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Media Releases
Beyond Pain: Coping with Stress of Arthritis, Other Conditions Crucial for Good Health
Columbia, Mo. (Aug. 29, 2005) - Stress is an all-pervasive and unavoidable part of modern life.
There are many types of stress, and just as many definitions.
"My favorite one is stress is anything that threatens the homeostasis of an organism," says Kathy Donovan Hanson, senior researcher at the Missouri Arthritis Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (MARRTC), a federally funded project at the University of Missouri-Columbia dealing with arthritis, related conditions and disability.
Despite its mainly negative connotation, stress can be beneficial. In fact, stress is an essential coping mechanism that ensures survival. But when stress becomes a constant companion of our daily lives, it can take toll on our bodies.
People who have a chronic disease are particularly vulnerable because their bodies are perpetually dealing with the physiological stressors caused by their conditions.
Diseases stress the body on several levels - physiological, cognitive and emotional. For example, people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have to deal with purely physical stressors such as pain, stiffness and inflammation, which in turn may affect their mood and ability to focus and think clearly.
"It's cyclical, a spiral," Donovan Hanson says.
In certain situations, stress can be a lifesaver. For example, if you see a car approaching you at 100 mph, your body produces a chain of physical reactions and releases hormones that prepare you to run for your life, Donovan Hanson explains. In a situation like this adrenaline levels go up, blood pressure goes up, breathing becomes rapid and shallow and the body is ready to physically deal with the stress. However, constant stress, as is the stress in people with chronic diseases, can cause high blood pressure, recurrent headaches or even gastro-intestinal disturbances.
If occasional stress is an essential survival mechanism, so is learning to deal with chronic stress.
One can deal with stress on two levels: by avoiding situations and factors that produce stress and by learning how to cope with stress when stress cannot be avoided.
"The single fastest thing to do to help control stress is deep breathing," Donovan Hanson says. "It triggers a relaxation response immediately."
Other techniques include:
Getting enough sleep
Drinking plenty of water
Proper nutrition
Relaxation techniques such as progressive muscle relaxation, an exercise that alternates between tensing and relaxing of the muscles
Exercise
Staying focused on the "here" and "now" and not worrying about things you can't control
Taking time to transition between the different roles in your life. Do not worry about personal stuff at work and don't take work home with you. Be one thing at a time.
Devoting time to things you enjoy
A research project, called "RAhelp.org: An Online Self-management Program for Adults with Rheumatoid Arthritis," is teaching people with rheumatoid arthritis stress management and other self-management techniques to cope with their condition. To learn more about the project, go to MARRTC's Web site at www.marrtc.org or call toll-free (877) 882-6826, TTY: (800) 735-2966 (Relay Missouri) or E-mail: marrtc@missouri.edu.
The Missouri Arthritis Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (MARRTC) was established in 1971 at the University of Missouri-Columbia Arthritis Center. MARRTC is funded by the U.S. Department of Education's National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (H133B031120) and is the only federally funded arthritis rehabilitation research and training center in the country.
As part of the MU Health Communication Research Center (HCRC), MARRTC's mission is to become a national leader in the areas of disability management and communication, improve the quality of life and promote independent living among people who have arthritis and arthritic conditions.
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