Stress is a commonly acknowledged fact of life. Everyone is susceptible to feeling it from the small child to the adolescent to the college student to the working parent to the elderly. This is not a profound statement; however, it has only been in recent years that the effects of stress have become widely acknowledged and the professional fields have taken a more proactive approach in helping people cope with stress.
Major life changes are stressful for anyone and the effects may be different for different individuals based on their own coping skills, specific life circumstances, and other factors. In many cases, even minor life events, when occurring in conjunction with other events, can feel overwhelming. When attempting to help someone overcome their feelings of stress, there are several options available.
There are many methods for people to reduce the amount of stress they are experiencing. The first means of addressing stress should be to determine what is necessary and what is not. By identifying each individual stressor affecting the emotions, it is possible to tackle them one at a time instead of in a single lump group (Stress Prevention, 2004). This identification of stressors can be aided with the help of a support group which can be as formal as a hired counselor or as informal as a network of family and friends who are willing to listen. “It sometimes helps to talk with a friend, relative or member of the clergy.
Another person can help you see a problem from a different point of view” (Prevention Stress, 2005). In many cases, the family and friends approach is preferable because they pose the added benefit of knowing you personally, usually being aware of some of your background and thus being able to assess for themselves what is truly bothering you rather than having to depend on what you’ve told them. At the same time, sessions can be spent doing enjoyable activities such as shopping, playing sports, or relaxing, all of which can further help reduce stress.
There are also methods of self-help people can utilize such as investing in and using a planner to help make large tasks or overwhelming schedules seem somehow less daunting. Time must be allocated to free oneself from the pressures of work and family life. “To avoid stress … you must schedule free time for yourself. This means that there must be a time of the day where you can just kick back and watch TV or listen to music. If you spend all of your time working, you will quickly become stressed and irritable” (Brantley, 2007).
At the same time, placing all of your responsibilities into a daily planner helps to illustrate where the schedule is overtaxed and facilitates the delegation of tasks. Saying no once in a while to take on more work than can be reasonably accomplished by a single person in a day is an important skill to learn, particularly for women (Brantley, 2007), while delegating responsibilities within the family unit can also go a long way toward relieving stress.
Taking care of one’s health by eating right, getting enough rest, and exercising can also be very effective means of reducing stress. Endorphins activated during exercise act as natural anti-depressants while the physical activity of moving and stretching muscles work out the tension caused by stress (Prevention Stress, 2005). Individuals should also exercise their ability to laugh and cry as both are effective in relieving stress. “Laughter makes your muscles go limp and releases tension, so try to keep a sense of humor. Tears can help cleanse the body of substances that accumulate under stress” (Prevention Stress, 2005). Learning to relax, help others, and learning to accept what we cannot change are all important elements of effectively combating stress as well.
When stress is too much for even these simple exercises, it is sometimes helpful to give the body a boost through the use of vitamins and minerals. Many of these are very helpful in alleviating stressful emotions. “At the top of the list is the whole range of B vitamins. Hormones like serotonin feed on B vitamins and without the B complex series, our bodies won’t produce enough serotonin. Serotonin is the hormone most responsible for soothing our nerves and keeping us feeling upbeat” (Prevention of Stress, 2002).
Vitamin C, among other things it does for our bodies, also helps to regulate adrenaline and cortisol, which contribute to feelings of tension and stress when not required for immediate action. Flaxseed and fish oil help keep the body operating smoothly and thus more capable of fighting the harmful effects of stress. Herbs that have been used to help alleviate stress, often only suggested under heavy qualifications because of their uncertain nature, include balm oil, valerian root, passionflower, ginseng, chamomile, and St. John’s wort, most used as a bedtime tea.
Although stress can affect anyone at any age for a variety of reasons, there are several ways it can be alleviated. Social services, connections, and support groups can provide outside assistance to alleviate stress on an individual, but the individual can also go a long way toward helping him- or herself. Basic concepts such as reducing the activities in one’s schedule, delegating responsibility, or simply taking care of basic health can contribute much toward the immediate alleviation of stress.
Works Cited
Brantley, Amy. “Tips to Help You Avoid Stress in College.” Associated Content. (2007). Web.
“Prevention of Stress.” (2002). eSsortment. Pagewise. Web.
“Prevention Stress.” (2005). Healthy Women.org. National Women’s Health Resource Center. Web.
“Stress Prevention.” (2004). Advocates for Survivors of Child Abuse. Web.