Residents of modern megalopolises and large settlements are under pressure from various factors that are harmful to health, well-being and general performance. The reaction to severe stress is present in the International Classifier of Diseases ICD-10 and requires a doctor’s visit. However, there are scientifically based methods that you can implement yourself to prevent such consequences. In this article, we will talk about different strategies for dealing with stress and understand their effectiveness.

Causes of stress

Stress is a physiological mechanism that helps to adapt to changed conditions quickly. It serves as a kind of natural reaction of the body to discomfort and danger. If the environment does not change and continues to bring discomfort to life, the stress state becomes chronic. 

This threatens with neuroses and prolonged depression – serious mental health disorders that develop under the influence of a complex of biological, psychological and social factors.

To understand how you can quickly deal with stress, you first need to identify its cause. It usually results from:

. Excessive fatigue
. Difficulties in work and study,
. Low self-esteem and dissatisfaction with oneself,
. Problems in personal relationships,
. Experienced tragedy or loss.

If a person suffers from increased anxiety, in order to start “stressing”, it is enough for him to think about his future or plunge into memories of the past.

Chronic anxiety cannot be cured by simply ignoring it. It can develop into nervous tension, which will suppress the psycho-emotional state, and affect the quality of work and concentration. 

In the absence of proper treatment, there is a high probability of a decrease in immunity, disruption of the endocrine and nervous systems, and the development of diseases that are in no way associated with an emotional state.

Diagnosing Stress

Despite the severity of the stressful condition, many people still confuse it with simple excitement. A bad mood caused by a quarrel with a loved one or a nervous environment at work cannot be called distress, much less depression. It does not affect physical well-being and does not drag on for several days.

Chronic stressful condition stretches over days and weeks, gradually combining with other symptoms. You can distinguish it by the following features:

. Headaches and dizziness;
. Feeling of chronic fatigue;
. Drowsiness or, conversely, insomnia;
. Frequent awakenings in sleep;
. Disorder of the gastrointestinal tract;
. Feeling of numbness in the limbs;
. Muscle tremor;
. Excessive sweating;
. Allergic rashes;
. Decreased libido;
. Sharp fluctuations in weight;
. Loss of interest in favourite activities;
. Low concentration of attention;
. Memory problems.

Let’s add here the signs that many associates with depression and stressful conditions: a constant feeling of fear, depression, aggression, excessive irritability, pessimism, sudden and unreasonable mood swings.

Ways To Deal With Stress

Modern medicine identifies three basic strategies for managing stress effectively:

. Changing the problem. The challenge is to overcome internal tension.
. Avoiding the problem. The task is to distract from stressful influences.
. Change in attitude to the problem. The task is to reduce the significance of the situation while continuing to satisfy the simplest needs and move towards goals.

In other words, it is necessary to maintain the normal functioning of the body and monitor your psycho-emotional background.

The Value Of Psychotherapy

It is necessary to contact experienced psychologists and psychotherapists to treat a stressful condition. A person suffering from nervous disorders is unlikely to adequately assess their well-being and the effectiveness of the treatment methods they prescribe to themselves.

It is not enough to read books on psychology or advice on thematic forums on the Internet. A specialist who has the appropriate education should work with the psycho-emotional state.