Stress is an everyday part of our lives and a normal physical and mental response to a situation where one feel’s under pressure or overwhelmed. Stress disturbs or interferes with the normal physiological equilibrium of an organism. Basically, we are out of balance.
In older adults, stress is thought to play a bigger role in triggering depression and/or anxiety than in other age groups. Aging brings special pressures, unique life upsets and key biological changes – but they need not result in long standing psychological disorders if addressed early.
We all know that life is stressful. The question is how do we respond to it? Stress reduction is about shifting from reacting to responding.
The first step in stress management is awareness! A person needs to be able to feel and know they are experiencing stress. Once a person is aware, mindfulness techniques and coping strategies can be done.
Two quick steps to help you to come back to yourself/the present moment are:
- Pause and take 3 deep breaths
- Ask yourself the questions: “what is going on with me right now?” and “what can I do to bring myself back to the moment?”
From here, you may have a couple of solutions to help you manage your immediate stress and move forward in a calmer way.
If you find that there is “too much” going on in your life right now, and you are feeling overwhelmed, schedule an appointment with Terri Haaga and she will be happy to assist you in developing a stress reduction plan for you or someone you care about.