Coping: Stress Management Strategies

What is Stress?

Stress is our natural way of responding to the demands of our ever-changing world.1 Although we all experience change and demands regularly, the way that we interpret these internal and external changes directly affects the degree to which we feel stress. As a result, not all individuals interpret the same events as stressful; what may seem stressful to you may not be the same for your best friend, and vice versa.

Stress can be a result of both positive and negative experiences, and it is a necessary part of our daily lives. From an evolutionary standpoint stress was necessary for survival (i.e., imagine hunting large prey on which one’s entire tribe is dependent) and some stress continues to be a helpful part of our modern lives since it motivates us to accomplish tasks or make needed changes.We all feel the pressure of our environment during times of transition (i.e., at the time of high school graduation) and in preparation for significant life events (i.e., in anticipation of a job interview). Although response to stress is often adaptive (i.e., feeling stress before an exam may be a critical motivator in studying for it), too much stress or an inability to cope with it can cause negative emotional and physical symptoms, including, but not limited to, anxiety, irritability, and increased heart rate.

Stress versus Distress

Although some stress is a natural and inevitable part of our lives, feeling burdened or unable to cope can be problematic and can seriously affect your mental and physical well-being.3 Constantly being exposed to stressful situations can be over-stimulating and if we are constantly feeling stressed, we may begin to feel unable to manage the problems at hand. In order to avoid situations in which we feel “overloaded,” we must first identify what stresses us, what our threshold for stress is, and how we can most effectively manage stressful situations.

Am I Stressed?

Stress Symptoms

Before being able to identify stressors (the things that make us stressed in the first place), it is important to identify whether or not stress has become a problem in your life. Take note of any emotional and physical changes that you have recently experienced:

• Are you irritable?
• Are you easily upset over small events? 
• Are you feeling isolated or withdrawn from your peers and loved ones? 
• Are you unhappy with yourself? (i.e., do you have feelings of worthlessness?)

Physically, are you experiencing...

• Sleeplessness?
• Irregular eating?
• Difficulty breathing? 
• Low energy? 
• Lack of concentration? 
• Loss of interest? 
• Over-tiredness?

Once you have identified and accepted how you are feeling, it is important to identify what exactly it is that is causing you stress.

What are stressors?

No one event, regardless of how traumatic, can be detrimental to health. Stress becomes problematic when stressors accumulate and/or become recurrent, resulting in distress or feelings of anxiety and hopelessness. Stressors come in a variety of different forms: tests, finances, job interviews, health problems, achieved goals, praise, family conflicts, romantic relationships, competitions, homework assignments, etc. Remember, stressors can be positive and negative!