Stress is not always bad and it can be helpful in some situations. It is a normal and necessary response to issues which occur in our everyday lives. Stress helps us to respond quickly to dangerous situations, such as running out of the way of a moving vehicle. It can motivate us to solve problems, meet an important deadline, or prepare for an exam.
Stress becomes a problem if there is too much of it, it is prolonged and leads to feeling overwhelmed. Recognising stress, the impact of stress in our lives and how to manage stress is important for our overall wellbeing.
Stress is a natural response to pressure or challenging situations. A small amount of stress can be useful – it helps to keep us focused, alert and motivated. However, too much stress or prolonged stress can have a detrimental impact on physical and mental health.
When we experience stress, our bodies go through a physiological response which we refer to as the ‘flight, fight or freeze’ response. This physiological response is due to an evolutionary process which evolved to enable us to manage short-term, dangerous situations fighting off a predator, escaping from a predator, or freezing, to avoid being seen or to buy time to work out our next move.
The body prepares us to respond to a threat in a physical way. We can feel become aware of these very physical changes as our body prepares to deal with a stressful situation. Our heart rate increases to pump more blood to our muscles, our breathing rate quickens to provide us with more oxygen and our pupils dilate to improve our vision. Our bodies are flooded with hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol to help our bodies prepare for rapid action. We become hyper-alert and our bodies generate extra energy to help us to respond to the perceived threat.
Often, the stress we feel about situations in modern life are not due to a physical threat. Because of the way modern life has accelerated, our physiological responses have not yet ‘caught up’ and cannot differentiate between something that is a physical threat or something less dangerous and so it responds in the only way it understands. If there is no ‘end result’, and the situation we perceive as threatening does not resolve, the stress continues to be present in our lives.
We can become trapped in a stress cycle:
Noticing stress signals is the first step towards managing stress in a healthy way. We may notice the following;
– Excessive worrying
– Racing thoughts that are difficult to control
– Poor concentration
– Irritability
– Mood swings
– Overwhelm
– Low motivation
– Problems with sleep
– Tiredness or fatigue
– Muscle tension
– Headaches
– Increased heart rate
– Stomach/bowel problems – ‘butterflies’, nausea, diarrhoea, constipation
– Avoidance or procrastination – delay or avoid specific situations, tasks or people
– Withdrawal from socialising, cancelling plans or staying home more than usual
– Appetite changes – eating more or less than usual
– Working excessively to ‘catch up’ or trying to do everything perfectly
– Using caffeine, alcohol or smoking as ways to manage stress
– Reducing self-care – neglecting sleep, exercise or basic routines that help us function in a healthy and positive way
People sometimes confuse stress with anxiety or use the two words interchangeably but they are not the same. Stress can usually be linked to an external pressure, such as a conflict with someone or workplace stresses such as deadlines or dealing with a high volume of work. It often feels as thought there is ‘too much going on’ at the same time. Stress can reduce or resolve when the source of the stress is removed.
Anxiety is usually from an internal source of threat or worry. Sometimes, it isn’t obvious what is at the root of the anxious feelings. Some people describe anxiety as feeling as though ‘something bad might happen’, without being able to identify what that ‘something’ might be. Anxiety often persists, even if there is no specific cause or if the source of the anxiety is removed. Physical symptoms of anxiety can overlap with symptoms of stress but anxiety may present itself even when there is no obvious issue in the moment.
A good place to start is to understand that ‘stress’ is not just a situation – it’s how thoughts, emotions, physical feelings and behaviours interact. Changing a part of the cycle can help us break the cycle. It is much easier to focus on changing a behaviour, than changing a thought or cognition.
Managing stress effectively involves calming the body, soothing the mind and taking small but helpful action. Techniques such as slow breathing and gentle movement can reduce physical tension, whilst noticing and balancing unhelpful thoughts can make them feel less overwhelming. Take small, simple, manageable steps, rather than avoidance breaks the vicious cycle – doing, rather than avoiding helps build momentum and regain a sense of control. Small, consistent changes across these areas can make a meaningful difference over time.
When stress becomes a problem, try the following. Controlling breathing can be a helpful way to soothe and calm the body;
Helps to calm and slow down the body’s ‘alert’ response to stress. Longer exhales help the body to relax.
Brings your attention back to the moment and away from feelings of overwhelm and disconnect.
Helps the body release built-up stress and tension and shifts from a state of ‘high alert’ to something more gentle. It regulates the mood, reduces stress hormones and uses up the excess energy brought about by stress.
Soothing and calming the mind is about slowing thoughts down so they feel less overwhelming and manageable. The aim is not to ‘stop thinking’ but to change how you perceive the thoughts that come into your mind.
Making plans to deal with stressful situations in a considered way gives us back some control. Addressing the issue can lead to lessening or resolving the problem and thus relieving the stress.
If you would like to learn more about stress and helpful ways to manage stress in your life, please see the additional links below. There are further resources within the links to learn about stress and ways to manage stressful events and situations:
Mood Juice – what to do if you are struggling with stress
MIND – managing stress and building resilience
If you are experiencing difficulties with elevated levels of stress, your GP can help. Some NHS services provide support via the ‘Silver Cloud’ (more information is provided within the second link above). This is an online platform providing an 8-week course on managing stress, anxiety and depression. NHS Services often offer Stress Management groups or the opportunity to speak to a mental health professional. Speak to your GP about accessing a group in your area or contact your local NHS Talking Therapy service to ask about what support might be available.
If you feel you might benefit from talking to someone, please do reach out to our Counsellor, Mel, who will be happy to talk to you about how stress is impacting your life and explore ways of helping you to manage stress more effectively. Please don’t struggle on alone, we’re here to help.
