Build yourself through Stress by using it to your advantage

 

The word ‘Stress’ has been coined by Hans Seyle, a psychologist,

based on his understanding that it is a misalignment of mind and body.

An overload of information that overwhelms your body and senses causes stress.  

It is perceived subconsciously as a challenge or a threat, which triggers an adrenaline rush.

This rush is an involuntary response that sends your metabolic system into overdrive. You can consciously understand this physical process and use it to focus on a solution for the challenge you’re facing. 

However, in some instances, this response gets associated with past trauma, which leads to a condition now popularly known as PTSD.

Unless you have been through a major trauma in life, your attitude decides the nature of the stress you’re facing. Broadly speaking stress is divided into two categories.  

1.  Eustress: Any stressful situation that can be beneficial to you can be denoted as Eustress or Good stress. You are in charge in this situation and use it to your advantage rather than allowing it to affect you adversely.
2.  Distress: Any situation which has a negative effect on you like anxiety sorrow or pain is known as Distress or Bad stress.

Here are some ways of consciously coping with your stress:

 

• Take a pause and be present with your mind and body in order to understand what you are feeling.

• Listen to relaxing music.

• Breathing Exercise.

• Practice meditation

• Take a walk around the greenery to get some fresh air.

• Journaling down your feelings unfiltered is a great way to get things off your chest. 

• Declutter the immediate environment in your home or office space

• Take up some interesting extra-curriculum activity: Dancing, singing or any activity, which can distract you from the stress and help you relax.

• Take a break once in a while and focus on all your senses, go within and understand how your body is feeling.

• Consult a doctor and consider supplements prescribed by a doctor/therapist

 

So, next time whenever you feel stuck in a stressful situation, try to indulge in some mindful activity that can help you overcome the negative effects of stress. Also, keep in mind the below-mentioned benefits of stress which are scientifically validated. This can help you address stress at the very primary stage and avoid leading it to conditions of PTSD.

• Stress boosts your brain activity-
  Any low-level stressful situation strengthens the connection between neurons in your brain, improving memory and attention span, and helps you become more productive. 

• Stress builds immunity-
  When your body prepares itself to fight a stressful situation, it prepares itself for the possibility of injury or infection by producing extra interleukins – chemicals that help regulate the immune system. This helps provide a defensive boost. 

• Stress enhances child development-
  A 2006 Johns Hopkins study found that most children of women who reported mild to moderate stress levels during pregnancy actually showed greater motor and developmental skills by age 2 than those of unstressed mothers. The one exception: the children of women who viewed their pregnancy as more negative than positive had slightly lower attention capacity. 

• Stress enhances motivation-
  A moderate level of stress enhances your motivation. For eg: the stress of meeting a deadline or preparing a standalone presentation. Such situations stimulate your behaviour to manage the situation effectively, rapidly and more productively. 

• Stress makes oneself more resilient-
  Stress can be overwhelming however, it forces people to learn skills or ways to resolve a situation which helps to develop more sense of control to combat future stressful situations.

We many-a-times come across influential people who have overcome negative situations in life and in turn got amazing positive results.

Let’s learn to deal with stress mindfully and be in charge to turn out to be a boon and not let you doom.

 

Points to ponder on Stress 

• How does any type of stress affect you depends on your capacity to handle the stressful situation?
• Refrain from losing your cool and being consumed by stressful situations and learn to manage the situation mindfully with awareness to your benefit. 
• Don’t hesitate to reach out to a reliable emotionally intelligent friend /mental health professional/therapist when you fall short of resources to cope with stress.
• Remember Stitch in time saves nine and in the long run restores your health at all levels!