Does Stress Affect Your Mental Health?

You’ve felt the unrelenting vice of your to-do list as it drains your energy faster than you can replenish it. 

You are no stranger to the heavy fog over your thoughts, blurring your boundaries and casting clouds over your judgment and mood.

You know what it feels like to be caught in the relentless storm of worry and worthiness, battling your productivity and fear at the same time. 

Stress and worry can happen to anyone and it can be overwhelming, particularly due to the many different ways it affects each person. It’s a painful ache that sits in your awareness; so uncomfortable that you can’t ignore it. 

Stress is a normal part of life, but too much of it can have a serious impact on our mental health. While it’s difficult to completely eliminate stress from our lives, there are some things we can do to manage it. 

What is Stress? 

Stress is our body’s natural response to change, but can also be triggered by a perceived threat or challenge. It’s a physical, emotional, and psychological reaction that occurs when we feel overwhelmed or unable to cope with a situation. Stress can be heightened by a variety of things, including difficult work situations, relationship issues, financial worries, or even our own thoughts and beliefs. 

Stress can be caused by external factors like work, family, or financial pressures, or it can be caused by internal factors like changes in our physical or mental health. It can be positive or negative, but it's usually the negative kind of stress that affects our mental health in the most impactful way.

You might feel anxious, overwhelmed or even on the verge of a panic attack when stress arises. These feelings are a result of your body’s response to stress as it releases hormones like cortisol and adrenaline to help us cope. These hormones can have a positive effect, helping us stay alert and focused in times of need. But when we’re exposed to too much stress, or if it lasts for too long, these hormones can start having a negative impact on our mental health. 

How does stress affect our mental health?

When we’re under a lot of stress, it can have a negative impact on our mental health. Stress can make us feel anxious, irritable, and overwhelmed. It can also lead to feelings of depression and sadness. In some cases, it can even contribute to physical symptoms such as headaches, stomachaches, and fatigue.

Therapy Can Help You Find Balance 

Therapy can be an effective tool for managing stress and improving our mental health. Talk therapy, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), can help us identify the sources of our stress and develop strategies for managing it. This is a particularly helpful approach for teens who may just need a bit of space and time to process and decompress from internal and external stressors in their lives. 

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a form of therapy that can help us work through traumatic experiences and reduce the emotional impact of stressful traumatic events. It’s particularly helpful for those who are experiencing stress in daily life after experiencing trauma or who struggle with anxiety and depression. EMDR focuses on identifying and addressing the root causes of stress, helping to reduce its impact on your mental health without dwelling in those painful triggers. 

Tools for Stress Management

Fortunately, there are some things we can do to manage the effect of stress on our lives. You can manage stress more effectively by taking breaks, getting active, practicing self-care, and seeking professional support.

Here are a few tips to get you started:

1. Move your body. Exercise is a great way to reduce stress levels and improve your mood. Make time to get moving each day, even if it’s just a short walk or some simple stretches. Exercise helps to release endorphins, which can help to reduce stress and improve your overall well-being. 

2. Sleep. It can feel impossible to get your essential 8 hours of sleep or to establish a consistent bedtime routine, but the research is clear; getting enough sleep can help you cope with stress, and lower the physical and mental impact of stress.

3. Take breaks. Though it sounds like sleep, taking breaks to rest serves an entirely different purpose. By interrupting your superhuman productivity with bouts of humanity, you can return to your body and reconnect with yourself. It’s important even if it’s just for a few minutes. Make time to step away from your work, take a walk outdoors, or just sit and relax. 

4. Eat well. Paying attention to what you eat can play a significant role in mitigating stress. Certain foods can worsen stress levels, while others can help alleviate tension and promote feelings of relaxation. By making mindful food choices and incorporating stress-reducing foods into your diet, you can take control of your stress levels and improve your overall well-being.

5. Nurture your relationships. Stress and anxiety can often make us feel isolated and disconnected from those around us. Make an effort to reach out to friends and family, or even join a support group or online forum where you can connect with others who understand what you’re going through. 

6. Commit to self-care. Self-care is about making time for yourself and taking care of your mental, physical, and emotional health. Take some time each day to do something that makes you feel good, like reading a book, listening to music, or spending time with friends and family. 

All these tools for stress management can be done on your own. When you add them into your routine along with therapy, they will help you develop skills to recognize and overcome stress triggers better in the future.  

Consider Therapy for Stress Management at Haven Family Therapy in Coral Springs or Fort Lauderdale

Remember, everyone’s experience with stress is different and you don’t have to manage it on your own. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, don’t be afraid to reach out to Haven Family Therapy for support with stress management in Coral Springs or Fort Lauderdale.