Stress And Mental Health – 7 Things You Should Know

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 Stress and mental health are closely connected. Understanding how stress can both positively and negatively impact mental health can help you gauge whether or not you need to seek assistance or find new methods for managing your stress levels effectively.

Yes, some stress is good for you. Too much stress can cause issues

A little bit of stress is inevitable, but that is usually a good thing for your overall well-being!

For example, in small doses, stress can serve as a motivator. This kind of stress motivates you to pay bills on time, attend classes, try your best at work, attend your appointments, and tackle household projects. This stress is typically alleviated once the “to-do” item gets crossed off your list. These small accomplishments are good for your mental health, too – it feels good to know you’re caught up.

The real issues lie in prolonged stress that doesn’t get alleviated.

Stress and mental health – you can experience short-term and long-term “bad” stress

While some short-term stress can be beneficial, there are types of short-term and long-term stress that can cause mental health issues.

For example, the types of “bad” stress leave you feeling…

• Anxious
• Confused or “foggy-brained”
• Tired
• Unable to focus
• Like your performance levels are low

Prolonged stress is a direct contributor to the formation of mental health issues

There are many reasons why mental health issues can form. The Center for Addiction and Mental Health explains that prolonged stress can be a direct contributor to several mental health conditions, such as anxiety disorders and depression.

The CAMH explains how stress is the result of brain chemicals, called hormones, surging through the body. These hormones make people sweat, breathe quicker, tense their muscles, and prepare to take action.

When this happens, a person’s built-in alarm system – their “fight-or-flight” response – becomes activated to protect them.” In small doses, this is helpful. However, when this cycle is constantly activated, it can lead to serious changes in brain chemistry, impacting mental health.

Stress-related issues are exacerbated when “fight or flight” cycles aren’t completed

Harvard Medical School describes the importance of having a “fight or flight” response in stressful situations. The cycle begins when someone experiences stressful stimuli. After the amygdala sends a distress signal, the hypothalamus activates the sympathetic nervous system by sending signals through the autonomic nerves to the adrenal glands. These glands respond by pumping the hormone epinephrine (also known as adrenaline) into the bloodstream.

This is helpful because it encourages you to act (or run, hence the “flight”) in the face of a stressor, which can save your life. However, when everyday life situations cause you to continually find yourself in “fight or flight” mode, you never actually complete the cycle. Instead of finding yourself back to safety, your stress triggers the cycle to begin again immediately. Over time, this can lead to big mental health impacts.

Unchecked stress can lead to even more stress and mental health is impacted

Unchecked stress often begets more stress. The National Institute of Mental Health explains that if anxiety doesn’t go away and begins to interfere with your life, it could affect your health. You could experience problems with sleeping, or with your immune, digestive, cardiovascular, and reproductive systems.

If you allow your stress to snowball and turn into anxiety, you could find yourself dealing with an even larger issue than you originally faced. This is why learning how to manage stress is crucial. Without proper management techniques, stress can run rampant on your mental health.

Make lifestyle adjustments to lessen the impact of stress and mental health issues

Fortunately, stress doesn’t have to rule over your life. The CAMH explains that there are a variety of ways people can combat the negative impacts of stress on their mental health, including…

• Eating well
• Getting enough sleep
• Prioritizing self-care and leisure time
• Limiting alcohol and caffeine consumption
• Prioritizing, organizing and delegating tasks
• Seeking support from family and friends
• Attending a support group or stress management program, consulting a health care professional or accessing self-help materials

Mental health professionals can help you learn how to cope with stress like a pro

Sometimes, stress can feel like too much to handle alone – especially if you’ve recently experienced a particularly difficult life event or have been dealing with stress for a long time. In times like these, reaching out to a trained mental health professional is essential.

The National Institute of Mental Health explains how “if you are struggling to cope, or the symptoms of your stress or anxiety won’t go away, it may be time to talk to a professional.” These mental health professionals will know how to best tackle your stress issues, whether that is through therapy, medication, or a combination of the two.

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