Are You Stressed???

Take Our Stress Test…

We each face many stressor is our lives. These stressors can add up and too much stress may affect your mind and body. The goal is to see how much stress you have in your life so you can begin to reduce and manage it.

To get an estimate of how much stress you are under, look through the following list and identify how many of the life events have happened to you the past 18 months, then total your score.

100  Death of a spouse/significant other 73    Divorce 65    Marital separation 63    Jail term 63    Death of a close family member 53    Personal injury or illness 50    Marriage 47    Fired from job 45    Relationship reconciliation 45    Retirement 44    Change in health of family member 40    Pregnancy 39    Sexual difficulties 39    Addition of new family member 39    Business readjustment 38    Change in financial status 37    Death of a close friend 36    Change to different line of work 35    Increase in arguments with partner 31    Loan/mortgage for major purchase 30    Foreclosure on loan or mortgage

29    Change in responsibilities at work 29    Child leaving home 29    Problems with in-laws 28    Outstanding personal achievement 26    Partner begins or stops work 26    Begin or end schooling 25    Change in living conditions 24    Change in personal habits 23    Problems with boss 25    Change in work hours or conditions 20    Change in residence 20    Change in schools 19    Change in recreation 19    Change in social activities 18    Loan for smaller purchase 17    Change in sleep habits 16    Change in # of family gathering 15    Change in eating habits 15    Vacation 13    Holidays 12    Minor violations of the law

  

As you can see, many factors can add to your overall stress level. Even good things in life like taking a vacation can create stress. However, just because you have these changes does not necessarily mean you will feel "stressed." Stress is your body's internal response to a situation that you perceive as threatening. The more often we are exposed to the stress response the more likely we are to suffer from stress-related illnesses. An overload of stress can cause physical, behavioral, emotional and mental symptoms. The following list some of these symptoms:

Physical Symptoms: Feel sick to stomach Fatigue, tired all the time Difficulties sleeping, insomnia Migraine or tension headaches Frequent illness (colds or flu) Heart palpitations Muscle tension Excessive sweating or shaking Mental Symptoms: Unable to make decisions Mind racing or going blank Loss of concentration or memory Decrease in sense of humor

Behavioral Symptoms: Not eating or overeating Increase use of alcohol or drugs Increased smoking Nervous habits (nail biting or foot tapping) Overspending Emotional Symptoms: Depression Nervousness Anger Anxiety Worrying Impatience

Have you Identified Some Stress Symptoms?

At times, stress can seem overwhelming, but the good news is there are things you can do to minimize the stress and reduce its impact on your health. The key to managing stress in your life is remembering that you are in charge and you can do things to make it better. Stress is comprised of three main components; the situation, your thoughts about the situation, and the choices you make to manage the stress you feel. You can deal with these components of stress in three steps:

1. Assess the situation that's causing you stress and see if you can change it.
   • If it can't be changed, learning to accept it will help reduce stress.
   • If the situation can be changed, make a plan and take action to change it.
2. Remember, stress is your body's physical reaction to a perceived threat. Changing your thinking can change your perception. Learning to deal with change in a positive way can help transform unhealthy stress into positive stress.
3. Taking a look at lifestyle choices that can help you manage your stress. Look at:
   • What you eat
   • How much exercise you get
   • Sleep habits
   • Free time

The following lists some things you can do to relieve stress:

• Live in the present
• Exercise
• Eat healthy
• Live within your budget
• Take time for yourself and relax
• Laugh
• Delegate tasks
• Get enough sleep
• Make a "to-do" list and take things one at a time
• Contact a T.E.A.M. counselor

Are you feeling stressed?

You don't have to deal with all the stressors in life alone. The counselors at T.E.A.M., Inc. are here to help you. To reach a counselor, call 651-642-0182 or 800-634-7710 We are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. You can talk with a counselor over the phone or schedule an appointment to come in and talk.

Phone:
651.642.0182
Toll Free:
1.800.634.7710
For the Hearing Impaired:
800.627.3529
E-mail:
teaminc@team-mn.com