Stress

 

Everyone Experiences Stress

It’s just a part of our lives that can’t be avoided. We tend to think that all stress is bad, but it’s not. Stress is what makes us run from danger or work hard to meet a deadline. But even stress that can considered “bad” isn’t really the problem. It’s how we manage or cope with stress that’s important.

 
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Causes of Stress

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Triggers

The situations, events, and people who cause us stress are called triggers. While we all experience stress, we don’t all experience the same triggers. Triggers can’t always be controlled but we can be aware of them and anticipate our reaction. The more we’re aware of our triggers, the better we can manage the stress they bring.

Examples of Triggers:

  • Having a tough conversation

  • Getting yelled at by a parent

  • Being the center of attention

  • Asking for something and not getting it

  • Not achieving an accomplishment that you worked for

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Cues

We can also experience stress physically through internal cues that let us know something is going on. In other words, when stress comes, our bodies respond. Tuning in to the way your body responds can be another important tool to maximizing your ability to cope with stress.

Examples of Cues:

  • Feeling your face flush

  • Feeling like you want to punch something

  • Leg kicking/bouncing

  • Feeling sick to your stomach

  • Difficulty breathing

“When you make a choice to cope with stress in a healthy way, you can better manage stress, change the situation, and get help.”

 

Coping With Stress

We can try to cope with our reaction to stress in healthy or unhealthy ways, also called adaptive and maladaptive coping. Check out some healthy, adaptive coping skills you or others can use.