Figuring out your stress
- Last updated: August 8, 2019 | 15:23
The photo has been used for illustrative purposes.
Sarah Taryam, Arts Editor
When someone suffers from acute stress, their body goes into fight-or-flight mode. Basically, acute stress is your body’s immediate reaction to a perceived threat or scare. Examples of situations that can bring on acute stress are public speaking or being caught by a radar for speeding. This stress won’t usually cause too many problems for a healthy person, but severe acute stress can cause mental health problems later. Chronic stress is more subtle than acute stress but causes more problems in the long run.
A key to managing your stress is knowing your triggers, or stressors. An effective strategy for doing this is to make a list of the things that trigger stress in you. You will be able to see if the stress is caused from external or internal factors.
External stressors are events or situations that happen to you such as major life changes or issues in the workplace. Diet and exercise help to manage these external stressors. Internal stressors on the other hand are self-induced responses to stress. These include fears or feeling out of control.
Once you understand the type of stress you are suffering from you will be able to take the appropriate steps to help yourself feel better. Read on to learn about more effective ways to manage and keep your stress away.
In other news this week, turn to our Travel pages to read about all the activities you can do on a trip to the UK. If any of you are planning a late summer adventure, consider cliff camping in Dorset or sea kayaking around remote Scottish Islands.