Stress: Definition and ways to deal with it.

Stress is a normal human reaction that happens to everyone. It is a negative emotional experience accompanied by predictable biochemical, physiological, cognitive, and behavioral changes. Usually, whenever we experienced stress, we always try to alter the stressful event or accommodating to its effects, so that we would feel a little bit better. In order to execute these solutions. We need to identify the stressors that caused the induction of stress.  Stressors are the events that cause stress that could exist various kinds of form, such as daily hassles, ambient stressors and major life events. 

Besides us trying to figure out ways to fight with stress, our body has already designed to react to the stress automatically. This reaction is called fight-or-flight response. Fight-or-flight response are experienced by all sorts of organisms, and happened when our body is aroused and motivated via the sympathetic nervous system and endocrine system when a threat is perceived. As a result, this reaction will mobilizes an organism to attack the threat or to flee. Fight-or-flight reaction is very useful, as it is very adaptive towards the situation experienced by the organisms. In addition to fight or flight, human and animals respond to stress with social affiliation and nurturant behavior toward offspring. Biologically, oxytocin is released during stressful events and act as an impetus for affiliation. However, despite the good stuff that this reaction brings to the table, it could be harmful towards us as well. Overwhelming feelings that could potentially experienced by organisms may lead to health problems and illness. Direct physiological effects that could potentially occur are elevated lipids & blood pressure, decreased immunity and increased hormonal activity. Health behavior changes that could occur include increased smoking and alcohol use, decreased nutrition & sleep, increased drug use and poor diet management. 

Some of us might actually think "..oh, this stress is just a phase and it will pass soon.", but little do they know that if we are not being serious on dealing with stress and let it consume ourselves alive, it would cause some serious illness. Long-term stress would cause effects such as suppression of cellular immune function, increased blood pressure & heart rate, psychiatric disorders and development of atherosclerosis.

Stress have the potential to give a huge, negative impact towards human, especially the younger generation. Children who grow up in risky families would encounter difficulties such as having problems with emotion regulation and social skills. This situation usually happened because whenever some of the family members have problems, they would displace it towards their family members in the worst way possible. They would be grumpy on even the smallest thing, making it difficult to produce happy vibes in the house. The affected children will be scared and not knowing where to let those frustration out. Even if they realized that it was not their fault, they would blame themselves for not knowing what to do & could not make the situation any better. Plus, them being on the young age would make them more vulnerable on the long-term effect that the stress would do to them if the stress lingers around for a long time. These children would also have difficulty forming good social relationships and can develop heightened sympathetic reactivity to stress, exaggerated cortisol responses, or chronic inflammation. Besides that, social and academic failure experiences at school could potentially increases a child’s aversive behavior at home. The situation experienced would double up the tension felt by the children, as they failed to seek for the help that they expected to receive at home. This is mainly because the atmosphere in the house is not suitable for having talking sessions, as each and every family members are dealing with their own problems. But, this kind of problem could be avoided if family members know how to manage the stress among themselves. This problem effects academic achievement and leads to them acting out in adolescence.

There are a few ways that we could take to reduce stress. For example, meditation! Meditation brings short-term stress relief as well as lasting stress management benefits. There are many different forms of meditation to try, as each one is unique and brings its own appeal. You might develop a mantra that you repeat in your mind as you take slow deep breaths. Or, you might take a few minutes to practice mindfulness, which involves being in the moment. Simply pay attention to what you see, hear, taste, touch, and smell.

Next, try practicing progressive muscle relaxation. Progressive muscle relaxation involves relaxing all the muscles in your body, group by group. To practice, you can start with a few deep breaths. Then, practice tightening and relaxing each muscle group, starting with your forehead and moving down to your toes. With practice, you'll learn to recognize tension and tightness in your muscles and you'll be able to relax more easily. Each time you practice, however, you should experience a feeling of relaxation sweeping through your body. 

Another easy way to reduce stress is to get a hug from a loved one. Physical touch can do a lot to relieve your stress. Hugging a loved one can be especially beneficial. When you hug someone, oxytocin, also known as the "cuddle hormone" is released. Oxytocin is associated with higher levels of happiness and lower levels of stress. Oxytocin also causes a reduction in blood pressure. It reduces the stress hormone norepinephrine and can produce a sense of relaxation. So don't be afraid to ask a loved one for a hug if you need it. It's good for both of you and it can be one of the simplest forms of stress relief available. And no, you don't have to be in a relationship to get a hug from someone. Hugging your friends or even your family members would also do the trick!

You could also try to enjoy aromatherapy. Aromatherapy has real benefits for stress relief as it can help you to feel energized, more relaxed, or more present in the moment. Emerging research suggests certain scents can alter brain wave activity and decrease stress hormones in the body. So whether you enjoy candles, diffusers, or body products, consider incorporating some aromatherapy into your day. 

To sum it up, if you're feeling stressed out, be sure to take a good care of your body. No matter what happens, always prioritize yourself first. Take care and stay safe  <3