THE TRUTH ABOUT STRESS

Stress happens to all of us. In fact, it is an important part of being alive and feeling alive. However, too much of a good thing can create mental and physical problems. Problems can be as minor as annoyance and as major as a heart attack.

Researchers have found that it is not so much the stressor that is the problem as it is the way a person thinks about the stressor. For example, you may be stuck in traffic on the way to a very important meeting. We would all agree that this is a stressful event. However, you have the power to create less stress on your nervous system and your mental health by thinking about this event in more peaceful terms. You may normally think (or say out loud) something like this:

“These dirty so and so’s are getting in my way and I’ll just die if I can’t make that meeting on time. My boss is going to kill me.”

These thoughts carry a lot of weight with your body and mind. Your body and mind begin to think that their very existence is jeopardized and so you will naturally begin to feel panicked, tense, angry, and any number of other emotions.

To help yourself, you might consider changing the way you think about this situation by thinking or saying aloud: “This is certainly inconvenient. I am disappointed that I will be late for the meeting and will explain the delay when I get there. Everyone has had this experience at one time or another and will more than likely be understanding of my situation. Right now, I am going to breath deeply and go over the key points that I want to make in my presentation.” The same event will have caused significantly less stress simply by your choice of thoughts.

Below you will find a Life Event Scale which was developed by T. H. Homes and R. H. Rale and appeared in the Journal of Psychosomatic Research in 1967. Events are listed in order of the amount of readjustment a person must make in light of the change.

If you would like to use this as a printable ACROBAT PDF file, click here.

Take the time now to review the rating of each event that applies to you at this time. Add the number of points to receive a total score.

• 100---------------Death of a spouse
• 73-----------------Divorce
• 65-----------------Marital separation
• 63-----------------Jail term
• 63-----------------Death of a close family member (except spouse)
• 58-----------------Major personal injury or illness
• 50-----------------Marriage
• 47-----------------Fired at work
• 45-----------------Marital reconciliation
• 44-----------------Change in health of family member (not self)
• 40-----------------Pregnancy
• 39-----------------Sex difficulties
• 39-----------------Gain of new family member
• 39-----------------Business readjustment
• 38-----------------Change in financial state
• 37-----------------Death of a close friend
• 36-----------------Change to a different occupation
• 35-----------------Change in number of arguments with spouse
• 31-----------------Mortgage over $50,000
• 30-----------------Foreclosure of mortgage or loan
• 29-----------------Change in responsibilities at work
• 29-----------------Son or daughter leaving home
• 29-----------------Trouble with in-laws
• 28-----------------Outstanding personal achievement
• 26-----------------Spouse begin or stop work
• 26-----------------Begin or end school
• 25-----------------Change in living conditions
• 24-----------------Change in personal habits
• 23-----------------Trouble with the boss
• 20-----------------Change in work hours or conditions
• 20-----------------Change in residence
• 20-----------------Change in schools
• 19-----------------Change in recreation
• 19-----------------Change in church activities
• 18-----------------Change in social activities
• 17-----------------Mortgage or loan less than $50,000
• 16-----------------Change in sleeping habits
• 15-----------------Change in number of family get-togethers
• 13-----------------Change in eating habits
• 13-----------------Vacation
• 12-----------------Christmas or other major holiday of its kind
• 11-----------------Minor violations of the law

TOTAL POINTS FOR YOU:______

A score of 300 or more indicates significant stress in your life which may have serious health consequences. If you are experiencing difficulty in thinking positively about your circumstances, experience sleep disturbances, loose interest in everyday activities, feel or actually are tearful and/or angry the majority of the time and these symptoms persist more days than not for a month or more, please consult a mental health professional.

A score between 150-300, carries the potential for serious health consequences. A consultation with a mental health professional can help you determine the need for mental health services.

A score of less than 150 indicates that you are probably in good health. Should you find yourself with any of the symptoms mentioned above more days than not for more than one month, it would be in your best interest to consult with a mental health professional.

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