We sometimes use the word stress to describe our lives when they are a little hectic, but isn’t life always hectic for most people?
We all get stressed at times, it doesn’t mean that we are all going around with dangerous stress levels all of the time, so why are some people better at coping with pressures than others. Well, some people have learned how to handle pressures, some even thrive on it, but for most pressure means stress and that isn’t a healthy situation.
Real stress, the type that is a constant in our lives is very dangerous. Stress is also known as the silent killer, so it makes a lot of sense to learn how to cope with life’s challenges and not get stressed. If stress doesn’t kill you, then it will certainly affect your health.
You may first notice the symptoms of stress when you are around your friends or family, our true state of being is usually in our regular surroundings, so the people closest to us may notice the changes long before we do.
Firstly, if we are stressed, we are more likely to feel it first. A person suffering from stress may feel:
- Quick to get anxious, frustrated or moody
- Feel overwhelmed, like you are not in control of your life
- Unable to relax or clear your racing thoughts
- Feel bad about yourself (low self-esteem) feel lonely, worthless or depressed
- That you don’t want to be around people
If you start to notice, or someone else feels that you are changing, maybe they notice you have a shorter fuse than normal. Often new people coming into our lives notice it sooner as they have not become used to our behaviours. If you or someone else identifies any of the above symptoms then maybe you should seek help and look at learning how to relax your body and mind.
Secondly, if your body starts to feel different, or you don’t feel as healthy as you did, maybe your body is trying to tell you that you are stressed.
Physical symptoms
- No energy or exhausted
- Sweating more than you used to
- Stomach pain, including diarrhoea or and feeling sick
- Tense, aches, pains, or tense muscles
- Pains in the chest or a fast heartbeat
- Sleep problems
- Constant minor illnesses (colds and flu)
- reduced sexual drive or libido
- Anxious feelings for no apparent reason
- Headaches or Migrane
- A dry mouth and tight throat
These emotional and physical symptoms combined will indicate that you are suffering from dangerously high stress levels. if you are feeling like this most of the time, you should see your GP and take immediate steps to reduce your stress factors and learn how to relax so that you can quickly manage stress and your triggers.
Some simple ways to relax and reduce stress
- Take a long soak in a bath and play some gentle music (a shower will do too)
- Go for a walk in a quiet area (be sure it’s safe) Exercise is a great stress reducer
- Close your eyes and just imagine a tranquil setting, do this as often as you can throughout the day
- Do something you enjoy, with someone who you feel relaxed with
- Busy people can find it difficult to make time to relax, counselling online is effective for people with time constraints
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- You can benefit from spending time alone, walking in a park or nice place to give yourself a quiet moment away from stressful things in your life.
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- Sometimes we concentrate on the negative emotions we have without a break from them .A good way to let it go is to imagine a pleasant moment from your life.
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- Spending quality time with your close ones would be helpful to reduce stress.
It is possible to do stressful things, have a hectic family life, or work in a very pressured job without getting stressed or letting stress become a way of your life. If it already feels like you are stressed, you can change that, even if you can’t change the family or work pressures, you can learn a new way to cope with the pressures which do not result in you being stressed, stress relief techniques are popular, effective and only take a few minutes.
If you reduce the stress you will improve your health and well-being, your close relationships will improve, people will want to spend time with you and be around you more and for career focused people, your work performance will increase as you will perform better with a healthier mind and body, so it really is worth thinking about looking at ways to reduce stress and function better in both your personal life and in your work or career.
Paul Parkin – Online Counsellor and Life Coach.
‘A journey of a thousand Miles begins with a single step’
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Author Bio
Paul Parkin Dip. Coun. I am a counsellor, therapist and life coach. I am passionate about helping people who are hurting or in crisis. My goal is to help people reach their full potential by providing affordable counselling online to people everywhere via my counselling website – Counsellors Online. I have worked as a counsellor for the past 11 years, I have worked in several counselling settings, including – The National Society of Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) the NHS. North East Council on Addictions (NECA) and Several telephone helplines including The Samaritans. See other posts by Paul Parkin or subscribe to his posts.
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hi Paul, Counsellors Online is very interesting, I haven’t had time to read all of it as been in bed with flu, but what i have read is spot on
take care love Ralph
I have gone through life feelings stressed, but I do use the tips in this blog that Paul gave me many moons ago. They do help, take time to smell the roses, take time for you no matter how rotten you feel, it really does help. Great advice as always Paul :-)
Thanks, sometimes our struggles do take time, but it is far better to struggle with change than to continue struggling with lifes crap, at least struggles with change will one day be a benefit.
Well done and thanks for writing.