Anxiety, Peace, The Winds of Change, Words of Endurance

The Stress of Change: Check Your Vital Signs!

August 13, 2011

Change isn’t something we humans handle well. When we’re forced to deal with change such as the upheaval cancer can bring, most of us will recognize some indications of stress. In fact, even positive changes such as getting married, taking a vacation, or completing school can stress us out.

When we’re under stress we may eat less (or more) than usual, particularly of certain foods. We may cry more easily. We may be more than a little irritable with coworkers, family, or friends. We may not be able to sleep or we may want only to sleep. We may feel anxious or have panic attacks. We may seem to be “preoccupied” or become forgetful—the list of stress symptoms could go on and on. And the stress behind those symptoms can do a number on our emotional, physical and spiritual health.

So score yourself on the Life Change Scale and see what your current level of change-related stress is.

No wonder you’re feeling stressed! Maybe it’s time to renew your efforts to adjust to the changes happening in your life.

If you need more reasons to give yourself a break, or cut yourself some slack, note that the researchers who did this study identified a connection between unrelieved stress and physical illness. Individuals who scored 300 or more Life Change Units in a twelve-month period had a 40-50% chance of developing a major illness within two years. The more change we must deal with, the more stress we accumulate. It doesn’t matter who you are or how much you may know about human behavior. The formula applies to us all.

Christian Psychologist Gary Oliver, for example, was a devoted husband and loving father. He had a busy practice, taught at a prestigious seminary and had authored several successful counseling books. His life would be deemed a success by anyone’s standards. But after his second battle with cancer, the winds of change and the stresses that accompanied those changes led him to make some changes of his own. One of those adjustments was to redefine his view of success. Success was no longer a long list of credits or accomplishments. It became “just putting one foot in front of the other.”

So give yourself a break. If you’re dealing with cancer, whether as a patient or a caregiver, you’re dealing with a full load of change. Perhaps it’s time for some stress management; time to call in reinforcements, a helpful neighbor, or a housekeeper; time to steal away for a few days or even a few hours; time to call a friend, a pastor, or your doctor. Whatever you do to increase your ability to cope with the stress of change, do it! It will be good for you.

Life Change Scale – Which events have happened to you during the past 12 months?

HTML Tables

Event Value	Life Event	Happened to you?	Your Score
100	Death of Spouse
73	Divorce
65	Marital Separation
63	Jail Term
63	Death of close family member
53	Personal injury or illness
50	Marriage
47	Fired from job
45	Marital reconciliation
45	Retirement
44	Change in health of family member
40	Pregnancy
39	Sex difficulties
39	Gain of new family member
39	Business readjustment
38	Change in financial state
37	Death of close friend
36	Change to different line of work
35	Change in number of arguments with spouse
31	Mortgage of loan over $10,000
30	Foreclosure of mortgage or loan
29	Change in responsibilities at work
29	Son or daughter leaving home
29	Trouble with in-laws
28	Outstanding personal achievement
26	Wife begins or stops work
26	Begin or end school
25	Change in living conditions
24	Revision of personal habits
23	Trouble with boss
20	Change in work hours or conditions
20	Change in residence
20	Change in schools
19	Change in recreation
19	Change in church activities
18	Change in social activities
17	Mortgage or loan less than $10,000
16	Change in sleeping habits
15	Change in number of family get togethers
15	Change in eating habits
13	Vacation
12	Christmas
11	Minor violations of the law