The stress response is the mobilization of all the body’s resources for a short period of time to take decisive action in a dangerous situation. At least that’s what nature intended. Unfortunately, many of us experience stress almost constantly, and this can lead to exhaustion of the body and the development of chronic diseases. To maintain mental and physical health, it is important for every modern person to know how to cope with stress.
It is unlikely that stress will be completely avoided, although we can try to reduce it to a minimum. Unfortunately, this is not always possible, because stress is often associated with unpredictable events that we cannot control. Together with psychotherapist Khadizhat Saadulaeva, we will try to understand what stress is, how it affects our body, how to develop stress resistance and how you can cope with stress.
Any life situations associated with dissatisfaction, confusion, conflicts, sudden unwanted changes, physical and psychological discomfort can become sources of stress. Here’s what most often causes stress in different age categories:
Adult men and women
An adult constantly has to solve many problems in all areas of life. Here are the most common causes of stress:
- Financial problems, uncertainty about the future.
- Problems with work, bad relationships with colleagues, bosses.
- Constant workload, lack of time, inability to fully relax.
- Health problems, chronic diseases.
- Information overload, constant disturbing and negative news in the media
- Illness and death of relatives (primarily parents).
- Difficulties with children: illnesses, conflicts, problems with behavior, studies, etc.
- Personal problems: conflicts with a partner, dissatisfaction with personal life, etc.
Teenagers
During puberty, adolescents are often emotionally unstable and experience increased levels of stress. At this age, many new difficulties arise in their lives (related to studies, choice of profession, relationships with peers, the emergence of interest in the opposite sex, etc.), which they did not have to deal with in childhood. Here are some common causes of stress in adolescents:
- Hormonal and physiological changes associated with puberty
- Dissatisfaction with one’s own body and appearance
- Diffidence
- Problems with studies
- Anxiety about upcoming final/entrance exams
- Problems communicating with peers (including those of the opposite sex)
- Family problems
- Financial difficulties
Children
Children can experience stress in any unfamiliar or unfamiliar situations. Many problems that adults tolerate quite calmly can cause severe anxiety in a child. Here are the most common causes of stress in children:
- Illness, injury, pain – both in the child himself and in a close relative
- Trouble in the family
- Worrying about school or grades.
- Excess responsibilities (school, clubs, sections, etc.)
- Problems in the children’s group (lack of friends, bullying, etc.)
- Moving, changing schools or kindergartens
- Lack of self-confidence, negative thoughts about yourself
- Quarrels or divorce of parents
- Financial problems in the family
What kind of stress is there?
Canadian physician Hans Selye (1907–1982), one of the largest researchers of the body’s stress reactions, identified two main categories of stress:
| Eustress | Eustress is short-term stress that does not deplete the body’s resources. This may be a stressful reaction to joyful or interesting events. It feels like joyful excitement and emotional excitement. Eustress can be useful – it activates the body’s hidden reserves, increasing energy and performance, but does not deplete us. |
| Distress | Distress is a stress reaction that our body and psyche cannot fully cope with. Such stress can cause severe anxiety and confusion, and a feeling of helplessness. Regular distress can lead to the development of anxiety and depressive disorders and other chronic diseases. |
Symptoms of Negative Stress
Our body perceives stressful situations as danger and uses additional resources. Therefore, stress causes certain physiological reactions, including increased production of certain hormones (adrenaline, norepinephrine, cortisol, etc.). Symptoms of stress are directly or indirectly caused by these processes in the body:
- Irritability, increased nervous excitability, mood instability, constant anxiety
- Inability to relax and calm down
- Feeling of psychological and emotional overload, constant fatigue
- Forgetfulness, problems with attention
- Sudden change in appetite (in any direction)
- Decreased mood, pessimistic thoughts
- Chest pain and rapid heartbeat
- Headache
- Digestive problems (stomach pain, constipation, diarrhea, nausea)
- Constant muscle tension, spasms and muscle pain
- Insomnia
- Loss of interest in sex
- Frequent colds
10 effective ways to cope with stress on your own.
In most cases, a healthy person is quite capable of coping with everyday stress on their own. To minimize the harmful effects of stress, it is important to eliminate those stress factors that we can influence, ensure regular good rest and try to lead a healthy lifestyle to generally strengthen the body. Here are some tips to improve your resilience and manage stress.
1. Be physically active
Playing sports or simply regular physical activity increases stress resistance and serves as an excellent prevention of anxiety and depressive disorders. As research shows [1], aerobic exercise (for example, running, swimming, cycling, race walking, etc.) is especially effective in helping to combat stress.
2. Eat a balanced diet
Our diet affects every system in our body, including the brain and nervous system. A healthy diet improves brain function, thereby increasing stress resistance and reducing the risk of mental disorders. At the same time, studies show that consuming large quantities of processed foods, fast food, and foods with a lot of sugar makes us more vulnerable to stress and anxiety disorders [2].
3. Spend more time with friends and family
Support from loved ones is especially important during difficult times and helps you cope better with stress. Research shows that a lack of support from loved ones can provoke acute feelings of loneliness, symptoms of depression and increased stress levels [3].
4. Try to be in nature more often
Even a short walk in a park or forest can help you relax, take your mind off worries and relieve stress. Long hikes are not necessary – just 10 minutes of contact with nature can be enough to ease nervous tension [4].
5. Don’t be afraid to say no
It is impossible to completely get rid of sources of stress in life. But reducing them is entirely within our power. For this, it is important, among other things, to protect your personal boundaries and be able to say “no” . Even if colleagues or friends persistently ask for help or invite you to some events, remember that you always have the right to refuse if you feel that you do not have enough energy and time. Additional responsibilities often create additional stress.
6. Limit your alcohol intake
There is often a temptation to quickly relieve stress with a glass of wine or a glass of cognac. This may provide short-term relief, but chronic drinking will only worsen anxiety and weaken the body’s ability to cope with stress.
7. Cut down on caffeine
Caffeine helps to cheer you up, relieve drowsiness and give you a temporary boost of energy. At the same time, its excessive consumption (in addition to coffee, it is found in black and green tea, many carbonated and energy drinks) can increase anxiety and disrupt sleep, which, in turn, also aggravates stress [5].
8. Limit your use of electronic devices
Modern life cannot be imagined without smartphones and computers, but the constant flow of information (especially negative) from the Internet and social networks creates an increased burden on our psyche. Research confirms that excessive use of smartphones and other electronics leads to increased stress levels [6].
9. Keep a diary
It is not necessary to describe in detail all the events that occur in the diary. First of all, such a diary gives us the opportunity to “pour out our souls,” as if pouring out our experiences on paper. Describe your feelings, write about what brings you pain and joy. It is very useful to regularly list in your diary what we are grateful for in life (the reasons for gratitude can be the most insignificant). Research shows that keeping such a diary helps combat stress, anxiety and emotional tension [7].
10. Practice mindfulness meditation
Mindfulness is a state in which we are focused only on what is happening in the present moment. We are not distracted by thoughts about outsiders, the past or the future. Numerous studies show that mindfulness practice is highly effective in managing stress.
There are many different mindfulness meditation practices. Example exercise: In a calm environment, focus on your breathing, counting your inhalations and exhalations. When you reach 10, start over. Breathe steadily, in a normal rhythm. If you are distracted by extraneous thoughts, calmly turn your attention back to your breathing, without judging or judging yourself and these thoughts. Do the exercise for 10–15 minutes.
When to Seek Professional Help
Most often, we manage to cope with everyday stress in one way or another. But sometimes the resources of the body and psyche are not enough, and this can lead to unpleasant consequences, including chronic nervous and mental disorders. To avoid this, it is important to be able to recognize warning signs in time and seek help from a specialist – a psychotherapist or psychiatrist. If any of these symptoms persist for several weeks or longer, you may need help from a psychologist or doctor:
- You feel like you can no longer control your emotions (for example, having angry outbursts or crying uncontrollably)
- You started drinking alcohol regularly
- You begin to have thoughts about harming yourself or others
- You constantly suffer from severe anxiety
- You start having regular sleep problems
- Your mood began to change suddenly and without obvious reasons
- You have stopped receiving joy and pleasure from everything that previously gave you positive emotions
- You feel constant fatigue, a significant decrease in performance, deterioration in concentration
The dangers of long-term stress for health
Physiologically, stress reactions are designed to briefly mobilize additional body resources in dangerous situations. Normally, when the danger has passed, the body returns to its normal mode of operation without significant consequences. However, if the body is forced to remain in stress mode for a long time, the increased production of stress hormones begins to negatively affect various systems and organs. Here are the consequences that chronic stress can lead to:
- Mental disorders: anxiety and depression, as well as various types of addictions
- Decreased performance and poor concentration
- Weakening of the immune system
- Muscle pain
- Cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension
- Obesity and eating disorders
- Decreased libido, problems in sexual life, in women – menstrual irregularities
- Skin and hair problems: acne, psoriasis, eczema, hair loss
- Gastrointestinal disorders: gastroesophageal reflux, gastritis, ulcers, ulcerative colitis
Psychologist’s advice
Khadizhat Saadulaeva, a psychotherapist at the SM-Clinic medical center, spoke about stress and methods of dealing with it:
“Stress is a natural reaction to various situations in which the body needs to quickly adapt or respond to a threat. It is a defense mechanism that helps us survive in dangerous situations.
There are many factors that can cause stress, such as physical exertion, emotional distress, social situations, financial problems and more. Some people are more vulnerable to stress due to genetic predispositions or previous traumatic events.
When we experience stress, our body releases stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol, which prepare us to take action. However, prolonged exposure to stress can be harmful to health, causing various physical and emotional problems such as headaches, digestive problems, insomnia, depression, etc.
For people experiencing increased stress, there are a number of methods and strategies that can help them cope with it themselves:
- Spend more time on physical activity – this could be yoga, running, swimming or walking outdoors.
- Practice relaxation techniques: deep breathing, meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, etc.
- Maintain a healthy lifestyle: balanced nutrition, stable sleep and rest patterns. If possible, give up bad habits.
- Strive for positive thinking and acceptance of situations that cause stress.
However, if the stress becomes too severe and begins to interfere with your ability to function fully in everyday life, it is worth seeking professional help. A therapist, psychologist or psychiatrist can help you understand your condition, develop effective strategies for coping with stress and help you return to normal life.”
Questions and answers
SM Clinic psychotherapist Khadizhat Saadulaeva answered some popular questions about stress and methods of dealing with it.
How to help your child cope with stress before exams?
Coping with exam stress can be a difficult process for children, so it is important to provide your child with support and assistance during this time. Here are some ways that can help your child cope with exam stress:
Create a calm and supportive environment for your child. Encourage him, listen to his worries and worries, support him emotionally.
Help your child develop a test preparation plan. Help him take the time to study the material, review key concepts, and create an action plan.
Make sure your child gets enough rest, sleep, proper nutrition, and physical activity.
Teach your child to use relaxation techniques such as breathing exercises, meditation or yoga to reduce stress levels.
Remember that it is important to support your child, but not to make him feel that exams are the most important thing in life. Explain to him that even in case of failure, nothing catastrophic or irreparable will happen.
What to do if you are constantly stressed at work?
If you find yourself constantly stressed at work, here are some tips that may be helpful:
- Try to establish a balance between work and non-work time. Make time for proper rest, sports, hobbies, communication with friends and family, and other activities that will help you recuperate and refocus.
- Analyze what exactly in the work process causes such stress. This could be an excessive workload, conflicting relationships with colleagues and superiors, an inconvenient work schedule, or something else.
- Discuss the situation with loved ones. Share your thoughts and experiences with friends, family or colleagues. Talking it out will probably make you feel better.
- Try relaxation practices. Yoga, various types of meditation, and breathing techniques can help.
- Try to treat yourself with compassion. Each of us has difficult periods in life. Don’t be too demanding of yourself and be sure to give yourself the opportunity to fully rest and recuperate.
What is the difference between anxiety and stress?
Both anxiety and stress are conditions associated with increased nervous and mental tension. They have both similarities and differences.
Anxiety is a psychological state of worry or fear that can occur as a reaction to some kind of danger (both real and perceived). We can experience anxiety in a variety of situations: at work, in personal relationships, in social interactions, etc.
Stress is a special state of the body associated with increased tension – both physical and mental. Stress is often caused by increased workload, sudden life changes, conflict situations, financial problems and other factors.
The main difference between these conditions is that anxiety is primarily associated with our emotions , and stress is associated with increased stress (both physical and mental).
Anxiety often causes certain physical symptoms: trembling, excessive sweating, rapid heartbeat, etc. Anxiety can also provoke psychosomatic symptoms, such as headaches or digestive problems.
Both of these conditions can negatively affect your well-being, health and well-being, so it is highly advisable to master relaxation and stress management techniques , and if you cannot cope on your own, you should seek advice from a psychologist or psychotherapist.
What will help you quickly cope with stress before an interview or public speaking?
Here are some effective methods for dealing with stress before an upcoming important event:
Deep breathing and relaxation: Try taking a few deep breaths in and out while focusing on your breathing. This will help you relax and reduce your stress levels.
Positive statements (affirmations): Imagine yourself successfully passing an interview or successfully speaking in front of an audience. Repeat positive statements to yourself, such as “I am calm and confident” or “I am prepared and ready to succeed.”
Visualization of success: Imagine yourself successfully completing an interview or speaking in front of an audience. Visualize yourself as confident and professional, receiving positive feedback from others.
Physical activity: Doing some simple exercise before an upcoming performance can help you take your mind off things and reduce your stress levels.
Discuss your experiences with friends, colleagues or loved ones. Sharing experiences and support from people important to you can help reduce stress and uncertainty.
It is important to remember that stress before an interview or public speaking is a completely normal reaction of the body to such a situation.