Stress is an unavoidable part of life. We all face stressful situations whether it be at work, school, or in our personal relationships. While a little stress can help motivate us, too much stress can be overwhelming and lead to unhealthy behaviors. When we’re feeling stressed, it’s important to recognize unhelpful coping strategies and instead focus on more constructive ways to manage stress. In this article, we’ll explore some common unhealthy things people do when stressed and provide tips for better stress management.
Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms
Emotional Eating
Many people turn to food for comfort when they’re feeling stressed. The issues with stress eating are:
– You’re not addressing the root cause of stress – Eating may temporarily make you feel better, but it doesn’t solve the stressful issue at hand.
– Unhealthy food choices – People often reach for sugary, fatty comfort foods when stressed. This can lead to weight gain and other health issues.
– Guilt after overeating – After stress eating, people often feel guilty and ashamed which creates more negative emotions.
If you notice you’re eating when stressed, pause and ask yourself if you’re truly hungry or just eating to numb difficult emotions. If you’re not hungry, try to engage in another activity instead of eating. If you decide to eat, make conscious choices to eat healthy, nourishing foods.
Withdrawing from Others
It’s common to want to isolate yourself when feeling overwhelmed with stress. You may cancel plans with friends, stop answering texts, or pull away from family members. However, cutting off your support system can make stress worse. Humans are social creatures – we need positive interactions with others to feel happy and fulfilled. Pushing people away when you need them most only makes the situation harder. If you notice yourself withdrawing from your loved ones when stressed, make an effort to communicate your needs and still engage with them in smaller ways. Asking for support and staying connected will help reduce feelings of isolation.
Procrastination
Stress often leads to procrastination on important tasks. When we feel overwhelmed, putting things off can seem easier in the moment. However, this only creates more stress as deadlines approach and piles of unfinished work accumulate. If you catch yourself procrastinating when stressed, try breaking large tasks down into smaller, manageable steps. Prioritize high importance tasks and create a schedule to tackle them bit by bit. Remind yourself that taking action to complete tasks will ultimately reduce your stress levels. Ask for help from others if you feel paralyzed by certain responsibilities.
Neglecting Self-care
It’s easy to let self-care fall by the wayside when you’re stressed and focused solely on obligations. Skimping on sleep, exercise, healthy eating, and other self-care activities only makes matters worse. When your basic needs aren’t met, you’ll feel even more depleted and overwhelmed. Make sure to prioritize:
– Adequate sleep – Try to get 7-9 hours per night. Maintain a consistent sleep schedule. Limit screen time before bed.
– Regular exercise – Aim for 30 minutes most days of the week. Exercise reduces stress hormones and boosts mood.
– Healthy, balanced meals – Don’t skip meals. Make sure to eat a balance of protein, carbs, fats, and other essential nutrients throughout the day.
– Relaxation practices – Try deep breathing, meditation, yoga, or other calming activities. Even 10 minutes per day can make a difference.
Caring for yourself should always be a top concern, especially in difficult times. Don’t let obligations take precedence over meeting your basic needs.
Drinking, Smoking, or Drug Use
Some turn to substance use as a way to cope with stress. Drinking a glass of wine or smoking a cigarette may seem calming in the moment, but reliance on substances only fuels unhealthy habits. Over time, smoking, excessive drinking, recreational drugs, and even misuse of prescription medication can spiral out of control. These behaviors don’t address the root cause of stress and may lead to serious addiction and health problems. It’s important to find healthy coping mechanisms when you’re feeling overwhelmed. If substance dependence is an issue, seek professional treatment and support groups. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
Healthy Ways to Manage Stress
Exercise and Move Your Body
Physical activity is one of the most effective stress management tools. Aerobic exercise like brisk walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, and dancing causes your body to release endorphins. These feel-good chemicals can instantly improve your mood. Aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise per day. Or look for small ways to stay active throughout your day – take the stairs, park farther away, or go for a short walk.
Practice Relaxation Techniques
Activities like deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, meditation, visualization, yoga, and tai chi activate the body’s relaxation response. This counters the negative effects of stress. Try setting aside at least 10-20 minutes per day for your preferred relaxation activity. Apps like Calm, Headspace, and Simple Habit provide great guided practices.
Maintain Social Connections
Spending time with supportive loved ones helps reduce stress. Share what you’re going through with close family and friends. Or get together with positive people in your life to enjoy uplifting activities and conversation. Feeling understood and connected goes a long way when you’re facing challenges.
Set Aside Time for Hobbies and Enjoyment
All work and no play is a recipe for burnout. Make sure to set aside time each day for hobbies and activities you enjoy. Read, cook or bake, play sports, garden, paint, knit – anything that brings you pleasure and a sense of creativity. Fun activities provide a healthy outlet for stress.
See a Mental Health Professional
For severe or ongoing stress, it may be helpful to speak to a psychologist, psychiatrist or counselor. Mental health experts can help you develop positive coping strategies using therapy approaches like CBT and mindfulness practices. Medications may also be prescribed if you’re struggling with anxiety or depression alongside high stress levels. Getting professional support can be critical in times of crisis.
Stress Management Tips and Techniques
Here are some additional tips for keeping stress under control:
Take deep breaths – Deep, diaphragmatic breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, inducing calm. Inhale slowly from the diaphragm, hold briefly, then exhale slowly. Repeat for several breaths.
Practice gratitude – Make a daily list of things you are grateful for. This simple habit trains your brain to focus on the positive.
Listen to relaxing music – Create playlists with slower instrumental music or nature sounds. Listening while resting, working, or commuting can lower anxiety.
Unplug and go outside – Spend time in nature away from screens and other stressors. Exposure to greenery and sunlight lifts mood.
Laugh it off – Laughter increases circulation, oxygen intake, and endorphin release. Seek out humorous books, shows, movies, or friends who make you laugh.
Write it out – Jot feelings down in a journal or diary. Expressive writing about stressful events can be cathartic.
Let it go – Avoid dwelling on things you can’t control. Practice mindfulness to stay focused on the present moment.
Talk it out – Verbalizing thoughts and feelings can be relieving. Speak to a trusted friend or mental health professional.
Prioritize self-care – Carve out time each day just for yourself. Do activities you find calming and replenishing.
Take a mental health day – If burnout sets in, take a day off to reset. Use the time to relax, reflect, and recharge.
When to Seek Professional Help
It’s important to recognize when stress management techniques aren’t sufficient, and more help is needed. Seek assistance from a doctor or mental health provider if stress is:
– Causing significant anxiety or depression
– Affecting your work performance
– Straining your relationships
– Causing physical health problems
– Leading to substance dependence
– Prevents you from meeting basic needs
– Makes you feel suicidal
Ignoring severe stress rarely makes things better. Be honest with yourself about when it’s time to get professional support. Therapists and psychiatrists can help you work through challenging issues in a healthy way.
Conclusion
Stress is an unavoidable part of life. But allowing stress to build up without relief can be detrimental to both physical and mental health. It’s important to recognize unhealthy coping mechanisms that may seem temporarily comforting but worsen problems in the long run. Instead of avoiding issues, overeating, lashing out, or substance use, proactively focus on positive stress management strategies. Maintaining social connections, getting regular exercise, eating well, engaging in relaxing activities, and knowing when to seek help will allow you to deal with stress in a constructive manner. With mindful, consistent effort, you can learn to manage stress effectively and not allow it to control your life.