Stress is a part of life. But we don’t have to succumb to the health risks that it causes. Everyone has experienced stress at some point in life. Unfortunately, some individuals experience more stress than they can handle and need stress management to learn how to habitually handle stress when it rears its ugly head. This overwhelming anxiety can affect them physically as well as psychologically, causing problems with relationships at home, work or in public.
Stress management is a way of coping with anxiety and stressful situations that we encounter in our day-to-day. Medical professionals have long recognized the negative effects stress can have on the body and mind. Stress management encompasses a wide range of techniques and practices designed to manage and control an individual’s stress levels. Understanding how to utilize stress management in our daily routines can help lessen the impact of stress and help us recognize and remove the root source of anxiety. Stress management can include professional treatment and counseling, or self-help techniques, such as daily exercise, developing coping skills and discussing personal problems with trusted social contacts.
What is stress?
Stress is the way we react to conditions in our environment, body or mind. The conditions that trigger this reaction are called stressors. Examples of stressors can include driving in traffic, severe weather, loud noises, aggressive behavior and lack of money. When humans are faced with triggers, stress can overwhelm the senses so that it’s challenging to deal with the harsh realities of life.
Stress is an expression of the body’s natural “fight or flight” mechanism – a way to defend ourselves against real or perceived dangers. When your brain feels stress it releases copious amounts of chemicals like cortisol, adrenaline, and noradrenaline into the body. These cause increased heart rate, faster breathing, heightened alertness and the muscles to tense as our body prepares to either stay and confront the stressor or flee to safety. Stress management teaches us how to calm our breathing, relax our muscles and find our inner peace to deal with the pressures of life.
The more stressors we experience, the more stressed we become. Acute, or short-term stress, is generally benign and can even be beneficial in emergency situations. This includes the anxious feelings we get while awaiting the arrival of a newborn or the outcome of a sporting event. However, chronic or long-term stress, such as that caused by ongoing financial problems, a dysfunctional family situation, or an unhappy marriage, can have a negative effect on your life. It has been linked to several health conditions, including depression and heart disease.
Physical symptoms of stress
Stress manifests in many forms. Physical and emotional symptoms of long-term stress can include:
- Headaches
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- Indigestion and other stomach aches
- Chest pain
- Back pain
- Depression
- Irritability
- PTSD
- Muscle aches, spasms, and cramps
- Sexual dysfunction and loss of libido
- Nervous twitches
- Autoimmune problems
- Fainting
- Insomnia
Stress management helps us alleviate the mental and physical symptoms of stress, especially harmful chronic stress. Many people experience stress at work, at home and during new and transitional times.
Stress in the workplace
Where do you experience stress? Most Americans cite the workplace as a significant source of stress. Low wages, excessive workloads, deadlines and lack of advancement opportunities are just a few of the causes of stress in the workplace. Unfortunately, work-related stress doesn’t go away when you clock out for the day, we often take it home with us. Sometimes we can’t avoid on the job stresses, but stress management can help us control it. When work stress becomes chronic, it can be overwhelming — and harmful to both physical and emotional health. Many companies are incorporating stress management programs, health and fitness rewards, and other activities to help employees deal with the common anxieties associated with work.
Marital stress
Stress in a marriage can cause serious damage to a relationship. Every marriage goes through difficult periods, but chronic stress-related problems can tear it apart slowly causing an underlying conflict between spouses. Marital stress can lead to such behavior as alcoholism, infidelity, gambling and substance abuse. Financial problems, miscommunication, children, in-laws, sexual problems, work, and arguments are just a few of the causes of marital stress. Stress management can often help couples learn how to open up to each other, discuss their problems and seek solutions. Professional counseling can also help bridge the gap between couples who have lost sight of how to communicate. Counselors can encourage couples to work together using effective stress management tools.
Family and relationships
The challenges and responsibilities of raising children is frequently a source of stress for parents. Despite the fact that they love their children, parents are in many cases unprepared for the challenges of raising a family. Relationships with children and other family members may become strained due to stress at work or in the relationship. Stress management is important for parents who can’t handle the mood shifts of their children and don’t know how to cope with their sudden change in behaviors. Finding a counselor to help navigate the rough waters that come with raising kids can help parents learn the proper coping skills to handle whatever kids are going through.
Stress management techniques
There are many ways you can manage anxiety in our life. Which ones have you tried? Which ones would you be willing to try to help with stress management?
- Exercise
- Talking to a friend
- Meditation or yoga
- Social networking
- Eliminating stressors
- Counseling
- Keeping a diary
- Recognizing stressful situations
- Prescription medications
- Training workshops
- Attend motivational speaking events
Stress management can help reduce the intense pressure that can affect your job, marriage or family. An expert in stress management, Dr. D. Ivan Young specializes in providing singles, couples and professionals the tools they need to successfully manage stress in their lives. A certified Master Coach, Master Neuro-Linguistic Programmer, and credentialed Master MBTI Practitioner with a Ph.D. in Holistic Life Coaching, Dr. D’s stress management counseling allows individuals to enjoy life to its fullest and achieve their highest possible potential.