Stress is a feeling of physical or emotional tension, a state of worry or mental strain generated by a difficult circumstance. It can come from any situation or thought that makes one feel frustrated, angry, or nervous.
In other words, it is our body’s reaction to a challenge or demand. When faced with stress, the body reacts by releasing hormones, the most significant of which is cortisol. These hormones make the brain more alert, muscles tense, and heart rate increase.
Everyone experiences a certain degree of stress, as it is a natural response to threats and other stimuli in the environment. In short bursts, stress can be positive, such as when it helps us avoid danger or complete a certain task by a deadline. But when stress persists for a long time, it can harm our health. I will discuss how you can prevent or alleviate it in our meeting today.
What are the signs of stress?
When we experience stress, we find it difficult to relax and concentrate, and we may feel anxious or irritable. It can also cause headaches or pain in other parts of the body, gastric discomfort, difficulty sleeping, or appetite disturbances (eating more or less than necessary). When stress becomes chronic, it can aggravate health problems and lead to increased consumption of tobacco, alcohol, and other substances. Stressful situations can cause or exacerbate mental health problems, often anxiety or depression, that require medical attention.
As I explained, stress is the adaptive response to a wide variety of demands that constitute stressors: physical trauma, illness, fatigue, joy at a significant event, grief, fear, coercion, success, or failure. In many families, even daily rituals and routines create great tension. Frequently, areas of conflict center around household chores, schoolwork, and family relationships. Work and financial problems, relationship conflicts, separation, divorce, the loss of a loved one, housing problems, difficulties in interpersonal relationships, legal or judicial problems, violence, and emigration, among others, can also be stressful situations.
The point is that we face some challenge every day. At home, at work, even in our leisure time, we encounter a series of additional demands on our minds and bodies. We cannot live without stress because these challenges are constantly present. They are part of life itself.
What can we do to manage stress overload?
Below are some suggestions for prevention and management.
- Avoid stressful situations. Many stressful situations can be avoided, although this isn’t always possible, and in many cases, it’s not even advisable. This option is useful when avoidance doesn’t have worse consequences. It’s important to carefully analyze this option.
- Don’t overload yourself with activities. If you feel stressed, eliminate one or two activities, choosing to keep the most important ones.
- Be realistic. Don’t try to be perfect; no one is. Expecting perfection from others increases your stress level, not to mention the pressure you put on them.
- Discover your limitations. Learn to say NO to new responsibilities you’re not sure you can fulfill. It’s easier to turn something down in a timely manner than to be in the middle of something you can’t finish. It’s healthier for you and fairer to those who ask you to do it.
- Improve communication. You can largely prevent stressful relationships at home and at work if you listen carefully to others, smile, admit your mistakes, are courteous, express your feelings and thoughts concretely, and respect those of others.
- Be open-minded and flexible. Sometimes arguing isn’t worth it because it creates unnecessary tension. Give in once in a while. Use flexibility to adapt to situations and understand others.
- Share your thoughts. Do this with your partner, your parents, your children, or a friend. Ask for advice, reflect on it, and follow it if it makes sense. They might see a way to deal with situations you hadn’t considered before.
- Get good sleep. When you get the right amount of sleep, your body and mind stay in good shape and can handle any negative situation. If you go to bed late and have to get up early for school or work, you won’t get the right amount of sleep.
- Learn to relax. The body’s natural antidote to stress is the relaxation response; it creates a feeling of calm and well-being. You can achieve this by learning some simple breathing and relaxation exercises to use beyond just when you’re in a stressful situation. Take time to enjoy calming and pleasurable activities: reading a good book, enjoying your favorite hobby, listening to music, or taking a relaxing bath.
- Take care of your body. Exercise regularly. Eat well so your body functions better. Stress often leads to eating hastily and fast food that isn’t nutritious, and that’s when your body needs more vitamins and minerals. Some people use drugs to escape emotional stress, but they fall into a trap. Turning to them intoxicates you and causes other complications. It affects the body’s natural ability to recover. I remind you that alcohol, coffee, and tobacco, although legal, are also drugs. Another detail: don’t self-medicate with psychotropic drugs.
- Take care of your thoughts. Your perspective, attitude, and thoughts greatly influence how you perceive situations. A good dose of optimism will help you overcome difficult situations. Even if you’re unpracticed or somewhat pessimistic, we can all learn to think more optimistically and enjoy the benefits.
- Solve simple problems. Learning to solve everyday problems will make you feel in control. Learn to calmly assess the situation, consider your options, and take the necessary steps to resolve the problem. This is a decision-making process. When you feel capable of solving small problems, you’ll have the confidence to solve more complex ones.
Have you noticed that certain people seem to adapt to difficult circumstances without getting upset? They remain calm under pressure and can solve problems as they arise. Qualities have been identified that give certain people natural resilience even when faced with highly stressful circumstances. I will discuss these qualities in an upcoming meeting between you and The Psychiatrist.
- Twelve Tips to Prevent and Manage Stress - 14 de July de 2025
- Procrastination: putting off until tomorrow what you can do today - 23 de June de 2025
- Hypochondriasis: excessive and distressing preoccupation - 2 de June de 2025