Stress is one of the most common problems that people are facing in America. The stress levels in American children and adults are on a rise with over 44 percent of Americans reported moderate to high stress at some point in time. Americans are more likely to report symptoms of stress, which include anger, anxiety and fatigue. As per the recent study conducted by the American Psychological Association, the most common sources of stress include the future of the nation (63 percent), money (62 percent), work (61 percent), political climate (57 percent) and violence and crime (51 percent).
This brings us to the importance of stress management in America. But before we talk about stress management, let us understand what is stress, what are the symptoms of stress and how to deal with it.
What is stress?
Stress is a reaction to a short-lived situation such as relationship issues, death of loved one, job loss, financial troubles or other serious situations. Although not every type of stress is bad for you, if it starts to interfere with your ability to live a normal life over a prolonged period of time, it can become dangerous.
Although every individual experience stress in different ways, some of the most common symptoms of stress are:
Symptoms of Stress
Difficulty in sleeping or excessive sleeping
Sudden weight gain or weight loss
Headaches or stomach aches
Obsessive or compulsive behaviors
Irritability, tiredness and difficulty in concentration
Fatigue
Nausea
Panic attacks
Feeling overwhelmed
The above mentioned are few of the common symptoms of stress. If you or your family members are experiencing any of these symptoms, it is important to look at various stress management techniques.
What is Stress Management?
Stress Management is a set of techniques which aims to help people deal with day to day stress. The technique involves identifying the causes of stress and minimizing its impact.
Why managing the stress and its effects are important for our health?
Prolonged and repetitive stress can have long-lasting psychological as well as physical health issues. Stress can make you feel tired, irritable or unable to concentrate. It can also lead to developing a range of illnesses – from the common cold to serious consequences like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, anxiety and depression. In fact, experts consider chronic stress to be a significant risk factor for serious illnesses like heart attacks, cancer, etc.
Considering the harmful effects of stress, it is important that you implement various stress management techniques to overcome these issues. These techniques can not only help you deal with stress but also improve your overall health. It can also improve your mood, improve your productivity, boost your immune function and promote longevity.
After understanding the importance of stress management, let us understand a few factors that you must consider for managing your stress.
Tips for stress management
Understand your stress and its source
Learn to recognize your stress symptoms
Identify what calms your stress
Implement stress management strategies
Prioritize self-care
Get help when needed
The very first step to deal with stress is to understand your stress. Try to identify the causes of stress or what leads you to stress. It can be work pressure, financial issues, relationship issues, family problems, change in lifestyle or any other trigger. By understanding your stress triggers, you will be better prepared for stress management.
As mentioned earlier, every individual shows different symptoms of stress. Therefore, it is essential to recognize your individual stress symptoms. It can be a headache, stomach ache, mood swing, fatigue or sleep deprivation.
Make efforts to identify what calms you down when you feel stress episodes. Identifying your stress calmers can help you get immediate relief from the symptoms of stress. Moreover, if you have a habit of resorting to negative calmers like alcohol, overeating, etc., you can immediately switch them for a healthy option.
Once you know what is bothering you, develop a plan for addressing it. Develop healthy coping behaviors like meditation, yoga, exercise to create positive change. You may also ask for help with household responsibilities, job assignments, child care and other tasks, which will help you relax your stress.
Put your well-being and self-care before everything else. This is one of the most effective stress management techniques. Get enough sleep, rest well, eat properly and healthy, exercise regularly and do not forget to pamper yourself. All of these will promote well-being.
After implementing all of the above strategies, if you still feel overwhelmed, consult a psychologist or mental health counselor who can help you manage your stress effectively. A counselor can help you identify stress, reduce the symptoms of stress, learn new stress management strategies and prevent burnout.
For more tips on stress management, you may get in touch with Living In Wellbeing, a renowned counselling center in India. You can seek online as well as in-person counselling to deal with stress. With the help of experienced counselors and expert therapists, we are able to help millions of patients around the globe overcome stress issues. Get in touch with us now!
