POLOKWANE – Stress can come forth from many dimensions in our lives, be it work, relationships and even from some of our daily habits. This can be very overwhelming, even to the most easy going individuals. Review spoke to Dr. Stephen Molepo, a local Psychologist on dealing with stress and anger related issues.
Handling stress in an incorrect manner can actually lead to more stress. “The problem is that some relaxation strategies are far more helpful than others, and making use of the wrong one can make things worse,” Molepo added.
Here are some of the things you may be doing wrong:
1. Venting Your Frustrations: It may feel better to complain about things to a good friend or a loved one, as this is believed to temporarily take the pressure off. This is however a habit that can lead to a state of mind where one dwells on the negative and keeps re-triggering a stress response.
Substitute: Seek the support of someone who can help. This helps can come in the form of resources that one can make use of to re-frame a situation in a positive way. This can be done by looking at the positives in a situation, finding the opportunities and simply being aware of the less negative ways in which one views circumstances.
2. Throwing Things: Sometimes you may feel upset, so much so that throwing things seems like the only logical answer. As much as smashing things provides a healthy dose of cardio, there are more cost-effective ways to exercise and in the same light, to handle stress.
Substitute: Planning. For most individuals, taking charge and compiling a to-do list is very helpful. This can include drawing up a list of activities which needs to be done beforehand. This knowledge of knowing that everything is well planned out will relieve stress.
3. Just Ignoring It: As calming as clearing your mind of stressful and negative thoughts may be, if you consistently ignore your problems or convince yourself that all will be well, then this may be a step too far in the right direction.
Substitute: While denial isn’t the most effective way of coping, distraction has however been found to be helpful. This means that the problem is being addressed but is after a period of time, released and one’s concentration moves on to dwell on another subject. The whole point of this is to do one’s best in a situation and to move on from it and place one’s focus on something else.
Here are 10 ways to help you reduce your stress:
Stress is inevitable but there are ways around it. “Stress is a part of life, learning to deal with it in the right way will help in making it all worth while,” Molepo concluded.
