STRESS MAY BE GOOD FOR YOU? (IN CONJUNCTION WITH 'STRESS DOWN DAY' ON FEB 6)

By ZULKIPLE IBRAHIM

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 5 (Bernama) -- Recently the mother of a seven-year-old
boy decided to seek the advice of a paediatrician after her son had persistent
fever since attending school last Jan 5.

Doctors had cleared her son from any major illness.

"Each time I brought my son to either the clinic or hospital, they (doctors)
prescribed medication for the fever. Blood tests have cleared him of any serious
diseases", the mother, who wished to be known as Rahimah told this writer here
recently.

"Your child is normal but is probably under stress as he is yet to adapt to
the school environment", the paediatrician told Rahimah during consultation at
his clinic.

WHAT IS STRESS?
According to Dr Hans Selye, the founder of the stress theory, stress is an
unspecific reaction by an individual towards a burden which could be in the form
of an anxiety caused by a challenge, threat or changes that need a response.

Contrary to what many people think, there is good or positive stress known
as 'eustress' and bad or negative stress known as 'distress'.

A medical officer at a health institution here, Dr S. Mogan said, positive
stress makes a person to be more careful as well as stimulated apart from being
focussed and creative in what he is doing.

According to history, Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone, the
precursor to today's telecommunication technology explosion, while trying to
help his fiance who had lost her hearing.

DIFFICULT TO DEFINE
According to Dr Mogan, stress is difficult to define as it is subjective.
"If you are to ask 10 people to explain what causes stress for them, you would
likely get 10 different answers.

"The reason for this is that there is no definition of stress that everyone
agrees on, what is stressful for one person may be pleasurable or have little
effect on others.

"For example bikers feel the thrill while riding their machines at high
speed while others are scared by that. Winning a race may be more stressful than
losing but this is good stress", he said.

According to academician Fatimah Mansur, stress increases productivity like
when students prepare for examinations.

"Students would work harder when their examination gets closer or office
workers would hasten their work as the time to punch out gets closer", she said.

Fatimah said people have to find the right amount of stress that permits
them to live a productive and happy life.
"You can learn how to utilize and transform stress so that it will make you
be more productive", she added.

HEALTH MINISTRY
According to a Health Ministry pamphlet, stress is caused by factors like
financial burden, marriage conflict, waiting for too long, victim of bullying,
heavy work load, unhealthy environment, low self-esteem, road traffic congestion
and tragedies.

A person who is stressed shows signs of anxiety, overly disturbed, insomnia
(could not sleep), lack of focus as well as irritable and bad-tempered.

The pamphlet recommends the 10 simple steps to overcome stress and they are
to relax, take deep breath, take it easy, perform religious obligations, speak
with somebody, go for massage therapy, rest and listen to music, go for
recreational activities, exercise and think positive.
-- BERNAMA