Monday, December 23, 2013

What Are Some Strategies For Coping With Stress?

By Harriett Crosby


It is not common for one to become overwhelmed by situations that appear to be beyond our control. This may occur in situations such as losing a loved one, losing a job, suffering a major illness or facing economic hardships. These are just but a few causes of anxiety and stress. If not properly handled, they may lead to a long, painful self-destructive road. The big question is, what are some strategies for coping with stress effectively?

Knowledge of the negative effects of this feeling both mentally and physically empowers one to deal with the challenge upfront. Contrary to common beliefs, the effects are not just psychological. They include a world variety of other body systems and other symptoms include muscle spasms, high blood pressure, back and chest pain, obesity, just to mention a few. Mentally, affected persons may experience anger, anxiety, fatigue, restlessness, sadness, insecurity and forgetfulness.

The environment is a huge determinant of the causes of stress in different people. Individual ability to handle challenges is also very important. As a matter of fact the causes are different from one person to another; what would cause anxiety in one person may actually be harmless in another. In a few cases stress does not have any clearly identifiable cause.

Issues that weigh on us can be managed by putting ourselves first. While this may sound selfish, it goes a long way towards lightening our burdens. We need to look beyond our thirst to attain the biggest achievements in life us as individuals. There is no better way to treat ourselves than a good moment of unwinding. For instance, one can take a nature walk, a warm bath, listen to soothing music or simply talk to an ally.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is another key factor in management of stress. A well balanced diet prepares one upcoming challenges without fear of intimidation. More to diet is enough sleep which helps clear and organise the mind. The quality of sleep should be emphasized more than the quantity of sleep. Short term remedies such as caffeine, alcohol and other drugs are not recommended since they only postpone the problem rather than fully solving it.

It has been said many times that you cannot expect the same results by doing something in the same way over and over. What this means is that if you establish that one strategy is not working, then you will be well-advised to change your approach. Ability to express your feelings and let them out there is an invaluable asset and so is the ability to properly manage your time and other resources. Poor time management is indeed one of the causes of stress.

If it is not possible to avoid the stressor, focus on self-transformation. This is to say that one should develop a positive attitude towards the stressor. Adjust your set standards to suit your capability. As human beings, trying to be perfect only gives us unnecessary tension.

Everything has a remedy, including stress that cannot be avoided such as loss of a loved one. With this kind of weight, it is crucial to involve trusted friends or a therapist in expressing your feelings. This to a large extent helps ease your burden. The question, what are some strategies for coping with stress? has hopefully been comprehensively answered.




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