When confronted with a difficult situation, we feel a sense of helplessness, dread, and anxiety. Stress and anxiety are two of the most common emotional issues people face daily. It is a physical response in our bodies to a perceived threat caused by various factors…. work, family, or money issues. While some stress is normal, too much of it can be harmful to one’s health. This is because when you’re stressed, your body releases hormones that can weaken your immune system. As a result, you may become sick more often than usual. If you’re frequently feeling stressed out, it’s essential to find ways to manage it before it starts harming your health.
When we experience a stressful life event, that becomes chronic stress. Some of the illnesses that we can get from this are chronic pain, obesity, diabetes, depression, anxiety, gastrointestinal problems, aging, high blood pressure, heart disease, asthma, and increased mental illness.
It’s no secret that stress can take a toll on our mental and emotional well-being, but what about our physical health? Studies have shown a correlation between stress and illness, with some suggesting that stress may even contribute to certain diseases. There are ten things or factors that may cause stress. The death of a spouse or someone special is a significant factor. Divorce, marital separation, imprisonment, death of a close family member, personal injury, marriage, dismissal or fired from work, marital reconciliation, and financial problems are all contributing factors that may lead to stress.
While many of the contributors to these feelings are out of your control, understanding how they affect you is a great place to start if you’re feeling stressed or anxious. According to Richard Lazarus, a prominent American psychologist, professor, and researcher who studied stress and its relationship to cognition, “modern stress is an experience when demands exceed our resources that individuals can mobilize.” Meaning, do you have all the things necessary going on in your life to handle the stress? Are you getting enough sleep? Are you drinking enough water? Do you exercise or eat properly? Do you have a proper mindset to deal with that stress? All of these things help to counteract that.
So how do we deal with these stressful situations? First, evaluate the level of the problem. To assess the situation, you have to acknowledge it. Acknowledge that you are stressed out or anxious, and you can tell your partner or those around you that you need some help and recognize that you have a problem. However, sometimes, doing something is worse than not doing something. It might sound absurd, but doing nothing can also be a good thing. Just sit, think about the situation and assess it. Is it as stressful as it should be? How can I deal with it? Does something need to be done? By taking a step back and assessing what’s going on, you can put things into perspective and find a way to address the challenge at hand. It can help you refocus and clear your mind.
How you think about your stress will dictate how much it affects you. If you use the right mindset and positive thinking to deal with stressful situations, they will less likely affect you as much. One reason for this is because when we’re in a good mood or frame of mind, our brain releases cortisol which helps us handle stress better than if we were angry or upset at someone who had just insulted us. Hence, just taking a break and relaxing can be one of the best things you can do for yourself. This is where self-care comes in, which is the next step to deal with stress. If you’re feeling stressed out, don’t forget to take some time for yourself. You can take a cold shower to lessen the tension, go to a spa or salon, do some workouts since it’s scientifically proven that exercising can help with stress by releasing endorphins. Do something you love. Getting support from others is another excellent way to manage stress. This could involve talking to friends and family, seeking professional help, or participating in stress-relieving activities like yoga. No matter what works for you, getting support can make a difference in managing your stress level. Relax, breathe deeply, and let the stress wash away. You’ll feel better in no time!
The old adage of “a healthy mind in a healthy body” is more accurate than ever. With the incredible amount of stress that we’re all dealing with these days, it’s important to know how to take care of your mental health and be proactive about taking time for yourself- no matter what you do or where you are.