Let’s Talk About Stress!
By Kristian Gibson-Ford, LCSW, LISW-CP
Let’s be honest, we’ve all been stressed at some point in our lives. Maybe it’s the upcoming deadline at work or maybe you are in the process of planning a big event. No matter who you are we all must understand that stress is universal, and we all have experienced it at some point in our lives. It’s a normal part of being human. But what exactly is stress? The best way to think about stress is that it is the body’s way of responding to events or situations that upset your balance or make you feel threatened in one way or another. It’s our body’s way of becoming ready when we are feeling under pressure or in danger – whether that danger is real or imagined. Our body will automatically rise to the occasion and prepare us to take action to protect ourselves or to meet a tough situation with focus, strength, stamina, and heightened alertness. Stress can come from any thought or event that makes you feel frustrated, angry, or nervous. It’s our body’s way of responding to any kind of demand.
Stress can also be thought of as the “wear and tear” our minds and bodies experience as we attempt to cope with our continually changing environment. We typically experience more acute stress – or short-term stress that will go away quickly – in our daily lives. However, there are times when we feel more chronic stress where the stressor lingers on for weeks or months at a time. It can also be felt throughout our bodies both as physical and emotional tension.
There are times when stress can be good as well. We call that eustress, and this is the type of stress that helps us get things done. It propels us to deal with a situation and gives us enough energy and focus to achieve our goals. Believe it or not, your stress response is actually a fundamentally helpful, adaptive, life-sustaining, and even crucial system of our body. Having stress is neither a personal weakness nor a mental illness. Our stress response, often called the fight-or-flight response, prepares us instantly to either fight back or run for our lives. This automatic response was our ancestor’s way of surviving in tough times, and we still need our stress response from time to time even if our fiercest predators are no longer a present threat. For example, imagine crossing the street and having a car speeding towards you, blasting its horn. If we did not have our stress response, we’d probably be killed! Luckily, our body will instinctively go into fight-or-flight making sure you get out of the way of the car.
Even though we tend to not be in fight-or-flight daily, the buildup of our stressors can generate a stress response throughout our bodies. If our acute or chronic stressors do not subside or continually get worse it can lead to both mental and physical health problems. In essence, too much stress can become a bad thing. So, what are some symptoms of too much stress:
Forgetfulness
Frequent aches and pains
Headaches
Lack of energy or focus
Stiff jaw or neck
Tiredness
Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
Upset stomach
Weight loss or gain
Use of alcohol or drugs to relax
Diarrhea or constipation
Sexual problems
Increased breathing or difficulty catching your breath
Racing or pounding heart
Muscle tension
You cannot avoid stress, but you can stop it from becoming overwhelming by practicing some daily strategies:
Exercise when you feel symptoms of stress coming on. Even a short walk can help boost your mood.
At the end of each day, take a moment to focus and think about your daily accomplishments, not what you did not get finished.
Set goals for your day, week, month and prioritize them based on importance.
Try relaxation techniques, such as mediation, yoga, breathing exercises and muscle relaxation.
Take good care of your body daily. Eating right, exercising, and getting enough sleep helps to handle stress better.
Accept that you cannot control everything and find ways to let go of the worry about situations you cannot change.
Stay connected with people who keep you calm and make you happy.
Learn to say “no” to additional responsibilities when you are too busy or stressed.
Consider talking to a therapist or healthcare provider about your worries.
Stress at times can be debilitating. Hopefully, you can add some of these to your toolbox to help you decrease and manage your stress. Happy National Stress Awareness Month!