“Huwag ka ma-stress!”
One of the misconceptions about stress is that it is something that we need to remove from our lives. However, stress isn’t all bad. In fact, stress is a natural response of the body. Natural ang stress at bukod doon, kailangan ng katawan natin ang “good” stress. We don’t eliminate stress; we manage it and try our best to help the “good” stress win.
Stress is Not Always Bad
We relate stress to negative things. Stress also goes hand in hand with anxiety and depression. Kapag sinabing “stress,” dumidiretso ang isip natin sa mga pangamba at problema tulad ng deadlines, problemang pinansyal, problemang pang pamilya, relationship issues, health scares, security, at marami pang iba. These things do cause stress and they cause bad stress at that.
However, we seldom associate stress with working out, friendly competitions, trying something different, and learning something new. Ang stress ang pangunahing sanhi ng pag-release ng katawan ng cortisol or mas kilala bilang “stress hormone”; isang regulatory hormone na mahalaga sa ilang mga bagay tulad ng pag-regulate ng blood pressure, blood sugar, metabolism, inflammatory response, at pagtulog at pag-gising. Having a balanced cortisol is important to the body; too little or too much cortisol affects our body’s natural operation. Dahil mahalaga ang “stress hormone,” mahalaga din ang tamang stress, at may mga bagay na nagdudulot ng stress sa atin sa mabuting paraan.
Managing Stress is Making Peace with Stress
Kapag sinabi nating “stress relief”, ang iniisip kaagad natin ay magpahinga at mag relax. While that is true, those aren’t the only ways to cope with stress. And we say “cope” because you can’t cut out stress from your life. Instead, you have to learn to live with stress, manage how you respond to it, and build habits that help you make peace with stress or stressors.
Step Away from Media Updates for a While
Media, especially social media, affects our mental health in more ways than we think. Karaniwan ay nakukumpara natin ang ating sarili sa iba sa social media, for better or for worse. We may feel intimidated or jealous about someone’s success, and also feel anxious about someone going through bad times, thinking that the same bad things might also happen to us.
Stepping away from social media and other forms of updates like news might help you manage stress. Not only that, but choosing entertainment that forces you to focus will also give you a better sense of meaningful time spent. Read an immersive novel, watch a classic movie, analyze a work of art, listen to new music. Try to go for good artistic material, because to paraphrase Cesar A. Cruz, art has a way to disturb the comfortable and comfort the disturbed.
Connect in Meaningful Ways
Kahit nagba-browse ka sa social media, hindi ibig sabihin na may makabuluhang connection ang nagawa mo sa tao just by being updated with their life. It still pays to hit someone up through chat. It might also be more helpful to sit down, talk, and listen to people you feel secure and comfortable to be around. Syempre, connecting does not only mean connecting to other people, mahalaga rin ang pag-connect sa sarili. Write a journal, or meditate. These are great introspective opportunities to create healthy dialogues with yourself.
“Stress” Out with Good Stressors
Like we mentioned, you can fight fire with fire! Stressing yourself out with healthy outlets is actually beneficial to both your mind and body. Subukan ang pag-eehersisyo, o mag aral ng bagong sports. Maaari ka ring mag practice ng bagong skill or talent tulad ng pag-aaral ng bagong language o pag-aaral ng musical instruments. These activities will help you acutely generate cortisol that supports regulatory processes of the body but also helps your mind be away from long term stressors. Aside from that, it hones your body towards getting better at certain functions and talents.
Manage Long Term Stress
Ang acute stress tulad ng nakukuha sa exercise o short term exertion ay kailangan ng katawan para manatiling malusog. Samantala ang long term stress ay nagdudulot ng prolonged na mataas na cortisol levels na maaari naman makasama sa katawan. Managing long term stress is easier said than done but it is possible. For some of us, reasons for long term stress include financial problems, bad work arrangement, being caregivers to sick loved ones, or having chronic illness.
Long term stress management takes a combination of all the previous advices here as well as some extra steps like planning actions on how to deal with stressors, finding support groups that will help you deal and who can relate to your troubles, taking supplements for stress relief like chamomile tea and multivitamins, and reaching out to professionals if the stress bares too heavily on you. Bagaman at hindi matatanggal ang stress, may mga paraan para ang mga ito ay ma-manage at mapagaan, at may mga professionals na kayang tumulong para mabigyan tayo ng paraan sa tamang pag-cope.
Ang pagpapagaling at kalinga sa kalusugang pangkaisipan ay para sa lahat!
May mga stress rin na hindi kayang ma-manage ng wellness activities lamang. The stress that comes from having clinical anxiety and depression might need some form of therapy and medication aside from stress relieving activities. Seeing a healthcare professional and being recommended therapy or anti-stress medication could be at times the best course of action towards keeping a healthy mind.
Ang ibang long term stress na nagdudulot rin ng clinical depression and anxiety ay maaaring maagapan at ma-manage sa tamang suporta mula sa mga taong nagpapahalaga sa atin at tamang gamutan katulad ng Escitalopram (LEXDIN), Fluoxetine (PRODIN), at Sertraline (ZOLODIN). Ang mga medicines for stress, depression, at anxiety na mga ito ay designed para tulungan iregulate ang mga brain activities para labanan ang mga nagdudulot ng pagkabagabag, matinding pagkabalisa, at pagkalumbay. However, these are not over the counter medicines for anxiety, stress and depression; you will need a prescription from your doctor to be able to take them.
Tandaan, ang stress, anxiety, at depression ay hindi nila-”lang”. And more care and action are needed if these conditions start to hinder someone from functioning properly, from performing daily activities, or are affecting their quality of life. Huwag matakot magpatingin; making better choices will help you live a better life. Fight stress, anxiety, and depression however you can; MedChoice is here to help you fight the good fight with quality medicine that’s safe, effective, and made with care.
Disclaimer: This information is not intended to substitute a professional expertise, ask your doctor or healthcare provider for diagnosis and treatment.
References:
Center for Disease Control. (2021). Coping With Stress. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved October 27, 2023, from https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/about/copingwith-stresstips.html#print
Cleveland Clinic. (2021). Cortisol. Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved October 27, 2023, from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22187-cortisol
Cleveland Clinic. (2020). Stress: Coping With Life’s Stressors. Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved October 27, 2023, from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/6392-stress-coping-with-lifes-stressors
HelpGuide.org. (2023). Social Media and Mental Health. HelpGuide.org. Retrieved October 27, 2023, from https://www.helpguide.org/articles/mental-health/social-media-and-mental-health.htm#:~:text=However%2C%20multiple%20studies%20have%20found,about%20your%20life%20or%20appearance.
Stanford Medicine (2012). “Good stress, bad stress”. Stanford Medicine News Center. Retrieved October 27, 2023, from https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2012/12/good-stress-bad-stress.html
Zheluk, Andrey A, Anderson, Judith, and Dineen-Griffin, Sarah (2022). Adolescent Anxiety and TikTok: An Exploratory Study. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved October 27, 2023, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9840731/