Don’t let stress take control of your life. You have the power to fight back. If you find yourself in a high-stress career, you absolutely need to fight back. You might be surprised to discover that farmers are the most likely to suffer death by suicide than people in other careers. Once you understand the link to stress and suicide, the findings will be less surprising.
Stress leads to suicide for a number of reasons. Among them is the overwhelming sense of hopelessness. It leads people to have trouble imagining how they could possibly survive another moment with their entire world crumbling around them. It also causes mental anguish. It is no less severe than physical, chronic pain. Imagine having a broken bone that can’t be splinted, producing pain that can’t be relieved.
Among the worst aspects of stress is the feeling of building pressure with no safety valve for venting that pressure. It is like being a balloon that someone keeps filling with air. Long past the safety zone, the air keeps pouring in and the skin of the balloon keeps stretching and growing thinner. Eventually, something has to give. That something is never good.
This is why stress is so deadly and why you have to fight back. At the first signs of undue stress see a doctor and try the following:
Take Supplements That Help with Stress
Start by doing a search for supplements for stress. Suddenly, a whole new world of possibility and hope will open up to you. It is not simply a matter of artificial pharmaceuticals. Nature has provided its own means for dealing with stress. Consider supplements rich in ashwagandha. It is a shrub that grows in Asia and Africa. A common use is to calm stress. It is thought to be good for the brain and helps to reduce swelling. As with all treatments for serious issues, consult with your physician.
Naturally, supplements are not the whole story. Your diet can play a big part in increasing stress. It can also be used as a tool for reducing stress. Try cutting back on caffeine and sugar. These can heighten your reactions and keep you artificially amped up, making it difficult to calm down when you need to. They can also cause you to sleep poorly. Lack of sleep is often associated with diet, and will certainly make your stress worse.
Avoid Crowds
Some people thrive in the hustle and bustle of crowds. The bigger the crowd, the more comfortable they are. Others are triggered by crowds, especially those who are already suffering from stress. When under stress, things can trigger you that normally wouldn’t bother you. Loud noises or someone startling you with their presence can send your heart racing and induce a fight or flight response. You can’t afford those additional stressors when you are already at your stress limit.
Shopping online during the pandemic is about more than just reducing opportunities to catch a deadly virus. It is also about reducing the stress of crowds. People can get weird in grocery stores during a time of perceived or feared shortage. In those situations, no one is at their best. If you are already under stress, your best bet is to avoid as many of the situations as possible. Online shopping has made it possible for people under stress to manage a challenging life task without adding more stress to the equation. Reduce stressors like large crowds and give yourself more chances to relax.
Rethink Your Social Media Habits
Not everyone can just quit social media as if it were a trivial thing to do. For some, social media provides their primary means of contact with distant family and friends. Even suggesting such a move could increase rather than decrease stress.
That said, you can rethink and rebuild your social feeds so they work for you instead of against you. Unfriend everyone and only add back the people that help relieve rather than renew your stress. Social media does not have to be a vector for toxic interactions. Take control of your social graph.
Dealing with stress is serious business. If you are feeling it more than usual, see your doctor. Otherwise, take stress-relieving supplements. Avoid crowds and other triggers. And rethink your social media habits.