Aisling Psychology & Counselling Dr. Willa Litvack Registered Psychologist © 2011 AISLING BY: NETMATRIX Stress is a normal part of life and  is not always a bad thing. Positive stressors, such as the birth of the child or promotion at work, can be invigorating,  and even negative stressors can motivate and challenge us. However, when stress is prolonged or persistent, or if it arises from causes that we are helpless to address, it erodes our ability to function and has serious negative consequences for our health. In part, that’s because the human stress response is perfectly suited  to deal with brief,  intense threats that can best be dealt with by “fight or flight” but, unfortunately, has not evolved as rapidly as  have the conditions that cause it.  It’s not that immediate threats to our physical well-being disappeared with the stone age but, rather, that a new type of stressor, the natural course of which is measured in months rather than in minutes, became more prevalent. The three stages of the human stress response were first described by Dr. Hans Selye, who explained why it is so ill-suited to the extended stresses so characteristic of modern life. When stress threatens to overwhelm you, an experienced psychologist can help you regain your equilibrium and sense of well-being. STRESS MANAGEMENT & REDUCTION THE THREE STAGES OF HUMAN STRESS RESPONSE In the alarm phase, adrenaline is released, and heart rate, respiration, and oxygen absorption rise. The  liver releases glucose for energy, and  blood flow is directed away from organs such as the liver and kidney and towards the brain and muscles.We are now prepared for “fight or flight”. If the situation is not resolved, the body goes into the resistance stage .  It meets the  need for sustained energy  by secreting hormones that increase blood sugar  and by producing corticosteroids. If this stage  is prolonged we experience impaired  concentration, irritability,  lethargy and fatigue. The exhaustion stage sets in when the body is out of reserves.  Blood sugar decreases as the adrenals become depleted, bodily systems lose their capacity to self regulate effectively,  and immune responses are suppressed. Consequences include: impaired cognitive function; depression and anxiety; increased susceptibility to infection and  auto-immune disorders; cardiovascular disease and elevated risk of heart attack, and; disorders of other bodily systems. Phone: 403-244-3344    Email Administration at admin@aislingonline.com Dr. Litvack at willa.litvack@aislingonline.com Located in northwest Calgary, near the University of Calgary, the Foothills and Alberta Childrens’ Hospitals, and Market Mall