Stress Image

What Can You Do About Stress?

By Margaret Jordan, PhD
Clinical Psychologist

Much has been written and said about the problem of stress and techniques for reducing it, yet stress levels continue to rise for many people. Stress causes emotional distress, muscular problems, stomach and bowel problems, cardiovascular symptoms, and negative effects on relationships. Chronic stress can be fatal through suicide, violence, heart attack, or stroke.
Money and work are reported to be the top two sources of significant stress, according to the American Psychological Association, with family responsibilities as the third most common stressor. Adults in urban areas have higher levels of stress, and women report higher stress than men. Hispanic adults report the highest stress levels, compared to those in other racial or ethnic groups. The groups most likely to report extreme stress are adults with disabilities and those who are LGBT.
With all of this stress affecting so many people, why has there not been more progress in reducing stress levels? First, let’s look at what people say they do to try to deal with stress. Not surprisingly, there are differences between what women and men turn to for stress reduction. Women are more likely to read or do activities that connect them with other people. They are more likely to say they have eaten too much or consumed unhealthy foods because of stress. They are also less likely to exercise than men. When asked why, many say they are just too tired. Men are more likely to play sports or listen to music to manage stress, but they are also more likely to do nothing for stress.
Both men and women say they need more willpower in order to change, but women are more likely to say lack of willpower keeps them from making lifestyle changes recommended by health care professionals. These lifestyle changes may include increasing exercise; improving nutrition by eating a more healthful diet or reducing calories; reducing or eliminating alcohol, tobacco, or other drug use; getting 7-8 hours of sleep per night; or adding meditation to their regular practices. These are well-known recommendations for health in general, and all are useful for feeling less stress. But making changes in these behaviors is often more easily said than done.
The idea that more willpower is needed seems to make logical sense. The problem with that notion, though, is that it does not take into account all that is involved in how human beings feel motivation, develop habits, and try to deal with making changes on their own. In addition, these health recommendations do not include factors related to choices individuals and society as a whole have made regarding how people live. Your occupation, your mate, how many children you have, where you live, how well you are connected to a social support network, your income, and factors beyond your control, such as having a disabled family member or the national economy, all play a part in your level of stress. You may have some choice about some of these things (and perhaps more choice than you realize at times), but your options can be limited in changing these aspects of life.
Other factors that affect your experience of stress include things that you may not be fully aware of, such as your level of self-confidence, your ability to regulate your emotions, the expectations that were instilled in you as your grew up, your ability to set firm limits, and your need to compete with others. Often deep-seated feelings about authority figures bring up stressful emotions in adults in relationships of all types, but especially at work and with intimate partners. This list only begins to scratch the surface of what might make it difficult to make logical changes in habits of living to reduce stress.
So what does help with such difficult issues? We know from research that when people try to make lifestyle changes in close connection with a health care provider or a group of others working toward similar goals, there is a greater chance of success. This has been shown to be the case for weight reduction efforts and for dealing with substance abuse. By focusing on developing more healthful ways of living, and by examining choices of living, such as your job, commute, or social connections, you may be able to reduce your stress in a meaningful way. When you encounter obstacles that keep you from making the changes you want to make, it can be very useful to see a licensed mental health professional who can help you identify and address the challenges you face for a less stressful life.