.....every individual quite commonly experiences at almost each stage of life, it is just the intensity and situations differ at every aspect of human life… Though it merely means a feeling experienced when a person thinks that the demand exceeds their available resources, where an individual finds it difficult to mobilize things in everyday life. It is a kind of total response given by us to our environmental pressures present in outer surroundings. Also, a feeling that expectations goes beyond either physical or psychological capacity and that situations around too involves a set of emotional and mental reactions to change and adapt.
When an individual is undergoing through a stressful situation, it could be easily reflected in the behavioural symptoms like irritation, impulsiveness, fatigue, emotional instability, sleeplessness, loss of hope or interest in pleasurable activities and many more. But it is not always necessary that stress needs to adversely affect a person. Sometimes, stress can also be a curative or motivative feeling when an individual is willingly in need of something and ready to give required positive efforts genuinely, simply defined as Eustress! On contrary, when people wish to avoid something but then are still forced to face it, impacts person negatively that eventually leads to decrease in their performance resulting in bad stress or often named as Destress!
Now there are certain factors that puts a person in a pressure called as stressors, and that tend to differ with respect to every individual’s experience & situations. Still the most common sources of stress include sudden life events, daily hassles and unexpectedly occurring serious events that leads to cause stressful upheavals by disturbing normal routine life and so one cannot quickly adapt… Also, it is important to understand what are physical as well as psychological implications of stress, though it differs for every individual to individual…
So, stress might alter certain biological functioning due to existing risks of genetic predispositions and then eventually may develop illness like increase in B.P or decrease ability of immune system to fight against the infections. Even psychological factors also adversely affect health under stressful situations! This may be caused due to exposure to violence, sexual and alcohol abuse, low socioeconomic status, sedentary lifestyle & lack of exercise leading to occupational stress because of cardiovascular activation, experiencing any traumatic event, frustrated due to unemployment or work overload are many factors causing direct or indirect stress to every individual in routine life.
After understanding and accepting a fact for sure that one is under stress, it becomes bit easier to cope with that by using Effective Stress Management Techniques that helps us to break the hold stress has on our life, so one can be happier, healthier, and more productive. The ultimate goal is a balanced life, with time for work, relationships, relaxation, fun and the resilience to hold up under pressure and meet challenges head on.
Though that isn't as straightforward as it sounds, but a stress journal can help us to identify the regular stressors in our life and the way we deal with them. When stress is getting us down, take a moment to reflect on all the things one appreciates in our life, including our own positive qualities and gifts. This ability and simple strategy can help you keep things in perspective to effectively deal with every day challenges.
Try to inculcate Assertiveness while sharing our thoughts and views with others on personal as well professional grounds! Communicating our concerns in an open and respectful way by avoiding jealousy ultimately helps in building healthy relationships and maintaining strong social support. Practice time management by planning, organizing and coordinating things in order to reduce stress to certain extent. Discipline in work life balance eventually helps in developing personality and leading a better, contented life!
Despite all this, some sources of stress are yet unavoidable. One can't prevent or change stressors then 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 one can't change. Because many things in life are beyond our control, particularly the behaviour of other people. Thus, rather than stressing out over them, focus on the things we can control such as the way we choose to react to problems and adapt better strategies to deal with that gradually!!
Sometimes, physical activity, meditation and mindful relaxation is a huge stress reliever – as in exercise releases endorphins that make us feel good, and it can also serve as a valuable distraction from other unwanted daily worries. A state of restfulness that is the opposite of the fight or flight definitely helps in stress level to decrease and our mind and body will become calm and peaceful. Along with all this it is crucially important to incorporate a healthy diet plan, adequate sleep and avoid products that harm the lifestyle.
Now as above rightly discussed how stress is really harmful for a person’s life and various related aspects of it, similarly many researches show that – ‘Stress is only considered harmful when an individual belief is that stress is bad & can be fatal!’ So, the studies further elaborate that, ‘changing a person’s view or mindset about stress eventually changes its bodily response making a person healthier.’ If the perspective towards all the physical and psychological symptoms of stress is little taken in positive manner then we may conclude that it is helpful to some extent in order to perform little better under pressure and that is what a need of today’s time, which everyone often experience!
Indeed, its all about every single individual’s approach to stress and how one transforms that stressful situation is what matters a lot by taking in account all the available coping strategies and techniques…!!! Afterall, courageously believing in our own thoughts in mind, actions in behaviour and understanding ourselves is really important!
REFERENCE BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Psychology, Class-XI & XII, Maharashtra State Bureau of Textbook Curriculum & Research.
“How to make stress your friend” by Health Psychologist Kelly McGonigal.
Pearson Edu, Social Psychology, 14th Ed, Branscombe & Baron.