RELIEVE STRESS WITH MENTAL BREAKS

If you are suffering from unrelenting stress, of course the smart thing to do is to figure out how to get out from under the problem(s) that is/are causing the stress.  If you can't for some reason, then consider taking mental breaks...

"Mental breaks" can help a person who is "stressed out" to prevent "mental breakdowns" and physical maladies. What do I call a "mental break?" Read to the end of this article.

This blog came about as a result of my trying to offer support to a relative of mine. My opinion about this subject has come about through personal experience but is also based on some factual information garnered during my registered nursing education, my brief experiences when working in a mental facility, and Wikipedia information.

My relative is a real live "superwoman." She is a high powered, workaholic, superwoman, class “A” type of personality.  While these types are not only successful people, they inadvertently bring enormous stress into their lives. It is a “catch 22” type of situation. While these types both love what they are doing, they sometimes want to get off of the merry-go-round of stress that they have created for themselves.

However, you don’t have to be a “super” anything to suffer from stress. The "definition of stress" is defined by a person’s individual personality. While some people can withstand an enormous amount of stress without it seriously interfering with their lives, some people get overwhelmed at problems that I would define as minor issues. BUT they are not minor issues to them and that is what is important. Stress is stress when something impacts a person’s life in a such a negative way that it dramatically impacts their emotions.

Note: For copyright’s sake, the majority, except for additional notations, of the material stated below has been either copied and pasted or paraphrased from the Wikipedia site.

Stress, physiological or psychological stress; some types include:

• Chronic stress, persistent stress which can lead to illness and mental disorder. She does not suffer from mental problems but she has contracted cancer and has had some serious cardiac surgery.  Neither of these maladies have stopped her for very long.
• Eustress, positive stress that can lead to improved long-term functioning. While she suffers from stress, she would have it no other way because it represents “who she is” as a person.  Success brings a lot of kudos into a person's life which continues to drive a person forward in their careers in spite of the stress encountered.
• Workplace stress, stress caused by employment. She owns a company with lots of employees, good and bad clients, financial ups and downs, etc.

When a person gets overwhelmed with stress, they go into the “fight-or-flight response.” This was first described by Walter Cannon in 1929.

His theory states that animals react to threats with a general discharge of the sympathetic nervous system, priming the animal for fighting or fleeing.  If a stimulus is perceived as a threat, a more intense and prolonged discharge of the locus ceruleus activates the sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system.  This activation is associated with specific physiological actions in the system, both directly and indirectly through the release of epinephrine (adrenaline) and to a lesser extent norepinephrine from the medulla of the adrenal glands.

These catecholamine hormones facilitate immediate physical reactions associated with a preparation for violent muscular action. (Gleitman, et al., 2008) These include the following:

• Acceleration of heart and lung action
• Paling or flushing, or alternating between both
• Inhibition of stomach and upper-intestinal action (digestion slows down or stops)
• General effect on the sphincters of the body
• Constriction of blood vessels in many parts of the body
• Liberation of nutrients (particularly fat and glucose) for muscular action
• Dilation of blood vessels for muscles
• Inhibition of the lacrimal gland (responsible for tear production) and salivation
• Dilation of pupil (mydriasis)
• Relaxation of bladder
• Inhibition of erection
• Auditory exclusion (loss of hearing)
• Tunnel vision (loss of peripheral vision)
• Acceleration of instantaneous reflexes
• Shaking

Males and females tend to deal with stressful situations differently. Males are more likely to respond to an emergency situation with aggression (fight), while females are more likely to flee (flight), turn to others for help, or attempt to defuse the situation – 'tend and befriend'.

Prolonged stress responses may result in chronic suppression of the immune system, leaving the body open to infections, however there is a short boost of the immune system shortly after the fight or flight response has been activated. This may be due to an ancient need to fight the infections in a wound that one may have received during interaction with a predator.

Note: End of Wikipedia and the rest is from me (Audrey):

Although it is rarely discussed or considered, some stress can be good, such as with retired folks who suffer from lack of stimulation. A little adrenaline is good in that it keeps a person more alert and makes the heart pump a little stronger, among other things.

Let’s get back to the topic of taking “mental breaks.” Having dealt with a lot of stress in my lifetime, I have developed a “coping mechanism” that has gotten me through life. I take “mental breaks.” They may last anywhere from five minutes to all day, or longer. It is a “conscious” effort to completely turn off the stresses in life (quit worrying, plotting and planning) for a short duration in order to let the body regroup and gather back its equilibrium from the onslaught of the adrenaline and other hormones that constantly attack the body’s system during unrelenting stress.

Mental breaks can include a simple phone call to an upbeat friend; time out to enjoy lunch with a loved one or a friend, an overnight trip away from the stress, etc. For these “mental breaks” to be successful, one must be able to completely remove all thoughts of the problems that have created the stress. It does no good to take an overnight trip away from the stress if the mind is still constantly dwelling or dealing with the problems.

Think about it!  A rested and refreshed brain can function much better than a stressed out brain.
 
I could write a book about this subject so I will shut up for now with the hope that my ramblings have helped someone who is suffering from unrelenting negative stress. If you are interested in more information on these subjects visit the following sites:

“Fight-or-flight response”: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/fight-or-flight_response

“Stress”: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stress