The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.
– William James
Are you addicted to stress? Would you know if you were? I doubt it.
This article is dedicated to giving you insight into what I reluctantly call “unconscious stress suicide.” I will not mention the ‘S’ world again.
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines addiction as “a compulsive, chronic, physiological or psychological need for a habit-forming substance, behavior, or activity. It has harmful physical, psychological, or social effects and typically causes well-defined symptoms such as anxiety, irritability, tremors, or nausea.”
Being stressed is not necessarily being addicted to stress.
Yet, we can become addicted to stress though it is not a conscious choice.
How? The answer is very close to how you become addicted to Opioids.
There are two brain chemicals that are known as the “feel good” chemicals or, as I call them, the “yum yum” chemicals or hormones – Adrenaline and Cortisol. Both prepare the body for the primitive part of our brain known as the “fight or flight” survival response.
‘Adrenaline’ is a hormone secreted by the adrenal glands that increases rates of blood circulation, breathing, and carbohydrate metabolism and prepares muscles for exertion. Also called epinephrine.
I’ve personally experienced this shot of adrenaline thousands of times as a performer and speaker.
‘Cortisol’ has a light and dark side. It impacts important functions like blood sugar and metabolism regulation, inflammation reduction and memory formulation.
On the dark side, cortisol, when exacerbated by stress, can contribute to weight gain, thinning skin, easy bruising, slowed healing, weight gain, difficulty concentrating, irritability, high blood pressure and headaches.
For our purposes, it is vitally important to distinguish between experiencing stress naturally and being addicted to stress.
I’ve put together a short quiz which I hope ramps up your awareness about – you. Read the questions and be aware how you react.
-Do you constantly put yourself in stressful situations?
-Do you create pressure by procrastinating? Do you chase the ‘high‘ of the rush?
-Do you rely on stress for motivation, creating or seeking out tight deadlines or juggling multiple tasks?
-Do you constantly check your phone?
-Do you constantly multitask?
-Do you make excuses that keep you from relaxing and renewing?
-Do you say “yes” to everyone, constantly overcommitting and then feeling over-burdened, overwhelmed or resentful?
-Do you stay busy and feel guilty or restless when you have nothing to do?
-Do you have a tendency to be a perfectionist?
-Do you constantly worry about what you cannot control?
-Do you often find yourself angry, irritable, wound up or impatient with yourself and others?
-Do you find it hard to enjoy yourself?
How many questions did you answer “yes”? If more than two, you may want to consider that you just might be addicted to stress.
Uncomfortable Life Fact: IF YOU ARE ADDICTED, YOU CREATE THE CIRCUMSTANCES BY YOUR LONG AND SHORT-TERM CHOICES TO FEED YOUR ADDICTION TO CHAOS.
Stress addiction involves consistently seeking out or remaining in stressful situations, often to the detriment of one’s health and well-being.
“So what?” you may ask.
“It’s not stress that kills us, it’s our reaction to it.
In fact, pressure can be good for us, but not knowing how to manage it can cause stress.
This is why stress management techniques are
so important to prevent and reduce stress at the earliest stages.”
– Hans Selye, Known as the father of stress research
The downside of addictio is the incredible price you pay in this short-lived life: Again, are these signs familiar?
Unfortunately, many people are unknowingly addicted to stress because they have become so accustomed to high-pressure situations that they feel uncomfortable or restless without them. This happens when stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline become part of their normal state, making calmness feel unfamiliar or even unsettling.
Often, people who are addicted to stress justify it as being “hardworking” or “productive,” not realizing that it may be taking a toll on their emotional and physical well-being. Have you noticed this in someone or experienced it yourself?
Knowing the signs of stress addiction can help you deal with it in a better way.
Good stress is called “eustress,” and you may be more familiar with it as a feeling of excitement or eagerness. For example, you may have felt eustress when starting a new job, getting married, traveling, engaging in physical exercise or even riding a rollercoaster.
It’s the type of stress that motivates you to rise to the occasion, sharpen your skills, and accomplish tasks. Whether preparing for a presentation, training for a marathon, or planning a big event, eustress provides the energy boost needed to meet challenges head-on.
Consider this: You would not want a surgeon with a relaxed pulse of 60/min doing surgery on you. During operations, the mean heart rate of 8 surgeons was 121/min with maximum rates in some cases of over 150/min.
Think of stress as an indicator that you care about something, rather than a cause for panic.
If you even suspect that you are addicted to stress, incorporate these suggestions into your daily life.
You want to be proactive about throwing off your addiction to stress because – only you can mute addiction to stress.
First and foremost is self-awareness.
1. Discover and recognize your ‘triggers’.
The American Psychological Association defines a trigger: At its core, a trigger is any stimulus that elicits a specific emotional or behavioral response, often based on past experiences or learned associations. It’s like a mental shortcut, by passing our conscious decision-making process and activating an immediate reaction. These triggers can be external (something in our environment) or internal (a thought or memory), and they often operate below the level of conscious awareness.
Start by noticing what situations or activities make you feel stressed. Is it tight deadlines, social pressures, or overloading your schedule? Keeping a journal or jotting down moments of high stress can help you see patterns in what’s triggering these feelings. Understanding your triggers lets you make mindful choices to avoid or better handle them in the future.
2. Engage in regular physical activity:
I’m sure you have heard this suggestion. Exercise! Exercise releases endorphins, those ‘feel good’ brain chemicals which boosts your mood.
Whether it’s going for a leisurely walk, running, stretching, doing yoga, or playing a sport, physical activity can reduce stress levels and serve as a healthy coping mechanism. According to researchers from the University of Chicago, regular exercise has been associated with lower stress levels and emotional resilience to acute stress.
You must learn to let go. Release the stress.
You were never in control anyway.
– William James
3. Practice relaxing techniques:
I’m going to give you a gift. Below is the link to my “ToolKit for the Mind” managing stress recording. Cut and paste in your Browser.
I hope you take advantage of it.
Manage Stress: http://download.jamesmapes.com/download.php?f=qcd003-d.mp3
This includes ‘deep breathing’ and progressive muscle relaxation which activates the body’s ‘relaxation response’.
Please let me know how it works for you.
4. Set boundaries:
It’s important to incorporate setting boundaries both around work, relationships and other responsibilities to break the cycle of stress addiction. Start with limiting work tasks to certain hours or saying “no” to those projects that fare unnecessary. Start small. For one day, don’t check your emails except at a specific time. Notice how it makes you feel.
Find hobbies that don’t involve pressure.
Absorb yourself in activities (hobbies) purely for enjoyment rather than achievement. I find reading and having a vegetable garden does it for me. But you can try drawing and taking a local acting class.
Do it for fun.
5. Reframe how you think about productivity:
Don’t let your mind bully your body into believing
it must carry the burden of its worries.
– Astrid Alauda
Unfortunately, for many, feeling productive is tied to feeling stressed. Focus on doing one task well rather than many tasks at once. Give yourself a ‘pat on the back’ for small accomplishments.
6. Surround yourself with supportive people:
If you have the courage, share your feelings and experiences with those who are supportive in your circle: friends, family, or support groups. Talking to others provides both comfort and guidance, fostering a sense of belonging and reducing stress.
This social support is a vital part of healthy coping mechanisms.
Take to heart and practice the above suggestions and you will break free of stress addiction and reclaim your peace of mind.
Do not anticipate trouble or worry about what may never happen.
Keep in the sunlight.
– Benjamin Franklin
IMAGINE THAT!
Previously Published on jamesmapes.com
iStock image
Publisher: Source link
