stress. That’s until you want to bust a blood vessel because someone cut you off on the highway, your favorite sports team loses, or your blankety- blank boss is stressing you out. Whoa! Maybe it’s not your boss. Men and women are equally stressed out, but men tend to deal with stress differently. And as a recent study finds, men are more likely than women to respond to stressful experi- ences by developing certain stress- related disorders, including hyperten- sion, aggressive behavior, or use of alcohol or drugs. But aren’t men just supposed to
suck it up? Society dictates that men are supposed to be strong and never show signs of vulnerability. In a man’s world, vulnerability equals weakness. Most men are deprived of a crucial safety valve – the ability to ask for help and admit when they need help. This system that represents manliness is built on a lie, but the good news is that they can do something to change that. Before you can change things,
you have to recognize the symptoms
Man, Are You Stressed! Y
by Lauri Grovich
ou probably think of yourself as an average guy and may think you cope well with everyday
of stress. This may include any of these mild, non-specific afflictions: • Feeling tired • Forgetfulness • Inability to sleep • Irritability • Lack of motivation • Loss of concentration and an inabil- ity to complete projects • Muscular and skeletal aches and pains
• Recurring headaches
• Starting to drink or “use to cope,” which puts men further behind and gets them into all kinds of trouble
Stress can also cause more severe medical conditions: • Chest pains • Digestive problems • Elevated blood pressure • Elevated heart rate at rest • Sexual problems and dysfunctions • Skin eruptions
Every system of the body can be
negatively impacted by stress. That includes your immune system, which in turn, increases the risk of cold and flu, as well as cancer, stroke and even heart attack. What this equates to is that stress can take its toll on your health, your relationship and your life. If you’re someone who hates to be told not to worry, it may be be- cause you haven’t heard Terry Real’s definition. “Worry is having your pain in advance,” he says. “When you look at it that way, who wants to suffer twice? You can learn to keep yourself in the present. Don’t project into the future.”
Three easy steps to reducing stress If it’s too late to prevent stress, here are three simple steps you can take to help relieve stress.
• Lead a “connected” life, which is not electronically connected, but interpersonally connected where you have friends you rely on and talk with • Get physical exercise • Get enough sleep
These three steps alone can make a big difference.
What about men who say they
don’t have time to relax or exercise? Studies cite that most adults waste at least three hours a week planted in front of the television or computer screen – mindless emailing, instant messaging, and just surfing the net. If you cut that out, there’s the time for a workout and some extra time to take care of the most important person....you!
Lauri Grovich is a Recon- nective Healing Practitio- ner. For more information phone 480-280-4406 or visit ReconnectiveHealin-
gAz.com. See ad on page 17. 30 Phoenix
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