Quite unusual, but I want you to do the one thing you probably do not want to do. I want you to think about the word stress.
Think about what the word means to
you or think about a stressful situation, and identify the emotions or associated descriptions accompanying that word.
When asked to call out the emotions that come to mind on hearing the word “stress”, like you, I am quick to associate negative emotions or experiences with it.
Words like “tiring, exhausting, frustrated” or their synonyms will more quickly come to mind than anything positive. However, as fully functioning humans, we cannot do without stress.
A stress less life is as good as being dead. A bit gruesome, isn’t it? In a moment, you will understand what I mean.
First, let us define the word stress. I know you can probably come up with a definition or two of this widely used term. Simply put, we describe stress as a feeling of emotional or physical tension. It can come from any event or thought that causes you to feel frustrated, nervous, or upset. Examples of the physical tensions caused by stress could be fatigue, headaches, bodily exhaustion, etc.
On the other hand, feeling anger, frustration, nervousness, difficulty concentrating and/ or focusing on a task are plausible examples of the emotional tensions of stress. Stress is our body’s response to a challenge or demand. Biologically our bodies use stress to maintain equilibrium. For instance, if homeostasis is threatened or perceived to be, your body triggers a stress response that kickstarts a bodily function chain to optimise the situation. That’s how we can function as the intelligent species that we are. So when I say no stress is as good as being dead, I hope you get what I mean.
Stress in short bursts can be positive, as illustrated above. More examples include when stress helps us avoid dangerous situations or meet a deadline. So rather than running away or wishing stress away, it is crucial to understand the multifaceted personality of stress and learn how to manage it. This is because stress is only detrimental when it is continuous.
Stress Origins: Types and Causes of stress
There are two main types of stress:
1. Acute Stress
2. Chronic Stress
Acute stress is short term and often goes away quickly. Now when we say a short time, this is relative. Short term could mean, at the moment, several hours or a few days. An example of this might be a fight with your friend, parent or partner. Being held up in a traffic cue for a long time. Having to suddenly slam the brakes because a cat decided it’s the right time to cross the road. These are all different acute stressors (stressors- the thing that triggers the stress response). These types of stressors are sometimes beneficial. They help you manage the dangerous situation. We all experience acute stress at one point or the other throughout the day.
Meanwhile, chronic stress is the type of stress that lasts for extended periods. For example, you may have chronic stress caused by financial difficulties, unhappy relationships, difficulties at work, academic stress, etc. Any time of stress that extends for several weeks or months fall under this category. As humans, we are wired to adapt to different situations; more often than not, these adaptive behaviours occur unconsciously. Therefore, it is very easy for a person with chronic stress to become so used to the stress that they fail to realise it as a problem. This is where the danger lies. Our inability to identify the stressor as a problem leads to us not managing the stress, which can lead to health problems.
Signs of excessive stress levels:
There are several physical and emotional symptoms of stress that we experience but fail to associate with stress symptoms. Some of these include:
Headaches
Tiredness
Upset stomach
Stiff jaw or neck
Forgetfulness
Lack of focus
Diarrhoea or constipation
Troubles with sleep
Substance misuse (drinking or smoking too much )
Sexual problems
Low energy
Racing heart
Identifying stress:
As has repeatedly been mentioned in this article, stress is not always easy to recognise. However, there is a way to identify some of the signs that you might be experiencing a lot of pressure. It might be from an obvious source or embedded amongst a web of different things. So if you think stress might be affecting you, here is a little checklist to walk through:
Psychological:
o Difficulty concentrating
o Excessive feeling of worry
o Feeling anxious about a specific thing
o Forgetfulness
Emotional:
o Feeling easily angered
o Irritated
o Moody
o Frustrated
Physical
o High blood pressure
o Changes in weight
o Frequently falling sick (i.e. colds or infections)
o Changes in the menstrual cycle and libido
Behavioural
o Poor self-care
o Not having time for or feeling like doing the things you usually enjoy
o Relying on drugs and/or alcohol to cope
A combination of symptoms from any of these four categories is a sign that you are stressed. And it is essential to identify what the stressor is to know how to effectively manage it.
How to Manage your stress:
-Find a balance: Like anything in life, it is all about balance. We need to learn to be kinder to ourselves; our minds and bodies are sacred, so treat them as such. One of the most effective ways to reduce and manage stress, especially work-related stress, is to find a work-life balance. It is not a crime to work hard and be ambitious, but it is a criminal offence to let work take over every waking hour of your day.
-Set apart time in your day to just relax: There is a reason jobs provide a break time. It is not ample time to get ahead of your schedule. Take your break! Do not make it a working lunch. Put those screens away and focus on your food. Concentrating on your food aids in digestion, which means you will feel recharged and ready to go about the rest of your day.
-Eat with colleagues or friends: If you get along with anyone around you at school or work, have lunch with them, social interaction helps you emotionally.
-Conscious self-care: Do not ever end your day without doing something nice for yourself. If you aren’t privileged to have free time during the week, set apart time to do something for yourself during the weekend. You have to be purposeful with your self-care.
Get those nails done
Go to the salon
Get groomed
You need to look good to feel good. Neglecting self-care will only make matters worse.
-Eat right: food is vital to how you feel. Do not skip your meals; you need to eat healthily. And now is probably the right time to address that the fact that coffee and granola bar is not breakfast. Stop the fad diets and just eat right. A balanced meal is all the soul needs. If you are not a big breakfast person like myself, get some fruits ready to go. Invest in your body.
-Talk it out: a problem shared is half solved. Discussing a stressor does not make you weak; it just might be what you need. Asking for help when needed makes you a stronger person because it is easier to let misguided pride hold you down. It takes a lot of strength to admit to needing assistance. Be it a friend, a family member, spouse, or a certified person ( a psychologist or your GP), ask for help.
We live in a time and age where expectations are high and the world is constantly demanding a lot from us mentally and physically. It is very easy to get sucked into the mouse cage, and neglect our wellbeing. So set out this very moment to be more assertive towards your wellbeing and health. Do not let stress be the fuel to your day. Your mind and body are connected, and so make sure to care for both, so you can live optimally.
By: Anjie Raph