TOO often in our everyday lives, challenging situations have become synonymous with the word “stress”. Living in this era, many of us live with high levels of daily stress. What is experienced in a day can sometimes be prolonged or even last a lifetime, from acute stress to chronic stress.
Global statistics, according to Psychiatry.org show that more than one in four adults (26%) reported anticipating more stress at the start of 2023, this could potentially mean that 2 or 3 in four people Globally are at the risk of suffering from stress.
Consequently, studies show that stress levels are up, the looming environmental and economic pressures do not make it any easier for the average person.
Hence high stress levels weaken the immune system making one susceptible to mental health problems such as anxiety, depression and overwhelming feelings of frustration and exhaustion.
In other instances, physical ailments such as headaches, ulcers and gastric reflux are experienced.
Moreso, stress possesses severe inferences for long-term health such that studies have found links between chronic stress and heart disease, diabetes and cancer which can be life threatening.
However, because it should not be so, health psychologists have come up with stress prescriptions that can aid individuals cultivate a positive relationship with stress, thus building resilience through incorporating stress buffers into daily facets of life.
The World Health Organisation defines stress as a state of worry or mental tension caused by a difficult situation.
- Zim health system is in intensive care: How it got there
- Measles threat growing
- Take your child for measles vaccination
- Residents cry foul over Ngozi Mine pollution
Keep Reading
Stress is a natural human response that prompts us to address challenges and threats in our lives.
Everyone experiences stress to some degree. The way we respond to stress, however, makes a big difference to our overall well-being. Imagine driving down Samora Machel around 4pm in Harare, the car in front of you suddenly stops, and you slam the brakes.
Or imagine receiving a call with the news that the bus carrying your consignment you were waiting for at the bus terminus has just burnt down to ashes and nothing was recovered.
These are examples that trigger stressful conditions in an individual. As such, every stressful condition requires coping resources, if not available the worst is inevitable. The coping mechanism of the body triggers what is called the fight or flight response (also known as the acute stress response).
The fight or flight response is a physiological reaction that occurs in response to a perceived harmful event, attack, or threat to survival.
It prepares one’s body to either confront or flee from the threat by triggering changes like increased heart rate, quickened breathing, goosebumps, erect hair follicles and heightened alertness. Most of us are familiar with this experience.
Unknowingly, every day when we are faced with the devastating challenges that leave us telling someone that, “I am going through stress or rather I have stress”, we are experiencing the “Fight or Flight” mode of response to stress, thus the Acute stress response as coined by the American Physiologist Walter Cannon. The human body is innately wired to physiologically react to frightening or dangerous stressors.
Once the body detects a threat from its surroundings, immediately the sympathetic nervous system is ignited, the body starts releasing stress hormones in preparation to face threat, thus either fight or flee.
Therefore, the Fight or Flight mode is the body’s natural survival instinct engrained with options of what to do when faced with a threat.
Unconsciously and automatically a series of fast acting reactions occur inside the body to help assemble resources the body needs to respond to the threat at hand.
Could the threat be fear, pain, rage or any overwhelming feeling, commonly known hormone adrenaline is released, the adrenaline rush kicks into action as well as epinephrine hormone which triggers the fight or flight mode.
If one has enough resources emotionally to meet the stressors demands they successfully will handle the stress and are able to move on, realistically that is when you can hear one saying in our common everyday language, “I was stressed”, in other words implying they went through a stressful period or event, but they managed to overcome the situation and are now in a better place.
In Canon language, they successfully fought the stressor or fled from the stressor because they had enough resources within to face the threat. How about what happens when you don’t have enough resources to cope with the stressor?
Research with physiologists and psychologists have come to a better understanding of the stress response model explaining better how people react to stress.
Remember the goal of understanding the stress model is to decrease, end or evade the danger to return to a state of calm and control.
Therefore, each time you are faced with a stressful event or situation remember you have a choice from either of the options.
l Fight: facing any perceived threat aggressively.
l Flight: running away from danger.
l Freeze: unable to move or act against a threat.
l Fawn: immediately acting to try to please to avoid any conflict.
The imbalance between one’s inner resources and the demands of a stressor in one’s environment is what leads to a state of stress. This is when the demands of the environment are greater than ones perceived ability to cope with the stressor.
However, the ability to cope with stressors is individualistic. It is based on one’s perception on the ability to cope with the stressor in question.
For example, losing a job may not be perceived as stressful by someone who feels that if they search for another job, they will find it (they can cope) while another may view losing a job as something stressful as they feel there is no hope of getting a new job in Zimbabwe (failing to cope leading to a stress response).
If then the body is suspected to a stressor for a shorter period, it is called acute stress while suspecting the body to a stressor for a long period of time becomes known as chronic stress. Acute stress maybe healthy as it keeps our body in check.
However chronic stress weakens the body’s immune system as the body is exposed to wear and tear as the hormonal and chemical influx keep repeating over time. This then leads to mental as well as physical deterioration.
Far worse reaching conditions develop such Anxiety, Panic attacks and chronic conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, blood pressure, sugar diabetes which can be more life threatening.
Commonly in our society we have heard an increase in more people complaining of Gastroesophageal reflux disease what is ordinarily called Acids, could stress be one of the leading causes?
How about the sudden deaths reported recently of people who were never sick but occasionally collapsing at work, in town or at home? Could it be linked to the wear and tear caused by chronic stress leading to heart attack, Blood pressure attack or sugar diabetes attack?
Today in our environment many of the high-arousal situations we face are psychological in nature and what is important is to know how our bodies react to these situations and then make a conscious decision to try and handle environmental stressors well to evade far worsening consequences.
How our bodies respond to stressors
Fight Response: When one feels overwhelmed, danger, rage or threatened but believes they can overpower the threat they are in fight mode. What happens in this mode is that the brain sends signals to the body to prepare rapidly for the physical demands to fight.
Signs to look out for: Tight jaw or grinding teeth, urge to punch someone or something, feeling intense anger, feelings of wanting to kill someone or even yourself, Desire to stomp or kick, crying, upset stomach feels like knots or burning.
Flight Responds: This mode is still a mode of strength; this is when one perceives that they can overcome the threat by fleeing. The brain sends signals to the body, the stress hormones and chemicals are activated preparing to flee. Imagine the people who were in the buildings that recently got burnt down in downtown Harare, they had to flee from the fire which happened to be the threat.
Signs to look out for: Excessively exercising, feeling fidgety or tense or trapped, constantly moving legs, feet, and arms, restless body that will not stop moving, Sensation of numbness in extremities and dilated eyes, darting eyes.
Freeze Response: When one feels neither like fighting nor flighting, freezing is an option. This mode might be regarded as counterintuitive but is as best as fight nor flight. It serves a purpose of sometimes preparing one for action, a moment of pause taken to think of the next strategy of action in response to the stressor or threat or to hide away and remain still to the stressor.
Signs to look out for: Pale skin, Sense of dread, feeling stiff, heavy, cold, numb, Loud, pounding heart, decreasing in heart rate and sensing tolerated stress.
Fawn Response: As much as the fawn response is a survival and coping mode to stress, it makes one second their interests to that of the stressor. Sadly, the individual tries to avoid or minimise distress or threat by pleasing and appeasing the stressor. The victim consistently overlooks their own needs to serve others to avoid conflict, disapproval or criticism. One may use the fawn response after unsuccessfully trying to fight, flight, and freeze. It is commonly used by people in abusive situations with the hope of survival.
Signs to look out for: Total neglect for personal needs and boundaries, giving constant praise and compliments, even if it is not authentic, Inability to say “no”, Being a people pleaser and having no sense of personal identity.
The Fight or Flight or Freeze or Fawn response to stress plays a crucial role in coping with stress and threats in the environment. It is applaudable for its positive contribution in exposing threats surrounding an individual through its physical signs therefore enabling one to effectively deal with whatever underlying issue of concern helping one to cope well in all facets of life.
Finally, how to manage stress
Learn stress management, this is when one knows what to do in times of stress. Practicing these key pointers daily will help one keep their stress levels in check.
Following a daily routine: Helps one to remain in control. Setting time for daily exercise, time with family, chores and other reactional activities will help.
Good sleep: good sleep hygiene is important in managing stress as it rejuvenates repairs and relaxes the body while reversing the effects of stress. Being consistent with sleep and wake hours is encouraged while limiting screen time on electronic devices and avoiding large meals before bedtime is also good.
Connect with others: Being in touch and remaining in sync with family and friends helps with mood stabilization.
Healthy routine exercise: This definitely reduces stress, just a good walk or excessive exercise.
Healthy eating: A good balanced diet is essential for good stress management. Eating fresh vegetables and fruits, drinking lots of fluids on regular intervals keeps stress levels on check.
Avoid known triggers: There could be specific triggers you know, try, and avoid them for instance following news on television that have a negative impact or following social media.
As much as the acute stress response is crucial, a quick shut off from this standpoint is important. The human nervous system is wired to quickly go back to the baseline of functioning. A consistent experience of the stress response is what leads to the wearing down of the body and consequently experiences like stroke, heart attack and other life-threatening diseases. Have you been mentally taking care of yourself? If not, it is time!
The next time you feel the familiar signs of stress, I want you to hold these two important points in mind:
My stress response is an asset — it helps me rise to the challenge.
I can recover quickly from stress — my body was built to do it.
Also remember seeking for help is a sign of strength. If you feel you can’t cope, reach out to the nearest Mental health centre to you.
Counselling is for free in any Government Hospital in Zimbabwe.
Priscilla Munemo is an MSc Counselling Psychology student at Great Zimbabwe University.
