Stress
and Burnout
By Dr.
Carolyn Ross
Stress is actually a natural and necessary response experienced by
both humans and animals. To put it simply, stress is a state of readiness.
It can be positive, as in the form of excitement, or negative, as
in the form of nervousness and worry. Unfortunately, our modern society
provides too many opportunities to heighten stress and too few to
deal with it. Unpleasant effects of the natural stress response develop
when a person experiences stress all the time.
A long-term
high level of stress can lead to burnout. Burnout is a descriptive
rather than a medical term, but when it occurs you may experience
a variety of symptoms. These include trouble concentrating, constant
feeling of fatigue, irritability and insomnia. Long-term stress affects
the entire body, causing such problems as headaches, skin irritations,
diarrhea, ulcers, indigestion, muscle pain, irritable bowel and many
others. You may also be at risk for later developing heart disease,
high blood pressure, diabetes or immune system problems.
The effect
of too much stress has become a major health problem in our country.
Clearly, it is worth understanding and treating. As with any problem,
the solution begins with awareness. Following is more about the stress
response and some recommendations for professionals and techniques
to help you cope.
The
Stress Response
The stress response is highly individual because it begins when we
perceive a situation to be a challenging or threatening. Thus, one
woman could have an extreme response to seeing a snake, while her
friend remains unconcerned. In any case, once we perceive a situation
as being challenging or threatening, the sympathetic branch of the
central nervous system is immediately activated to produce stress
hormones. These hormones cause specific bodily changes such as increased
heart rate and metabolism and redirection of blood flow to large muscles;
all to prime the body for action. When the perceived threat is over,
the body has two means of returning to normal. The stress hormones
will dissipate over time and be destroyed by other chemicals in the
body;
and the parasympathetic branch of the central nervous system can release
hormones to calm the body and return it to its normal state.
Too many
stress hormones released too frequently are the culprits in burnout.
Since the stress response affects most of the body systems, the process
takes a lot of energy; leaving you feeling drained at the end of a
stressful day. There are two basic ways to deal with stress hormones:
decrease their production (not allow ourselves to become stressed
by altering our perception of the situation) or eliminate them from
the body once they have been released (through relaxation and other
techniques). These two mechanisms form the basis of stress management.
Your
Physician or Nurse Practitioner
Your physician or nurse practitioner may suspect stress or burnout
if you show generalized problems in different parts of the body along
with feelings of being overwhelmed. When symptoms come in response
to a stressful period in your life, they will rule out an organic
cause with a physical exam and blood work. Sometimes medication may
be prescribed during an adjustment period to stress. Anti-anxiety
medication or mild sleeping agents may be helpful.
Continued
. . .
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Psychological Counseling
> Traditional
Chinese Medicine (TCM)
> Chiropractic Care & Therapeutic
Massage
> Nutrition and Exercise
> Meditation
> Self-Help Techniques
About
Dr. Carolyn Ross
Author
of Miracles
in Healing
Dr.
Carolyn Coker Ross received her medical training at the University
of Michigan Medical School and completed a residency in Preventive
Medicine and a Master's in Public Health at Loma Linda University.
She is on the Clinical Faculty at the University of California,
San Diego in the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine.
Dr.
Ross founded three Women's Integrative Medicine Centers in San Diego
between 1993-2000. Her centers offered the best of Eastern and Western
medicine, including: chiropractic, yoga, acupuncture, homeopathy,
herbal medicine, massage and nutrition counseling.
Dr.
Ross has been proactive in women's health in a number of areas:
she founded and served as medical director of the Nova Women's Health
Network, an IPA of 53 women physicians in San Diego; she is a founding
Board Member of the American College of Women's Health Physicians,
a group dedicated to the development of a boarded specialty in Women's
Medicine. She is a past president of the San Diego Chapter of the
National Medical Association.
Dr.
Ross served on the Board of the National Association of Professionals
in Women's Health from 1995-1997. She is the recipient of the "Matriot
Award" presented to women who make a significant contribution
to women's health (1997), the "Women Who Mean Business"
award (1995), the Who's Who in San Diego Award (1995) and the Young
Woman of the Year award (1984).
Dr.
Ross served as the on-air medical advisor for the KUSI Morning News
Show in San Diego and has appeared on major network affiliates as
an on-air medical expert. She is also a published author and a
nationally known speaker.
Dr.
Ross currently serves as a medical consultant to several internet-based
medical companies and is a freelance writer for Alternative Therapies
in Health and Medicine Journal.
Contributors
to Stress/Burnout
Carolyn Coker Ross, MD, MPH; Barbara Whiteside, RN, CNP; Johanna
Appel, DC; Julie Martin, MS; Dorothy Miller, RN; Connie Saindon,
MA, MFCC; Jacqueline Zhang, LAc, MD (China)
