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How to Use Stress to Your Advantage
08.04.2024 12:40
On the one hand, experiencing a stressful situation makes a person stronger, more resilient, more resourceful, but on the other hand, it traumatizes the psyche.
No one can live without stressful conditions.
Even if you retreat to a dugout and “suffer” there or go to a monastery to learn the skills of tolerance, self-restraint and humility, you will still receive your share of stress without expecting it in advance.
Therefore, the ability to survive stress without losing (or with minimal) emotional harmony and mental stability largely depends on your attitude to what is happening, that is, on the ability of a particular person to adapt to stressors, says psychologist Andrei Kashkarov .
Frequency of exposure to stressors
Another significant factor in the situation is how often stressful situations recur.
And here the ability to adapt is even more important, namely not perceiving stressors as a tragedy, but their consequences as a drama. Do not transfer all the experiences to yourself. Live as if they do not exist.
Of course, this is completely impossible, but partly possible. Choose your reactions to what is happening.
In order for reactions to become less dangerous for you, you need to know the details and characteristics of your own (individual) stress states, predisposition to them; this will already partly calm you down, since a person is most afraid of the unknown and unpredictability.
On the one hand, the more often a person experiences stress, the worse it is for him.
However, this is not true. The less often you experience stress, the less prepared you are for it and the worse your adaptation, especially when there is a surprise factor.
There are examples from practice when a person lives in a stressful state for a long time and relatively successfully, but "breaks down" literally because of a trifle. And vice versa, constant stressful anxieties form such a degree of adaptation that you accept them almost as the norm.
Hence, it is important to regulate your own stressful state and attitude towards it as a conditional norm. In the manner of the maxim "it is always unpleasant to experience a historical moment. But if you do survive it, you can go down in history."
It follows that any person needs rest. And it is better to anticipate stress, be prepared, plan to take care of it before a critical emotional situation, that is, plan a balance of "labor feats" and rest.
Natural reactions of the body
From a medical point of view, patients confuse stress with panic attacks.
The general idea is quite obvious: suddenness and “causelessness” of the development of a stressful state, inattention to provoking factors and, as a result, a feeling of strong anxiety, fear, sometimes reviews say that the body goes numb, and the will in decision-making is paralyzed.
Obviously, these are individual characteristics and reactions. In case of danger, fright and other critical situations, the hypothalamus sends a signal to the adrenal glands. Mobilization (defense reaction) of the body is associated with the synthesis of catecholamine hormones (norepinephrine and adrenaline) and affects the manifestation of emotions and actions in a stressful situation.
Hence the relatively simple conclusion that the level of hormones in the body should be periodically monitored with the help of medical diagnostics (blood tests for the TG factor).
An attack can last from several minutes to several hours. As a rule, an unprepared person cannot calm down.
The benefits of stressful conditions
Now we move on to a brief discussion of the benefits of stress, there are some. But not for everyone.
Since stress is an inevitable companion of everyone’s life, the “healthy” amount of stressors in life is also determined individually.
It is known that, all other things being equal, two different people react differently to the same dangerous situation.
Since any behavioral reactions are connected with the peculiarities of the psyche and the experience of overcoming stressful conditions, the organism of one mobilizes and fights, while the other “gives up” and does nothing. This is the main difference.
American psychophysiologist Walter Bradford Cannon described the reaction of a person prepared (adapted) to stressors as “fight or flight”, which occurs under the influence of catecholamines.
When an external threat appears, the composition of the blood changes, a prepared person can quickly assess the situation and, depending on the conditions, choose a strategy for salvation - attack or flee.
The choice is always yours.
In this case, the following changes are observed in the body: the threshold for pain perception increases, the respiratory rate and heartbeat increase (allows the blood to be supplied with sufficient oxygen for the active work of the brain and muscles), the blood sugar level increases (additional energy resources for muscle tissue), and reflexes are accelerated.
Moreover, side effects of an individual nature may be observed. Thus, with the release of catecholamines, the reaction to extraneous signals may disappear, for example, hearing deteriorates, tunnel vision with the exclusion or slowing of peripheral vision may appear.
The benefit of stress, as well as its harm, lies in the mobilization of all body systems – its natural protective reaction.
It is clear that stressors are contraindicated a priori for people with chronic diseases, because even using the example of increased sugar levels, it is obvious that people diagnosed with diabetes will not be able to act actively (resist) stressors.
Their ability to fight for the body's survivability is limited. And others, relatively healthy, on the contrary, find in stressors conditions for mobilizing the body to their advantage.
For example, sleepiness disappears, and a desire to act arises. Local or strategic success reinforces this state.
Muscle tone increases, therefore, you can act physically with more energy, and if this is not possible, then improve your strength and spirit in the gym or on the treadmill.
This simultaneously strengthens the body additionally and reduces stress levels – with the help of physical exercise. This method is better than “eating” pills or antidepressants.
Thus, a stressful state allows, within a short period of time, to most vividly and even conditionally aggressively solve problems that previously seemed subjectively insoluble.
It's not so much about the physical impact as about the overall increased tone of the body. Some people deliberately put themselves in a stressful state by drinking energy drinks or bringing alcohol into their body.
Moreover, in all cases, the duration of action of these imperfect methods is limited, then lethargy, apathy and relaxation set in. It is much better to use the natural, organic energy of stress.
And if you have received it, immediately take active action in solving pressing problems. In addition to physical strength and mobilization, stressors make the brain work actively: you can find atypical and witty, creative solutions, intellectually defeat your opponent in a verbal "duel". These are just a few examples.
Available methods
Invent new ways of reacting. To get yourself into an active state, you can even breathe through different nostrils. Inhale through one, exhale through the other, and close the second one with your fingers.
Anything that increases blood pressure is a great stress reliever. For example, manual massage in certain areas – the cervical spine, shoulder girdle, groin area, and more. The massage should be performed by a certified specialist.
If necessary, you can pump yourself up with energy using psychological self-hypnosis. One of the methods is as follows.
Imagine that there is a small rubber ball in your palm. Squeeze it with all your strength, tensing all your muscles, then unclench your palm. Repeat this several times.
Positive emotions always arise in contrast between what was and what has become, is. By the way, the same reason for stress: a person gets used to even good things, and in a number of circumstances, a need for risk arises. This is a property of the psyche. Therefore, conditionally - normal.
Once you realize yourself and your desires in stressful circumstances, you will feel better.
And in order to avoid causing nervous experiences or risky consequences to other people, use sports and relaxation procedures for your own excitement and subsequent relaxation.
Previously, we talked about how to solve sleep problems with the help of some tricks .
