pre-school children, separation from parents can cause anxiety. As kids get older, academic and social pressures (especially from trying to fit in) create stress. Many kids are too busy to have time to play creatively or relax after school. Kids who complain about all their activities or who refuse to go to them might be overscheduled.

Stress and you

It is not stress that kills us; it is our reaction to it ~ Dr. Hans Selye

 

The word ‘stress’ is defined by the Oxford Dictionary as "a state of affair involving demand on physical or mental energy". A condition or circumstance (not always adverse), which can disturb the normal physiological and psychological functioning of an individual. In medical parlance ‘stress’  is defined as a perturbation of the body’s homeostasis. Homeostasis is the ability or tendency of an organism or cell to maintain internal equilibrium by adjusting its physiological processes. This demand on mind-body occurs when it tries to cope with incessant changes in life. There can be many stress factors since different individuals react differently to the same stress conditions. Stress is often termed as a twentieth century syndrome, born out of man’s race towards modern progress and into its complexities. Simple things like managing a teenager at home or getting delayed for a flight are enough to put a person under stress. The brain cannot differentiate between real and imagined stress. It can be real or perceived, but our brain reacts the same way to both causes of stress.