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What is a
Stressor?
 As we said before stress (anxiety) is the non-specific
response of the body to any change that the body feels that is a threat. A
Stressor is anything that causes you stress. Any demand on your mind (internal
stressor), body or envoronmental (external stressor).
Q: What do you mean by an internal
stressor?
A: Internal stressor is a bad experience
stored in your subconscious mind?
Q: How this causes stress?
A: The bad event which is stored in your
subconscious mind auotomatically transferred to the conscous mind and then
return back withous your awareness of this thought.
Q: What will happen as a result of
this?
A: You fell suddenly stressed out without
any apparent cause.
Comment: Yes! Sometimes I feel this as if
you are in my shoes.
Q: What do you mean by body
stressor?
A: Body stressor is like when you
feel a chest pain even if its a slight one you think you are going to
die.
Q: You are right! sometimes I feel like
this. So what?
A: This thinking will cause more
secretion of adrenaline and this will cause more chest pain which in turn
release more adrenaline and a vicious circle will develop and the stress level
is increasing more and more.
Q: What do you mean by an external
stressor?
A: It is something in your environment
like in your job, relations, friends, etc.
Q: Is it easy to identify a stressor? A: No, not always. Some stressors are present at your subconscious level and suddenly they arose to conscious level without your awareness. These types of stressors are not easy to be identified. These are called bad "automatic thoughts". Q: What will happen in this case? A: Suddenly you feel stressed without an apparent reason. Comment: It sounds as if you are in my shoes. Q: Can you give me a list of these stressors. A: There are different classification for these, but for simplicity I will put them in a practical way for you:: 1- Unpleasant Stressors:
Like a flat tire, getting sick, being fired, having a fight with a friend having
new furniture delivered, getting married, having a baby, etc.
2- External Stressors: Like
cold weather, a menacing dog, a dominating spouse, high altitude,
etc.
3- Internal Stressors: Like
when you expect perfection in everything, when you push yourself to work faster
at something, when you expect more of yourself, etc.
4- Too many things to do:
Like working two jobs, going to all the holiday parties, having all your
relatives over, having too much to do, etc.
5- Too few things to do:
Like watching TV all day, sitting around doing nothing much of the day, boredom,
etc.
6- Chronic Persistent Stressors: Like
chronic illness, constant noise from airport traffic, unhappy marriage, etc.
7- Acute Stressors:
Like delivering a speech, entertaining guests for dinner, fixing a leaky faucet,
etc
8- Bad Old Experiences:
Like the second time to get a root canal, the third time to
face a tornado, etc.
9- Bad New Experiences:
Like getting a root canal for the first time, facing a tornado for the first
time, etc.
10- Unchangeable Events:
Like permanent physical disability, death of a loved one, etc.
Q: How can identify my stressors? A: Have a notebook with you all the time and try to think (sometimes you have to think very hard if the cause is an internal stressor) what causes you stressed in the past or when you have a new stress experience and write it down |
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These information are provided for general information
only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your
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presented. Always consult your own GP if you're in any way concerned about
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