YOU’RE NOT CRAZY! BUT THE STRESS MAKES YOU THINK YOU ARE.
By Maria Telesco (former President of the Fresno Center For Nonviolence)
In the early 1970s, behavioral scientists began to study and understand the effects of stress, defined as “physical, mental or emotional tension caused by change.” The scientists found that “good” stress (a change for the better), causes as much tension as “bad” stress (change for the worse). Dr. Thomas Holmes of the University of Washington School of Medicine prioritized life events in order of their ability to produce stress. He awarded point values to each:
Death of a spouse ranked number one, given a value of 100 points on a scale of one to 100. He did not list every conceivable life event but determined that similar events would earn similar point scores. He did not specifically list things like being arrested and going to prison, but it’s easy to plug those events onto the list.
Studies determined that most people who experience up to 100 stress points in a year usually manage to deal with it and not have any serious residual problems. Stressful events amounting to 200 points in any one 12-month period represent a degree of disruption most people cannot manage, Holmes said; it would cause severe physical and mental illness within a year. People who experience 300 points in a year’s time can die from the stress. The study concluded that people who suffer a major loss or disruption in their lives, such as the death of a spouse, their home burning down, job loss or bankruptcy often undergo as many as 500 points or “life change units.” Many people who attain such high scores become gravely ill and some die prematurely.
Currently Maria Telesco is being hospitalize in isolation as of this writing, September 19, 2020. Only she will say when or where she will go and still fights on. Stay strong and powerful wherever the spirit takes you, you shall be missed. Never fear, for your work to Abolish the Death Penalty, Bring Justice to an Unjust nation and more shall never end. For you have wept for the souls of many good people treated unfairly and so we will weep for you but only a short time so to get back to the dream you had of a peaceful existence. Or at least for a better world. Thank you for the time you gave us.
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