The Consequences Of Not Managing Stress Problems In Our Lives
Stress is an element that is part of the natural functioning of our body. No matter how annoying it may be at times, being stressed does not have to be a problem, much less a psychological disorder. Simply, it is an adaptation mechanism that helps us be prepared to act quickly in key situations.
However, problems due to excess stress are a reality. Sometimes, we become so stressed that it works against us, and not in our favor. And when we have to go through an experience like this, it is best to take action on the matter as soon as possible. Let’s see why, through a review of the consequences of not intervening in stress problems.
The main consequences of not solving stress problems
These are the ways in which excess stress damages our quality of life in the medium and long term if we do not take measures to mitigate it.
1. In maintaining healthy habits
One of the areas of life in which the impact of excess psychological stress is most clearly reflected has to do with our self-care habits; That is, how we eat, how we take care of our hygiene, how we stay in shape and how we ensure enough hours of quality sleep.
Since, on the one hand, excess stress causes us to focus on the most extreme short-termism, and on the other hand, it tends to “paralyze” us through psychological rumination (that is, the tendency to think over and over again about what we find ourselves in.) obsesses or worries us), It is very common that in situations like this we tend to constantly postpone actions like cooking something healthy, going to sleep at the right time, showering when it’s time, etc.
These types of psychological alterations only influence our physical health through their influence on our self-care actions; besides, They can also wear down the functioning of our body directly., through physiological or organic processes in general. When this occurs, we speak of somatizations, which are health problems in which psychological discomfort is expressed through physical signs and symptoms: belly pain, itchy skin, headaches, etc.
Somatizations are one of the most common consequences of stress problems when they last for relatively long periods, and although the exact mechanisms that transform stress into physical discomfort are not known, it is believed that it has to do with the wear and tear produced by stress. abnormal hormone release patterns maintained for too long.
3. In the family
In the family environment, the main consequences of stress are the tendency to introspection and social isolation (the result of psychological rumination) and, on the other hand, the predisposition to appear irritable when we are very stressed: any annoyance or comment that we consider ambiguous It makes us adopt a hostile attitude due to the frustration that this generates in us. Definitely, We do not like social interactions that arise through coexistence that interrupt our flow of thoughts focused on what concerns us..
4. In friendships
With friendships, something similar happens to what happens with families in relation to problems due to excess stress: This type of psychological alteration predisposes us to isolate ourselves and to focus our attention towards the interior of our mind or towards external stimuli that may have to do with what worries us, but not towards the rest of the elements that surround us. Therefore, it is common for those who have been too stressed for a while to stop seeing their friends as often.
Finally, it should be said that although in theory stress serves to help us react quickly to fleeting opportunities and to signs that if we do not move in time something bad will happen to us, this does not mean that our work performance always improves.
In fact, The most common thing is that in the medium and long term, excess stress worsens our performance at work.. Firstly, because it exhausts us, making it difficult for us to concentrate on a task for long enough to “connect” with it. And secondly, because the fear of facing certain experiences that we anticipate and that obsess us, makes us try to avoid going through it, so we postpone again and again the tasks that make us think about what generates anxiety.
Are you interested in learning how to manage stress in your daily life?
There are several habits and strategies that help mitigate stress and anxiety so that they do not overwhelm us, becoming a problem that reduces our quality of life. And one of the most useful and simple is to adopt the practice of meditation. Incorporating short sessions of several minutes of meditation into our daily routines helps us re-balance our emotional state and ensures that the general levels of nervous activation are not higher than those required by circumstances.
