Let’s Talk About Stress
Writing an article about stress, is stressful…
How is it possible to sufficiently & appropriately communicate topics of stress? Stress seems to be everywhere and so many people seem to carry so much of it. How to possibly begin describing the depth of this problem? The problem of stress is so overwhelming & ubiquitous that it feels impossible to do an article about stress justice. The task is daunting.
Onward, nonetheless. Let’s start here: stress is deeply human & something natural. It is part of our design. Stress is our way of responding to a challenge/ demand. We need stress to keep us safe from danger and motivated to achieve good things. There’s something called “eustress” to describe positive stress, the kind that focuses and improves performance.
The problem with stress occurs when our bodies and brains are overwhelmed by the challenge and cause “distress.” Our ability to cope really depends on context. Upcoming exam, sickness, injury, safety, marriage, divorce, public speaking, abuse, hunger, socializing, paycheck, war, promotion at work, sleep, social media addiction, expectations.
These are life stressors (positive and negative) and our responses vary tremendously. Without sufficient support, stress can contribute and lead to terrible things…
We respond physically and behaviorally: weakened immune system, self-isolation, insomnia, headaches, heart disease, obesity, high blood pressure, alcoholism, depression, drug overdose, cancer, hospitalization, suicide, premature death. The list is extensive and concerning. A negative stress response threatens physical and mental health.
We can’t get rid of stress and that’s not the goal. Stress is a natural, human response to stressors. What we want to change is our ability to process stressors effectively so we can experience stress in a more healthy way. More eustress, less distress.
So, that’s what we will try to do. Instead of falling trap to negative patterns of thought and behavior (over-thinking, overeating, numbing pain with substances, etc.) we can try to acknowledge the challenge, appreciate it, and dance with it.
Within our community, we are literally dancing with stress so that life’s stressors don’t get the best of us. It’s one small, simple trick, within our control, that might help us cope.
Dork Dancing is a grassroots mental health initiative, campaign, and community effort. We depend on charitable giving to inspire impact. We hope you may consider supporting by donating.