Stress: Causes, Symptoms And Solutions by Eric Bakker ND

Life should be fun, NOT if you are tired!

Life should be more fun, how many times have you said that to yourself? You may have told yourself many times: "what is the point of it all, I feel like a rat on a tread wheel", particularly as you wait in traffic jams, find that you have piles of unexpected bills or have had enough of your work. For life to be enjoyable we all need challenges that we feel we can cope with. Sadly we are all, at times, faced with insurmountable challenges that we feel we cannot cope with and it is then that we may experience stress.

The 21st century has become the century of stress, and if we understand how stress affects us as an individual, and if we are prepared to makes the necessary changes to our lifestyle and diet, then we sure can mitigate the affects that stress has on our bodies. It is important to remember that showing signs of stress does not mean you are a weak individual who cannot cope! It means you are a normal human being like everyone else, but a person who is being affected by stress.

All people react differently to the situations they have to face because they are all unique individuals. Some may be very passive personalities whilst others may be very competitive and dominating. Their life experiences will vary enormously as will their overall conditioning. Their state of health will also vary – it is far more difficult coping with the pressures of every day life when one is feeling tired and simply "worn out". Women today are under a higher load to achieve than even before in history, and it is taking its toll. A survey last year found that literally “hundreds of thousands of women are burned out" in Australia, and in 1999, a New Zealand survey found that “61% of NZ doctors are significantly stressed”. I could just imagine the sheer numbers of women and men who suffer from stress and burnout that are diagnosed as depressed, and told to get on with their lives.

I grew up in the 1960’s, and life today is sure different. My 78yr old mother told me the other day that people today are just far too rushed, and that a woman living in the 50’s and 60’s certainly did face stress, but nothing like today. My mother, like many women in the past, was a "stay at home mum" who looked after the household and then could relax at night and in the weekends. Women today have two shifts - the job and the household. Is it any wonder they become tired, irritable, and have little time left for their close intimate relationship? Living in the 21st century has become so very time pressured and competitive. Sadly marriage/partnership breakdowns are becoming extremely common and long-term job security seems, for many, to be something of the past. It is hardly surprising that at times people feel they just cannot cope. The recent financial crisis has really hit hard for many - only to add more financial stress on top of what many are already experiencing. Life goes on but the bills have to be paid, kids have to be fed and clothed and that has to be mortgage serviced. Most cases of insomnia are related to emotional or financial stress.

I have also found that computers and the internet just add to the stress in the 21st Century by keeping people up at all hours, many having the compulsion to constantly check emails, play games, “chat” and even taking that paper home work to work on at night on the computer. A recent advertisement on TV was interesting, claiming that “you shouldn’t have to put your life on hold” and that internet “open learning” university studies were the way to go. The problem is that you can’t put your nervous system “on hold”.

You probably know a few people around you yourself who are finding it all too much. If you don’t take care, you may be heading for burnout yourself, so it pays to learn how to recognise the signs. So what are the common signs of stress? Hint - they are some of the most common reasons why people visit their doctor. It has been estimated that about 90% of all doctor visits today by adults are stress related. Unfortunately we have become a society where there is a pill for every ill. How convenient - a person comes into the medical clinic with insomnia, then let’s give them a sleeping pill. A person presents to their doctor with a headache, let’s give them a headache pill, etc. It was most surprising for me recently to speak with a medical doctor here in New Zealand who came to a seminar on stress and adrenal fatigue in November 2008. This doctor was quick to tell me that he could recognise about half his patients in the presentation, but sadly said that "we generally prescribe an anti-depressant when a patient complains about fatigue". Are you tired and feel "down" about things? Perhaps it may be a wise decision on your part before jumping into taking a drug to determine if you suffer from clinical depression (rare) or are just plain fatigued leading to anxiety and depression. Did you know that in 2007, over 1 million prescriptions were prescribed for anti-depressants in New Zealand - a small country with just a little over 4 million people?

Some of the most common signs of stress are:

• Mood swings, depression
• Anxiety, irritability
• Skin problems
• Tiredness, exhaustion
• Muscle tension
• Poor concentration & memory
• Changes in sleep patterns
• Changes in eating patterns
• Low self esteem
• Regular coffee and alcohol consumption
• Poor libido
• Recurring immune problems

The common answer to many of the above problems can be to drink a little too much alcohol, eat junk foods, smoke tobacco or cannabis, self medicate with drugs such as headache pills, sleeping pills, etc, etc.. Is this really the solution? I always ask my patients this question (depending on their addictions or compulsions) - "Why do you need to drink alcohol daily?" (or drink several cups of coffee, smoke cigarettes, or have other compulsive or addictive behaviours)

The common reply is "Because I like it, it makes me feel good". The operative word here is "feel good". If you are always looking for something to make you feel good, or looking for a boost, or something to give you a kick, hit, lift or whatever it may be, then you are almost certainly adrenally fatigued. Interesting that on TV they talk about the “three thirty itis” syndrome, which is nothing more than poor blood sugar levels driven down by low cortisol levels, all part of adrenal fatigue and the stress syndrome.

It is very important to take positive action when faced with stress, if experienced over a period of time, it can seriously impair your mental and physical health. The following proven coping strategies can really start to help you reduce he effects of any stress in your life.

• Be aware of your own warning signs – maybe this could be a sudden feeling of anxiety, extreme tiredness, feeling very tearful, catching every cough and cold or feeling run down.
• What is really causing stress for you? You could be surprised! Think about what action you could perhaps take to change things. How much of your stress is caused by you? Are your expectations of yourself and others realistic for example? The best knowledge you can ever have is knowledge about yourself and what pushes your buttons.
• At times of stress we often fall into the trap of not eating properly, smoking more or turning to alcohol as a supposedly helpful crutch. That possible hangover, let alone "guilt trip" the next day could just add to your problems!

Instead:

• Eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables and keep your sugar intake to a minimum. This can help to support your immune system in its fight against colds and flu – ailments you so often get when run down.
• Try eating for fatigue. Eat on time, and the right kind of foods. What a difference this can make to your energy levels and moods! A naturopath can guide you here, and explain the GI Index of carbohydrate foods.
• Drink plenty of water, it will help you rehydrate your body, and only drink alcohol in moderation.
• Keep caffeine and alcohol consumption to the minimum. The effect the nervous system in a negative sense and drain your energy away.
• Try not to turn to alcohol or any other self prescribed drugs.
• Do not feel guilty about including a period of relaxation every day. We all need to turn off from time to time. Do something you enjoy and fits into your life. This could, for example, be reading, listening to music, doing yoga or meditating, enjoying a warm bath with perhaps some aromatherapy oils added to it. It does not have to take long – or be considered a luxury or time wasting. It is a vital part of life.
• Make sure exercise is part of life. Exercise which is suitable for you. If you have any doubts as to the correct sort for you ask your doctor.
• Time management. Do you often find yourself saying "yes" when in fact you mean "no"? Are you always late for things? Do you get frustrated knowing you could have done a better job if you had organised your time better? Learn how to be more assertive and manage your time properly. Many of us waste so much time – often making excuses for things we have not done! There are some excellent courses available as well as books on both these subjects.
• Consider attending a stress management training course. You do not have to be stressed to attend one of these. It is far better to know fully what to do prior to experiencing stress than during!
• TPM sessions. I recommend to all my patients who have stress, anxiety or tension to have “twenty peaceful minute” sessions on a carpeted floor at least three times weekly. These sessions involve relaxing, no phones or noise. The person needs to breathe through their abdomen, no inverted or shallow breathing, for at least 5- 10 minutes. The mind will try to “chatter” away, and with a little experience the person will be able to easily move their mind from eth busy (theta) state to the calmer, more relaxed (beta) state. The parasympathetic nervous system becomes activated, heart and breathing rates slow down and with experience the changes in the person can be amazing.
• Adrenal fatigue. The adrenal glands are the main glands which aid in countering stress in your body. Healthy adrenal glands secrete very precise amounts of hormones, in fact they produce almost 50 hormones out of the (approximately) 170 hormones produced in your body. The secretion of these powerful hormones helps minimise the negative and allergic reactions to drugs, alcohol, food and countless environmental allergens. But because the adrenals are so amazingly responsive to any change in your inner physical, emotional and psychological environment, it's easy for them to get out of balance. Ask your naturopath check you out for this common complaint.

Copyright 2009 Eric Bakker. For more articles by Eric Bakker ND you can go to www.naturopath.co.nz