People must know how to deal with stress

Editorial

STRESS is becoming a health problem although many people do not realise that.
As explained by Sister Olive Ume, some people who turn up at their Tokarara clinic in Port Moresby complaining of not feeling well are surprised when told after diagnosis that they are not “sick” but “stressed”.
It is caused by our worry about safety, finance, health and families every day. It takes a physical and emotional toll on us eventually.
Many do not realise that the pressure we face every day contribute to stress.
Ume says stress can affect the functions of the whole body. It is becoming a common mental health problem among people who turn up at the clinic feeling “sick”. They do not realise that they are just stressed.
Ume says the best way to deal with stress is for people to manage their health well and sort out their problems in the most practical and effective way.
One way to deal with depression (stress, anxiety) and handle challenges is to pay attention to what is happening inside our bodies.
There are three sources of stress (stressors): Physical – illness, medication, pollution, environment; Social – loss of a loved one, marital strife, financial problem; and, Psychological – anxiety, inferiority complex, depression.
Everyone suffers from it.
It is therefore important to understand it and know how to deal with it in the most practical and effective manner.
Everyone will have his or her way to best deal with stress.
Some people are motivated by stress and perform their best under pressure.
Others buckle under it and become useless when confronted with stress.
Stress is a normal component of life and all of us should know how to deal with it and manage it properly.
If positively handled, stress could even make us stronger, more efficient and more effective.
Dr Uma Ambi, our regular columnist in Health Watch has always stressed the importance of allowing our mind to be free and not to get caught up in a situation that bears little importance to our lives.
Keep life simple and enjoy the simple things of life.
If we do not know how to handle stress that confronts us every day, then we will be lose control of ourselves and how we deal with life.
If we allow stress to dominate our lives and not fight back and deal with it properly, we will live a very unhappy and unhealthy life.
We are fortunate to come from a community that cares.
Our society is built on a communal structure where we look after each other. When one goes through a rough patch, family and friends quickly step in to help.
Members of our traditional communities are never short on the spirit of sharing, caring and showing love to those in need.
It makes society strong.
Sister Ume’s concern about stress needs to be taken seriously by health authorities and everyone else.
For a start, raising extensive awareness, starting in schools and villages, is key to effectively addressing its impact on our lives.
The bottom line is that individuals must know how deal with it in their own way to lessen its impact.