Types of Stressors
According to the World Health Organization, stress is “a state of worry or mental tension caused by a difficult situation.” Stress is a natural human response that everyone experiences to some degree. Stress occurs in many different forms throughout our lives.
Lifestyle Stressors
Lifestyle stressors are events or experiences that occur throughout our daily lives that cause stress. Some examples of this are a lack of sleep, having a poor diet, or being addicted to drugs/alcohol. Creating a healthy and balanced lifestyle prevents lifestyle stressors from becoming too overwhelming. Some ways to create such a lifestyle is to develop a schedule to manage time, participate in breathing techniques or exercise, or take a break.
Social Stressors
Social stressors are events that threaten one’s relationships, esteem, or sense of belonging. Some examples of this are relationship or friendship struggles, having a low self-esteem, or being at a socioeconomic disadvantage. Although it may be difficult to alleviate social stressors, it is important to take care of yourself, take breaks from stress-inducing platforms (e.g. social media), or turn to resources or people who can help you gain control of your financial situation.
Organizational Stressors
Organizational stressors are events that occur when an individual has to overcome demands that are beyond their ability. Some examples of this are climate change, demands from work, or the unpredictable future. Participating in a healthy and inclusive environment, focusing on what you can control, and setting boundaries within communities all contribute to preventing organizational stressors from becoming too overwhelming.
Responses to Stress
There are still so many more different types of stressors in our world that we have not touched upon. Everyone responds to stress in different ways with some being healthier than others.
Release Emotion
Releasing emotions refers to the process of letting go of emotional baggage through various means that often result in a sense of release. People release it both loudly and quietly, and some examples are crying, venting, writing, or dancing. There is an endless list of the various ways one can release emotions, but some practices work better for some and are healthier for one’s overall health. It is important to ensure that one finds a means to release their emotions to maintain a healthy and safe environment and mentality.
Bottle It Up
Some people tend to bottle up their feelings, pushing down their stress and struggles in public. Although they may appear to be carefree, inside, their stress continues to boil and grow. At some point, the bottle will either burst open, the stress will slowly leak out, or the bottle cap will be twisted off. Stress will be released in one way or another, but there are various ways in which it can be released. Sometimes, people become too overwhelmed and end up hurting themselves through the process of bottling up their emotions, causing more consequences. Bottling up emotions is never encouraged as it will lead to consequences that may affect one’s health as well as the lives of those around them.
Balance Work and Play
Having a balanced lifestyle is important to maintaining a healthy stress level without overwhelming yourself with too many activities. Owning a planner or schedule where one can reflect and plan their upcoming weeks is an amazing way to ensure that one is able to healthily manage their time and prevent themselves from overpacking themselves with work. With the right balance, one is able to have control over their schedule, maintaining productivity and preventing burnout. I personally balance my work and play by having a whiteboard filled with my work due dates and meeting times to create a clear picture of the upcoming weeks and how to spend my free time.
Self-care
It is important to focus on yourself to improve your physical and mental health. Taking care of yourself is important to managing stress, lowering your risk of health problems, and increasing your energy levels. I consider self-care as one of the most important responses to stress as it allows you to relax and prepare yourself to confidently and readily take down all upcoming challenges. I believe that keeping yourself healthy and happy is key to a successful life.
Conclusion
Stress is everywhere in our lives, and without it, much would not be done. However, we must ensure that we have a moderate amount of stress because too much may lead to consequences that can affect our health. There are many ways in which we can respond to stress, and I believe that we can all grow to healthily address stressors that occur in our lives.
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