We sure live in stressful times compared to decades ago, but why and what has changed?
Men and Women across America
Are more stressed than ever before. “According to the American Psychological Association’s newly released 2019 survey, “Stress in America.” the average person in America is under at least moderate stress, coming in at 4.9 on a 10-point scale.” With Generation Z (ages of 18-22) stress levels coming in at a full 8.9 on a scale of 10, this is a steep 61% increase prior to the pandemic.
Gone are the days we were worried about war, atomic bombs, Bermuda Triangle and killer mosquitos. Today we worry about health, wellness and mass shootings, we fear the continued economic
recession, will it ever end?
Health
Our health is important to live. We need to stay “healthy” to grow strong mentally and to succeed in the days to come. We live to strive for longevity. What happens when we have health
scare stress? Stress on our bodies of fear of falling sick with COVID?
Scared to leave your home and wash your hands continuously.
Are you one that limits exposure time in gatherings which is eliminating your freedom?
Freedom of having interaction with others which leads to self isolating, feeling alone. Our government says mask, unmask, mask.
Maybe some of you have children and can relate to being scared if your child needs to go to school, sports or even small enough for daycare.
Yes, I stand with you, it can stress us out!
Stress in America has continued with the Presidential elections in 2020, following race profiling and segregation. We stress over immigration and terrorism.
3 out 5 adults have said that they worry about terrorism and it is a leading factor in their stress levels.
4 out of 10 children fear going to school because of threats of shootings.
All of these are examples of health scares in America today, that are leading us to higher anxiety levels and health issues among the young and old.
Suicide rates have increased along with overdoses.
The effects of stress have a major impact on our health and stress levels
75% of American adults have reported feeling drained. With physical and emotional symptoms of stress such as headaches, fatigue, with sleeping habits changing, new diagnosis in cardiovascular, respiratory systems, nervous system, gastrointestinal system and more.
These can be linked to increase your chances of depression, asthma, diabetes, memory loss and obesity are some of the few.
Stress harms ours bodies with the reproductive systems and our sex drive.
So what can we do to help us manage the stress we are carrying?
Managing Stress
There are many effective techniques that can help you break the hold of stress that it has on your life.
You can decrease the burden you carry which can help you become happier, healthier, and more productive. You should set a goal for yourself, and have the ultimate goal to be balanced.
How will you balance yourself into your life with relationships, relaxation, having fun, separating news from reality and work?
Stress management is not one size fits all. Many need to explore different avenues to help. As if seeking counseling isn’t for everyone or drawing for therapeutic purposes may not be for
others.
Don’t get discouraged when you try something and it doesn’t help.
I’ve tried many avenues and I was so eager for it to help I didn’t focus on the steps I focused on the finish line. You can’t, you need to be patient.
Seek something fun like dancing, music or swimming.
There are podcasts, apps like CALM you can download right to your phone to help when you have triggers of stress.
Being out in nature, taking up a hobby like photography or maybe journaling can help decrease stress as well.
I love these examples I found on managing stress you can find them on “memorial care.com”.
“Some sources of stress are unavoidable. You can’t prevent or change stressors such as the death of a loved one, a serious illness or a national recession. In such cases, the best way to
cope with stress is to accept things as they are. Acceptance may be difficult, but in the long run, it’s easier than railing against a situation you can’t change.”
- Don’t try to control the uncontrollable – Many things in
life are beyond our control— particularly the behavior of
other people. Rather than stressing out over them, focus
on the things you can control such as the way you choose
to react to problems. - Look for the upside – As the saying goes, “What doesn’t
kill us makes us stronger.” When facing major challenges,
try to look at them as opportunities for personal growth. If
your own poor choices contributed to a stressful situation,
reflect on them and learn from your mistakes. - Share your feelings – Talk to a trusted friend or make an
appointment with a therapist. Expressing what you’re
going through can be very cathartic, even if there’s
nothing you can do to alter the stressful situation. - Learn to forgive – Accept the fact that we live in an
imperfect world and that people make mistakes. Let go of
anger and resentments. - Free yourself from negative energy by forgiving and moving on
This post was written by Lauren K., and published by Convenient Counseling Services.
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