A Guide to Stress Management

There are times when life feels like a lot, and you are managing, just. You have been 'just' managing for a while now, and it feels like things are not letting up. You are sleeping but not well; a few plates you have been spinning have dropped; you have lost interest or lack the energy for pastimes you previously enjoyed. And when everyone asks if you are okay, you say "Yeah, I’m fine," but the question is, are you? 

To illustrate how we are susceptible to stressors.  At first glance, some stressors don’t even seem stressors; too small, too insignificant. However, after many of these unremarkable instances, it will take only one too many stressors to overload (cumulative stress) the individual. A great analogy is ‘the straw that broke the camel’s back.’ Imagine each stressor is a tiny weight on your mental and emotional load, and an individual only has limited capacity. Now that we've identified potential stressors, let's delve into how stress may manifest in our lives:

·Work environment (e.g., lack of job satisfaction).

·Money worries (e.g., debt).

·Relationships (e.g., family, partner, friend).

·Trauma and experience (e.g., recent or childhood).

·Health concerns (e.g., chronic illness).

·Life transitions (e.g., moving house, moving jobs, losing someone close to you).

·Social pressures (e.g., feelings of inadequacy compared to peers).

·Environmental factors (e.g., not feeling safe in the area you live).

·Technology overload (e.g., exposure to technology impeding your ability to disconnect).

·Self-imposed pressure (e.g., setting high or unrealistic expectations for yourself).

While it's important to recognise the various sources of stress in our lives, it's equally crucial to understand how stress manifests itself in our thoughts, emotions, and behaviours. Being mindful of subtle signs and symptoms, we can gain insight into the impact of these stressors on our well-being.

Journaling can be a helpful tool for tracking thoughts, emotions, and behaviours over time. While navigating the following worksheet you can begin to journal by recording answers and reflections. This will aid you in gaining insight into any patterns or triggers that may be contributing to stress and anxiety.

This worksheet will help to identify and address underlying beliefs and thought patterns. It is there the possibility of change and life quality improvement begins.

To help with what are not obvious signs of stress.

Taking time to self-reflect: Questions to consider:

Am I excessively worrying about different aspects of my life, even when there's no specific reason to?

Am I feeling tense or on edge?

Can I identify specific situations or triggers that make me uncomfortable or uneasy?

Notice any subtle physical sensations, such as:

Muscle tension or tightness.

Restlessness.

Disinterest in food, eating for comfort or digestive issues.

Poor sleep.

Fatigue or irritability, even when you are seemingly getting good quality sleep.

Emotional signs of anxiety due to stress sometimes manifest in emotional symptoms. Consider your emotional state, such as:

Hard to pinpoint feelings of apprehension or dread.

Difficulty concentrating.

Easily overwhelmed.

Irritability for no reason.

Patterns of behaviour can also provide clues about underlying stress. Consider reasons for engaging in certain behaviours, such as:

Avoidance (e.g., of certain situations, activities)

Excessive preparation (more than usual) in anticipation of potential stressors

Seeking reassurance from others or constantly seeking information to alleviate anxiety.

Engaging in repetitive or compulsive behaviours as a means of coping with anxiety (see OCD article link*)

*For more insights into coping mechanisms related to anxiety, you may find this article on Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) helpful.

An aspect of stress that is less likely to be discussed in public forums but could help support those who feel stress is the contribution of underlying beliefs and thought patterns. Below, we will discuss the importance and the reasons why: 

·Nurturing connections – this is deeper than reaching out for support it is purposefully working towards improving your social circle in a deep and meaningful way, acting as a buffer in the future in periods of higher stress. 

·Mindfulness – something which has grown into popular culture in recent years. Exploring mindfulness and its practices can help with emotional regulation and lessen overwhelm. Kind To Mind’s resource provides a 5-minute grounding worksheet that may be helpful as you explore mindfulness (https://www.kindtomind.org/free-resources).

·Self-compassion – For insights into self-compassion practice, please use this Kind To Mind’s worksheet resource (https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?hl=en-GB#search/self+compassion/QgrcJHsTkxKMdjDSMTVKVSZmNsSVxGbXDkV?projector=1&messagePartId=0.1)

·Mindset shifts – reframing challenges does help with stress management. To hold a perspective that challenges mean potential growth, and provides the individual with a chance to learn, adapt and be resilient within that situation. All these suggestions have the potential to foster a more positive outlook. 

·Distorted thinking patterns – You may already be aware of situations where your perception of reality may be distorted, influenced by unrelated events or circumstances. While working through these distortions may take time and possibly the assistance of a healthcare professional, simply being aware of them is often the first step towards addressing them, and doing so may help you manage stress more effectively. 

By integrating these types of strategies into our daily lives, we can help ourselves to cultivate greater self-awareness, resilience, and well-being, ultimately leading to a higher quality of life.