Stress! Are we Doomed?

I once heard a doctor say that most people get sick, not so much from what they eat, but from what eats them. We know that certain food is not healthy for us, such as pastries. Fatty and fried foods are outright destructive to our system. But the fact remains that the doctor’s statement carries a lot of truth. The realities of our society assist in producing stress if we are not careful.

Let us take a look at some of the ways that stress is created in our life. The first means by which stress is transmitted is the media in all its forms. Television is probably the number one culprit. I remember when we did not have television in my younger days. The only time we saw commercials on the screen was in movie theaters. But the T.V ads are produced in a way that makes the viewer uncomfortable unless the person does what the ad suggests. I always felt that my car is not safe unless I send it to a Texaco gas station. You see, in days past every gas station had a garage in it, and so the ad said, “you can trust your car to the man who wears the star”, implying that the car could be unsafe anywhere else. Allstate came out with the slogan, “you are in good hands with Allstate”, again implying that the safety of other insurance companies is questionable. I can go on endlessly talking about the emotions that the media generates in the public; and most of us fall prey to the ad creators. But in my humble opinion, the greatest disservice of all is that the media has glamorized the so called stars of Hollywood. The media has portrayed fame and fortune as the solution to all the ills in our society, rather than what fame and fortune can represent. The media does not give us the whole picture of the people of Hollywood. Some of them are happy not because of the fame or the fortune, but because they choose to be. Some of them are miserable because neither fame nor fortune is the answer to a happy life free of stress. I do admit that a few publications (the gossip tabloids) do reveal certain truths about the lives of movie stars. Personally I do not care either way about the private lives of others, but if they are publicized, then all the details should be revealed. As a preacher I believe all truths are important; there should be no lies or deception in information. Advertising should be informational to the public about a new product, invention, or a new service. The media is a powerful tool and what a blessing it could be if used positively.

There is no doubt that you know dozens of examples of media stress, but I hope that the next time you watch television or read an article in the paper, you will not be affected by what you see or read unless it helps your demeanor. Remember that good and beneficial news or information is healthy for us and will help relax our nervous system. Stress can come from other sources in life. School and studying can be stressful to the student if uncontrolled. Friends and relatives can be a source of stress if left unchecked. Financial commitments, if they exceed our abilities and income, can be a major source of stress. The last thing I want to mention is that the lack of discipline in life can induce stress, because plenty of time is wasted and not enough time is left to perform our duties. God knows the importance of good news, and that is why His message to us is called the Gospel or the Good News. When we find ourselves stressed out, call on Him for help and He will come to the rescue (1Pet 5:7)! Thank Christ that we are NOT doomed to stress!