What is Stress?
Stress is a physiological and psychological response that occurs when an individual perceives a discrepancy between the demands placed on them and their ability to cope with those demands. It is the body's natural reaction to challenges or threats and can be triggered by various situations or events.
Here are some key points about Stress to help us in our journey to considering and noticing the impact of stress on our clients and indeed ourselves too:
- Normal Response: Stress is a normal and adaptive response designed to help individuals cope with difficult situations. It can motivate and prepare the body to face challenges effectively.
- Types of Stress:
- Acute Stress: Short-term stress that occurs in response to immediate challenges.
- Chronic Stress: Long-term stress resulting from persistent challenges, such as ongoing work pressure or financial difficulties.
- Stressors: Stress can be triggered by stressors, which are events or conditions that place demands on an individual. Common stressors include work pressure, relationship issues, financial problems, and major life changes.
- Physical Response: The body responds to stress through the release of stress hormones, such as cortisol and adrenaline. This physiological response is often referred to as the "fight or flight" response. Often stress show up in the tension held in muscles for example rounding of shoulders and tension in the hip flexors and curvature of the posture.
- Psychological Response: Stress can also manifest as psychological symptoms, including feelings of anxiety, irritability, or difficulty concentrating. It may affect emotions, thoughts, and behaviour.
- Impact on Health: Prolonged or chronic stress can have negative effects on both physical and mental health. It has been linked to conditions such as cardiovascular problems, digestive issues, weakened immune function, and mental health disorders.
- Individual Variability: People vary in their response to stress. What one person finds stressful, another may not. Additionally, individuals have different coping mechanisms and resilience levels.
- Coping Strategies: Effective stress management involves adopting healthy coping strategies. This can include exercise, relaxation techniques, time management, seeking social support, and making lifestyle changes.
- Mind-Body Connection: The mind and body are interconnected, and stress can manifest physically as well as mentally. Chronic stress can contribute to a range of health problems, emphasising the importance of addressing stress for overall well-being.
- Positive Stress (Eustress): Not all stress is negative. Positive stress, known as eustress, can be invigorating and contribute to personal growth. It often occurs in situations where individuals are motivated and challenged in a positive way.
Understanding and managing stress is crucial for maintaining a balanced and healthy lifestyle. While some level of stress is a part of life, chronic or overwhelming stress should be addressed through appropriate coping mechanisms and support systems.
So how can we help?
Our offering is vital in the fight against the stresses of modern life. Noticing the effects of stress on our clients is so important and giving an outlet to diffuse the stress and give coping mechanisms whilst sharing our insights is so valuable.
The physical effects of stress on the body can be instantly recognisable in the way our clients are holding themselves and often as we unpack the story of what has brought them to see us the physical tension held in the body is very apparent. Opening back up the posture and helping them to breathe more deeply can be profound. When you team this with grounding exercises and the therapies we offer it really opens up a space where your clients can feel heard, held and calmed.