Stress is Sort of Funny

By Sara Mendez

Stress sort of funny. Not *chuckles* funny, but *strange* funny. It can make you act heroic, or it can destroy your health and life.

It depends on how much stress you have and what kinds of stress. It also depends on what your past has taught you - how your mind has learned to deal with stress.

The biological signs of stress are meant to help you physically survive. In your world, this is rarely helpful, since most stress today is psychological.

Psychological stress will stem from problems such as worry about money, family, and your health. Your body's physical reaction to stress does not do anything for these situations. Because these kinds of situations are quite common and long-term, your body can be experiencing a constant state of stress.

High stress can cause health problems as varied as muscle tension, sleep problems, mental confusion, depression and digestion problems. Health problems from stress eventually just increase the stress you already have.

It is obvious that managing and reducing your stress is a priority. There are thousands of people offering you advice on how to do this. You will need to find what works for you. What advice is most helpful for your situation and your way of doing things?

I believe it will help you find your appropriate stress management tools by becoming more aware of what creates your stress and how you experience it.

It can be helpful to decide of your stress is situational or behavioral - Is your stress reaction appropriate for the current situation or does it feel blown out of proportion? Figuring this out can require some brutal honesty on your part.

Situational stress is generally easier to figure out, and since it's about a situation, it is generally more short-term. What common stress management methods will work for you? Is it realistic to expect yourself to get some form of exercise and a proper diet? (I know from personal experience, if I have high stress it is when my life is too busy to work-out or get to the grocery store for planned meals)

If your stress is behavioral, spending some time analyzing the triggers may help. Look at your past and see if it is making your stress higher than it should be. Stressful memories of the past can and do effect us every day. (The stronger the emotion, the more vivid the memory. The more vivid the memory, the stronger the stress you will continue to feel from it.)

After getting a better understanding of your stress, you will have a better idea of how to manage it.

Situational stress is easier to figure out and will eventually be behind you. Behavioral stress may require outside help to get through. But, it IS possible, and IS worth accomplishing.

If you consider your stress a serious problem, seek professional help. Prescription Medicine is sometimes an answer, though many people complain of side effects and do not like the foggy feeling some medicines give. They'll sometimes say they don't know which is worse, to live in a fog or to be stressed.

Research your options and educate yourself about them. Then, find what works for you and do it. When it comes to improving your life, the only poor choice is to not try. - 31857

About the Author:

Sign Up for our Free Newsletter

Enter email address here