Imagine you had a rough day at work. Your boss doesn’t seem to understand that and gives you work that is beyond your work hours. Driving through the busy streets of Hazratganj, you get home only to find that your family has immediate needs to be met. You may have imagined a downtime at home but that needs to be put aside so that your family can be taken care of. You are up late to complete the work that was assigned for the day, and you wake up the next morning to another day. Driving through the traffic, you are constantly thinking of work and how to handle meetings.
If this is a one-off in a month, your body may be able to handle this kind of stress because you give it enough time to recover from the overwork that it did, however, if this kind of life is your lifestyle. Where you are constantly thinking about the past and overthinking about the future without being able to be present in the moment, you may be going through emotional stress.
Discouragement, worry, fear, sadness or even anger are normal reactions or emotions to situations until they come in the way of your daily functioning.
SIGNS OF EMOTIONAL STRESS
We go through stress physically, emotionally and relationally. It is important for us to be aware of what triggers stress, and how we experience it in our body and in our relationships. Are there unhealthy ways in which we cope with stress so that we feel less of the heartache and the pain?
Let’s talk about Physical Symptoms.
Think of the time when your name was called out in class when the teacher was distributing answer sheets. You know for a fact that you did not do well and were hoping you would just get a pass mark. Do you remember your heart pounding, and hoping your classmates couldn’t hear it? Or maybe your palms or feet would sweat? For some, it may have been their ears getting hot. At a biological level, adrenaline and cortisol (stress hormones) are released from our brain into our body.
Stress that is built up over time can be manifested in the body through digestion problems, inexplicable losing or gaining of body weight, high blood pressure, exhaustion, and even troubled sleep.
Emotionally, one may experience feeling alone, insecure or incapable of completing a task at hand. These feelings, if not taken care of, can make one feel that it’s a part of their identity. One finds it difficult to keep track of things and decision making can be difficult. When one is physically exhausted and emotionally drained, relationships can get strained. Conflicts at work and home may be common. UNHEALTHY WAYS OF COPING WITH STRESS (4 Fs)
· Fight - Irritation, arguments, sarcasm etc. · Flight - escape stress by getting into alcoholism, drugs, binge eating, gaming etc. · Freeze - Tend to shut down and dissociate self from the situation at hand (sleeping). · Faking - Pretend to be someone you are not to avoid people from seeing who you are. These responses keep us from Facing the situation at hand which leaves us feeling stuck.
HOW TO COPE BETTER?
A. Acknowledge your feeling Instead of ignoring or suppressing uncomfortable feelings/emotions, take the time to acknowledge them. Suppressed feelings get amplified, creating more stress. B. Self-compassion What would you tell a friend struggling with emotional stress? Show yourself the same kind of compassion. Remind yourself of the journey you are in and how far you have come. C. Mindfulness When stressed, one is anxiously thinking about the future or regretting about lost time. Mindfulness is a skill wherein one becomes aware of what they are sensing and feeling at the moment. Being able to do that helps you to deal with situations better. D. Self-Care How would you like to take care of yourself? Perhaps by engaging yourself in your favourite hobbies, or taking better care of your health or even taking time to be with loved ones. You deserve the Care!
Remember to sleep at least 6-8 hours, have a healthy diet regular exercise It's a well known fact that all three ingredients are essential for our mental health.
How would you rate each on a scale of 1-10?
E. Make sure you get back to the task at hand · In case a task seems overwhelming, break it down and do one task at a time. · Take regular breaks. · Relax mind and body when you sense stress coming your way. · Engage yourself in the present moment. How can a Therapist Help? Unhealthy coping patterns keep us from facing the situation at hand which leaves us feeling stuck. Dealing with emotional stress by yourself can be challenging. A therapist walks alongside you as you break patterns that may have been part of your life for a while. A therapist also helps your build awareness and build resources, so that you can deal with future stressors and enjoy your relationships and work.
Have a Zoe-Fit day ahead!
Comments