StressManagement
The
list of potential stressors is infinite – but let’s include transition!
However
necessary stress may be (it helps to motivate us), it can exceed each
individual’s threshold and then seriously affect their personal physical and
mental health. So, let’s learn
about it.
What
is Stress?
A physical or emotional factor that causes physical and/or mental
tension.
When
does stress occur?
When one’s physical or psychological balance are disturbed, when
one’s adaptive resources are taxed to the limits by environmental or internal
demands. Stress, if negative, is
distress or positive, is eustress. They
can be short lived (acute) or long lasting (chronic).
How
can one deal with stress?
You must first understand and notate what stresses you out.
Once a potential stressor is recognized it can be dealt with.
So, we must learn to listen to our mind and body.
If you recognize your stressors you can simply avoid them or learn how to
control them.
Why
avoid them?
You avoid it if the benefits of engaging it do not outweigh the stress
caused.
If
your partner’s driving causes you to leave marks on the dashboard from
squeezing, you could do the driving, or take a bus.
Can
stress be controlled? ….Yes.
How?
Problem Focused Method: by
restructuring your thoughts to better deal with the situation; or,
Emotion Focused Method: that
teaches you to deal with it by reducing anxiety – finding internal peace and
acceptance.
Problem
Focused Method
When
you ask yourself the basic questions of the stressor and think logically to
put the situation into perspective you can succeed. If a speeding ticket stresses you out, ask questions like
…is it really going to impact my life? Why am I stressed about this,
I did it? …. Is stressing out
over this ticket worse than a serious illness?
This method takes a conscious effort and practice.
Emotion
Focused Methods
There
are two methods to be tried.
v
Changing Emotions.
Discharge, acceptance, regulation.
Emotions can be discharged through actual expression (e.g. drying when
sad). Acceptance occurs when we
recognize that we have little or no control over the stressor (e.g. closure)
by adapting to the outcome without a continuing pointless struggle.
Effective regulation allows us to control emotional arousals within our
own nervous system.
v
Relaxing Methods.
Progressive relaxation is used to decrease muscle tension, blood
pressure and heart rate. It’s
easy to learn to relax multiple muscle groups; meditation is equally
effective; exercise is very beneficial to help reduce stress itself (it gives
you something else to focus on).
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