Stressing about Being Stressed

Imagine this: you are stressed about a test tomorrow, forgetting to finish that project for school, about not having enough time to hang out with friends, and on top of all that, you start stressing about being stressed! It’s like you’re in a never-ending loop of worry and anxiety.

But you’re not alone! Lots of individuals feel this way.

We will dive deep into this topic, learn why people stress over being stressed, and how to handle it. 

Stress:

Now, let’s break down the different types of stress: 

• Acute stress. An intense kind of stress that hits you fast and hard, like when you accidentally spill your coffee all over your new shirt.
• Chronic stress: Long lasting and slow-paced stress. For example, feeling constantly overwhelmed by your responsibilities.
• Eustress: The good kind of stress, one that motivates you and pushes you to do your best. For example, the thrill of a new challenge.
• Distress: The harmful form of stress that instills feelings of anxiety, fear, and overwhelm. For instance, being constantly worried about your job, or constantly stressing about being stressed and not letting yourself recover.

“Stressing about being stressed”

The Stress Loop:

Consider a scenario: juggling between lots of tasks and responsibilities, you stress about not having enough time to finish everything, and then boom, you get even more stressed because you’re stressed! It’s like you’re caught in a never-ending loop of stress, and it’s exhausting. It is what we call the stress loop.

Breaking it down:

Sometimes, stress can be a trigger for more stress. For example, you might get stressed about an upcoming test, and then because you’re so stressed, you can’t focus and end up doing poorly on the test.

It makes you more stressed and can even become a habit that’s hard to break if not properly addressed.

Effect:

The stress loop can mess with your mental and physical health. It’s like a dark cloud that follows you everywhere, making it hard to see the good in life.

For instance, imagine you are so stressed about your grades all he time that worrying becomes your habit. You can’t sleep, you’re irritable, and lose interest in things you used to love. These are all signs that you should address as soon as possible.

Practical Solutions for Breaking the Stress Loop:

The good news is that there are many strategies you can use to break the loop of stressing about being stressed:

The first step is to recognize what situations, behaviour, or looping thought patterns are causing you to stress about being stressed.

Maybe its a specific environment that reminds you of your stressful assignment (trigger), a looming deadline, or your exam, but once identified, you can attack the trigger to eliminate it. 

1. Minimize Exposure to Low-Rewarding Stimulus:

The task is to limit your exposure to electronic screens, watching movies, or wasteful and addictive stimuli, as it is linked to increased stress levels and low satisfaction levels.

Here is why mindlessly scrolling through Tiktok or low-reward stimulus is harmful:

Less time for Yourself: Spending too much time in front of screens can affect how well you sleep or spend quality alone time.

Low Satisfaction levels: Excess social media and not doing what you are supposed to do can make you feel bad about yourself. Seeing other people do good in life might make you unconsciously compare yourself to them, leading to low satisfaction levels.

To cut back on low-reward stimulus, try these tips:

• Set specific times for no exposure to XYZ stimuli, like using phone during meals or before bed.
• Embrace boredom or quit instant gratification. Find other things to do instead, like reading, playing outside, or spending time with family.
• Use apps or settings on your devices for a reminder to take breaks.
• Pay attention to how much time you spend on what activities and try to limit the bad ones.

It will be difficult at first and you might be tempted to fall back into the same pit again, but do you want to excel and win in life? or stay in the loop of nothingness?

2. Respond, not react:

Think before acting, especially in situations that can be stressful or emotionally charged.

An impulsive reaction can lead to consequences that we may later regret, whereas a thoughtful response allows us to consider the situation more carefully and choose a course of action that is more likely to lead to a positive outcome. 

Here’s how to apply this principle in the context of stressing about being stressed:

1. Mindful: Take a deep breath and pause to become more aware of your emotions, allowing you to respond to the situation rather than react and waste your energy.
2. Reflect on the Consequences: Before you act, consider the potential short-term and long-term consequences of your reaction. A momentarily harsh decision taken is better than an easy short-term relief.
3. Seek to Understand: Instead of jumping to conclusions or assuming the worst, try to understand the full context of the situation and don’t take it personally.
4. Use “I” Statements: Instead of blaming the external circumstances, use “I” statements to express how you feel or what you need. A solution to a problem already exists, you just have to figure it out intrinsically by questioning yourself, like “why do I feel this way?”
5. Emotional Reactions: The more you run away from being stressed, the more emotional energy you use, such as worry-energy. As a result, your body stays in the fight-or-flight mode 24/7 and you get nothing done about what is bothering you. (How Emotional Reaction Cause Chronic Pain?)

3. Question yourself rather than external circumstances:

Take responsibility for your actions, rather than blaming external factors. 

Here’s how to apply this principle:

1. Take Ownership: Acknowledge that you have control over your actions, attitudes, and how you perceive or evaluate a situation according to ‘your way’ of doing things.
2. Learn from Mistakes: Instead of beating yourself up over mistakes, view them as opportunities to learn and grow.
3. Reflect on Your Behavior: Ask yourself what you could have done better, and next time, implement what you learned.
4. Practice Self-Awareness: Stress, if used correctly, from a productive task can help you excel in boundaries you never imagined doing so. Reflect on your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors to understand why you think of stress as something harmful while good things come after going through difficulty. (How Stress Addiction Can Be Good For You?)
5. Practice Gratitude: Focus on the things you are grateful for rather than dwelling on what you lack or what has gone wrong. Keep on repeating the good scenarios, motivational words, or positive visualizations over and over in your mind to implant them into your mindset.

4. Stress Journal:

Get a notebook or use your phone to start recording your internal stressors levels, and the events, thoughts, or situations that lead to them.

Include details such as what happened, how you felt, and what you did in response:

1. Reflect on Patterns: After a few weeks, look for patterns in your journal. Are there certain times of day when you feel more stressed? Do specific people, places, or activities seem to trigger your stress more often?
2. Analyze Your Responses: Reflect on how you typically respond to stress. Do you tend to avoid the trigger or confront it?
3. Develop Coping Strategies: Based on your stress journal and the patterns you’ve identified, develop personalized specific strategies for dealing with your stress triggers. Be artistic with it and implement your current best plan as soon as possible.
4. Feed Yourself Positive Responses: If you can think negatively, meaning stressing over being stressed, it is also possible to think positively, meaning you don’t have to be stressed about being stressed anymore. A positive thought, you just have to reminisce about it in your mind for a prolonged period to fully absorb it.

Recap:

In our journey through “Stressing about Being Stressed,” we explored how common it is to feel overwhelmed by the pressures of everyday life, but it can become harmful when it spirals out of control. 

The Stress Loop: Stress can trigger more stress in a never-ending cycle. This loop can have detrimental effects on our mental and physical health, making it essential to break free from its grip. 

Lastly, we uncovered the benefits of keeping a Stress Journal to track our stress levels and identify patterns and triggers. By developing coping strategies and feeding ourselves positive responses, our stress levels can be gradually reduced and we can achieve a more balanced and fulfilling life.

FAQs

• Q: How can I tell if I’m stressed about being stressed?

A: Signs and symptoms of being stressed about being stressed include increased anxiety, feeling overwhelmed, and a constant sense of dread. Recognizing these signs and seeking help is crucial.

• Q: What are some immediate steps I can take to manage stress?

A: Immediate steps include deep breathing exercises, engaging in physical activity, or practicing mindfulness. It’s also important to acknowledge your feelings and address them.

References:

1. American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Stress Basics. https://www.apa.org/topics/stress/
2. Mayo Clinic Staff. (2022, January 11). Stress: Signs, Symptoms, Management & Prevention. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-symptoms/art-20050987
3. National Institute of Mental Health. (2021). 5 Things You Should Know About Stress. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/stress/
4. Robinson, L., Segal, J., & Smith, M. (2022, March). Stress Management.
5. Harvard Health Publishing. (n.d.). Understanding the stress response. Harvard Health. https://www.health.harvard.edu/stress/understanding-the-stress-response