How to Cope up with Stress?
“Stress” is a condition which we experience when we cannot meet up with the expectations of self or the Environment. The biggest myth is that only adults experience stress but out of my experience I have learned that an infant also suffers from stress which is unexpressed. For example, a child has set a goal for himself/herself to achieve and supposedly he/she fails to accomplish at that moment this child might undergo stress. On the daily basis every individual at some time experience this condition. But the symptoms and stressors vary person to person.
If we discuss about children there are very many stressors in their life like: they have to look “cool” among their peers, they have to maintain their academic performance, and they also have to maintain a good “virtual image”. So, somehow while managing all these children loose the equilibrium and undergo stress which sometimes leads to Depression.
Symptoms of stress:
- Becoming easily restless, irritated, and temperamental
- Having difficulty calming and quieting your mind
- Feeling bad about yourself (low self-esteem), lonely, worthless, and depressed
- Avoiding others
- Lack of energy
- Headaches
- Upset stomach, including diarrhea, constipation, and nausea
- Aches, pains, and stressed muscles
- Chest pain and rapid heartbeat
- Insomnia
- Recurrent colds and infections
- Nervousness and trembling, cold or sweaty hands and feet
- Continuous worrying
- Racing thoughts
- Inability to focus
- Changes in appetite -- either not eating or eating too much
- Exhibiting more nervous behaviours, such as nail biting, fidgeting, and pacing
Ways to cope up with stress:
- - Exercise daily
- - Reduce your Caffeine intake
- - Reduce junk food
- - Increase intake of green vegetables and fruits
- - Sleep well
- - Write and discuss the problem
- - Make a to-do list
- - Be assertive
- - Stop procrastination
- - Deep breathing
- - Listen to music
- - Read positive literature
- - Discuss the problem
- - Focus on the solution
- - Talk to professional
These are the few ways to deal with stress. If we can opt and implement even few of them it may become easier to cope up with such situations. A person with stress can also approach to professional like a counselor or psychotherapist who can connect them to the environment and themselves by individual and group therapy sessions.
Written by
Archana Sharma
Counselling Psychologist
