The word stress is a very vague one. People in general

view stress as anything that upset or worry them. Therefor

stress and stressors, anything which causes stress, are

viewed as very bad things. That is, however, sometimes very

far from the truth.

The official definition, by the Lefton Psychology text

book is: A nonspecific, often global, response by an

organism to real or imagined demands made on it. (A person

must appraise a situation as stressful for it to be

stressful.). This brings up an interesting point. A

situation does not even have to happen for it to bring about

stress. The possibility of being fired or released from a

job is a stressful situation. The actual firing or release

does not have to happen for stress to be evident.

Another, more simplified definition is explained in

different terms, according to a persons body and how it

determines what is and is not stressful. This definition

is: To your body, stress ins synonymous with change. So

labeled "good" changes are still stressful; as are the "bad"

changes. Getting a major job promotion is just as, even

more stressful as being demoted or losing a job. Going to a

party and having a great time until two o'clock in the A.M.

can be and usually is just as stressful as getting an

illness and missing work. The direct result is not

necessarily what is stressful, but the conversion or change

is what causes the anxiety or stress.

Some people can handle more stress than others. This

is according to their tolerance level for stress. This

level of tolerance is an inherited trait. It becomes

apparent for the first time if a person has a low stress

tolerance level when they enter their teen-age years. The

hormonic changes and peer pressures of becoming a teen are

very trying on any individual. A person who has a low

stress tolerance becomes overwhelmed by the stress of being

a teen. Signs of this are frequent crying spells, fatigue,

sleep problems and disorders, and an overall depression.

In an effort to relieve symptoms of stress, people

often use chemical "pick-me-ups" that are readily available

to them. The most widely used and probably most readily

available pick-me-up is sugar. Sugar can cause an almost

instantaneous relief from stress symptoms. The extent of

the relief is often not amazingly significant and can wear

off rather quickly. Sugar can be found in nearly every food

and/or drink. Everything from apples to candy bars to

Kool-aid® to sodas has sugar in it. Caffeine is another

widely used pick-me-up. It can be found in coffee,

chocolate, and sodas, among other things. Alcohol is a more

dangerous pick me up. It can help a person feel energized,

assertive, happy, and confident. It is also a mind-altering

drug however. It is most often consumed in beverages but

can be inhaled from solvents such as glue and nail polish

remover. Some more potent and very dangerous pick-me-ups

include tobacco, marijuana, cocaine, amphetamines, and

heroin. Most of these types of pick-me-ups are not only

widely used, but widely abused. Many, if not all of them

have the potential to become addictions.

There are some more healthy alternatives to the relief

of and prevention of stressful symptoms. Those ways do not

include chemical relief but are therapeutic. Giving and

receiving open affection on a daily basis is helpful.

Exercising to the point of sweating at least twice per week

is a stress reliever. Having one or more close personal

friends to confide personal problems in is a good mental

practice. Speaking openly about one's feelings can lead to

the prevention of stress in the first place. but can also be

used as a good vent. Good physical health practices can

also prevent mental health problems to do with stress. For

example, being the appropriate weight for your height can

reduce stress.

Using such therapeutic practices of relief is more

healthy and more in the long run more healthy. Resorting to

chemical solutions only produces temporary results. When

the effects wear off, the person is often left worse off

than they were in the first place.

Works Cited

Allyn and Bacon. "Psychology sixth edition" Lefton, pub.

USA. Copyright © 1997.

Burns, Steve., Burns, Kimberly (1997). Medical Basis of

Stress, Depression, Anxiety, Sleep problems, and Drug

Use. [Abstract] Retreived October 3, 1997 from the

World Wide Web: http://www.teachhealth.com

Stress Free Net. (no date given) [Abstract] Retrieved

October 3, 1997 from the World Wide Web:

http://www.stressfree.com