I think I might bring this topic up quite a bit. I can remember being a teenager and telling myself that I don't want to be "stressed-out" because it will kill me. I also found this quote during my research I thought was pretty funny/true:
"Stress in addition to being itself, was also the cause of itself, and the result of itself," British Medical Journal 1951.
I look at that as, worrying about being stressed causes stress and so you're always stressed. So what is 'stress'?
Google the definition and you'll find it is basically a strain, tension, or pressure; which can be applied to your mind, body or even an objection like a piece of metal. But in this case I am just talking about the former, stress we humans say we deal with daily.
I see stress as an "emotional" response to a "stressor" in your life. Something that is difficult to deal with, like change. There is good and there is bad stress, but I am talking about the bad stress that wears you down.
How does your body respond to stress?
You have adrenal glands and the outer part called the adrenal cortex produces hormones, including cortisol which is produced to help your body deal with stress by controlling the function of other things in your body including your blood sugar.
What happens to your body when you are stressed out all the time?
When you continue to be stressed your body gets worn out. The homeostasis of your body is off kilter. If you are experiencing chronic stress, your body's immune and digestive system can take a back seat and even stop working.
Routine stress, where the source of the stress is more constant, gives your body no clear indication as to when to return back to normal. This stress causes the most severe damage to your body and makes you at risk for serious health problems, including but not limited to:
Heart attack, strokes, kidney disease, Rheumatoid Arthritis, depression, anxiety, heart disease, high blood pressure, mental disorders.....
Stress screws up your immunity, your digestive, your sleep, your reproductive system.
Go ahead and be stressed out. It's normal to occasionally be stressed but when you are constantly under stress you should really stop for a moment and #1 recognize it (the fact that you are stressed for an excessive period of time) and #2 do something about it.
Something I am noticing a lot about this generation or 'the people living in this space in time' is that people are less capable of handling stress. I don't think we are providing kids the right tools and information on how to recognize stress and how to deal with it.
We look at it as a broad spectrum of issues like, bullying, peer pressure, gun violence, addictions and other issues, when it comes down to just stress and our ability to deal with it. People unable to deal with their stress so they take it out on others. We may not be in control of our 'stressors' but our stress is the part that we can be in control of. We can make the determination as to how badly we are going let something physically, mentally, emotionally, and homeostatic-ally (yes I made that up) affect us.
Some things are really hard to deal with but being stressed out is not really dealing with it. You're destroying yourself and making it nearly impossible for you to confront and take action to fix the issue at hand.
Here are some ways I have learned to deal with stress (and no I haven't always been good at dealing with it, I've made my fair share of stupid decisions but I found the light and I never want to go back)
~Exercise: nothing like lifting heavy weights and blasting your muscles and getting a sweat on to make yourself feel better
~Yoga: when things just are going way too fast and crazy, yoga is my chill-out go to. I am not a professional yogi but I lay out a mat and I do a sequence of stretching exercises basically (my favorite is standing on my head!)
~Cooking: this is not always the case, sometimes it's the last thing I want to do, but it's what I would consider one of my favorite hobbies, so when I am in the mood to cook it's fun to get all into it and take my time slicing, dicing, and sprinkling on seasonings (mindfulness).
~Walking in nature: Taking a hike actually changes your brain and makes dealing with stress a lot easier. It's a proven fact.
~Sitting or swimming at the beach: if I had one, I'd be there. Nothing says tranquility like the flow of water.
~Sleep: I love sleeping and it's a great escape, just don't over do it or you'll never wake up!
~Get it off your chest: talk to someone about it. It may not always solve the problem but it does make you feel a lot better, like someone you can confide in finally.
~Take action and deal with the problem: and if you can't fix it, then accept it and let it be as it is. I am a true believer in things happening for a reason and 'there are no mistakes'.
~Meditate: if you've never meditated before just try simply sitting comfortably, eyes closed, and focus on taking deep and focused breaths. Focus on your breathing and try to not think about anything else. Anytime that your mind does wander, and it will, just acknowledge the 'thought' and let it go, don't entertain it, and bring your focus back to your breathing. I find that counting my breaths helps.
And remember, You are not alone.
Namaste my good friends
p.s. Stress affects our children too. I feel that I find myself at least once a week, if not more, talking to my kids about dealing with annoying people, bad things happening, teasing, ignoring internet trolls, etc. It's sad when I think about how much these kids are worried about how many followers and 'likes' they get. Sad that that is a determining factor for them of their self worth. Sad that they are so easily influenced by bad behavior of their school mates. The need to fit in and impress. You have to talk to your kids and take the internet away as much as possible, sorry not sorry. We deal with stress in my house by working out, going outside, reading, talking about it, turning off the electronics, etc. I don't want my kids to turn to drugs, alcohol, or self-harm in order to deal with stress. Teach them young and hopefully they'll help others in the future with it too.