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| Stress Daily Hassles Much of the stress in our lives results from having to deal with daily hassles, which certainly increase while in Japan! Living in a noisy neighbourhood (or quiet one!), a neighbourhood in which no one else speaks English, ending a relationship, or being in a long-distance relationship, problems communicating with your teachers, cycles of homesickness, having people stare at you all day and ask seemingly ridiculous, repetitious questionscWhen taken individually, these hassles may feel like only minor irritants, but cumulatively, over time, they can cause significant stress. Effects of Stress A person who is stressed typically has anxious thoughts and difficulty concentrating or remembering. Stress can also change outward behaviours. Teeth clenching, hand wringing, pacing, nail biting, and heavy breathing are common signs of stress. People also feel physically different when they are stressed. Butterflies in the stomach, cold hands and feet, dry mouth, and increased heart rate are all physiological effects of stress that we associate with the emotion of anxiety. Stress is a contributing factor in a wide range of health problems, including cardiovascular disorders, gastro-intestinal disorders and disruption of the menstrual cycle. There is substantial evidence that stress suppresses the activity of the immune system, making us more susceptible to infectious diseases. Stress appears to depress immune function in two main ways: directly, through hormonal changes; or by causing people to engage in behaviours that have an adverse effect on their health, such as smoking, drinking, taking drugs, sleeping less, exercising less and eating poorly. Coping Strategies In general, problem-focused coping is the most effective coping strategy when people have realistic opportunities to change aspects of their situation and reduce stress. Emotion-focused coping is most useful as a short-term strategy. It can help reduce onefs arousal level before engaging in problem-solving and taking action, and it can help people deal with stressful situations in which there are few problem-focused coping options. Relaxation Both progressive muscle relaxation and meditation reliably reduce stress-related arousal. They have been used successfully to treat a range of stress-related disorders, including hypertension, migraine and tension headaches, and chronic pain. Also, to relax those sore muscles and reduce any tension you may have, do the Japanese thing and get naked, scrub down and hop into a hot bath with your friendscyes, onsen! It works wonders and you should definitely take advantage of it while you are here. Social Support The ALT community can be extremely supportive during times of need. Donft hesitate to contact your friends when youfre feeling stressed, depressed, confused, etc. We are family over here and work together to make things less stressful for each other. We all go through bouts of homesickness or frustration, so donft feel alone! Itfs amazing how much better things can seem once you share your worries with someone else. Donft forget that you can contact your PAs at any time if you have a problem, or just want someone to talk to. You can find contact details here. Ifve also included a list of other useful numbers on the Support page. |