Stress sort of funny. Not *chuckles* funny, but *strange* funny. It can make you act heroic, or it can destroy your health and life.
How stress affects you Depends on your quantity of stress and what kinds of stress you have. It can also depend on what kinds of stress you've had in your past and how you learned to deal with it.
The biological signs of stress are meant to help you physically survive. In your world, this is rarely helpful, since most stress today is psychological.
Psychological stress will stem from problems such as worry about money, family, and your health. Your body's physical reaction to stress does not do anything for these situations. Because these kinds of situations are quite common and long-term, your body can be experiencing a constant state of stress.
Your body being in a constant state of stress causes stress related health problems ranging from muscle pain, sleep disorders, poor decision making, PTSD, depression and stomach problems. The health trouble from stress can add to the stress you already have.
Common sense tells you that managing your stress is important. There are all kinds of people and companies that will offer advice, products and services to help your stress. If every option worked the same for everyone, that would not be a problem. But, we're all different. What works for your friend, may not work for you.
Finding the right choice for yourself is easier when you are more aware of what causes your stress and how you experience it.
It helps to decide if your stress is from situations or behaviors - Is your stress in proportion to the current situations or does it feel blown out of proportion? It may not be easy to figure this part out on your own.
If your stress is situational, what are the situations and can they dealt with in a practical way? Do you have the time and energy to get some form of exercise and a proper diet? (I know from personal experience, if I have high stress, it is when my life is too busy to work-out or get to the grocery store for planned meals. That's when I need to slow down.)
If your stress if from behaviors, spend some time reviewing the situation. Separate what is about now and what is about the past, such as memories of past emotional events. (the stronger the emotion, the more vivid the memory. The more vivid the memory, the stronger the stress you will continue to feel from it.)
After becoming more aware of your stress, you will have a better idea of how to take care of it.
Situational stress is easier to figure out and will eventually be behind you. Behavioral stress may require outside help to get through. But, it IS possible, and IS worth accomplishing.
If you consider your stress a serious problem, seek professional help. Prescription Medicine is sometimes an answer, though many people complain of side effects and do not like the foggy feeling some medicines give. They'll sometimes say they don't know which is worse, to live in a fog or to be stressed.
Look into your options and find what fits for you. Then, make use of them. When it comes to improving your life, the only poor choice is to not make a choice.
