National Stress Awareness Day Article

Stress Management-Identify the Source of Your Stress

If you are feeling stressed and overwhelmed, the first thing you must do is try to determine what is causing your stress. If you don’t do this, you won’t really know what steps you should take to eliminate and manage your stress, so this is important. Sure, there are stress management techniques you can use, but wouldn’t you rather identify the source, so you can eliminate the problem completely, rather than trying to manage it’s symptoms?

Many of us have to deal with stress that is caused by financial situations, and in fact, that is one of the main causes of stress in society today. Some people experience financial stress when they are contemplating a major purchase, such as a home, car, or even a vacation. Others have to deal with financial stress caused by job loss, either due to voluntary or involuntary reasons, such as illness, injury, or layoff. This stress is then compounded by collection calls, collection letters and threats, which may lead to bankruptcy, divorce, or even suicide. You may worry about paying for your child’s education, or having the money you will need for your retirement years. For whatever reason, financial stress is very real, so you might want to take a long look at your finances and see what you can do to help eliminate the stress you are dealing with.

On the job stress is also fairly common. Many of us feel as though we are stuck in jobs that we don’t want to be in, that don’t pay well, or that have no benefits, just because we don’t have the skills needed to look elsewhere, or either we have too many financial responsibilities to risk a career change. You may be trying to make your way to the top, and are stressing over problems that you encounter along the way. You may have a supervisor who is difficult to deal with, etc. There are some things that you can do to eliminate this stress, but most often the answer is a job change.

Oftentimes, stress can be found in the home, fueled by family disagreements. Married couples fight with each other, creating stress not only for themselves and each other, but their children as well. This can also be caused by adding a new member to the family, as well as from losing a close family member. Illness, birth, injury, and death all severely impact every family member, creating stress for all.

Many people often get stressed out when they feel that their life is no longer their own. It seems as though they have so many commitments and responsibilities that they no longer have time for themselves. This type of stress is particularly common in moms who try to juggle family and career. I, myself, as a busy mom can tell you that on some days it seems difficult to find time even to take a shower, let alone do any of the things that I used to do. Over time, this creates stress, which can build into resentment, which in turn, can impact everyone in the family.

There are many different types of stress and factors that can cause stress. We all have different tolerances, and can handle different things. The way I deal with stress may not be effective for you, and vice versa.