What do you think of when you hear ‘epidemic’?

Do think some contagious disease spreading like wild fire?

Possibly a virus, or an unstoppable illness, that’s out of control.

 

All the above examples sound exotic, remote,  and  conjure images of things that happen in faraway lands. 

But the truth of this post is about an ‘epidemic’ much closer to home.

 

On the local front, the World health Organization calls Stress “the health epidemic of the 21st Century”, reporting that ‘Stress’ and the resulting illnesses springing from Stress accounts for more than 70% of all visits to medical doctors.

The question at hand is what is this powerful thing we call ‘Stress’? And why is it that it has such a powerful grip & effect on us?

 

Is Stress good or bad? When is it good, if ever and when is it bad?

 

What does Stress mean to each of us? How does it affect our bodies?

 

Is it possible we can welcome some form or version of Stress, and use it to our benefit rather than be overcome by Stress?

 

Stress is a word that reflects what we individually feel and how our bodies react to given a set of circumstances and demands upon it at any given time.  That was a mouthful…

 

The level of Stress we have is often filtered through our thoughts, ideas, our personal history and the decisions we have made with regards to what constitutes the range of what we will consider Stress or Stressful.

 

Often the stress is self created, and certainly some pressure is sometimes a necessary

push we need or give ourselves to get the job done. Guilty as charged…

 

For those reasons it is hard to say what Stress is, like a thing, you can point to.

 

Stress is moreover something we create and manage on our own, or with outside help.

 

We create the level and amount of Stress that is acceptable for us as a useful thing, and how much of it

we want at any given time, how much we can handle, and are willing to put up with or tolerate.

 

It is a large juggling act, that many of us practice daily.
 
Still, it seems wise to set some limits or parameters of how much Stress we will allow, to have balance and avoid getting too Stressed out, especially if we have Hypertension, or are prone to or get Stressed easily.

 

Be well, Practice Balance, Get what you Want.

 

Talia Inanna Kala*