Since modern life is full of demands and frustrations, all of us need to learn different ways to cope with stress. Today, the term stress is such a broad term used in different industries and fields of science. Although this term stirs up a variety of definitions, the popular one is typically what we experience and complain about almost every day when we go to school, work, or perform other daily activities.
Everyday Stress
Stress is as a defense mechanism of our body from a perceived threat or fear. Our nervous system responds by releasing a huge number of hormones like cortisol and adrenaline that prepare the body for a fight or flight response. This mechanism is already innate in us. It protects our body from different forms of danger or harm. In order to apply different ways to cope with stress, we should first gain enough information on our body's normal reaction called stress response Stress and Its Symptoms Due to the body's response to a certain stressor, there are different symptoms that can either be psychological or physiological. In order to learn proper ways to cope with stress, we need to learn about the cognitive symptoms it can cause, including memory problems, inability to concentrate, poor judgment, being pessimistic, gaining racing thoughts, and chronic worrying. If we are not able to learn effective ways to cope with stress, we will not be able to perform our best in situations that require being mentally healthy and stable, such as in school or in the office.
Another category of symptoms is the emotional aspect, and this includes moodiness, irritability, agitation, depression, and even a feeling of loneliness. Behavioral symptoms of stress can also affect our health; they can cause bad eating and sleeping habits, lead to alcohol or cigarettes use or annoying habits like nail biting or pacing. Different ways to cope with stress have been discovered; they can able to get rid of physical symptoms, such as chest pains, constipation or diarrhea, dizziness, rapid heartbeat, frequent colds, and loss of sex drive. Whether you're single or married, stress can really greatly affect your life, especially if you do not know ways to cope with stress.
External and Internal Factors
The success of different ways to cope with stress are affected by a lot of internal and external factors, but our tolerance to stress is much more influenced by internal factors, such as the presence of a support network, sense of control, attitude, outlook, and ability to deal with emotions. A strong support group of family and friends is a great buffer against everyday stressors. That's why it is important that we develop a good relationship with our family, relatives, classmates, or coworkers so that when we go to school or work, we are also able to enjoy it in their company. Self-confidence is another factor in dealing with stress.
When we have the right amount of confidence, we are able to face challenges and obstacles while being in control. Having a positive attitude and outlook in life will also more likely bring positive results in the challenges that we face. With a strong support system and high self-confidence, we are able to deal with our emotions properly without getting too frustrated or stressed out!
Causes of Stress
To learn proper ways to cope with stress, we also need to have a bit of an idea on its possible causes. Stress, as we all know, can be caused by two types of factors, and these could either be external or internal factors. External factors include financial problems, relationship difficulties, and lacking time for self or family. Internal factors also affect our ways to cope with stress in a sense that it is self-generated and these are perfectionism, pessimism, lack of assertiveness, unrealistic expectations, and inability to accept certain risks or failures.
Stress for the Better
Stress is not always negative; it can also help someone perform better. A lot of people usually do not perform well when they are relaxed, but when deadlines are approaching and stress is already there, they usually perform much better than expected. A lot of people use different ways to cope with stress since each one of us has our own way of doing it. What is important is that we don't get too ahead of ourselves that we forget what is really significant in our lives and the right thing to do.
Conclusion
We are not perfect human beings. We are not able to live healthily without facing a few bumps on the road. Learning a variety of ways to cope with stress is essential so that we are able to reach our life's ambitions without turning into a wreck or becoming too self-absorbed. Managing stress is all about being in control and in charge of yourself, which includes your habits, thoughts, and routines that may affect your ways to cope with stress. Through giving yourself a break from stress with relaxation, you are able to pull yourself together in such a way that you are ready for the new day ahead. Stress will always be around as a short-term chronic issue, but this doesn't mean that you should wallow in frustration. Be strong!
Stressors will never disappear from life, and they can take different forms, so ways to cope with stress are important to learn. A stressor for a person may not even be considered a stressor for another person, so it is really important that we effectively know ourselves when it comes to situations like these.
