At some point we have all felt “stressed” but what is stress really? What are its symptoms? And how to combat it?
Stress is the presence of one or several stressors and in general it is a normal feeling, in fact, on some occasions it is very positive, since it is what allows us to react in situations of danger, challenge or demand.
To identify them in a broader way, we will say that there are two types of stress, acute stress which is the most common and it can be assured that we have all felt it at some point, it is that feeling that is generated when something falls out of your mind. hands, when you are driving and a pedestrian gets in the way, when you are going to start a new job or have an altercation with a person. This feeling is characterized because it is momentary and sporadic.
There is also chronic stress, it is one that lasts for weeks, months and even longer, it is generally produced by more fundamental problems, such as lack of money, unemployment, marital or family problems, it is so long that many People accommodate it to their life as something normal, the problem with doing this is that finally, they are the ones that take away sleep, appetite, sense of humor and in extreme cases the will to live, finally a series of diseases are triggered such as overweight and blood pressure among others.
How to combat stress?
Many people resort to bad habits to mitigate the feeling that stress generates, such as:
- Smoke
- Drink alcoholic beverages
- Eat excessively
- Excess coffee
- Little or too much sleep
All that is going to achieve is to make the situation worse, because although in some cases these habits generate a feeling of tranquility or pleasure, they do not solve the problems and, on the contrary, one more is added to the list.
Recommendations
The first thing is to make a list of what is causing the stress and then, classify them by those that are in your hands to change and those that are definitely not. In this way, manage each one, for example: Driving when it is raining is stressful, it is not in your hands to change the weather, but if you drive at another time than this sunny day or relax, put on good music and take it easy .
Avoid people, situations, and environments that put you more stressful. If it is strictly necessary, take a deep breath, control your impulses, and cut off any threads of discussion or confrontation. Try to develop a positive perspective of the situation, this will change the environment and for the best, you take away the power to stress you out.
Cope with stressful situations, doing activities that you like and relax you, such as reading, exercising, watching a good movie, going out with friends and laughing… laugh a lot, this will transmit a liberating message of pleasure and relaxation to your brain.
This last recommendation is my favorite, learn to say NO. Perhaps one of the biggest reasons for stress is subjecting ourselves to unhealthy circumstances, groups of people, jobs, and relationships. learn to say NO, we all have the right to rethink any situation if it is affecting my peace of mind. If, after doing a thorough evaluation, you determine that there is no solution, then simply say No more. You will see that closing those stormy doors opens up new opportunities and the best, away from stress and its terrible consequences.
