Stress comes in many shapes in sizes. It can manifest itself in a white-knuckle amusement park ride as you hold on for dear life. It can rear its head as you stare down the final hours of a work deadline. Or, more debilitatingly, it can exhibit as a chronic state of anxiety – an automatic way that your brain perceives the world.
Wherever your stress lands on the spectrum – from passing emotion to chronic impediment – it’s useful to address the issue. That’s the thinking behind National Stress Awareness Day, a day of self-reflection, self-care, and universal observation of a widespread mental health issue.
What is National Stress Awareness Day?
National Stress Awareness Day was first introduced by the ISMA (International Stress Management Association) to highlight the pervasiveness of the issue and help people develop coping skills for stress. Every year, it falls on the first Wednesday of November (It is November 3rd this year).
What can you learn from National Stress Awareness Day? Below, this article has listed four takeaways for the upcoming November observation.
Stress Is Common
What’s worse than suffering is suffering alone. Many people who experience chronic stress believe that they are somehow atypical – that their brains are wired differently. And the subsequent isolation can make seeking help more difficult.
So, the first thing to be mindful of this November 3rd is that stress is common. According to a poll conducted by The Mental Health Foundation, 74% of people feel overwhelming stress that makes it challenging to cope.
Stress Is Treatable
It’s important to remember that you are bigger than your stress. Stress may seem insurmountable, but with a variety of treatments and interventions, you can overcome it.
You can talk to someone like a therapist or counsellor to target the root causes of your stress. You can learn to decline work or social obligations that trigger your stress response. You can buy organic reishi mushrooms and make a tea, which some studies have shown regulates your stress response. Finally, you can draw a hot bath, light a few candles and put on some lighthearted entertainment.
Whatever “treatment” means to you, treat yourself this November 3rd.
You Don’t Have to Go It Alone
Do not worry about “burdening” your friends and family. Your loved ones have your best interests in mind and shouldn’t bristle when you need to get things off your chest. In sharing your feelings with others, you might find a newfound sense of calm; keeping things bottled up can only make matters worse.
Now’s the Time to Intervene
Finally, if there’s one takeaway from National Stress Awareness Day, it’s this: don’t wait. Often, stress is a by-product of being busy, and that busyness can hold you back from treating stress. It’s a self-feeding loop that you need to consciously break free of if you want to enjoy your time. However you choose to treat your stress – whether it’s reishi tea, a bubble bath or talk therapy – choose to do it sooner rather than later.
This November 3rd, take charge of your happiness. Learn more about your stress so that you can deal with it effectively and swiftly, before it consumes any more of your time.
