Chapter 49. Stress Symptom Checklist: Instructions

There are hundreds of symptoms of stress. They generally fall into four categories.

Class 1 are "FUN" like playing games, eating out, and visiting.

Class 2 are "REWARDING" like working, hobbying, exercising, and communicating feelings.

Class 3 "SEEM LIKE FUN" but in reality increase stress levels like being sexually irresponsible, spacing out on drugs and overeating.

Class 4 are "NEITHER FUN NOR REWARDING NOR SEEM LIKE FUN" but rather are "painful" like anxiety, phobias, depressed immune system functioning, sexual dysfunction, and depression.

Following these instructions is a list of stress symptoms which are mostly in the Class 3 "seems like fun" or Class 4 "neither fun nor rewarding" categories. It is helpful to be aware of which stress symptoms you have, the extent to which you have them, and whether or not you want to keep them. Obviously, a stress symptom you enjoy will be difficult to change! Actually, we "enjoy" all of our stress symptoms, even our painful ones, which is why we keep them. If we didn't "enjoy" them, we'd exchange them for some which we did!

You may not believe it but it's true! We are who we are and do what we do because we "enjoy" it. If we didn't we'd change. Our painful stress symptoms remain because we "enjoy" them more, comparatively speaking, than the alternative of honesty. In other words, it's more uncomfortable to be honest than to put up with our painful stress symptoms. That's what I call "enjoying the pleasure of pain!"

Make a printout of this webpage, then on the checklist that follows:

Underline or yellow highlight your stress symptoms.

Check column 1 if you experience your symptom a great deal.

Check column 2 if you enjoy your symptom.

Check column 3 if you want to keep your symptom.

Then, if you have a stress symptom that isn't on the list, write it down and if you checked any of your symptoms in all three columns, write them down also.

Then, answer the other questions asking you to list your stress symptoms according to which Class they are in.

Finally, answer the question, "Since Honesty in Communication results in a reduction of stress levels and elimination or control of stress symptoms, do you still want to reduce your stress levels?

At this point you'll be coming to grips with the concept of "resistance to change"! Yes, change is difficult if not almost impossible but resistance to change can be overcome if you're willing and really want to! You can do it!

Next:Stress Symptom Checklist

 

Stress Reduction Through Honesty in Communication by John Twelker, Copyright 1986, John Twelker Enterprises, Inc.