How Can I Manage My Stress? (Episode #19)

American Cheers, Jeers, and Tears

You are not alone. Most people suffer under stress, at least occasionally. If it happens only up and on, it’s not really a big deal. However, if you suffer under permanent stress, you are not just harming your quality of life, you are endangering your health in a potentially irreparable way.
Just to make it clear: There is good stress and bad stress. The good one is positive when you are working hard on something you like. This kind of stress doesn’t stress you out, it rather creates some kind of pleasure and satisfaction. The positive energy never hurts you, it’s actually beneficial.
The bad stress, on the other side, is a reaction to excessive pressure. It is usually characterized as “feeling under pressure” and inability to cope with your burden. This may cause major physical symptoms such as headache, racing heartbeat, high blood pressure, and sweaty palms. If this continues over time, it may cause a series of harmful health problems.
There are many ways how the long-term stress can kill you. Stress produces increased levels of cortisol, the so-called stress hormone, and this can have a number of major effects on your body. It rapidly lowers your immune system. It also increases your cholesterol and blood pressure. At the same time, it endangers your heart function in a very serious way.
Some of the most frequent effects of stress are headache, chest pain, fatigue, stomach problems, sleepless nights, restlessness, feeling overwhelmed, anger, sadness, and even depression. If you are at that point, you need help!