Everyone occasionally experiences stress during their lifetime. Stress is a normal reaction to some demands on your life. Occasional stress that lasts for a short period is normal. Some people handle stress and go on to experience everyday feelings and experiences. Other individuals experience significant stress and do not know how to handle the stress and return to normal functioning. When this occurs, it is crucial to learn stress management techniques. The Ranch PA helps clients learn effective ways to manage their stress while in recovery.
Coping with stress through the implementation of stress management techniques likely has a positive effect, and potentially reduces or prevents harmful effects that a person experiences when stress becomes so intense that it also becomes unmanageable. When you do not learn to implement effective stress management into your life, you risk experiencing potentially harmful mental and physical effects. Ask for help from The Ranch, where we have the knowledge and experience to help you discover healthy stress management techniques.
Good Stress and Bad Stress
Experiencing stress is part of life. A traffic jam makes you late for work, the refrigerator goes out, or you discover that you forgot to pay a bill on time. Some stress is good stress. Do you experience stress that motivates you, such as interviewing for a new job, or moving into a new home? These are examples of good stress. When a person has good stress in their life, they typically recover quickly and have no residual effects.
Some people do not handle stress as well as others, or experience long-term stress because of a traumatic event. When this type of stress occurs, the mind and body possibly signal you to enter a ‘fight or flight’ response to deal with the stressful situation. This is an example of bad stress. When bad stress occurs, you have both physical and mental signs indicating that you are not using effective stress management techniques. Some examples of the possible effects of negative stress include:
- Headaches or irritability and possible sleep disturbances
- Hypertension or heart disease
- Mental health disorders such as depression or anxiety disorders
- Feeling overwhelmed
- Frequent mood swings
- Appetite changes or gastrointestinal disturbances
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) explains that long-term stress causes negative physical and mental health effects. The American Heart Association indicates that poor stress management may lead to overeating, drinking alcohol, or other actions that can potentially lead to heart problems.
Stress Management Techniques
There are a variety of effective stress management techniques that help many people reduce their stress and cope with stress more effectively. The Mayo Clinic suggests that you try to identify your triggers. Do you become stressed every time that you have an important meeting at work? Do you experience stress in your relationships, or when facing financial struggles?
Once you identify your stress triggers, think about ways that you can control those triggers. Healthy lifestyle management is an important part of handling stress. Some other stress management techniques include:
- Prioritizing activities to allow for better time management
- Set aside time for yourself and get enough sleep
- Exercise daily
- Engage in activities such as meditation or experiencing nature
- Avoid alcohol and other drugs
The Ranch provides many opportunities for relieving stress. For example, we offer adventure therapies, and holistic therapies that address the whole person, and not just the addiction or mental health disorder. Experience stress management techniques at The Ranch, where we encourage nurturing and healing through Native American healing traditions and a variety of other therapies. Discover helps you understand how you experience stress and how to recover from the physical and mental effects that you experience unless you turn to healthy stress management techniques.
Reach out to the caring, professional team at The Ranch and discover a lifestyle without the harmful, potentially dangerous effects of stress. Contact us at 717.969.9126 today to learn more.
