Q2816@pucc.UUCP (11/17/87)
In article <419@xios.XIOS.UUCP>, greg@xios.XIOS.UUCP (Greg Franks) writes: >In article <1283@quad1.quad.com> oleg@quad1.quad.com (Oleg Kiselev) writes: >>So, what's the solution, Mr. Meaders? Get rid of the drugs and let people >>take the full impact of the pressure that is warping them, letting them >>develope ulcers in their early twenties and cardio-vascular problems a few >>years later? Letting them be driven to suicide, nervous break-downs, abuse >>of "legal" drugs? Or remove them from these stressfull situations and >>eliminate the NEED to use excessive amounts of drugs? >Since when did alcohol et al reduce stress? Since humans first ingested it. Alcohol is a depressant, a vasodilator, and a bunch of other things to boot. It makes many people feel less stressed. >I dare say that drugs, while temporarily relaxing oneself, >certainly have no lasting effects on helping to cope with stress. So? Who says that all coping mechanisms must be long-term? Eating is a coping mechanism for hunger, a recommended one, in fact, and yet it must be repeated within a few hours. Incidentally, you're wrong. Imagine if this "drug therapy" WEREN'T there. Many people would feel much worse! This is not an endorsement of drug use - regardless of legality - but just a statement that there are lots of mechanisms for coping with stress. >Either eliminate the pressure by avoiding >stressful situations (i.e., don't become a stock broker :-)), or develop >ways to increase your tolerance level. Ah, you wish to tell me WHICH methods to use! Now I understand. You wish to disparage something because something else, which has some of the same effects, is better for me in other ways. Not the same as denying that the effects of the first thing are not there. Is it OK if I work out a lot, and ALSO relax with a drink after a long day? Please? >One of the best known ways of increasing tolerance to stress is >exercise. Just ask your doctor. Play squash: pretend the ball is your >boss (or whatever). Pound the shit out of it. You will certainly feel >better! Unless you put your back out. 8-) Actually, you're wrong again. Some people do not get relaxed at all by athletic effort. It only makes them more uptight. That's not a recommendation of drink; but your "certainly" is out of line. Remember that Central American tribe Dr. Pritikin told us about, that played soccer on a 30-mile field of jungle, ate grains only, and had no heart disease, and was incredibly healthy? What he didn't tell us is that the same tribe spends about 25% of its time either getting utterly smashed on corn beer or recovering from the tremendous hangovers! Again, not an endorsement. Just wanted to point out that one form of stress managment does not exclude another. Roger Lustig (Q2816@PUCC.BITNET) I dreamt I saw Joe Hill last night, alive as you and me. "But Joe," I said, "you're ten years dead." "I never died," said he.