Help yourself cope with burnout, depression, insecurity and anger through effective stress management activities.
Lee Iacocca, the renowned “Father of the Ford Mustang” said
“ In times of great stress and adversity, it’s always best to keep busy, to plow your anger and energy into something positive”.
I literally did that! I buried myself in work as I tried to cope with the grief of widowhood. Work was an outlet for me that kept me busy with the kids and my job. Instead of wallowing in sadness and self-pity, I juggled two to three jobs and spent many hours working online until early mornings. I felt young and strong then; I was what everyone can call as a “supermom”.
That was several years ago. Now, I have slowed down and realized that it was doing me more harm than good. In 2011, I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder that had me stay in bed for almost a month. And the culprit is – stress!
What causes stress?
Stress is what you feel when you are under pressure. It is psychological and therefore an important concern of mental health practitioners.
Stress may be external like those caused by stressors at work, in your family or with your neighbors. Stress can also be internal. When you feel discomfort, insecurity, depression or other emotions that send your mind to panic, you cause stress within your own self.
What are the symptoms of stress?
Stress is a powerful feeling. It doesn’t affect only your mind but your body and emotions as well as your behavior.
Panic attack including feeling of being threatened is psychological symptom of stress. When not diagnosed properly and treated, this condition may lead to serious mental disorder.
Headache, muscle cramps, back pains, chest pains, hypertension, heart diseases, fainting spells, upset stomach, nail biting, hyperhidrosis or excessive sweating and sleeping disorders are some physical manifestations that you are under stress.
Your emotions can immediately reveal that you are stressed. Fatigue, burnout, irritability, anxiety, depression, anger, restlessness, sadness and feeling of insecurity are symptoms of stress, too.
Some people resort to vices such as alcohol and drug abuse. Social isolation, angry outburst and crying frequently are indications of stress. Others cope with stress by eating too much or not eating at all.
Well, instead of falling into vices and misery, try some stress management activities to cope with any stressors you encounter.
What are the effects of stress to your health?
How do we cope with stress? Oftentimes, we do not know how. As a result, we get terribly sick.
Many degenerative disorders can be results of too much stress. Did you know that stress is a risk factor for cancer? A professor in Ohio in molecular and cellular biochemistry, Tsonwin Hai noted in his research that when we are stressed we help our cancer cells to spread to other parts of our body. Cancer is just an example of a stress-related disease.
Here are some illnesses associated with stress:
- Alcohol and drug abuse
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Asthma
- Autoimmune disorders or inflammatory diseases
- Cardiovascular diseases and heart problems
- Depression and anxiety
- Diabetes
- Digestive or gastrointestinal problems
- Headaches
- Premature death
- Obesity
Stress Management Activities
We cannot get rid of stress at all but we can control how we react to it. Because we deal everyday with people, many factors can trigger a stressful situation. Know how to effectively manage stressors in your life.
There are various stress management activities to make every stressful day lighter. One way is to keep a positive attitude and be aware that some things are beyond your control. Exercise and meditation are also helpful ways to relax your mind so you can focus on the real problem. Good organizational skills are also important to avoid stress. Support groups and new hobbies can take away your mind from the problem and help you think rationally before jumping into a conclusion or wrong decision.