Learning English – Lesson Eight (Stress and Worry) part I

Hi everybody…this is Misterduncan in England!

How are you today? Are you OK? I hope so!

Are you happy? I hope so!

In this lesson we will take a look at two negative parts of our lives, which can occur at any moment, both of which have the ability to cause us varying degrees of misery, upset, and even sickness. In today’s lesson we will take a look at..strees and worry.

• Life these days seems to be getting more hectic.
• I don’t think I can handle this.
• It all seems too much for me.
• What will I do?
• How will I cope?
• So many problems.
• It’s all too much for me.
• I can’t take this pressure any longer.
• I need a break.
• Make it all go away…

Please! Stress! + Worry!

Stress, The word ‘stress’ relates to the physical or emotional pressure that we experience every day of our lives. Although for most of us the stress is bearable. However there may be times when you feel as if you are under too much pressure from your daily life. This is when stress becomes a problem. You may have many things on your mind and you constantly worry about them. The stress can be both physical and mental. Prolonged stress can lead to ill health. Both physically and mentally. The most common side effect of stress is anxiety. Too much stress over a long period of time can lead to physical and psychological problems.

Worry. The word ‘worry’ means to continually think about something, over and over again. Something concerns you. There is something on your mind which is making you unhappy. Worry is a negative feeling and it can make you feel miserable for a long period of time. The things we worry about vary. Maybe you unhappy at work or perhaps you are afraid of losing your job. Maybe there is a problem with a relationship. Perhaps you are worried about where your life is going. The biggest worry is that of survival, which leads us to the most common worry of all…money!

There are many times during the day when you may become stressed and feel tense. You may be in a hurry to get somewhere. You could be late for an appointment. You may have just missed your bus, or your car may have broken down. The bad attitude or behaviour of another person can wind you up. All of these things are likely to make you feel frustrated and annoyed. Stress comes from the anger you feel and the anger comes from your stress. In other words, they feed each other.

There are many words connected to stress, such as…

• Anxiety = The physical feeling of stress. You feel anxious.
• Nervousness (Nervous) = The feeling of stress and worry.
• Trouble = you feel bothered and troubled by stress.
• Difficulty = The feeling of being unable to cope.
• Distress = The feeling of panic and upset from stress.
• Panic = To lose control of your feelings, usually resulting in some sort of outward reaction, such as sudden movements and vocal sounds, such as screaming.
• Pressure = The combined feeling of all the different types of stress. You feel under pressure.
• Trauma = Damage caused by physical injury or mental stress. To feel distressed.
• Strain = The tiredness or pain caused by too much work or mental pressure. You are under strain.
• Tension = The pressure caused by stress, which can have a physical effect on the body.
• Worry = One of the main causes of stress.
• There are some key words connected to stress and worry.
• Anxiety = You feel anxious and constantly worried, sometimes for no reason.
• Nervous = To feel worried and on edge. You may show this feeling by constantly moving about and fidgeting. A nervous person may…chew their fingernails or talk and chat continuously, or they may do the opposite and stay still and silent. They may sweat and look anxious. Nervousness is commonly felt just befor (doing) an important task, such as sitting an exam or giving a performance.