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Copyright 2006
Barbara V. Schochet, Ph.D
All Rights Reserved

 

 Stress!

Stress - I know it when I see it.

What is stress?

A Supreme Court Justice was asked to define obscenity. He said, "I know it when I see it!"

Do we recognize stress when it is happening to us? Stress can affect your blood sugars, and can also affect your ability to stay with your diabetes routine.

Below are a few ways to look at stress that I have found useful: 

You feel stressed when you have a problem you don't know how to solve, and don't see a way of solving. You feel it when something  happens that you can't control, when things or people don't act in a way that is predictable, when things/people act in a way that is predictable but miserable.  You feel stressed when no matter how hard you work, there is more.

A doctor I once knew said, "I can tell I'm stressed right now, because whenever I'm doing one thing, I'm thinking that I ought to be doing something else."

You feel stressed when there are so many pressing demands that you don't have time to rest, you don't have time to gather your thoughts together, and you feel "off balance."

With stress, you can feel worried, disoriented, overwhelmed, unable to organize your thoughts, unable to sleep. With stress, you may also feel less able to do follow your diabetes routine.

Stress can be caused by change – by things that happen that take you out of your normal routine. 

One way to Look at Stress: the Life Events Scale

Many years ago (1967),  researchers named Holmes and Rahe studied stress. They found that any change in our daily routine can cause stress, even if it is a good change. They found that people who experienced more stress (according to the measures they developed) were actually more likely to develop a stress-related illness.

I am offering a copy of this scale because I think people downplay their stress. They think they should be able to "handle it." But, I want to educate you to respect and not downplay stress. You may not be able to prevent it, but you can be a little kinder to yourself while you are going through it. The more you are aware "Hey, I'm going through a lot right now," the more you will be able to make wise choices.

Any time that we are aware of what's going on inside, we are ahead of the game. We can de-automate our reactions, so that we make choices that help ourselves in the long run. When we get support for ourselves during times of stress, I believe that we can help ourselves during these times of change.

So, what are these Holmes and Rahe life change units?

Some of the items are a little outdated, but the concepts are useful.

  1. Death of spouse ... 100
  2. Divorce ... 73
  3. Marital separation from mate ... 65
  4. Detention in jail, other institution ... 63
  5. Death of a close family member ... 63
  6. Major personal injury or illness ... 53
  7. Marriage ... 50
  8. Fired from work ... 47
  9. Marital reconciliation ... 45
  10. Retirement ... 45
  11. Major change in the health or behavior of a family member ... 44
  12. Pregnancy ... 40
  13. Sexual difficulties ... 39
  14. Gaining a new family member (e.g., through birth, adoption, oldster moving, etc.) ... 39
  15. Major business re-adjustment (e.g., merger, reorganization, bankruptcy) ... 39
  16. Major change in financial status ... 38
  17. Death of close friend ... 37
  18. Change to different line of work ... 36
  19. Major change in the number of arguments with spouse ... 35
  20. Taking out a mortgage or loan for a major purachase ... 31
  21. Foreclosure on a mortgage or loan ... 30
  22. Major change in responsibilities at work ... 29
  23. Son or daughter leaving home (e.g., marriage, attending college) ... 29
  24. Trouble with In-laws ... 29
  25. Outstanding personal achievement ... 28
  26. Spouse beginning or ceasing to work outside the home ... 26
  27. Beginning or ceasing formal schooling ... 26
  28. Major change in living conditions ... 25
  29. Revision of personal habits (dress, manners, associations, etc.) ... 24
  30. Trouble with boss ... 23
  31. Major change in working hours or conditions ... 20
  32. Change in residence ... 20
  33. Change to a new school ... 20
  34. Major change in usual type and/or amount of recreation ... 19
  35. Major change in church activities (a lot more or less than usual) ... 19
  36. Major change in social activities (clubs, dancing, movies, visiting) ... 18
  37. Taking out a mortgage or loan for a lesser purchase (e.g., for a car, TV, freezer, etc.) ... 17
  38. Major change in sleeping habits ... 16
  39. Major change in the number of family get-togethers ... 15
  40. Major change in eating habits ... 15
  41. Vacation ... 13
  42. Christmas season ... 12
  43. Minor violations of the law (e.g., traffic tickets, etc.) ... 11

What might your stress level mean?

  • Less than 150 life change units = 30% chance of developing a stress-related illness
  • 150-299 life change units = 50% chance of illness
  • Over 300 life change units = 80% chance of illness

What can you do if you know you are under a lot of stress?

  • Get as much support as possible – through psychotherapy, through community groups (AA, religious affiliation groups, community groups such as Rotary Club), through your family and friends. Ask for support.
  • As much as possible, get enough sleep. If you can't sleep or have poor sleep for a prolonged period of time, talk to your physician and/or see a psychologist.
  • Try not to use your stress as an excuse for drinking, drugs or overeating. It will make things worse  in the long run.
  • Focus on physical and mental relaxation, even if you only have a minute to do it. The more you practice mental relaxation, through breathing or meditating or visualizing a meadow, the easier it will be for you to do it.
  • Try to separate what has to be done now from what can be done later.
  • Try to separate what has to be done by you from what can be done by others.
  • Know that you will make mistakes because you are human.
  • Focus on your driving whenever you are behind the wheel. Think, "I am only going to think about my driving now." Don't try to think through problems when you are under a lot of stress, and behind the wheel.

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