When we are exposed to challenges and demands which outweigh our resources, we can be left feeling stressed. The stress response can be seen as essential to survival as it is our body’s way of telling us that we are in over our head and that we need to slow down. If we don’t listen to this, or if we continue to be exposed to stressors, the psychological and physical impact can mount, which in turn can undermine our general health and wellbeing.
In evolutionary terms, stress is the body’s defense against life threatening situations such as predators and danger. The stress response is largely physiological and includes the expression of larger quantities of hormones such as cortisol (stress hormone), epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (stress hormone and neurotransmitter). This increase of stress hormones leads to an instant physical response, which can include increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, sweating, increased alertness, dry mouth, suppressed immune system, muscle twitching, nausea, and dizziness.
The stress response may then also lead to psychological symptoms such as agitation, mood swings, anger, defensiveness, forgetfulness, and lowered frustration tolerance. Lastly, behavioural responses may occur which could lead to avoidance behaviours, neglect for oneself, such as smoking, unhealthy eating, increased alcohol consumption, abnormal appetite, or fidgeting behaviours etc.
Acute stress is short term stress, which usually resolves once the stressor is resolved. Acute stress can lead to short term issues such as tension headaches and stomach pains. When stress becomes chronic and ongoing it can lead to more substantial negative health impacts such as cardiovascular, sleep, immune and reproductive issues.
When we are overly exposed to stress, our body can give us signs that the stress is becoming a problem.
These signs can be physical, psychological and or behavioural, and may include some of the following:
Stress has been found to reduce markedly in response to behavioural interventions such as regular exercise and meditation practices. Chronic stress usually requires a level of understanding regarding the situational stressors in your life, in order that you are then able to affect changes. This isn’t always an easy task. Sometimes our stressors aren’t as obvious as we think.
At Laburnum Psychology, our psychologists are trained in a range of therapies to assist individuals who are experiencing stress. Psychological intervention for stress management involves treatments such as Cognitive Behavioural Stress Management (CBSM), Mindfulness based stress reduction, Meditation, and other relaxation-based approaches. Broader psychological therapies can also be of great assistance in gaining insight and control, and breaking inertia when people feel stuck.
If you feel that stress is an issue for you, we encourage you to make a time to speak with one of our psychologists and to explore some possible pathways toward relief. While there are many very useful self-help options, speaking with a psychologist who has experience working with stress can make a profound difference to your efforts to achieve relief from stress.
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