- Most people are not mostly aware that they are stressed until the situation deepens.
- Dr. Otieno warns that if stress is left unmanaged, it may lead to chronic phases and expose you to dangers.
- Stress leaves people vulnerable to negative suggestions, so focus on the positives—concentrate on your strengths, learn from your stress, and seek help.
Self-awareness and identification is the first step towards stress management. Be aware of its presence and recognize the signs and symptoms.
Dr. Rose Otieno, a Psychologist.
In today’s fast-paced and demanding world, stress has become a common experience for many people. It can arise from work pressures, relationship issues, financial problems, health concerns, and other life challenges.
According to Cleveland Clinic, “Stress responses help your body adjust to new situations. Stress can be positive, keeping us alert, motivated and ready to avoid danger.”
Dr. Rose Otieno, a Counseling Psychologist, Therapist, and Psychology Lecturer at Kisii University, takes us through the in-depth aspect of stress and stress management.
She defines stress as the “wear and tear” that our minds and bodies experience as we attempt to cope with our continually changing environment.
All the definitions imply that for stress to occur, there must be a stressor/pressure and response.
“Eustress” has a beneficial effect. It’s “good” stress, as the Greek prefix eu- means. Stress is experienced during a wedding, a new job, or taking a new sport that results in personal growth.
“Distress” is experienced when events have a harmful effect on you. It is stress experienced during a funeral and does more damage to our health if not well managed.
Stressors
Dr. Otieno highlights some of the causatives of stress: the death of loved ones, divorce, separation, imprisonment, illness, marriage, unexpected pregnancy, change in financial status, mortgage, and minor violations of the law.
Am I stressed?
Most people are not mostly aware that they are stressed until the situation deepens.
“It’s possible to get used to the symptoms of stress and not even realize there’s a problem. So when there’s a lot of stress in your life, it’s important to pay attention to how it affects you so you can do something about it.” This is according to Medline Plus, a health-related center.
“Self-awareness and identification is the first step towards stress management. Be aware of its presence and recognize the signs and symptoms,” advised Dr. Otieno.
Behavioral symptoms of stress include increased smoking, restlessness, increased intake of alcohol and other drugs, nail-biting, and hypochondriasis.
“Illness anxiety disorder, sometimes called hypochondriasis or health anxiety, is worrying excessively that you are or may become seriously ill. You may have no physical symptoms,” as defined by Mayo Clinic.
Physical symptoms of stress are a change in sleep patterns, fatigue, loss of sexual drive, headaches, aches and pains, dizziness, palpitations, missed heartbeats, fainting, and breathlessness.
Emotional symptoms of stress are shown by impatience, loss of sense of humor, reduced concentration, memory lapse, difficulty in decision-making, panic attacks, tearfulness, withdrawal, aggressiveness, and nervousness.
Ladies or gentlemen
Concerning who is at risk of getting stressed between ladies and gentlemen, Dr. Otieno comments, “Everybody is at risk of stress, and it’s not necessarily based on gender.
However, some people are more predisposed to stress than others due to personality traits, work stress, unmet needs, death, strained social relationships, and perfectionist tendencies.
Stress and mindset
Dr. Otieno says everyone is different, with unique perceptions of and reactions to life’s circumstances.
“There is no single level of stress that is optimal for all people. Some are more sensitive owing to experiences in childhood, the influence of teachers, parents and religion and many others. Most of the stress we experience is self-generated,” the psychologist explains.
She adds that how we perceive life—whether an event makes us feel threatened or stimulated, encouraged or discouraged, happy or sad—depends to a large extent on how we perceive ourselves.
“The following mindsets can affect how we perceive stress and lead to the negative impact of stress. Unrealistic expectations, over analyzing, taking things personally, rigid thinking, and pessimistic thinking,” Dr. Otieno says.
Unmanaged stress
Dr. Otieno warns that if stress is left unmanaged, it may lead to chronic phases and expose you to dangers.
“Stress, if neglected, can lead people to have conflicts, sleeping problems, high blood pressure, post-traumatic stress disorder and frustration,” warned Dr. Otieno.
Stress is highly related to depression, and if untamed, it may lead to suicidal thoughts, plan or attempt, or completion.
It is very essential that it gets managed as it is often a trigger to various mental disorders.
Stress is not the same as ill health but has been related to illnesses such as ulcers, cardiovascular diseases, and digestive disorders.
Managing stress
Dr. Otieno highlights the following ways you can use to manage stress.
Problem-solving: Identifying and addressing the root causes of stress is essential for effective stress management. Breaking down problems into smaller parts, brainstorming, and taking action to address the issue at hand.
Social support: Seeking support from friends, family, or support groups can be instrumental. Talking about your feelings and concerns with trusted individuals can also provide emotional relief and alternative perspectives. Building a strong social support network can enhance resilience and provide a sense of belonging.
Self-care: Taking care of yourself is crucial for stress management. Participating in activities that bring you joy and relaxation, such as hobbies, reading, and listening to music, or spending time enjoying nature. Practicing self-compassion and self-acceptance, setting realistic expectations, and being kind to yourself are important aspects of self-care.
Relaxation techniques: Activities like deep breathing, exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, meditation, yoga and mindfulness practices can calm the mind and relax the body. These techniques promote a sense of inner peace and improve overall resilience to stress.
Time management: Poor time management often leads to stress. Learning to prioritize tasks, setting realistic goals, and managing deadlines effectively can help alleviate stress. Breaking down big tasks into smaller, manageable steps can make them less overwhelming.
Healthy Lifestyle: Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is essential for stress management. Regular physical exercise helps reduce stress levels, improves mood, and promotes overall well-being. Eating a balanced diet, getting enough sleep, and avoiding excessive alcohol, caffeine, and tobacco are also beneficial for stress management.
Winning against stress
Dr. Otieno encourages people battling stress to forget powerlessness, dejection, despair, and failure for better stress management.
Stress leaves people vulnerable to negative suggestions, so focus on the positives—concentrate on your strengths, learn from your stress, and seek help.
“The most important strategy is to recognize the source of negative stress. This is not an admission of weakness or inability to cope, but a way of identifying the problem and taking significant measures to overcome it,” advises Dr. Otieno.
It’s true, very often, life is what you make it, and most times, health is what you choose, so choose health today.
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“Changing how we relate to our feelings of stress can also save us from becoming trapped in unhealthy coping behaviors, such as an overreliance on alcohol or avoiding situations that temporarily worsen how we feel. In time, stress can help us build resilience and motivate and energize us to make decisions and stop repeating the same mistakes,” writes Dr. Jeremy Sutton in Positive Psychology.
