The Effects of Stress From Specific Life Events
We know that the death of our mother and the ensuing grief adds stress to our life, but how much stress in relation to other life-changing events? And how do we go about coping with the stresses imposed upon our physical bodies, our minds, and our spiritual selves after a life changing event. Hopefully, this page will answer some of your questions. Please remember though that this self-rating scale is no substitute for psychotherapy or professional help. When we feel totally overwhelmed and at the end of our ropes, it may be time to seek assistance from a local mental health center, psychiatric emergency center, or family physician. I do hope, however, that this information is helpful to you (as it is to me) in putting my loss and the stress resulting from that loss into perspective.
The Social Readjustment Rating Scale*
Life Event Mean Value
Death of spouse 100
Divorce 73
Marital separation from mate 65
Detention in jail or other institution 63
Death of a close family member 63
Major personal injury or illness 53
Marriage 50
Being fired at work 47
Marital reconciliation with mate 45
Retirement from work 45
Major change in the health or behavior of a family member 44
Pregnancy 40
Sexual difficulties 39
Gaining a new family member (adoption, birth, oldster moving in) 39
Major business readjustment (bankruptcy, merger, etc.) 39
Major change in financial state (a lot worse off or better off) 39
Death of a close friend 37
Changing to a different line of work 36
Major change in number of arguments with spouse (more or less) 35
Taking out a mortgage or loan for a major purchase 31
Foreclosure on a mortgage or loan 30
Major change in responsibilities at work (transfer, demotion, or 29 transfer, etc.)
Son or daughter leaving home ( marriage, college, etc.) 29
Trouble with in-laws 29
Outstanding personal achievement 28
Wife, beginning or ceasing work outside the home 26
Beginning or ceasing formal schooling 26
Major change in living conditions (building a new home, remodeling, deterioration of home and/or neighborhood) 25
Revision of personal habits (dress, manners, association, etc.) 24
Trouble with the boss 23
Major change in working hours or conditions 20
Change in residence 20
Changing to a new school 20
Major change in usual type and/or amount of recreation 19
Major change in church activities (a lot more or a lot less) 19
Major change in social activities(clubs, movies, visiting, etc.) 19
Taking out a mortgage or loan for a lesser purchase (car, etc.) 18
Major change in sleeping habits (a lot more or a lot less sleep or change in the part of day when asleep) 16
Major change in number of family get together (a lot more or less) 15
Major change in eating habits (a lot more or a lot less food intake, or very different meal hours or surroundings 15
Vacation 13
Christmas 12
Minor violations of the law (traffic tickets, disturbing the peace, etc.) 11
How to Use The Social Readjustment Rating Scale
On a piece of paper, begin at the top of the rating scale and write down each life event on this list that you have experienced during the past year and the mean value of the life change units assigned to that event. For example, if your mother died during the last year as mine did, I would write down "Death of a close family member" with a mean value of life change units worth 63 points. Then continue going through all forty-three listed life events, writing down each event and its equivalent mean value that you have experienced during the last year. When you complete the entire list, tally up the total number of life change units which you have accumulated, and continue on to the results section below.
Your Results
If Your Total From the Rating Scale Measures:
150 life change units or less -- you have a 30% probability of getting sick in the near future
151 - 299 life change units -- you have a 50% probability of getting sick in the near future
Read On:
Stressful living, according to Holmes, the originator of this rating scale, is a way of eating, sleeping, exercising, acting, thinking, and believing that creates trouble for the human body. To measure the stresses ("good" or "bad" is to evaluate just how much of this destructive activity is going on; and at the same time to give assistance in knowing when to change to avoid serious illness, physical or mental. Dr. Holmes suggests that when we rate ourselves against this chart for the past year, we can predict our tendency for health or sickness in the near future. With 151 - 299 life change units, we have about a fifty percent probability of getting sick in the near future; with less than 150 life chang units, we have only about a thirty percent probability of getting sick in the near future.
Suggestions for Using These Results to
Maintain Health & Prevent Illness
1. Become familiar with the life events and the amount of change they require.
2. Put the scale where you and the family can easily see it several times a day.
3. With practice you can recognize when a life event happens.
4. Think about the meaning of the event for you and try to identify some of the feelings you experience.
5. Think about the different way you might best adjust to the event.
6. Take your time in arriving at decisions.
7. If possible, anticipate life changes and plan for them well in advance.
8. Pace yourself. It can be done even if you are in a hurry.
9. Look at the accomplishment of a task as part of daily living and avoid looking at such an achievement as a "stopping point" or a "time of letting down".
Remember that the scale can show us that a tendency exits, and that we can do something about it by creating more constructive activities in our lives: improve our diets, get more sleep, and more regular exercise.
Some Suggestions From Annie
1. Go into the bathroom and light your favorite candles. Take a long, luxurious bubble bath. Remember: You deserve this nurturing time.
2. Call your best friend and cry.
3. Call your best friend and laugh.
4. Play with your dog (or cat or other pet).
5. Read a good book while you sip your favorite herbal tea and cuddle up in a big ol' armchair.
6. Go for a long drive in the country..
7. Take a walk in the park.
8. Buy yourself a huge bouquet of colorful flowers.
9. Surround yourself with beauty and warm, wonderful people.
10. Email a special friend in GeoCities.
*Copyright T.H. Holmes and R.H. Rahe, The Social Readjustment Rating Scale, Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 1967