Survival guide: How to manage stress and burnout

World Health Organization defines stress as a state of worry or mental tension caused by a difficult situation. Stress is a natural human response that prompts us to address challenges and threats in our lives. 

Everyone experiences stress to some degree, mild or severe. The way a person responds to stress, however, makes a big difference to an individual’s overall well-being. WHO notes that stress affects both the mind and the body. 

According to experts, stress in moderation can be beneficial and even useful in carrying out daily tasks. Problems with mental and physical health can result from excessive stress.

Acquiring coping skills can alleviate feelings of overwhelm and promote both our mental and physical health.

What are the signs of stress?

There are several types of stress, including acute stress, episodic acute and chronic. It is important to note that everyone experiences stress differently.

Stressors can vary and be conditioned by environment, past, present and social and economic status. 

Stress can elicit a variety of emotions, such as worry and irritation, and makes it difficult for us to unwind. Stress can also make it harder for one to focus.

We can feel unsettled or unable to sleep, or we might get headaches or other body aches. Sometimes a person can experience appetite loss or overindulgence in food. Prolonged stress can exacerbate pre-existing medical conditions and lead to a rise in alcohol, tobacco, and other drug consumption.

Stressful ordeal can also lead to or worsen mental health issues, the most frequent of which are anxiety and depression. When a person experiences mental health issues, it could be because the stress symptoms have gotten worse and are interfering with day-to-day activities, such as going to work or school or work.

Should we expect stress in difficult situations? 

Yes, it is natural to feel stressed in challenging situations such as job interviews, school exams, unrealistic workloads, an insecure job, or conflict with family, friends or colleagues.

For many people stress reduces over time as the situation improves or as they learn to cope emotionally with the situation. Stress tends to be widespread during events such as major economic crises, disease outbreaks, natural disasters, war, and community violence.

It can feel irrelevant or even difficult to preserve your welfare when things are so stressful. However, you must take all the necessary action.

Many major health issues, such as high blood pressure, heart disease and heart attacks, stroke, and cardiovascular disease, can be brought on by or made worse by ongoing stress. Severe stress causes immediate impairments to memory, reasoning, and judgement and has been connected to the onset of anxiety, and depression.

How can you manage stress?

Stress management isn’t to get rid of it completely because it is not possible to get rid of stress entirely. To properly manage stress, one needs to identify their stressors and triggers.

Identify which of the triggers can be avoided because some sources of stress are unavoidable. You can’t prevent or change stressors such as the death of a loved one, a serious illness, or a national recession.

In such cases, the best way to cope with stress is to accept things as they are. Acceptance may be difficult, but in the long run, it’s easier than railing against a situation you can’t change. Find a way to cope with those negative stressors that cannot be avoided.

Surround yourself with support

Surrounding yourself with a support system goes a long way in stress management because it lightens the load. This is because the feeling that other people care about your well-being activates a safety and soothing system.

Keep in touch with family and friends and share your concerns and feelings with people you trust. Connecting with others can lift our mood and help us feel less stressed.