subject: More Effective Ways Of Coping With Stress [print this page] We're all impacted by stressin one form or another, so coping with stress effectively is crucial for everyone. The causes of stress in our lives, like bills, job loss, family illness, etc., seem to be constant, so it may seem that dealing with stress is a futile effort. However, there are effective ways to limit the affect of stress on you. Without understanding and using these control mechanisms, stress will not only be damaging mentally, but stress can also manifest intophysical ailments and problems. The first step to effectively managing yourstress is to determine what causes it.
Why Are You So Stressed?
Identifying the reasons for yourstress is the prerequisitefor effectively coping with stress. Mentally, stress is the result ofthe frustration or concern caused by changes in your life. The biological affects are the result of ineefectively handling the mental aspects of stress. Here are a few items that can initiate the aforementionedconcern and frustration:
Pain in your body
Conflict
Divorce
Marriage
Job Loss
Deadlines
Money Issues
How Do You Know You're Stressed?
As statedbefore, stress can causeboth negative mental and physical issues, if not dealt with properly. Unfortunately, most of us do notrecognize that we are stressed until we see some of these negative issues show upin our lives. It's when these sign manifest, that coping with stress becomes critical:
Physical pain (As opposed to causing stress, pain can also be a sign of stress, like back or neck pain)
Constipation
Insomnia
Weight Gain / Loss
Ulcers
High Blood Pressure
Relationship Issues
If you are seeing any or all of these issues showing themselves in your life, stress could be the culprit! Now let's deal with it. Let's be clear here. There are both healthy and unhealthy ways to deal with stress. Let's outline some of the unhealthy ways first, so that you might be better prepared to avoid them.
Coping With Stress - Dont's
There are a number ofthings people take to the extremeto deal with stress. Done in moderation, these things are not necessarily detrimental, but they are only short-term crutches and do nothing to addressthe real cause of the stress:
Excessive Alcohol Consumption
Drugs
Overeating
Withdrawing from friends and family
Sleeping too much
Watching TV or surfing to avoid "life"
Again, these are just temporary cover ups, not solutions. They do nothing to deal withthe stress in your life or to avoid the detrimental health effects that can show upas a result. Let's take a look at some more appropriate ways to deal with stress.
Coping With Stress - Dos
Mental Aspects
Realize you can't control the uncontrollable
Look for the "silver lining" (there's something positive in every situation)
Be more expressive (don't hold things in!)
Improve time management skills
Physical Aspects
Eat more nutritious food
Get the sleep you need
Exercise regularly
Meditate
Find a stress-free hobby
In the past, I have had a lot ofissues dealing with stress, mainly due to a highly demanding job. I eventually began to go to the gym and work out more often. However, this only addressed the exercise part of the solution. I have personally found a way of coping with stress that simultaneously satisfies the exercise, meditation and stress-free hobby aspects. My solution has been yoga. I can do it in the privacy of my own home and the benefits of yoga go far beyond the ones I just listed!
