Staying Stuck in Stress

I’ve come to the realization that we haven’t talked about stress yet. Yes, we talked about Post Traumatic Stress, but have not taken a look at general stress so far. And that is a pretty important subject if you ask me, because it is something so many of us deal with on a constant basis. Due to the fact that it is such a huge subject, we won’t be able to cover everything all at once. But I want to make sure we take a little bit of a deeper look into it for now and get to check out some of the consequences of staying stuck in stress.

Some people try to make it seem like stress is not a big deal, others struggle heavily with it. We all know, when you feel stressed, it doesn’t feel very good. In the previous blog, it was mentioned how stress comes from unchecked pressure. That’s literally what it is. It is the response of the body to pressure. But pressure can come from so many different situations and events.

We Feel Stress due to No Control

We feel stressed, mostly when we feel like we are out of control. Let’s be real here. When we feel like we have no control, we stress. That’s a normal response. Humans like to be in control of things. When we are not, we are just not sure how to handle it. And that brings stress. Everybody deals with it differently and that’s okay. It mostly comes from how we cope with things. And the way we cope can depend on so many different circumstances we experienced throughout life so far.

When you are going through times of uncertainty, you feel stressed. The times you are worried about something, they come with stress. When you experience big changes, you feel some stress. Sometimes you are faced with responsibilities that are overwhelming. That causes stress. When you have situations of hate or abuse, that has you stressing. Have you been through a break-up before? Those are really stressful. I can go on and on here, but this gives you a couple of examples to get an idea of moments when life throws lemons at you. They are stressful.

The Action of Stress Throughout the Body

Just like with pressure, stress can be a good thing or a bad thing. That’s why it is so important to understand it and use it for the benefit of the good. I know, when you’re in the middle of the stress storm, it’s not easy to think of the good it brings, but trust me when I say, there is a way.

Stress starts in your brain. It’s really interesting how it all functions in the body. When you start stressing about something, it triggers the stress hormone that produces psychological changes. It sends signals to your heart to pound faster and you start breathing faster. In your brain, it brings you into the survival mode, where you are being brought to the fight, flight, freeze or fawn options to take that we talked about before. Those responses enable you to respond quickly to the situations you are in.

So here is the deal… The repeated activation in your brain over time will start affecting the body if not dealt with. People experience brain changes that lead to addictions, anxiety and depression. Others experience high blood pressure and struggle sleeping which lead to other physical issues in the body. When that process goes on for too long, it can damage blood vessels. As the blood pressure stays up high, it increases the risk of strokes and heart attacks. Therefore, dealing with stress in life is truly important!

Recognizing Stress

When it’s a small amount of stress, it can be a motivator and help complete a task. It can give the energy needed in that moment. But the only one that can decide the level of the stress, is you. Stress becomes a problem when it is intense or lasts for a longer time.

Sometimes we recognize the signs of stress in our life right away. Other times, they might be a little more sneaky. Or perhaps we are so caught in the moment, where we just simply ignore them. It is really important to not overlook them though.

Here are some ways to recognize them: Sometimes, when you are stressed, you are more irritable or angry than usually. Maybe you feel less patient or overwhelmed. Sometimes stress is shown with fear or you feel more nervous. There are times of stress you’ll recognize because your mind is going 100 miles an hour. You can’t enjoy the moment you’re in. Maybe you are extremely worried. These are just some examples to recognize stress in life. It doesn’t stop there.

Stress is no Joke!

There are physical ways to recognize stress as well. Have you had a panic attack before? That’s one of them. When you feel fatigued and have problems sleeping, that can come from stress. Sometimes you can get headaches and muscle aches from stress. Yep, even diarrhea and constipation can come from stress. The high blood pressure, chest pains, or problems breathing is a stress cause. I know us females have had changes in the cycle due to stress before and then we freaked out even more. Stress is no joke!

When you get caught in stress, it makes it hard to concentrate and think. You forget regular things and aren’t sure why. Making choices during those times seems a lot harder. I had times where I snapped at people (which is not my norm at all) because I was stressing about something else in life. There are stories of people not being able to function sexually because of stress. Some people start withdrawing due to the stress in their life, which can lead to loneliness and from there go into depression.

Please understand, dealing with stress is so important, I can’t say it enough. People having hair loss from it. There were people that had to deal with a miscarriage that was caused by stress. There are so many other, very serious causes from it. IT IS NO JOKE!!!

Stress Management Techniques

Now, let’s look into stress management techniques and how to deal with it when it hits. Are you ready? First, realize you are doing this for your own well-being and that is completely okay. You are allowed to do that and that is not selfish! Taking care of yourself \does help you dealing with stress. Remember when we talked about figuring out things you like? Finding out some of your interests and hobbies? This is where it comes in handy. When you start spending time on things you like and enjoy, it takes your mind off the stress.

Make sure you are kind to yourself. All the time would be best, but especially when stress comes up. Put a little time to the side out of each day just for yourself. Reward yourself for the things you’ve accomplished and achieved, even when it’s just small things. Also, try to take a little time out of each day for breaks, just to relax.

One of the big things that are very hard to do, especially when stressed, but are a big necessity is resting and exercising. You need to do those for your physical health. Make sure you get enough sleep and get to exercise. Whether it’s going to the gym, or taking a good walk through the neighborhood or a beautiful park. Those matter. Exercise also helps regulating the heart beat from the stress and pushes you to take deep breaths. The deep breaths relax the brain flow. And also eat a healthier diet during these times. That gives you good energy and helps with good, restful sleep.

Getting through the Storms

I can’t say it enough… have the right support. Be surrounded by the people that get you through this. The people that support you, uplift you, encourage you and perhaps have been through some of this so they can give you great advice.

Another huge thing that can prepare you for stressful moments and not a lot of people mention is identifying the triggers. You can’t run from stress. There is no way to fully avoid it… but you can get ready for it. What are some things that make you feel stressed? And if you can’t think of anything, don’t feel bad to ask someone around you, someone you trust and knows you. They could point some things out for you. What are some things you worry about? Are there situations that come up here and there that keep triggering things? Please don’t push yourself over the limit here though. Know when to stop so it’s done in a healthy way.

Manage time, or organize it I should say. A lot of people feel more in control when they organize their time. Either the night before, or in the morning of the day, create a to-do list. Give it some thought when throughout the day do you have the most energy. Once you figure that out, try to get the things of highest priority done during that time of the day. Then, work through the list you made, checking one thing off after another. Keep in mind to only focus on one thing at a time. Set small, achievable goals.

Take a Deep Breath… You Got This

Take deep breaths throughout the day. Especially when you feel the stress emotions trying to bring you down. Remind yourself of the truth in that moment. Get yourself back to the present. For a little while, try not to read or watch stressful news stories (sometimes that includes staying off social media for a little while). Set yourself a limit. Take some time to stretch every day. You are not going to believe what a difference those stretches can do for you.

I could continue going a whole lot deeper with this subject, but for now we’ll leave it at this. This should give you a base and idea on where to start. Start with this and on the days when you feel like you’re failing because you weren’t able to, remind yourself to have grace on yourself. There will be days where it will be a lot more challenging than others. Keep in mind that you are not alone and believe it or not, more people are going through this right here, right now just as you are. Therefore, it doesn’t hurt to reach out and talk to people about it. You are getting through this, I believe it!