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Warning Signs You Might Be Under Stress
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The newest findings from the American Psychological Association’s “Stress in America” poll are out, and they’re very depressing. Our anxiety is over the roof because of things like the current epidemic, the conflict in Ukraine, and the increase in prices. The stresses of daily life, such as job demands, child care responsibilities, traffic jams, and dealing with unpleasant individuals, are compounded by societal stresses.
Depression, anxiety, weariness, physical sickness, and burnout are just some of the negative outcomes of prolonged, uncontrolled stress. Recognizing that we have a stress problem is the first step in solving it.
Knowledge is Power
Due in part to the variety of ways in which chronic stress may manifest, it can be very difficult to identify how it is impacting us. When we’re under intense pressure, our adrenal glands secrete stress hormones into the circulation, where they have a profound impact on our whole being.
Because our bodies are so adept at adapting to stressful situations, we often fail to recognise just how much pressure we’re under. In order to maintain functioning, our bodies release stress hormones like cortisol repeatedly throughout the “adaptation” phase of the stress reaction.
As a consequence, we may be unconsciously oblivious to our increasing stress levels since it seems that we are doing OK. But after years of ignoring my own stress levels, I learned that we eventually wear out (which ultimately caught up with me). That I needed to take better care of myself and lessen the causes of my stress was evident in retrospect.
By keeping an eye out for warning indicators, we may lower our stress levels before they become unbearable and head off a potential disaster. Adapted from “The CBT Flip Chart,” here are 18 warning indicators to keep an eye out for:
Body and Behaviour
First, stress raises muscular tension, which gets us ready for action. Their continuous tension might have a negative feedback loop on our state of mind, making us feel even more threatened and uneasy.
Insomnia: Because our brains instinctively know that being asleep and defenceless is a bad thing when we’re in danger, sleep is typically the first thing to go when stress levels rise. When we’re exhausted but yet wired, falling asleep may be a real challenge.
Migraines and tension headaches are two types of head pain that may be brought on by stress. A lack of sleep makes everything worse.
Digestion Issues The parasympathetic nervous system is the body’s natural counterbalance to the sympathetic nervous system’s “fight, flight, or freeze” reaction. Both loose stools and constipation are common reactions to stress.
Drug and alcohol abuse: When I was under a lot of pressure, like many other individuals, I drank more. Since it uses the same neurotransmitter pathway as tranquillizers like benzodiazepines, it’s not surprising that this is one method that humans attempt to deal with stress (e.g., Xanax). Unfortunately, the use of alcohol as a means of relieving stress often results in more issues.
Sixth, avoiding human contact since it’s too difficult to manage stress when interacting with others. When we isolate ourselves, we risk losing the social support that helps us manage stress and maintain a positive outlook.
Mind
Having too much on one’s mind makes it difficult to focus on any one thing without the rest of one’s thoughts becoming jumbled.
Disorganization We can’t seem to keep our thoughts together when we’re under a lot of pressure. Therefore, it seems that there are not enough available resources to meet current needs.
Stress impairs our ability to concentrate, leading us to jump from one problem or danger to the next.
Tendency to lose attention when distracted by several ideas at once or by the anxiety that comes with forgetting something important or making a mistake.
Stress impairs the hippocampus, a brain region responsible for learning and memory, making it more difficult to form new memories and retrieve old ones.
Twelve, a sense of being unable to deal with the situation because of a lack of resources and the general sensation that everything is too much.
Emotions
Discouragement – Constant stress causes feelings of helplessness since we know we can’t meet the obligations placed on us.
When we’re feeling low on enthusiasm, even activities we usually look forward to might seem like an unwanted drain on our energy. This mood usually comes before burnout.
Hopelessness: The longer we’re under stress, the more likely we are to assume that we’ll constantly feel overwhelmed and that nothing will ever get better. Depression is exacerbated by a lack of hope.
Agitation, number sixteen: When our sympathetic nervous system is on high alert, we have a feeling of being shaken and on edge all the time.
Disconnection: When our nerve systems are overworked, they enter Low Power Mode, similar to a mobile phone, to save energy by selectively shutting off non-essential processes. As a result, we may experience a dissociation from our bodies, our environments, and other people.
Irritability: When we’re cognitively, physically, and emotionally exhausted, it’s hard to cope with other people, so we snap and lose patience.
An Efficient Method for Handling Stress
If we’re experiencing a wide variety of stress symptoms, we’ll need a wide variety of strategies for dealing with them. Meditation, behavioural modification, and cognitive therapy all come together in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for stress relief.
Be present: We experience a great deal of anxiety when we contemplate how much work is ahead of us and worry that we lack the resources necessary to do it. When we become aware that our thoughts have wandered, mindfulness gently nudges us back to the here and now. It’s far easier to deal with what’s happening right now than it is with the imagined future. Through cultivating a state of receptive awareness, we may relax our resistance to the world around us and accept things as they are.
The “C” in CBT stands for “cognitive,” which involves retraining our brains to identify unproductive and false beliefs. Beliefs like “It will be dreadful if I don’t complete this assignment today” just cause unneeded anxiety and may be overcome with practise.
The last component of mindful CBT is a behavioural one, focusing on the actions we do. Saying “no” to activities that will overextend us is one way to alleviate stress that comes from being overcommitted. Each day, we may set aside time to do things that bring us delight, such take a few deep breaths and do some exercise.
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