In today’s world, where most people are chasing success, stress is common and becoming the norm. Stress comes to us from multiple sources, and with the constant bombardment of stressful stimulations, one could end up with cumulative stress.
You’ll find a myriad of coping techniques out there that can help manage the stress temporarily, but as a lasting and even more permanent solution, hypnotherapy can be the answer for you. Hypnosis is an excellent way to help change the perception of stress so one can manage all kinds of stress. Consult with a hypnotherapist now.
In this article, we’ll discuss cumulative stress, various reasons behind stress, its effects, and how to manage stress. I hope you’ll find this article helpful.
What is Cumulative Stress?
Cumulative stress is the result of an accumulation of stress. It happens when someone continuously faces stress factors or difficult situations. It is a common experience for people working in chronically stressful situations.
The concept of cumulative stress is not new. It has a long-term impact on your physical and psychological condition. Some of the severe effects of this stress are- boredom, anxiety, poor concentration, memory problems, increased alcohol intake, fear of leaving home, relationship issues, changes in health condition, personality changes, etc.
To avoid building up such stress, you should know what causes stress and try avoiding them.
Causes of Stress
Multiple events in different parts of our lives can cause stress. Let’s explore some common causes behind stress.
Personal Reasons
- Long-term illness or injury
- Infertility
- Domestic abuse
- Getting divorced or experiencing a breakup
- Getting married or entering a relationship
- Problematic relationships with family and friends
- Unhealthy living conditions
- Poverty
- Financial issues
- Experiencing racism or bully
Friends and Family
- Getting divorced or experiencing a breakup
- Getting married or entering a relationship
- Problematic relationships with family and friends
- Joining or planning family events
Study
- Being bullied at school or college
- Exams
- Moving to a new school
- Not understanding lectures
Professional Life
- Losing a job
- Starting a new job
- Challenging tasks or projects at work
- Retirement
- Long-term unemployment
- Problematic relationships with colleagues and superiors
- Deadlines
Stressful national or global events, for example- war, pandemic, economic recession, etc are also major stressors for a large number of the world population..
It is impossible to avoid stress completely. Such issues occur frequently in our lives. Learning how to manage stress is important in preventing many other potentially more serious issues such as physical pain or anxiety and depression.
How to Deal with Stress
Feeling stressed is natural. However, it would be best to learn how to cope with it as the number of stressful events keeps increasing. I’m going to share some practical ways to deal with it.
Understand Your Stress
Understanding your stress makes it easier to manage it. You should find out the reasons and focus on reducing the impact. You can’t control everything that happens in your life, and that’s okay. Know how you deal with it.
Work on the Cause
You can always avoid some stress. Once you identify the reasons behind your stress, you’ll find that saying “no,” avoiding some people, and not participating in events or discussions can help you reduce stress. Also, you’ll find that you have the power to alter some situations in your favor.
Avoid Unhealthy Ways to Deal with It
We all have some unhealthy ways to cope with stress. Eating without control, smoking or drinking frequently, sleeping too much, staying home all day, and zoning out for hours are some unhealthy ways to get temporary relief. These are not long term solutions as they might lead to other problems such as addiction.
Stay Positive
Staying positive and accepting the situation can reduce the stress a lot. It is helpful to look at things from a different perspective, to look at the bigger picture and adjust your standards/expectations to reduce stress.
Stay Physically Active
One of the best stress management techniques is to keep your body moving. You can dance alone in the room or take your dog out for a walk. Doing physical exercise, yoga, running, swimming, trekking, etc. can be a great way to release the tension in the body and help clear the mind. Besides uplifting your mood, such activities will also help you sleep better.
Eat Healthy
Eating healthy is not just about your body; it’s also about your mind. Healthy foods reduce stress and boost your mind. Put vitamin C, magnesium, omega-3 fatty acids, etc., in your diet.
Get a Proper Sleep
You may find sleeping challenging when stressed, but proper sleep is necessary. To get adequate sleep, get involved in physical exercise. It is also advisable to avoid alcohol or caffeine, get out in nature and get some sunlight, remove electronics from the bedroom, and meditate to calm yourself to have a better sleep.
Communicate with People
Find someone who you trust to speak with. It is good to talk through our difficulties instead of bottling everything in. Face-to-face communication is a great way to vent your stress and release the tension.
Discuss a Specialist
Therapists can help you see the situation differently, making it easier to understand your stress. They will be able to offer practical ways to handle stressful situations and to relieve your symptoms.
Hypnotherapy is an effective way to use positive suggestions to help you change your response towards the different challenges in life. If you would like to learn more about hypnotherapy and how it may help you, consult with a specialist today.
Cumulative Stress Reaction
Naturally, cumulative stress has a worse impact on anyone compared to stress. It starts with increased negative emotions, such as sadness, anger, and irritability. Such a lift in negative emotions affects relationships.
A brain filled with negative emotions can’t think properly. So, another reaction to cumulative stress is brain fog and the inability to think correctly. Thus, you can’t make the right decisions. Anxiety and fear are also common impacts you’ll face.
It has some impact on your body, too. Continuous headaches, stomach issues, eye fatigue, etc., are common impacts you’ll face because of cumulative stress disorder. Such issues lead people to addiction to substances, eating disorders, and an increase in weight.
Final Verdict
Cumulative stress can hamper your balance in life and affect your relationships if not appropriately treated. As it affects both your mind and body, the impact can be drastic. You will need to change your habits, mindset, and actions towards stressors to eliminate them.
Hypnotherapy helps you bring the changes through positive suggestions, taking you in a state of hyper-suggestibility. Here at Hypnotherapy in Vancouver, we carefully assess your case and find suitable suggestions to help you change your mindset to a more positive out.
Want to beat stress? Contact me soon.