STRESS AND IT’S EFFECT – The Church Of Christ, 15 Grey Street, Warri

By: Godwin Nene (Deacon)

INTRODUCTION

Now that we have agreed to be baptized into the body of Christ, after hearing the gospel being preached to us, we need to be healthy mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually etc. to be able to follow the gospel till the terminal point, because everyone of us will get to that point in life and as a Christians we are not exempted, so we will be looking at STRESS as one of those issues that may affect us in one way or the other as we sojourn on the surface of the earth.

WHAT IS STRESS?

Stress is often difficult to define, what constitutes “stress” may differ from individual to individual
Stress is now recognized as a global epidemic – according to WHO
Stress is a feeling of emotional or physical tension. It can come from any event or thought that makes you feel frustrated, angry, or nervous. Stress is your body’s reaction to a challenge or demand. In short burst, stress can be positive, such as when it helps you avoid danger or meet a deadline.
Stress is a response to pressure or threat
Stress can be defined as a state of physical, mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from demanding or adverse circumstances
Stress is the “wear and tear” our minds and bodies experience as we attempt to cope with our continually changing environment.

SOME CAUSES OF STRESS

Family issues
Retirement old age
Future
Work
Marriage issues
Health
Childcare
Business
Financial/debt
Unemployment

EFFECT OF STRESS ON YOUR BODY

Headache
Muscle tension or pain
Chest pain
Fatigue
Change in sex drive
Stomach upset/Diarrhea or constipation
Sleeplessness
Stress is closely related to many health concerns, heart disease, obesity, diabetes, domestic violence, anxiety, depression, and mental illness
Stress triggers a surge of a hormone called adrenaline that temporarily affected the nervous system

EFFECT OF STRESS ON YOUR MOOD

Anxiety
Restlessness
Lack of motivation
Lack of focus
Feeling overwhelmed
Nausea and dizziness
Poor judgement

EFFECT OF TRESS ON YOUR BAHAVIOUR

Over reacted or under-reacted
Anger outburst
Seeing only the negative side of issues
Drugs, substance, or alcohol misuses
Tobacco use/smoking
Anxious or racing thoughts
Memory lost

STRESS MANAGEMENT

You may not be in control of the stimuli that bring stress to your life, but you have the absolute control of how you response to the stimuli
The pace of modern life makes stress management a necessary skill for everyone. Learning to identify problems and implement solutions is the key to successful stress reduction
Create a personal stress list
Understand interventions – changes
Change your thinking
Change your behavior
Change your lifestyle
Seek support

To deal effectively with stress, you need to think about your physical health, the way you interact with others, and your goals and priorities in life, that is what you consider to be truly important. This discussion will review to us some physical principles that can help us to deal better with stress and perhaps even reduce it.

Try to live one day at a time: Matt. 6:34 Daily anxiety are part of life, please do not increase today’s anxiety by adding tomorrow to them. Try to live one day at a time
Set a reasonable standard; Jam. 3:17
Do not be a perfectionist, avoid setting unrealistically high standards for yourself and others. Be modest, set reasonable standards, and know both your limitation and those of others, by doing this you will reduce stress all around and even encourage greater success. Laugh often, even though all is not well, it will relieve tension and brighten your mood
Know what stress you: Prov. 17:27
Negative emotions can cloud clear thinking, so stay calm. Identify what stress you and note your response, when you are stress note your thoughts, feeling and behavior, perhaps even make record of them. Become more aware of your response when stressed and you may be able to deal with them effectively
Try to be orderly: 1Cor. 14:40
Try to maintain order on your life, we like reasonable amount of order in life, one thing that can contribute to disorder and stress is procrastination, and this may lead to a growing list of unfinished task. Make a practical schedule and stick to it, identify and correct any attitudes that cause you to procrastinate
Pursue a balance lifestyle: Ecc. 4:6
Workaholics can deprive themselves of the benefits of their “two handfuls of hard work” They may not have time or energy to enjoy what they worked or labor for. Have a realistic view of work and money, money does not mean more happiness or less stress. In fact opposite is the case. Let’s read Ecclesiastes 5:12, The sleep o a labor man is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of the rich will not permit him to sleep. So try to live within the little you have. Make time to relax, you relieve stress when you do what you enjoy
Pursue a balance lifestyle: Ecc. 4:6
Workaholics can deprive themselves of the benefits of their “two handfuls of hard work” They may not have time or energy to enjoy what they worked or labor for. Have a realistic view of work and money, money does not mean more happiness or less stress. In fact opposite is the case. Let’s read Ecclesiastes 5:12, The sleep o a labor man is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of the rich will not permit him to sleep. So try to live within the little you have. Make time to relax, you relieve stress when you do what you enjoy