Stress Management: Identify Your Sources of Stress

Your response to the demands of the world determines your stress level. It's crucial to understand common stressors and how they affect you.

The kids are screaming, the bills are due, and the pile of papers on your desk is growing. Life is full of stress. So what stresses you out?

What is Stress?

Stress is your body's reaction to the demands of the world. Stressors are events or conditions in your surroundings that may trigger stress. Your body responds to stressors differently depending on whether the stressor is new — acute stress — or whether the stressor has been around for a longer time — chronic stress.

Two Main Types of Stress

Acute Stress: Also known as the fight-or-flight response, acute stress is your body's immediate reaction to a significant threat, challenge, or scare.

Examples include a job interview, a minor car accident, or an exhilarating ski run. While single episodes of stress usually don't cause problems, severe acute stress can lead to mental health issues, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, or even physical ailments like a heart attack. 

Chronic Stress: This occurs when acute stressors pile up and persist. The persistent stress can lead to health problems like headaches and insomnia. Unlike acute stress, its effects are more subtle but longer lasting and more problematic.

Know Your Stressors

Effective stress management starts with identifying your sources of stress and developing strategies to manage them. One way to do this is to make a list of the situations, concerns, or challenges that trigger your stress response. Make a list of the top 10 issues you're facing. You'll notice some of your stressors are events that happen to you while others seem to originate from within.

External Stressors:

External stressors are events and situations that happen to you. Some examples of external stressors include:

Major Life Changes
These changes can be positive — a new marriage, a planned pregnancy, a promotion, or a new house. Or they can be negative — the death of a loved one or a divorce.

Environment

Many people are very sensitive in their environment, such as the noise, light, smells, or other environmental factors. These inputs can be a source of stress. Consider how you react to noises, such as a barking dog, or to too much or too little light in a room.

Unpredictable Events

Examples of this include unexpected houseguests, rent increases, or your pay cuts in your job.

Family

The occasional spousal spat, a teenager who refuses to cooperate or a nagging mother-in-law can all contribute to stress. 

Workplace
Common stressors at work include an impossible workload, urgent deadlines, and a demanding boss.
Social
Just think about going on a blind date and you probably start to sweat.
Strategies to manage external stressors include eating a healthy diet, being physically active, getting enough sleep, asking for help, using humor, being assertive, and practicing problem-solving and time management.

Internal Stressors

Not all stress stems from things that happen to you. Much of our stress response is self-induced. Those feelings and thoughts that pop into your head and cause you unrest are known as internal stressors. Examples of internal stressors include:

Fears

Common fears include fear of flying, fear of heights, and fear of public speaking. These fears could also be subconscious fears that hold you back from your purpose, such as fear of failure, fear of inadequacy, fear of taking on too much responsibility, fear of authority telling you what to do, fear of death, fear life has no purpose, and holding onto things that are not good for you.
Uncertainty
The body can feel anxious if don't like knowing what might happen. Think about how you might react when waiting for the results of a medical test.
Beliefs
This can include attitude, opinions, or expectations. You may not even think about how your beliefs shape your experience, but these preset thoughts often set us up for stress. Consider the expectations you put on yourself to create a perfect holiday celebration or advance up the career ladder.

 

The good news is we have the ability to control our thoughts. The bad news is our fears, attitudes, and expectations have been our companions for a long time and it often takes some effort to change them.

Strategies to manage internal stressors include reframing your thoughts, challenging negative thoughts, using relaxation techniques, and talking with a trusted friend or counselor.

Take the First Step

Recognizing a problem is the first step toward solving it. By identifying and understanding your sources of stress, you've begun to manage it better. Remember, stress is a fact of life, but with the right strategies, you can handle it.

Kelly Harrington, MS, RDN

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist for Healthy Goods

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