Beat Stress: 6 Reasons You Are Stressed Out Of Your Mind
Im a self-employed bloke who has a tendency to get stressed, anxious and panicked even during the the smallest of lifes hiccups.
Early on in my life I knew Id have to figure out some techniques for beating stress. Now, I am not saying that I have mastered these techniques far from it but they have helped me a lot.
And as I know a lot of you lovely readers out there deal with bouts of stress and anxiety I thought Id write a bit of an off-topic post and talk about some ways bloggers, business people and everyone else online can beat stress when you just dont feel like its possible.
I genuinely hope it helps someone out there even if its just a catalyst to talk to someone who can help you more.
NOTE: This post is mostly about dealing with the stress and anxiety that can arise when you work for yourself or are starting a new business. Its not intended to be a guide for those suffering more serious stress or mental health issues. If you need someone to talk to I encourage you to visit your GP or Beyond Blue and have a chat to one of their awesome staff.
Inform Yourself And Get Help
Visit your doctor to get a proper diagnosis. If you already take any medication, have them review your meds as they too can cause you to feel stressed and anxious.
If your doctor prescribes any drugs, be sure to do your research. Familiarise yourself with Dr Kelly Brogans work. Get advice from a licensed therapist for immediate relief.
Different Responses To Stress
The following are different potentially unhelpful responses to stress, but it’s important to note that we can only do the best we can in the situation we are in. There are many reasons why someone might respond to stress in the following ways, and if any of these resonate with you, you should not judge yourself too harshly.
Shutting down or detaching yourself
This can happen emotionally, mentally and physically. Under severe stress, you may find that you emotionally close off, the original stress-induced feelings of anxiety or worry instead replaced with numbness or apathy. You may also find that you have a tendency to detach yourself from people physically, spending less time with your friends or partner. You may also find that you mentally shut down, unable to access the more abstract or creative parts of your thinking. Falling asleep, or suddenly feeling immensely tired, in the face of stress is also a coping mechanism whereby the individual chooses to disengage from what is happening around them, or inside them.
Turning to substances
If we respond to stressful situations by turning to alcohol or drugs, we can become dependent on these substances and our primary response when faced with new stress might be to self-soothe using our chosen vice.
Getting angry
Self-sabotage
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Why Do Certain Things Make Me Feel Stressed
The amount of stress you feel in different situations may depend on many factors such as:
- your perception of the situation this might be connected to your past experiences, your self-esteem, and how your thought processes work
- your emotional resilience to stressful situations
- the amount of other pressures on you at the time
- the amount of support you are receiving.
We’re all different, so a situation that doesn’t bother you at all might cause someone else a lot of stress. For example, if you’re feeling confident or usually enjoy public speaking, you might find that giving a speech in front of people feels comfortable and fun. But if you’re feeling low or usually prefer not to be the centre of attention, this situation might cause you to experience signs of stress.
“I get stressed when things get out of perspective too much work, thinking too far ahead.”
Convert Negativity To Positivity
There are two sides constantly battling inside of us one is filled with strength and courage while the other is doubt and insecurities. Which one will you feed?
What if I mess up this speech? What if Im not funny enough? What if I forget what to say?
Its no wonder why many of us are uncomfortable giving a presentation. All we do is bring ourselves down before we got a chance to prove ourselves. This is also known as a self-fulfilling prophecy a belief that comes true because we are acting as if it already is. If you think youre incompetent, then it will eventually become true.
Motivational coaches tout that positive mantras and affirmations tend to boost your confidents for the moments that matter most. Say to yourself: Ill ace this speech and I can do it!
Take advantage of your adrenaline rush to encourage positive outcome rather than thinking of the negative what ifs.
Heres a video of Psychologist Kelly McGonigal who encourages her audience to turn stress into something positive as well as provide methods on how to cope with it:
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How Much Arousal Is Too Much
Its not necessarily a bad thing to be horny frequently. Sexual drive is a healthy thing, as is sexual activity.
But if you think your constant arousal is getting in the way of other aspects of your life, you may want to consider talking with a doctor or sex therapist. They can help you explore the function of your sexual behavior.
If arousal and the need to engage in sexual behavior feels mandatory, or you have a compulsive urge to act on them, you may need to talk about these underlying urges. This could be signs of a hypersexual disorder.
Of course, one persons constantly turned on may be very different from anothers. It helps to talk with a medical professional about these thoughts and desires. That way, you can get a handle on whether theyre typical, or if you need to seek treatment.
Who Is Affected By Stress
All of us can probably recognise some of the feelings described above. Some people seem to be more affected by stress than others. For some people, getting out of the door on time each morning can be a very stressful experience, whereas others may be less affected with a great deal of pressure.
Some people are more likely to experience stressful situations than others. For example:
- people with a lot of debt or financial insecurity are more likely to be stressed about money
- people from minority ethnic groups or who are LGBTIQ+ are more likely to be stressed about prejudice or discrimination
- people with disabilities or long-term health conditions are more likely to be stressed about their health or about stigma associated with their condition.
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Want To Beat Stress Find Out Why Youre Stressed
I have found that its often important to figure out what is causing my stress in the first place.
Of course, sometimes stress is caused by serious issues associated with trauma, depression, etc. but often it has a lot to do with something in our work life that can be quite easily changed.
Take a look:
1. We get too much information and phone time
Research is now showing that smartphones might be having a bigger effect on our brain than first thought.
I deleted Facebook from my phone because I found myself constantly needing to check it, just because I was bored. It as almost like an addiction and, if I didnt get my fix, I started to feel stressed.
Studies are also telling us that our brain is not designed to take in as much information as we get from our computers and phones every day. It seems to be having a really negative effect on a lot of people.
I highly recommend that everyone reads this wonderful speech given to the graduates of West Point Military Academy a few years ago by William Deresiewicz. It is called Solitude and Leadership and talks about how we all need to stop marinating in the opinions of other on social media and learn to think for ourselves and take control of our own lives.
2. We are lazy with records and taxes
Lets not underestimate how stressful it can be knowing that your taxes and financial records arent in order.
3. We dont exercise and so are overweight and under-socialized
4. We dont read, meditate or train our mind-vice enough
Overcoming Anxiety With Proper Treatment
Residential treatment is an excellent way to get the care you need for your anxiety, both in terms of healing its causes and learning how to cope with the disorder. There are many different anxiety disorders, and a good residential program will begin with an initial evaluation and an accurate diagnosis, which is key to sustainable recovery. They will give you comprehensive treatmentnot just for your anxiety, but any co-occurring disorders that may be present. Residential clinicians will delve into the root causes and triggers of your anxiety, and zero in on the areas where healing work must be done.
Youll receive 24-hour care at a residential treatment facility. That means if you have a panic attack at any time, day or night, there will be someone there to support you through it. Youll receive medication from a psychiatrist to help ease your symptoms. And if youre currently on medication, the doctor can adjust it until youre feeling better. Youll never alone, as youll be in a community of people who, like you, are struggling with anxiety and other challenges. And youll be in a pristine healing environment, far away from the situations, people, or places that may have been making your anxiety worse. In short, a residential treatment facility is a soothing, safe place to heal where you can build up your confidence and learn the coping mechanisms necessary to manage and live beyond the boundaries set by your anxiety.
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Put Relaxation And Self
A fully packed schedule would make a lot of people feel stressed. Make sure you take time out each day for at least one thing you enjoy doing whether its spending time on a hobby, watching a Netflix episode, or chatting with a friend. It can also help if you schedule the activity into your day, so that you dont feel guilty about not doing something else. Read our guide to relaxation for more ideas.
If youre feeling overwhelmed, dont be afraid to say no to things when you need to.
Types Of Stressors To Contribute To Your Feeling Stressed All The Time
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What Makes Us Stressed
Many things that can lead to stress: bereavement, divorce or separation, losing a job or unexpected money problems. Work-related stress can also have a negative impact on your mental health. People affected by work-related stress lose an average of 24 days of work due to ill health.
Even positive life changes, such as moving to a bigger house, gaining a job promotion or going on holiday can be sources of stress. If you feel stressed in these situations you may struggle to understand why or be unwilling to share your feelings with others.
Don’t Suffer In Silence
Get support, whether from family, friends, your academic advisor, campus counseling center, or a trusted online community. A heart-to-heart talk with someone you trust can help you get rid of toxic feelings and may even give you a fresh perspective.
If these steps don’t bring relief, or if you are still unable to cope and feel as if the stress is affecting how you function every day, it could be something more acute and chronic–like depression. Don’t let it go unchecked!
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You Have A Constant Headache That Just Wont Go Away
If you experience throbbing or feel pressure anywhere on the head or temple area, theres a good chance its a tension or stress headache, says Dr. Colgan. Oftentimes people point to particular troubles in their life that might be causing this pain, but lifestyle might be to blame instead. Keep in mind, if your head pain feels like a migraine headache, the worst headache of your life, or a headache that wakens you from sleep, those are signs of a dangerous health problem. You should visit a doctor immediately, advises Dr. Colgan.
What to do: When stress is the cause of your headache, the easiest thing to say is, have less stress in your life. But that advice itself is stressful, says Dr. Colgan. Knowing what your headaches coming from is helpful therapy. People oftentimes feel worse worrying and trying to figure out what the cause could be. So knowing its not some serious health problem may make a person feel better. Sometimes the most effective way a doctor can treat a patient is to teach them about their symptoms, says Dr. Colgan.
Social Media And Stress
So, if youre feeling stressed without any apparent reason, you can see there are plenty of opportunities for you to make life more difficult than it perhaps already is.
The good news, therefore, is that you can at the very least provide your body/mind with some stress relief by tackling the above issues.
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How My Anxiety Disorder Fills Me With Feelings Of Guilt
It is a stereotype that we Brits apologise a lot. However, even in my polite island nation, I am seen to be more than just a little over apologetic, sometimes to the point of unintentionally irritating the person that I am so desperately trying not to offend .
Sorry has become something of a nervous go-to word for me. I tack it on to the end of most sentences. I will say it automatically when it is my turn to speak up in a conversation. If I think that I have spoken for too long then I will apologise in sheer panic. If I feel that I have given a short, inadequate answer then I will mumble a distressed apology to my shoes. Once a car bumped into me as the owner reversed clumsily from their driveway, knocking me clean of my feet. My first response was to splutter sorry, sorry, Im so very sorry before limping away politely.
I often wonder where it all stems from this excessive need to apologise for so many anxiety sufferers. Of course, we are all different but for me its the gnawing feeling of being somehow in the way a loose part, a spare tyre and a nuisance .
I have the feeling that the space that my body and my voice and my life takes up somehow requires an apology, an explanation. Over the years I have learnt to process a hefty excess of guilt from everything from my unfortunate plainness to the way in which I often stammer, helplessly, often incoherently, over my words. I can be light hearted, even flippant regarding my overly apologetic ways.
Why Are You Stressed
Id really like to hear from you all now. What makes you stressed? What has helped to beat that stress? Please leave a comment and let me know hopefully we can come up with a nice little resource for people. .
If you feel like your stress is getting too much please go and talk to your GP. They can give you advice on how best to treat it. It CAN be treated. If youre not ready for a doctor consider using a wonderful online support group like Beyond Blue. Theres help out there.
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What Are Some Strategies For Stress Relief
You cant avoid stress, but you can stop it from becoming overwhelming by practicing some daily strategies:
- Exercise when you feel symptoms of stress coming on. Even a short walk can boost your mood.
- At the end of each day, take a moment to think about what youve accomplished not what you didnt get done.
- Set goals for your day, week and month. Narrowing your view will help you feel more in control of the moment and long-term tasks.
- Consider talking to a therapist or your healthcare provider about your worries.
How To Know If Youre Stressed Out Or Suffering From Anxiety
We live in a society that applauds stress. You have too much to do? You don’t have a moment to breathe? Good, you’ve made it. Add in the violent current events that seem to be in our newsfeeds every single day, and it’s no wonder we’re all constantly worrying about one thing or another.
Both stress and anxiety are normal feelings everyone experiences, , a licensed psychologist and expert in the treatment of anxiety disorders, tells SELF. Feeling either one so intensely that it impacts your quality of life? That’s another storyand a sign that you might have an anxiety disorder, which deserves the attention of a mental health professional. But the difference between everyday stress and anxiety that comes with the ups and downs of life is actually way more subtle than you might think.
Here are the main differences between stress and anxiety, and how to know when its time to ask for help.
“Think of stress more as a physiological manifestation of what you perceive as an overwhelming threat.” So, you’ve got a huge deadline and have no idea how you’re going to meet it, even if you work around the clock. You’re feeling the pressure, your cortisol levels surge, and your body reacts in various waysmaybe you get a knot in your stomach, your heart rate raises, you get super sweaty, or you might even feel the urge to cry.
Luckily, there are some easy things you can do to both manage stress and calm an anxious brain on a daily basis. Here’s what Pike recommends:
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