Our reaction can explain stress, which means how we react when under pressure. It usually occurs when we feel that there is a situation that we cannot manage or is out of control.
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines stress as “the reaction people may have when presented with demands and pressures that are not matched to their knowledge and abilities and challenge their ability to cope.”
Stress can occur in different forms; it can be as follows:
- When a person has many responsibilities and struggles to manage them or cope with them.
- It can happen in a group form, too, when a family goes through a crisis or financial problems.
- It can happen in a community, for example, if a person belongs to a particular religion and faces discrimination.
- As a member of a society, the best example that we have of this is the coronavirus pandemic.
Different people act differently when it comes to stress, even if it happens in a community or group of people. This can also occur if the cause of stress is identical. Sometimes it gets overwhelming; one cannot even see beyond the fog of anxiety.
Types of Stress
Sometimes, a small amount of pressure or stress is suitable for a person; it motivates him to complete tasks and get things done and feels more energized. But it can become a significant problem when it lasts for an extended period or if its intensity is high. It can directly affect our mental and physical health. Two different types of stress could happen to a person, which is as follows:
- Acute Stress: It happens within a few minutes to a few hours of an event. It lasts for a short time, but it could be very intense. This could happen after a sad or upsetting event.
- Chronic Stress: It happens for an extended period or keeps coming back. A person might experience this if under much stress for quite a lot of time.
Both of these types of stress can cause mental health problems. It can make existing problems even worse if a person continuously suffers through stress, leading to significant mental health problems: anxiety and depression. Or it can also lead to PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). Some people might find it difficult even to manage health appointments, medication, or other treatments. Some people use drugs and alcohol as a solution to deal with stress which directly affects mental health and causes further stress.
Tips for managing stress:
Stress is related to emotional or physical tension. It can come from any event or thought that makes you feel angry or nervous. These days it is tough not to get overwhelmed, and it can be tough to manage work, family, and commitments. To overcome this, you need to work on your mental and physical health; here are some tips to help a person overcome stress.
Exercise
It is one of the best ways to relax and calm your body and mind. It also helps to improve your mood. A moderate exercise for an hour like jogging or 40 minutes of intense workout at the gym or swimming and other sports helps. Now some people have a problem with giving up. To overcome that, focus on setting a goal for yourself so that you won’t give up but most importantly, remember why you started it in the first place.
Relax Mind and Muscle
When a person is stressed, muscles and mind tense. One can refresh the mind and lose muscle tension by stretching, massaging, a hot bath or shower, and a good sleep.
Deep Breath
Whenever stress comes in your way, you think it is too much to handle. Stop right away and start taking deep breaths. It will decrease the anxiety right away. Surprisingly, a person will feel a lot better after a few deep breaths.
Healthy and Good Food
Having a balanced diet can naturally help people feel better and control their moods. Healthy balanced food contains vegetables, fruits, whole grains, protein, and healthy fat.
Slow Down and Relax yourself
A stressful person should look at his life and think about what he can do to get rid of small stressful things. For example, set the time 10 minutes ahead of where you want to go to avoid the stress of being late.
Take a break
By taking a break, it means doing some yoga or meditation, listening to your favorite music, performing prayer, or spending some time with nature.
Hobbies
Carve out time for your hobbies and try to do things that make you feel good; it can help release stress. A simple 10 to 15 minutes will do. For example, reading, writing, solving a puzzle, watching a short film, etc. to distract yourself from the stressful event.
Talk to someone
If something is disturbing your peace, talk to someone about it. It can be your psychiatrist, friend, family, therapist, or even yourself. Have you ever heard of the term self-talk? We all do it. Some people believe that it is the best medicine for stress but make sure it is good and positive.
Final thought
Stress may be a short-term or long-term problem, depending on your past and present experiences. Most physical, mental, and behavioral effects of stress may be avoided by adopting stress management practices regularly. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, using drugs or alcohol to cope, or thinking about harming yourself, you should get medical help. Your primary care physician can assist you by providing guidance, giving medication, or referring you to a therapist.
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