Do women get more stress than men?

It seems like women are generally busier and more stressed than men, that they juggle more roles and are constantly rushing.

Women, according to the APA survey, tend to experience stress in the form of physical symptoms. They are more likely than men to report stress-related health problems such as hypertension, depression, anxiety, and obesity. For women, the stress is more due to a number of reasons. Some of the reasons as compared to a man, for a married woman it is all about managing her house, taking care of her children and trying to keep her marriage healthy and happy. For an unmarried woman, it is all about taking care of her parents, siblings, and the house and also trying to do well on the work front.

Here are some things to do when you get stress.

Exercise

Write. It may help to write about things that are bothering you. ...

Let your feelings out. Talk, laugh, cry, and express anger when you need to. ...

Do something you enjoy. You may feel that you're too busy to do these things. ...Focus on the present.

Create a chill-out routine

Go outside and take a walk

Find a balance between rest and activity

Plan long weekends

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What is Social Stress?

Social stress is stress that results from relationships with others and a person's social environment. Social stress is often exacerbated when people have less capability of changing their own circumstances. Sources of social stress are multiple and can be generated in almost every area of life. These sources include, but are not limited to, problems with work or earning an income, parenting, education, sex and socialization, immigration status or language, personal physical and psychological health, peer pressure or other causes of social marginalization.  With lower social status often comes a feeling of powerlessness.  The less power a person has to change his own situation and the more demand placed upon him, the more prone he/ or she is to stress.

1. Egoistic suicide, which occurs when an individual is insufficiently integrated within a group and has few social bonds (e.g., an elderly person whose lifetime partner dies and who feels as if there is little reason to go on living.

2. Altruistic suicide, which occurs when an individual identifies with a social group that he or she is willing to sacrifice life for the group

3. Anomic suicide, which occurs during times when society’s norms and values are undergoing upheaval or rapid change so that individual society member may feel a sense of anomie—normlessness—and society’s constraints against Suicide weaken

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Overcoming an eating disorder

Any of a range of psychological disorders characterized by abnormal or disturbed eating habits, such as anorexia nervosa. Recovering from an eating disorder can be difficult but is most definitely possible. If you or someone you know is trying to overcome an eating disorder, you might find that other physical and emotional issues stress can come up during the process. But in the long run, recovery from an eating disorder can lead to a healthier life overall.

Causes of Eating Disorders

Eating Disorders are complex disorders, influenced by a facet of factors. Though the exact cause of eating disorders is unknown, it is generally believed that a combination of biological, psychological, and/or environmental abnormalities contribute to the development of these illnesses.

Examples of biological factors include:

• Irregular hormone functions
• Genetics (the tie between eating disorders and one’s genes is still being heavily researched, but we know that genetics is a part of the story
• Nutritional deficiencies

Examples of psychological factors include:

• Negative body image
• Poor self-esteem
• Emotional stress
• Physical stress
• Low self of esteem
• Low Self image 

Especially with the young generation, with TV advertisement sending a wrong massages. People lose their identity. Identity is actually a result of these choices, past and present. We become what we think is expected of us, not who we really are.  Some times an assumed identity becomes such a part of who we believe we are, it can be very difficult to make real change.

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Why Moms Need Friends For Stress Relief

Motherhood can bring amazing rewards, as any mother will tell you. However, it can bring a good measure of stress, leaving many moms exhausted and even at an increased risk of depression. That’s why self-care for mothers is especially important. And although mothers often think of the need for their children to have healthy social lives, one of the greatest resources a mom has is social support. Because of this, friends and other mothers can be a valuable resource.

Social Support

Social support is important for health and stress relief; it increases resilience, multiplies joy, and softens sorrow.

Sharing Advice

Nobody understands the issues moms face every day like another mother who’s been through the same thing! While all mothers don’t experience all challenges, or experience them in the same way, the wisdom of having been there and the benefit of another mother’s answers can provide terrific solutions and provide reassurance. Moms of younger kids can benefit from the experience of more veteran mothers, and can gain confidence by helping out the more junior moms.

Getting Out There

Sometimes mothers can become so immersed in caretaking that they forget to do the things they enjoy. Other moms can help a mother get out there and enjoy what they enjoy doing!

 Get Together for Play Dates

Meeting for play dates with other mothers and their children can provide positive social interaction for the kids and a nice dose of female bonding for the moms.

Have a Moms Night Out

While it’s fun to get together with the kids, getting together with mother friends one night a month or so can provide a whole different experience. Over a few drinks, the most interesting topics of conversation can arise:

Maintain Variety

Another great benefit of motherhood is that it connects women who would otherwise have little in common, or not even cross paths. Women can really benefit by connecting with other moms who are years younger or older, from a different background, or otherwise different from the friends she would usually seek out.

Help One Another

Moms can even give one another some needed nights out by forming a babysitting co-op. They can help make difficult times easier by bringing dinners to new moms or offering aid in times of crisis. These activities build a sense of community and set a good example for kids, and everyone benefits!www.valerymolone.com

Healthy Family Relationship and Stress Relief

A connection to family provides a certain type of social support that you can’t get from other people. Who better than siblings, parents, and other close relatives can reminisce with us about our childhoods, or remember pieces of ourselves we’ve forgotten? This connection to fond memories, support in times of need and near-unconditional love is a unique way that family brings us happiness as well as relief from stress. Unfortunately, with the complexity of these relationships, they're not always easy. Dealing with difficult people is never easy. But while it may be better for your stress level and even improve your health to eliminate strained relationships from your life, it's not always a simple undertaking when the difficult people are relatives. Social support is a great stress reliever, but relationships can also be a major source of stress. The role your family plays in your life, and the health of your family relationships, can really affect your stress levels. Remember, strong family relationships can be a source of strength that you can draw upon in times of stress, and use to expand your enjoyment of the good times you experience in life.  A conflicted family relationship cannot just deprive you of that support, but they can create additional stress that depletes your ability to cope.  You may not be able to completely control the types of relationships you have with your family members--after all, relationships are dynamics that involve more than just one person--but there are many things that you can do to create greater harmony in your relationships, and protect yourself from unnecessary stress and pain.  www.valerymolone.com

Forgiveness Reduces Stress

Forgiveness can be a challenge for several reasons. Sometimes forgiveness can be confused with condoning what someone has done to us:  Even people who understand the distinction between accepting someone's bad behavior as "okay" and accepting that it happened and one must let go of anger to move forward, forgiveness can be difficult because these two are easily confused.

It can be really difficult to accept some things in life, and forgiving someone who has committed unacceptable behavior can be difficult when we are having trouble letting go of anger about the events and accepting what happened to us.

Forgiving is not about forgetting, it is about not bringing the offense up to you in negative ways. Forgiving is simply letting go of what you’re holding against yourself so that you can move on with yourself. Forgiveness is a choice that takes courage and strength, and it gives us the opportunity to become an overcomer rather than remaining a victim of our own contempt. Failing to forgive yourself will put blinders on your spiritual eyesight quickly. It will cause to you to see things through the eyes of guilt, shame and condemnation. It will ruin your faith, and cause you to go blind spiritually. www.valerymolone.com

Owning a pet can reduce stress

When thinking of ways to reduce stress in life, usually techniques like meditation, yoga and journaling come to mind. These are great techniques, to be sure. But getting a new best friend can also have many stress relieving and health benefits. While human friends provide great social support and come with some fabulous benefits, but benefits of furry friends: cats and dogs can help reduce some stress from your life!

Pets Can Improve Your Mood

For those who love animals, it’s virtually impossible to stay in a bad mood when a pair of loving puppy eyes meets yours, or when a super-soft cat rubs up against your hand. Research supports the mood-enhancing benefits of pets. A recent study found that men with AIDS were less likely to suffer from depression if they owned a pet.

Pets Control Blood Pressure Better Than Drugs

Yes, it’s true. While ACE-inhibiting drugs can generally reduce blood pressure, they aren’t as effective on controlling spikes in blood pressure due to stress and tension. However, in a study on pets and blood pressure, groups of hypertensive New York stockbrokers who got dogs or cats were found to have lower blood pressure and heart rates than those who didn’t get pets.

Pets Encourage You To Get Out And Exercise

Whether we walk our dogs because they need it, or are more likely to enjoy a walk when we have companionship, dog owners do spend more time walking than non-pet owners.

Pets Can Help With Social Support

When we’re out walking, having a dog with us can make us more approachable and give people a reason to stop and talk, thereby increasing the number of people we meet, giving us an opportunity to increase our network of friends.

Pets Can Reduce Stress—Sometimes More Than People

While we all know the power of talking about your problems with a good friend who’s also a good listener, research shows that spending time with a pet may be even better! One study showed that, when conducting a task that’s stressful, people actually experienced less stress when their pets were with them than when a supportive friend or even their spouse was present!

Natural Stress Relief

There are so may ways we can relief stress, the most comment stress relief method that we always talk about is exercising, mediating, yoga, getting massage, etc. but there are some natural ways that we can do to eliminate stress from our lives with out putting to much effort.

•       Put some lavender flower in your office this herb has a soothing scent that can lower your heart rate and blood pressure, both of which can help you relax. Put dried lavender in a vase near your bed or slather on moisturizer infused with lavender.

•       Eat strawberries dipped in dark chocolate. The vitamin C in the berries can fight body-damaging free radicals and the dark chocolate may help reduce stress hormones like cortisol.

•       Take a bath Add lavender bath oils or aromatherapy candles

•       Drink one cup of green tea everyday. It is loaded with antioxidants and nutrients that have powerful effects on the body. This includes improved brain function, fat loss, a lower risk of cancer and many other incredible benefits.

•       Swiss Chard, the magnesium in Swiss chard and other leafy veggies helps balance the body’s stress hormone, cortisol.

•       Fatty fish, the heart- healthy omega-3 fats in fish such as salmon, sardines and tuna manage adrenaline levels to help keep you calm, cool and collected.

•       Peanut butter may indeed contain fat, but 30% of your daily calories should come from healthy fats, for which peanut butter is a great choice. The nutty spread is also a good way to get protein, fiber and vitamin E. The same goes for whole peanuts or nuts such as almonds and walnuts-they’re a great way to get your daily dose of healthy fat.

•       Hot cocoa, a cup of hot cocoa made with low fat or nonfat milk is a wonderful way to satisfy a chocolate craving, get a dose of vitamin D and help meet the recommended daily servings of dairy. The milk also contains hunger-fighting protein, which helps keep people satisfied until the next meal.

Dose spirituality relief stress?

Spirituality is a broad concept with room for many perspectives. In general, it includes a sense of connection to something bigger than ourselves. It typically involves a search for meaning in life. While there are many paths people use to find God, research shows that those who have made the journey find greater relief from stress and enjoy better health and happier lives.

Prayer can help you feel more connected with God, leaving you with a calmer, safer, more grounded feeling that can act as a buffer against stress. It can also bring benefits similar to the benefits of meditation, including lower blood pressure, increased immunity, and more.  Just as there are many different faiths, there are different ways to experience religion within a faith. Some people express their spirituality or in a more personal way, dedicating their lives to God  to becoming a good person. There’s a lot of value in the phrase, ‘When God closes a door, and He opens a window.’ Those who have a greater trust in God, those who are more spiritual have the benefit of seeing stressful situations as tests of strength, or even as valuable lessons from God. This can be a good distinction, as viewing a stressful event as a challenge can make the event itself feel less threatening.

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