Essay/Term paper: Stress and how to manage it

Essay, term paper, research paper:  Science Reports

Stress and How To Manage It


Everyone has stress, and we all have different stressors. Each person has their
own way of coping with stress. some ignore their problems while others face
them head on. There are four types of stressors and we all experience them at
some point in our lives. One of these stressors is hassles. Hassles are a part
of everyday life, but if they aren't coped with, they an cause major problems.
One hassle in my life is me being constantly sick all of the time. Lately, I
have had a lot of colds and flus's. Coughing, sneezing, and missing school can
get really old. It is a hassle to blow my nose and take my pills all of the
time. My being sick is a big hassle, but it is not really a high quality of
stressor. Hassles can cause quite a bit of stress, but they are nothing
compared to a catastrophe.

Catastrophes are unpredictable events that can change your life permanently.
The biggest catastrophe in my life was when my best friend, Dre, died. It was
hard for me because I knew what was happening to him but there was nothing I
could do about it. My parents didn't know about him so I couldn't turn to them.
I couldn't turn to my boyfriend because he wouldn't understand or care. Dre was
the one person I could always turn to, and when I lost him my life changed
forever. The death of a loved one is usually considered a life change, but in
my case it was much more drastic than that.

My life change that has caused me a lot of stress would be my problems with my
parents. As I've gotten older we've been arguing about who I am hand how I am
supposed to act. It puts a lot of stress on my because I want their respect but
I still want to be my own person. This stress is pretty hard on me because I
see my parents a lot and the stressor is always around. It doesn't worry me too
bad because I know I'll be out of the house in a year. The final type of stress
is a societal stressor. This is a stress that society puts on you. My societal
stressor is my looks. Society puts a lot of pressure on teenage girls to be
lender and fit. I'm overweight and it really bothers me. Comments from my
family and peers make it hard for me to be comfortable with how I look. I don't
like being out of shape and I can't stand to be seen in shorts or a swimming
suit. It bothers me a lot because it affects how I feel about myself. I think
about it all of the time, so right now, it is my biggest stressor.

How bad stressors affect you depends on how you interpret them. On the "Type A
or B" questionnaire I turned out to be a type A personality, someone who is
hostile and stressful. The results were right because I am stressful. The
questions were vague and the test was inconclusive. Like the question, " Do you
try to find more efficient ways of doing things?" If you answered yes it was
supposed to mean that you were a type A personality. Wanting things to work
better does not mean you are stressful, it means you are intelligent and
responsible. The question," Do late people make you mad?," was also off.
People being late makes everyone upset, whether they are stressful or not.

The Locus of Control test was also inconclusive. It was vague and stereotyping.
The test asked if you find it useless to try to get your own way at home. Your
answer could be based on your parents and not whether or not you believe in fate.
I find it useless to try to get my way at home because my parents don't listen
to me or respect me, not because I believe in fate. The test said I thought my
life was run y others and fate. That is wrong because I believe that my
actions, the actions of others and fate all determine my life. I don't handle my
stress very constructively. I waver between ignoring it or dwelling on it.
When something bad happens, like a fight with my boyfriend, I usually ignore it
until it starts to bother me too much and then I dwell on it until it becomes
some major issue. It's a problem I am trying to solve because I know it
contributes to my health and mental problems. Your recourses are the ways you
handle your stress. I handle my societal stress with many different recourses.

The first way I handle my weight is by using my health rider exercise machine.
I try to ride it whenever I can find the time. I'm also trying to eat less by
skipping snacks and cutting my proportions. I am also trying to eat healthier
foods. The advantages of exercising are that I have more energy, I burn
calories and I tone my muscles, but I don't do it enough because I never seem to
have enough time. Eating less deprives me of the vitamins and nutrients I need
but it also eliminates calories. Eating healthier makes me healthier and have
more energy, but I find it hard when the only thing available is junk food.

I have other recourses available to handle the stress of my weight that I am not
currently using. I could go on Jenny Craig, get liposuction, or have some kind
of surgery. All of these options have immediate effects but they are expensive
and can be dangerous and the effects don't last long.

A good way to handle stress is to develop a stress management plan. I develops
a stress management plan to help me handle my stress of being overweight. I made
a plan of what and how much I would eat every day and made sure that it provided
enough nutrients and vitamins that I need. I also set aside time to exercise
everyday. One way to handle your stress is to change your stressor. I could do
this by avoiding thinking about it, not letting people's comments bother me, and
I could also see a counselor. You can change how you interpret your stressor
you can make better use of your recourses.

Stress is a normal part of life. Everyone experiences stress and everyone has
their own way of handling it. Talking and learning about stress teach you how
to manage and cope with it. Stress can either destroy you or make you who you
are. I chose to let stress make me into a stronger person. As long as I keep
managing my stress, I should be okay.