Stress –
What is it & how do you deal with it?
Stress can be defined as the degree to which you feel overwhelmed or unable to cope as a result of pressures that are unmanageable.
What is stress?
At the most basic level, stress is our body’s response to pressures from a situation or life event. What contributes to stress can vary hugely from person to person and differs according to our social and economic circumstances, the environment we live in and our genetic makeup. Some common features of things that can make us feel stress include experiencing something new or unexpected, something that threatens your feeling of self, or feeling you have little control over a situation.
When we encounter stress,
our body is stimulated to produce stress hormones that trigger a ‘flight or
fight’ response and activate our immune system. This response helps us to
respond quickly to dangerous situations.
Sometimes, this stress
response can be an appropriate, or even beneficial reaction. The resulting
feeling of ‘pressure’ can help us to push through situations that can be
nerve-wracking or intense, like running a marathon, or giving a speech to a
large crowd. We can quickly return to a resting state without any negative
effects on our health if what is stressing us is short-lived, and many people
are able to deal with a certain level of stress without any lasting
effects.
However, there can be
times when stress becomes excessive and too much to deal with. If our stress
response is activated repeatedly, or it persists over time, the effects can
result in wear and tear on the body and can cause us to feel
permanently in a state of ‘fight or flight’. Rather than helping us push
through, this pressure can make us feel overwhelmed or unable to cope.
Feeling this overwhelming
stress for a long period of time is often called chronic, or long-term stress,
and it can impact on both physical and mental health.
Stress is a response to a
threat in a situation, whereas anxiety is a reaction to the stress.
What
makes us stressed?
There are many things that can lead to stress. The death of a loved one, divorce/separation, losing a job and unexpected money problems are among the top ten causes of stress according to one recent survey. But not all life events are negative and even positive life changes, such as moving to a bigger house, gaining a job promotion or going on holiday can be sources of stress.
What are
the signs of stress?
Emotional
changes
When you are stressed you
may experience many different feelings, including anxiety, fear, anger,
sadness, or frustration. These feelings can sometimes feed on each other and
produce physical symptoms, making you feel even worse. For some people,
stressful life events can contribute to symptoms of depression.
Work-related stress can also
have negative impacts on mental health. Work-related stress accounts for
an average of 23.9 days of work lost for every person affected.
Behavioural changes
When you are stressed you
may behave differently. For example, you may become withdrawn, indecisive or
inflexible. You may not be able to sleep properly. You may be irritable or
tearful. There may be a change in your sexual habits. Some people may resort to
smoking, consuming more alcohol, or taking drugs. Stress can make you
feel angrier or more aggressive than normal. Stress may also affect the way we
interact with our close family and friends.
Bodily
changes
When stressed, some
people start to experience headaches, nausea and indigestion. You may breathe
more quickly, perspire more, have palpitations or suffer from various aches and
pains. You will quickly return to normal without any negative effects if what
is stressing you is short-lived, and many people are able to deal with a
certain level of stress without any lasting adverse effects.
If you experience stress
repeatedly over a prolonged period, you may notice your sleep and memory are
affected, your eating habits may change, or you may feel less inclined to
exercise.
Some research has also
linked long-term stress to gastrointestinal conditions like Irritable Bowel
Syndrome (IBS), or stomach ulcers as well as conditions like cardiovascular
disease.
Who is
affected by stress?
All of us can probably recognise at least some of the feelings described above and may have felt stressed and overwhelmed at some time or another. Some people seem to be more affected by stress than others. For some people, getting out of the door on time each morning can be a very stressful experience. Whereas others may be able to cope with a great deal of pressure.
Some groups of people may
be more likely to experience stressful life events and situations than others.
For example, people living with high levels of debt, or financial insecurity
are more likely to experience stress related to money, people from minority
ethnic groups or whose who are LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender)
may be more likely to experience stress due to prejudice, or discrimination,
and people with pre-existing or ongoing health problems may be more likely to
experience stress related to their health, or stress due to stigma associated
with their condition.
How can
you help yourself?
There are some actions
that you can take as an individual to manage the immediate, sometimes
unpleasant, signs of stress and identify, reduce, and remove stressful factors
that may cause you to feel overwhelmed and unable to cope. If you feel
comfortable, talking to a friend or close colleague at work about your feelings
can help you manage your stress.
However, sometimes
individual actions on their own are not enough to reduce long-term stress for
everyone. We can often be affected by factors that are beyond our direct
control. Communities, workplaces, societies, and governments all have a role to
play in tackling these wider causes of stress.
1. Realise
when it is causing a problem and identify the causes
An important step in
tackling stress is to realise when it is a problem for you and make a
connection between the physical and emotional signs you are experiencing and
the pressures you are faced with. It is important not to ignore physical
warning signs such as tense muscles, feeling over-tired, and experiencing
headaches or migraines.
Once you have recognised
you are experiencing stress, try to identify the underlying causes. Sort the
possible reasons for your stress into those with a practical solution, those
that will get better anyway given time, and those you can't do anything about.
Take control by taking small steps towards the things you can improve.
Think about a plan to
address the things that you can. This might involve setting yourself realistic
expectations and prioritising essential commitments. If you feel overwhelmed,
ask people to help with the tasks you have to do and say no to things that you
cannot take on.
2.
Review your lifestyle
Are you taking on too
much? Are there things you are doing which could be handed over to someone
else? Can you do things in a more leisurely way? You may need to prioritise
things you are trying to achieve and reorganise your life so that you are not
trying to do everything at once.
3. Build
supportive relationships
Finding close friends or
family who can offer help and practical advice can support you in managing
stress. Joining a club, enrolling on a course, or volunteering can all be good
ways of expanding your social networks and encourage you to do something
different. Equally, activities like volunteering can change your perspective
and helping others can have a beneficial impact on your mood.
4. Eat
Healthily
A healthy diet will reduce the risk of diet-related diseases. There is also a growing amount of evidence showing how food can affect our mood. Feelings of wellbeing can be protected by ensuring our diet provides adequate amounts of nutrients including essential vitamins and minerals, as well as water.
5. Be
aware of your smoking and drinking
If possible, try to
cut right down on smoking and drinking. They may seem to reduce tension, but in
fact they can make problems worse. Alcohol and caffeine can increase feelings
of anxiety.
6. Exercise
Physical exercise can be
an excellent initial approach to managing the effects of stress. Walking, and
other physical activities can provide a natural ‘mood boost’ through the
production of endorphins. Even a little bit of physical activity can make a
difference, for example, walking for 15-20 minutes three times a week is a
great start
7. Take
Time Out
One of the ways you can
reduce stress is by taking time to relax and practicing self-care, where you do
positive things for yourself. Striking a balance between responsibility
to others and responsibility to yourself is vital in reducing stress
levels.
8. Be
Mindful
Mindfulness meditation can be practiced anywhere at any time. Research has suggested it can be helpful for managing and reducing the effect of stress, anxiety, and other related problems in some people.
9. Get
some restful sleep
Sleep problems are common
when you’re experiencing stress. If you are having difficulty sleeping, you can
try to reduce the amount of caffeine you consume and avoid too much screen
time before bed. Writing down your to do list for the next day can be useful in
helping you prioritise but also put the plans aside before bed.
10.
Don't be too hard on yourself
Try to keep things in
perspective and don't be too hard on yourself. Look for things in your life
that are positive and write down things that make you feel grateful.
If you continue to feel
overwhelmed by stress, seeking professional help can support you in managing
effectively. Do not be afraid to seek professional help if you feel that you
are no longer able to manage things on your own. Many people feel reluctant to
seek help as they feel that it is an admission of failure. This is not the case
and it is important to get help as soon as possible so you can begin to feel
better.
The first person to
approach is your family doctor. He or she should be able to advise about
treatment and may refer you to another local professional. Cognitive
Behavioural Therapy (CBT) has been shown to be helpful in reducing stress by
changing the ways we think about stressful situations, this might include
focusing on more positive aspects of a situation and reassessing what their likely
impact might be. Other psychosocial interventions that can be helpful include
brief interpersonal counselling, which can give people the opportunity to
discuss what causes them to feel stress and develop coping strategies; and
mindfulness-based approaches.
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