Ways To Manage Stress
Acute stress is a normal part of life. Acute refers to the kind of stress that results from having to run to catch a bus. Almost everyone experiences this kind of stress from time to time.
Stress can be good in small doses, though. When your body is under stress your brain releases special hormones. These hormones cause your brain activity to increase, raise your pulse, and cause muscle tension. Stress is your bodys way of giving you an extra edge in a difficult situation. However, sustained stress, or chronic stress, can have negative health effects. Thats the kind of stress we experience when every day includes a long commute, negative interactions at work, worry about ongoing problems, or a feeling of being overwhelmed by the demands of life.
Why Is Dealing With Depression So Difficult
Depression drains your energy, hope, and drive, making it difficult to take the steps that will help you to feel better. Sometimes, just thinking about the things you should do to feel better, like exercising or spending time with friends, can seem exhausting or impossible to put into action.
Its the Catch-22 of depression recovery: The things that help the most are the things that are the most difficult to do. There is a big difference, however, between something thats difficult and something thats impossible. While recovering from depression isnt quick or easy, you do have more control than you realizeeven if your depression is severe and stubbornly persistent. The key is to start small and build from there. You may not have much energy, but by drawing on all your reserves, you should have enough to take a walk around the block or pick up the phone to call a loved one, for example.
Taking the first step is always the hardest. But going for a walk or getting up and dancing to your favorite music, for example, is something you can do right now. And it can substantially boost your mood and energy for several hourslong enough to put a second recovery step into action, such as preparing a mood-boosting meal or arranging to meet an old friend. By taking the following small but positive steps day by day, youll soon lift the heavy fog of depression and find yourself feeling happier, healthier, and more hopeful again.
Listen To Upbeat Music
I have always thought of music as food for the soul. An upbeat tune can change an atmosphere instantly and create a more positive vibe. Listening to upbeat, happy music alters brain chemistry and can improve your mood.
One study found that findings indicate that music listening impact the psychobiological stress system, which means music has the ability to lower stress and regulate mood. Both of these can help relieve some symptoms of depression.
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Examples Of Causes Of Depression
Below are some examples of situations that might lead you to experience a prolonged period of depression.
Grief
The loss of a loved one, especially when sudden and traumatic, can bring about intense feelings of loss and sadness, which can lead to clinical depression. This includes the death of pets.
Medical Issue or Diagnosis
Being diagnosed with a medical issue, especially if chronic and progressive, is much like any other loss you might experience. It represents the loss of a life you had. Very often, there will need to be changes made in ones life that will not allow for a lifestyle previously enjoyed.
A Feeling of Failure or Perceived Shortcomings
As I mentioned, people who experience depression tend to be sensitive and self-critical. You might be struggling with not getting a job promotion or failing to progress in the way you imagined for yourself, but this doesnt mean that you are not progressing in some other way.
Sudden Life Change
Changeseven good changes and welcomed changesare hard. Sometimes, these changes can have an impact on your role and status in society like marriage or parenthood, which are both wonderful changes yet fraught with many challenges and new social roles.
Feeling Trapped or With Limited Options
Burnout
What Happens To My Body When I Experience Stress
People react differently to stress. Some common symptoms of stress include sleeping problems, sweating or a change in appetite.6,7
Symptoms like these are triggered by a rush of stress hormones in your body which, when released, allow you to deal with pressures or threats. This is known as the ‘fight or flight’ response.
Hormones called adrenaline and noradrenaline raise your blood pressure, increase your heart rate and increase the rate at which you perspire. This prepares your body for an emergency response.8 These hormones can also reduce blood flow to your skin and reduce your stomach activity. Cortisol, another stress hormone, releases fat and sugar into your system to boost your energy.9
As a result, you may experience headaches, muscle tension, pain, nausea, indigestion and dizziness. You may also breathe more quickly, have palpitations or suffer from various aches and pains. In the long-term, you may be putting yourself at risk from heart attacks and stroke.10
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Examples Of What Can Cause Stress Include:
- 1. Being Robbed, Mugged, Or Attacked
- 2. Major Natural Disasters, Such As Earthquakes, That Can Damage Your Home Or Destroy It Altogether
- 3. Losing Your Job
- 4. Getting Into A Fight With Your Spouse Or Significant Other
- 5. Getting Into A Car Accident, Which Can Cause Physical, Emotional, And Financial Stress
Certain Lifestyle Choices Can Also Contribute To Your Stress Levels. This Is Especially True If They Affect Your Overall Health Or If You Become Dependent On Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms. Lifestyle Choices That Can Increase Your Stress Include:
- 1. Heavy Or Excessive Consumption Of Alcohol
- 2. Spending Too Much Time Watching Television Or Playing Video Games
- 3. Not Getting Enough Exercise
- 4. Smoking Or Using Illegal Drugs
- 5. Working At A High-pressure Job
How Can I Help Myself
There are things that you can do to help reduce your symptoms of stress. This is also known as self-care. There isnt a set process for where you should start, or what you should do, everyone is different. You may need to try different things until you find what works for you.
Stress diary
If you dont know what is causing your stress, it might help to keep a stress diary for a few weeks. It may help you to identify things that you may be able to change.
You could write down when you feel stressed. You should include what happens just before or after you feel stressed.
It could also help you to identify things which can make you unwell. These things are known as triggers. Identifying your triggers can help you to have more control over your stress levels.
There is a template for a stress diary at the end of the factsheet, which you can download by clicking the link at the top of this page.
Get practical advice
You may be able to take steps to change the cause of your stress. There are lots of places you can get practical advice on different issues. An advice service may be a good place to start. They may be able to support you to solve an issue. For example, you may want advice on:
- housing,
- money or
- employment.
You can find details of different organisations that give practical advice in the Useful contacts section at the bottom of this page.
Manage your money
Money can cause many different issues such as poverty, debt and relationship problems.
Plan your time
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Recognising Your Stress Triggers
If you’re not sure what’s causing your stress, keep a diary and make a note of stressful episodes for two-to-four weeks. Then review it to spot the triggers.
Things you might want to write down include:
- the date, time and place of a stressful episode
- what you were doing
- a stress rating
You can use the diary to:
- work out what triggers your stress
- work out how you operate under pressure
- develop better coping mechanisms
Doctors sometimes recommend keeping a stress diary to help them diagnose stress.
Enjoy The Emotional Benefits Of Exercise
Exercise offers physiological benefits that can help people going through depression. Physical activity relieves stress and can make you feel great. Plus, the satisfaction you get from finishing an engaging and challenging workout can boost your self-esteem as you get stronger and more physically fit. When you fight depression with a regular exercise routine, youll feel better emotionally and physically.
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Try These Five Tips For Decreasing Depression
There isnt a quick fix as in Boom, youre cured and will never again be beset by the blues. But, there are techniques that can help lift the emotional paralysis and ruminating that often accompany depression. Both of which make it much more difficult to focus on the behavioral changes that are necessary to prevent a relapse. Luckily, there are ways to punch holes in the curtain of unrelenting darkness.
Lifestyle Strategies And Stress Management
While treating depression or another mental illness will generally require professional intervention, youre the expert when it comes to self-care, the process of forming healthy habits and making positive changes to your daily routine to improve your emotional and physical health. Self-care includes reducing and managing your stress, maintaining a healthy lifestyle through diet and exercise, and educating yourself about your illness. The more that you take an active role in helping yourself and make positive improvements in your lifestyle, the better your chances of feeling better and staying well.
Here are some lifestyle strategies that can help you cope with depression and related illnesses and prevent recurrence:
Educate Yourself
One way to regain a sense of control when you are diagnosed with depression or a related illness is to educate yourself about your illness. You can do this by talking with your doctors, learning from others who have depression, and by reading books and articles about depression. The more you know about depression and its treatment, the better you will be able to manage your depression and understand which treatment options may be best for you.
Sleep well
Sleeping well directly affects your mental and physical health and your quality of life. Depression and related disorders can disrupt your sleep, so its important to establish a regular sleep pattern. Below are some recommendations for getting a good nights sleep:
Get active
Eat well
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What Is Depression And Stress
According to an article on Medical News Today, “Depression is a mood disorder that involves a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest.”
Kindly take note of the word persistent.
That being noted, DEPRESSION is the persistent feeling or state of unhappiness and hopelessness for a better future.
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It can result from an unpleasant incident such as loss of jobs, decease of loved ones, family or relationship issues, an event or other discomforting situations.
What Can You Do If You Experience Depression
It may sometimes feel as though, out of nowhere, that you are hit with depression, and this is true for many people who have a biologically based depression. However, I would argue that whenever there is something like depression or anxietywhich are defense mechanismsthere is something in your life that is not 100% congruent with who you are and where your life is at or going.
This essentially means that its time to take a step back and reassess a few things in life. It doesnt mean that you will be able to wright the ship entirely. However, you might be able to make some small changes that will help you feel more in control of your life and the direction that you are going in.
1. Consider Therapy
Therapy will help you take stock and think about what is happening in your life and where you might be able to make some changes. Needless to say, you will also have the support you need to embark on making those changes. It could also be a chance to identify what it is in your life that is causing the depression. A therapist can also help you connect to other supports that might help you as you work through this period in your life.
2. Group Support Network
3. Self Assessment
4. Take Some Time Off
5. Are You Bored?
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Accept The Things You Can’t Change
Changing a difficult situation isn’t always possible. Try to concentrate on the things you do have control over.
“If your company is going under and is making redundancies, for example, there’s nothing you can do about it,” says Professor Cooper.
“In a situation like that, you need to focus on the things that you can control, such as looking for a new job.”
Tip : Eat A Healthy Depression
What you eat has a direct impact on the way you feel. Reduce your intake of foods that can adversely affect your brain and mood, such as caffeine, alcohol, trans fats, and foods with high levels of chemical preservatives or hormones .
Dont skip meals. Going too long between meals can make you feel irritable and tired, so aim to eat something at least every three to four hours.
Minimize sugar and refined carbs. You may crave sugary snacks, baked goods, or comfort foods such as pasta or French fries, but these feel-good foods quickly lead to a crash in mood and energy. Aim to cut out as much of these foods as possible.
Boost your B vitamins. Deficiencies in B vitamins such as folic acid and B-12 can trigger depression. To get more, take a B-complex vitamin supplement or eat more citrus fruit, leafy greens, beans, chicken, and eggs.
Boost your mood with foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids.Omega-3 fatty acids play an essential role in stabilizing mood. The best sources are fatty fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, tuna, and some cold-water fish oil supplements.
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Helping Children And Youth Cope With Stress
Children and youth often struggle with how to cope with stress. Youth can be particularly overwhelmed when their stress is connected to a traumatic eventlike a natural disaster, family loss, school shootings, or community violence. Parents, caregivers, and educators can take steps to provide stability and support that help young people feel better.
Stress And Physical Illness
When we feel under stress, our body kicks into high gear to deal with the threat. Our heartbeat, breathing rate and blood pressure all go up. The longer we feel stressed, the greater the demand on our body.The more often we are placed under stress, the more often we have to use energy to cope. There is growing evidence that stress may contribute to physical illness such as cardiovascular disease , high blood pressure, proneness to infection and chronic fatigue.Whatever the cause, physical diseases need appropriate medical management before any attempt is made at stress management. Discuss with your doctor how stress management may be used to support treatment of your physical symptoms.
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How To Overcome Depression: In Conclusion
We all experience sad, challenging chapters in our lives just as we all experience change. And regardless of whether or not our outside circumstances drastically shift, if our minds change, everything can change. This is why some people have very few resources and swear that they are the happiest people on the planet, while others have literal fame and fortune and yet they struggle with depression and addiction.
If you are battle weary from depression, try challenging your next dark VOD. Try doing the opposite of what the voice of depression suggests. Try upgrading an unkind mind mood to a kinder, quiet one. Seek out safe support from someone who really understands. Practice compassionate inner dialogues and more spirit fillers than time killers. Make sure you are properly charging your body battery and see how the next chapter unfolds. Thank you for joining me. Take good care.
The Truth About Overcoming Fear Anxiety And Depression
So many people throughout the world, especially right now, are having challenges overcoming fear and dealing with anxiety and depression.
Heres how the problem of overcoming fear, anxiety and depression is typically perceived and addressed:
- Anxiety, fear and depression are negative, bad, and painful enemies that must be attacked and defeated, just like the military attacks and seeks to defeat its enemies
- If you want to attack and succeed at overcoming fear, anxiety and depression, which means to feel better, you must find a way to make them dissolve, or disappear. Thats what defeat means
- The most popular ways for attacking and dissolving fear, anxiety and depression, for overcoming fear, anxiety and depression, include psychoanalysis, prescription drugs, herbs, other natural substances, meditation, and various alternative healing models
The Attack And Dissolve Strategy Doesnt Work For Overcoming Fear, Anxiety, And Depression
When the attack and dissolve approach is taken with overcoming fear, anxiety and depression, people sometimes get relief. But permanentrelief, completely overcoming fear, anxiety and depression, is rare.
In general, heres what happens when the attack and dissolve approach is taken with overcoming fear, anxiety, and depression:
In virtually all cases, the True Core Cause of the anxiety, fear and depression isnt discovered or addressed, even if certain superficial causes are isolated, discussed and addressed.
Its The Truth anyway.
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More Spirit Fillers Less Time Killers
Very often, the cycle of depression feeds on itself. We feel depressed, so its really hard to find the motivation and energy to do the uplifting things that have the potential to feed our spirits. Then we feel even more depressed. And so it goes.
This tip is about raising your awareness of how you fill the hours in your day. Its far too easy to spend our days doing things that fill our time, but dont necessarily fill our spirits. I know it can be hard to break out of our usual routines and do something thats new or different or that might bring up emotions. But in the end, finding activities to fill our spirits helps so much with decreasing depression and increasing peace.
Of course, everyone needs to find what feeds their spirits. One person might love gardening and another person might find it to be a chore. One person might enjoy cooking and someone else doesnt like cooking at all. Its such an individual exploration, but the bottom line is, if we keep doing what were doing, were going to keep getting what were getting. If you have been spending a lot of time in negativity, inactivity, or isolation, in order to lift your spirits, youll need to make some changes.
Think about the ways that you spend your time. Not just the usual things you do each day like work, school, childcare or meal preparation, but the things you do in between the things you do:
