Certainly, one of the first steps in
mastering your stress is knowing just how stressed you are. But measuring
stress is a trickier business than you may think. Part of the difficulty stems
from the multifaceted nature of stress. That is, stress is both a stimulus and
a response; it’s what’s on your plate and how you react to what’s on your
plate.
Unfortunately,
your doctor can’t just hook you up to a machine and measure your stress level
as easily as she does your blood pressure or heart rate, even though stress can
manifest itself as various biochemical and physiological changes in your body.
So how exactly do you measure your stress level? The following sections show
you some relatively easy ways to identify and quantify just how stressed you
are.
Starting with a simple gut check
Oddly
enough, one of the best ways to measure your stress is asking yourself this
simple question:
“How
much stress am I currently feeling?”
In
an age of high-tech, computer-driven, digitally monitored gadgets and gear,
this lowest-of-low tech gauge may seem like a joke.
Yet
it really is an incredibly useful way of assessing your stress level. This
subjective measure of your stress has some advantages. One, it measures those
aspects of your stress — anxiety, anger, muscle tension, or whatever — that you
feel truly reflect your stress. Two, it’s sensitive to the ways in which your
stress level can change from day to day and even from moment to moment.
The stress-symptom scale
This
index gives you a measure of your stress level by looking at the number and the
severity of your stress-related symptoms and behaviors. To use this measure,
simply rate the frequency with which you’ve experienced each of the listed
items during the last two weeks. Use this helpful rating scale:
0 = Never
1 = Sometimes
2 = Often
3 = Very often
Fatigue
or tiredness =
Pounding
heart=
Rapid
pulse=
Increased
perspiration=
Rapid
breathing
Aching
neck or shoulders=
Low
back pain=
Gritted
teeth or clenched jaw=
Hives or
skin rash=
Headaches=
Cold hands
or feet=
Tightness
in chest=
Nausea=
Diarrhea
or constipation=
Stomach
discomfort=
Nail
biting=
Twitches
or tics=
Difficulty
swallowing or dry mouth
Colds or
flu=
Lack of
energy=
Overeating=
Feelings
of helplessness or hopelessness=
Excessive
drinking=
Excessive
smoking=
Excessive
spending=
Excessive
drug or medication use=
Upset
feeling=
Feelings
of nervousness or anxiety=
Increased
irritability=
Worrisome
thoughts=
Impatience=
Feeings of
depression=
Loss
of sexual interest=
Feelings
of anger=
Sleep
difficulties=
Forgetfulness=
Racing or
intrusive thoughts=
Restless
feelings=
Difficulty
concentrating=
Periods
of crying=
Frequent
absences from work=
Your total stress-symptom score=
You
compare your scores on the stress-symptom survey with the scores of others who
complete this scale. No, I’m not saying you have to flag down passersby and
make them take the test so you have scores to compare; you can use the handy
chart in Table 3-1 instead. The higher your score, the more stress symptoms
you’re reporting. A higher frequency and/or intensity of stress-related symptoms
and behaviors is generally associated with higher levels of stress.
Table 3-1 Determining Your Stress Rating
Your Score Your Comparative Rating
0–19 Lower
than average
20–39 Average
40–49 Moderately
higher than average
50 and above Much higher than average
Copyright © Allen Elkin Phd – Originally appeared in Stress Management for Dummies 2nd edition by Allen Elkin
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