Wednesday, November 23, 2022

8 Powerful Ways To Cope With Extreme Stress

According to reports, 33% of people feel extreme stress and it's affecting their mental and physical health. Most people who experience extremely stressful situations find it difficult to adjust and cope. And consistent exposure to such environments or situations could lead to panic attacks, fatigue, sleep issues, chest pain and other issues. However, things can improve with time and adequate self and professional care. Below are a few effective ways to cope with these and other extreme stress symptoms.

Image Courtesy of Pixabay
 

1. Practice Mindfulness 

Practicing mindfulness has been demonstrated to reduce stress symptoms such as despair, restlessness and anxiety. Mindful meditation, for instance, entails breathing techniques, guided imagery or other relaxation techniques. Practicing daily meditation and yoga may make you more aware of your thoughts before they start to control your emotions. Fortunately, you can find several free resources online on how to practice mindfulness to help you focus on your breathing and replace unpleasant thinking with healthier, more useful thoughts.

2. Self Compassion 

It's important to recognize that you have no direct control over what has happened in the past, just as you have no direct influence over what will happen in the future. Therefore, try your very best to always keep yourself in the present. You can practice several techniques to help you relax and conquer the rising concerns that are linked with post traumatic stress. Self soothing behaviors such as changing your environment, soothing smells, self compassion and taking warm showers or baths can keep your mind focused on the present. Consider incorporating any or all of these ideas into your daily routine in order to appreciate life more.

3. Distract Yourself 

The deliberate use of distraction methods when you begin feeling things like worry and dread can be beneficial in managing these powerful and uncomfortable emotions. Distraction is defined in this case as something that will briefly divert your focus away from a powerful feeling. Some effective distraction tactics for extreme stress include gardening, exercising, playing a game and reading a book.

4. Try Expressive Journaling

Journaling can help people express and process their thoughts and feelings, which can be beneficial in dealing with anxiety. In managing extreme stress, expressive writing has been shown to increase coping and post traumatic development to lessen symptoms, stress and rage. Expressive journaling is also a good way to find meaning and make good life changes after exposure to an extremely stressful incident. 

5. Consider Stress Medication 

Extreme stress can trigger a neurotransmitter imbalance in the brain's limbic system, which is responsible for your fight or flight instincts. High stress can make you feel tense and jittery, leading to the stress response. You may also feel extremely intimidated, even when there's no genuine threat or risk to you. Fortunately, there are medications and products that can help you manage these symptoms. For instance, CBD products like Delta 8 gummies can be very useful in restoring calm and managing your stress symptoms. 

6. Create A Support Network

According to research, getting support from those around you can play a significant role in helping you to overcome the negative consequences of a stressful life or traumatic incident. Having someone you can talk to will help you to deal with difficult situations, even if you're just seeking emotional affirmation. However, merely having someone to chat with may not be enough. There are several crucial resources offered by a supportive relationship that can be very effective in helping you with your anxiety management. These supportive relationships, whether in the form of an in person support group managed by a health professional or a virtual group, can help people withr extreme stress symptoms connect with others who understand the difficulties that come with this situation. This can be an invaluable source of essential connection, support, counsel and strength.

7. Adopt A Pet 

According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA), keeping a dog can help reduce many stress symptoms, particularly loneliness and despair. Dogs are clever, perceptive companions who never stop caring for and serving their owners. Dog-human connections are great for everyone, not just those with stress related conditions. Emotional support pets can help you cope and improve your mood. 

8. Progressive Muscle Relaxation 

Relaxation exercises are also excellent coping strategies since they help to reduce stress and anxiety. The goal of progressive muscle relaxation is to alternate between tensing and relaxing various muscle groups throughout your body. You can achieve complete muscular relaxation by stretching your muscles. Doing this can help relieve some of your symptoms over time.

Conclusion 

If you experience symptoms of extreme stress, know that you're not alone and that there is help out there. Practicing the above coping methods for relief and management will help. But in severe cases, you should consult a doctor or a mental health expert.

 


This is a contributed post. 

No comments:

Post a Comment