Don't Let Anyone Tell You "A Little Bit of Stress Never Hurt Anyone"

"A little bit of stress never hurt anyone." I've been told this by my boss, I've been told this by my mom and I've been told this from my peers. The truth is... stress is really bad for you! Even 'just a little bit' of stress over long time periods can cause serious harm to both your body and mind.

What happens to your body when you are stressed?

• Increased cholesterol
• Increased blood pressure
• Heart Burn
• Your immune system weakens
• Your body processes food more slowly

What happens to your body when you are stressed for years?

• Migraines
• Back and Neck Pain
• Stomach Ulcers
• Blood Clots
• Higher chances of Strokes, heart attacks
• An increased risk of Cancer
• Anxiety Disorders
• Depression

Your immunes system could weaken so much that you could get:

• Diabetes
• Arthritis
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• Common Infections

Stress and Depression

Depression is NOT a sign of weakness. It simply means that you have been fighting for so long that your mind is getting tired.

Even positive stress can be hurtful. By this I mean that something as exciting as moving to another house can be stressful.

Involuntary Defeat Strategy (IDS) is when an animal in the wild knows it has been caught by prey and gives up. People do this too when they get depressed... but we don't eaten by another animal when we get depressed... we just don't leave bed.

What can reduce stress?

• Friendships and other close relationships
• Pets
• Hot Baths
• Mindfulness Meditation
• Breathing Meditation

• Drinking herbal tea

• Bubble baths
• Nature walks
• Exercising
• Talking to loved ones
• Practicing yoga
• Playing an instrument
• Listening to music
• Reading a good book
• Engaging in crafts
• Journaling

Have you tried Journaling?

Writing down your thoughts and feelings is an excellent way to process events going on in your life. You can do your journal writing with a traditional pen and paper... or you can make a vocal account and journal via blogging. Since journaling is a personal thing, it's really up to you how to do it. Journaling can also be a sensory experience where you get to choose the look and feel of your journal, the style of pen and ink colour etc. It doesn't even always have to be written, you could use a sketch book instead.

The next time you're out shopping, pop into a stationary store or business supply store to see all of the journaling options. If you don't want to start there, then some scrap paper and a pencil will do just fine too! The point is to get your thoughts on paper so you can work through them and figure out exactly what and why is causing you stress.

Hello. Nice to meet you! How are you? Hmm... this feels like a really one-sided conversation... why don't you follow me on social media so I can get to know you too!

About the author

I started blogging about two years ago, and my collection of blogs and articles is getting pretty impressive. I’ve taken online classes for writing, and even some classes about the art of blogging itself. It would be really awesome if you joined the adventure, and maybe even helped me think of what to write about next. If you would like to submit some feedback or ideas, you can always tweet me on Twitter.

Like the story? Share it!

Thank you for reading my article. Would it be okay if I ask another favour though? Would it be okay if you share this on your Facebook page or Twitter? If you can't share, there is a tiny little donate box at the bottom, too. No pressure though—just thought I would mention it.

References

Joshi, Vinay V. Stress: From Burnout to Balance. Response Books, 2005.