What is stress?

Most of us know what stress feels like. We will say things like 'oh wow, this is really stressful', or 'I feel really stressed right now' or ‘I can't cope with all this stress'.

Stress isn't necessarily always a bad thing. Being under pressure is a regular part of life. In fact, without the ability to feel stress, humans wouldn't have existed as long as they have. Our ancestors would use the early warning signs of stress to alert them to potential danger, such an oncoming bear or a wolf.

When we get stressed, our body switched on its fight or flight response so that we can get our bodies ready to either fight the threat or run from it. As part of this physical response, our body releases all sorts of chemicals and hormones. You will have probably heard of adrenaline and cortisol already. They are just a couple of the chemicals and hormones that help to prepare our body for action.

This fight or flight process can cause all sorts of physical, psychological and emotional symptoms.

While our environments have changed dramatically and we are no longer live in caves and are chased by wild bears and wolves, our brains have hardly changed at all. We still have that very sophisticated fight or flight mechanism that wants to protect us.

Threats in our lives today are different Things like going for a job interview, giving a presentation at work, money worries, moving to a new house, being unhappy at work, long term health problems or even not being a specific dress size or weight are now seen as real threats in our lives. These are just a few things that can cause us to feel stressed and worry.

Our ancestors would try to avoid threats as much as possible. However, when they did encounter danger, they would either run or fight, putting all those chemicals and hormones to good use. After the threat had gone, their body would regulate itself, and all the associated symptoms would pass.

Unlike our ancestors, we come in contact with multiple stressors regularly. This can lead us to feeling overwhelmed and in a constant state of stress. Prolonged periods of stress can have an effect on our work and personal lives. If left unmanaged stress can have an impact on our mental and physical health and in some cases can lead to long-term health problems.

Although stress is often unavoidable, don't stress about the stress. There are many ways we can manage it effectively. I promise.

What are the symptoms of stress?

How do I know if I'm stressed? We all experience the effects of stress differently, and stress can manifest in varying ways for each of us. It often targets the weakest part of us. If you are someone that is prone to headaches, or skin conditions or bowel problems, it's likely that when you're stressed, these will flare-up.

The changes can also be psychological and emotional and might even cause noticeable changes in your behaviour.

Here is a list of some of the ways that the effects of stress might show up in your life:

Psychological

Poor Judgement
Lack of concentration
Brain fog or fuzziness
Inability to make decisions
Self-doubt
Low self-esteem

Physical

Racing heartbeat
Aches and pains
Low immune system
Skin complaints
Constipation or diarrhoea
High blood pressure
Shallow breathing or hyperventilating
Panic attacks
Muscle tension
Tiredness
Loss of libido
Blurred vision or sore eyes

Emotional

Changing mood
Irritability
Catastrophising
Cynicism
Anxiety
Overwhelm
Frustration
Apprehension
Demotivated

Behaviours

Increased use of alcohol, cigarettes or drugs to relax
Increase in caffeine to combat fatigue
Avoiding socialising
Sleeping too much or not enough
Starting many tasks but not finishing them
Loss of sense of humour
Avoiding situations that are troubling you
Snapping at people
Biting your nails
Picking at your skin
Eating too much or too little

What causes stress?

Stress can be caused by a couple of different ways. It can be triggered by one big event that happens in your life, or it can be caused by the build-up of small stresses over a prolonged period. Sometimes people experience both.

Triggers can include:

Being under lots of pressure at work or home
Facing significant changes in your work or personal life
Worrying about something small over a prolonged period
Not having much or any control over the outcome of a situation
Having increasing responsibilities that you're finding overwhelming
Not having enough work, activities or change in your life
Times of uncertainty

Is stress a mental health condition?

Stress is not a psychiatric condition. In fact, there is no medical definition of stress. However, it can have a significant impact on your mental health.

Prolonged periods of stress can contribute to developing a mental health problem, and it makes existing mental health problems worse. For example, if you have been experiencing stress for an extended amount of time, you might have an increased chance of experiencing anxiety or depression.

Existing mental health problems can also cause stress. Coping with the day-to-day symptoms, as well as needing to manage medication, heath care appointments or treatments, can become additional sources of stress in your life.

What helps to reduce stress?

As I have already said, it's not possible to eliminate all stress from our lives completely, but we can manage stress and the way we respond to it. A few things you can implement to help you deal with stress are:

Develop a good sleep routine, between 6-8 hours of sleep a night is optimal. And no screen time an hour before bed.
Eat well – make time for three nutritious meals a day and limit stimulants like caffeine and processed sugar, particularly before bed.
Movement – aim to move your body for at least 30 minutes every day. Research shows that walks in nature can significantly decrease stress levels.
Make time for self-care – listen to your body and take notice when it's giving you signals to rest of slow down. Speak kindly and compassionately to yourself if you notice your critical voice is showing up and giving you a beating.
Learn to say no – sometimes it can be tempting to say yes to everything and cram lots into our day to make it meaningful. But in times of stress, it can be just as important to say no and be aware of your physical and emotional limits.
Practice relaxation – breathing techniques, meditation, self-hypnosis, mindfulness and yoga, are great ways to help activate the parasympathetic nervous system and turn off the fight or flight response.
Make time to connect with friends and family. In times of stress, it's essential to build a good support network so that you can share your worries and concerns with others and not keep it locked away in your head.
Take a holiday – sometimes a simple change of scene can give you what you need. It doesn't have to be a beach; a couple of nights stay-cation can do the trick.
Talk to a professional – oh hi there! Hypnotherapy can help you identify your triggers and address the issues that are causing you stress—more on that next.

How can Hypnotherapy help to reduce stress?

Hypnosis can be used to help you manage stress. A Hypnotherapist can guide you through a process of discovery and change, helping you to develop the coping skills needed to respond to stress healthily. Hypnosis can help you:

Discover the triggers and causes of your stress.
Identify unhelpful thought patterns and behaviours that keep you stuck in stressful situations.
Develop coping strategies and healthier ways to respond to stress when it arises.
Increase your confidence and self-esteem and build your personal resources. This will help feel more comfortable to be assertive and set boundaries when you need to say no.
Teach your self-hypnosis for relaxation.

Are you ready to book a Hypnotherapy session?

If you think Hypnotherapy might be for you, or if you’re still undecided and would some more details before you book a consultation, give me a shout. I’d be delighted to book you in for a consultation or answer any other questions you might have. Get in touch here.

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I am a Hypnotherapist working to help people understand their mental health better. I offer private Hypnotherapy in-person in Manchester City Centre and also online. I also offer free advice on my blog and on Instagram. Please share this blog post if you found it helpful or know someone who might benefit from it.

Disclaimer: Please note, the information in this blog post is not intended to be therapy and does not constitute a client-therapist relationship

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