Stress affects everyone at some point in our lives. It is a feeling of emotional or physical tension, and it can come from any event or thought that makes you feel frustrated, angry or nervous. Stress is the manifestation of your body's reaction to a challenge or demand. In short, it is the body's way of rising to a challenge and preparing to meet a tough situation with focus, strength, stamina and heightened alertness. When we neglect to look after ourselves, stress can build up and become an even bigger problem. Everyone faces stress in different ways, depending on the individual.
Everyone's capacity to handle stress varies as well. Some people may become angry and overwhelmed while sitting in traffic, meanwhile others may brush it off as a minor inconvenience. During a period of stress, your body's autonomic nervous system goes into "fight, flight or freeze" mode, which helps you face and handle stress, however, when this nervous system response is continually activated, it can negatively impact your health. This nervous system activation can feel like worry, tension, aches and pains, poor sleep, dizziness, low energy and more. It's important to gain awareness about what is stressing you out, given that stress can eventually wreak havoc on your physical and mental health, if left unchecked.
What Causes Stress?
Sometimes, you are aware of what is stressing you out, but sometimes you have to dig deeper to get to the root cause of your stress response. Some of the most common causes for stress include
- Financial problems
- Work
- Romantic relationships or family problems
- Daily responsibilities
- Your temperament and personality
Learning to Manage Stress
Although experiencing stress is inevitable, learning to manage it is essential so you can manage your health and prevent the development of chronic stress, anxiety or depression. The first step to managing your stress levels is to recognize the signs of stress in your body. Ultimately, it is important to prevent stress proactively, however if you are stuck in a stressful season, there is hope for you to gain control over your health and happiness. Here are some techniques to manage your stress.
- Prioritizing your self-care: All too often, we get caught up in the responsibilities of life (i.e. work, children, school, housework,) and neglect our own interests, passions and well-being. This could look like
- getting enough sleep
- spending time with friends
- reading books or watching movies that you enjoy
- meditating
- attending church services
- journaling to process your emotions
- moving your body in a way that feels good to you
- eating nutritious meals and avoiding excess caffeine
- trying breathwork or meditation
It's important to remember that as you begin to step into self-care, how you choose to take care of yourself should be tailored to you and your needs. You do not have to do everything on the list or any of it at all. However, creating a plan to begin taking small steps that promote a sense of ease when you're stressed can help you when stress does arise.
Are You Too Stressed?
If you have let your stress go unchecked for too long, it is likely that you feel completely overwhelmed and agitated most of the time. You may even choose to cope by using alcohol or drugs to take the edge off. Perhaps, you have resorted to self-harm due to the intense amount of stress you feel. If any of those are the case for you, reaching out for help to a physician or psychiatrist is crucial for your well-being. Many options are available to help you manage your chronic stress and give you hope that life can get better.
Talking To Your Provider About Stress
Managing your stress is essential to your long-term health, and your provider can offer insight and guidance on how best to take care of yourself. Some questions to ask your provider include:
- Could any underlying medical conditions be contributing to my stress?
- Can medications or supplements help me manage my stress?
- How can I improve my sleep quality?
- Is stress affecting my physical health?
- How can I prevent stress-related physical problems?
When you are honest with your provider about how stress impacts your life, you can work together to develop a plan that promotes better stress management and ultimately better health.
Treatment for Stress
If you feel your life has been hijacked by stress and its impact on your emotional and physical health, reaching out for help by talking to a local therapist can greatly reduce your symptoms of stress. Sometimes, when we are overwhelmed, having a safe space to process your emotions with an unbiased and educated counselor can release some of the burden that has been building inside of you.
If you feel that counseling sessions are not enough to help with the long-term effects of stress or you have resorted to coping with drugs or alcohol, rehab is the best place to start your healing process. Inpatient rehab for chronic stress/ co-occurring disorders or a wellness retreat can be a welcome relief and also set you on the path to begin again in a new and healthy way.
When treating stress, it's vital to attend a program that best suits your needs. Many rehabs offer executive programs that tailor schedules for work-related stress. Healing destinations like Southeast Asia also provide the necessary tranquility to heal. Holistic treatment can help reconnect you with not only others, but also yourself.