Stress, what is the impact if unaddressed?

When we are confronted with a real or perceived threat or harmful situation, we experience stress. It is our body's response to danger and can be felt physically, mentally, and emotionally. Stress can impact our mental and physical health.

Why do we feel stress?

Stress is a natural process that evolved in our ancestors to ensure our survival.

When confronted with a threat, our bodies immediately respond by flooding itself with hormones that raise the heart rate, raise blood pressure, increase breathing, tighten muscles, boost energy, and prepare the body to deal with the threat. This is referred to as the fight/flight response.

Although we are not often faced with actual life-threatening situations in our modern world, our bodies respond to modern stressors in the same way that our ancestors did.

Most of us have dealt with stress at some point in our lives. Some of us experience it more frequently than others, and some of us have difficulty dealing with its effects and breaking free from its grip.

Do you think you’re stressed? Find out more about the common signs of stress here

How does stress affect us?

While stress can be beneficial, such as motivating us to complete a task or meet a deadline, it can also be detrimental.

Stress can make us feel overwhelmed, overburdened, and, for lack of a better word, stressed.

Occasional stress does not usually result in long-term or chronic health problems, but stress over a long period of time can be harmful to our physical and mental health.

It can impair your body's ability to respond to illness by affecting the immune system, leading to frequent colds and infections.

It can also cause severe physical health problems such as, cardiovascular disease, abnormal heart rhythms, heart attacks, hypertension, and strokes.

Continuous stress can cause a person to withdraw from friends, family, and others, as well as lead to mental health problems such as depression and anxiety.

Combatting Stress

Because chronic stress can harm your health in so many ways, it's critical to develop positive coping strategies to deal with stress in your life.

Physical exercise and relaxation techniques such as meditation or yoga are two activities that can help you manage your stress.

Eating a balanced diet, getting enough sleep, and limiting your caffeine and alcohol intake are all effective ways to reduce the effects of stress on the body.

Identifying the source of your stress is an important first step towards being able to change your stress experience.

Consult a mental health professional who will be able to assist you in developing positive ways to cope with stress.

 Through counselling (Employee Assistance Program), your counsellor will be able to help you determine sources of stress in your life and work with you to develop strategies to manage your stress levels.

Or you might consider attending one of Wellbeing Campuses Self-care, Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction or Mental Health First Aid courses in Melbourne.