Regardless of what your life is like, stress is likely involved in some form. Whether you are working, in school, have a family of your own or dealing with personal challenges or life changes, you likely feel stressed sometimes when trying to keep up with the demands.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, any external cause or situation can lead to stress, which may manifest in a mental or physical response. You can be stressed about something short term, such as a work deadline or a fight with a loved one, or something long term, such as being unable to work or facing discrimination or a chronic illness.
Stress can cause you to have various symptoms, including but not limited to:
- Lack of sleep
- Irritability
- Anger
- Fatigue
- Digestive troubles
- High blood pressure
- Pain or tension throughout the body
- Headaches
- Feeling excessively worried or uneasy
If left unchecked, stress can turn into anxiety, which can impact your daily life and health. Unlike stress, which typically goes away once the problem is resolved, anxiety can persist even if there is no stressful situation in your life. Anxiety leads to a nearly identical set of symptoms as stress: insomnia, difficulty concentrating, fatigue, muscle tension and irritability.
Stress can also cause you to have a higher risk of developing depression. Both anxiety and depression can cause a loss of interest in activities you enjoy, lowering your quality of life.
How Can I Cope with Stress?
It is important to learn what is causing or triggering your stress so you can avoid or manage your triggers. You can also try activities to cope with your stress, such as:
- Reaching out to family members or friends
- Cultivate social support
- Seek good nutrition
- Challenging negative thoughts
- Exercising
- Practicing visualization or deep breathing exercises
- Journaling
Additionally, try to avoid or limit caffeine and aim for seven to nine hours of sleep each night. Practicing good sleep hygiene is key to help you get restful sleep.
If your stress or anxiety does not respond to these management techniques, or if you feel that either stress or anxiety are affecting your day-to-day functioning or mood, consider talking to a mental health professional who can help you understand what you are experiencing and provide you additional coping tools. Anxiety disorders can be treated with psychotherapy, medication or a combination of the two.
One of the most widely used therapeutic approaches is cognitive behavioral therapy, which focuses on changing maladaptive thought patterns related to the anxiety. Another potential treatment is exposure therapy, which involves confronting anxiety triggers in a safe, controlled way to break the cycle of fear around the trigger.
UofL Health – Peace Hospital provides treatment for patients of all ages with behavioral, psychiatric and substance use disorders, as well as integrated treatment for co-occurring disorders. For a no-charge 24/7 level-of-care assessment, walk into the Peace Hospital Assessment and Referral Center. For more information, call 502-451-3333.
You can call, text or chat 988. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
In a medical emergency, dial 911 or visit a UofL Health – Emergency Department.
