10 Ways to Cope with Heavy Stress and Life's Difficult Situations

By?Ruzanna Krdilyan Hernandez, Ed.D

Questions

• Are you going through a stressful situation in your life, whether it's related to your job, your personal life, or your future?
• Is the stress intense and difficult to manage?
• Are you looking for ideas and coping strategies to deal with heavy stress?

If you answered YES to any of these questions, this article will give you helpful strategies and ideas to deal with stress and life's difficult situations.

Introduction

We all experience stress at some point in our lives.?Some of the?most common causes of stress ?include:

• Job dissatisfaction
• Working long hours
• Divorce
• Death of a loved one
• Fear of uncertainty
• Money problems
• Experience of hate or abuse
• Moving homes
• Illnesses
• Dangerous situations, like natural disasters

Stress can cause?mental and physical symptoms to be exhibited , including:

• Headaches
• Exhaustion
• Weakened immune system
• Panic attacks
• Diarrhea or constipation
• Forgetfulness
• Use of alcohol or drugs to relax
• Weight loss or weight gain
• Poor sleep
• And more

Data and Statistics on Stress

Here are some facts, data, and statistics on stress that may be eye-opening:

• About?33% of people report feeling extreme stress .
• 77% of people who experience stress say it?affects their physical health
• People in the?U.S. reveal having more stress ?than any other country on earth.
• The top cause of stress is money , followed by work.
• According to the American Institute of Stress ,?U.S. industry more than $300 billion a year in absenteeism, turnover, diminished productivity, and medical, legal, and insurance costs?

When a person is undergoing stress, one of the most challenging aspects is being able to control and manage it.?He or she needs to change the response to stress to have a healthier mind and body.?Different people respond differently to stress.?For example,?men tend to distract themselves to stop thinking about a stressful situation, while women tend to talk about it more .?Therefore, learning what works best for you is the most effective way to deal with and cope with heavy stress in your life.?It is?impossible to get rid of stress in life completely ; however, coping strategies may help to reduce its effects of it in your everyday life to help you feel more hopeful, more energetic, and happier in life.?

Ideas on Coping with Heavy Stress and Life's Difficult Situations

1)?Work on a hobby you enjoy?

Whether you enjoy knitting, solving puzzles, playing video games, or baking, do something that will take you away from your pain and stress.?This will help take your mind off of the stress you are experiencing and let you focus on things that bring you joy and happiness, even if temporarily.?In those moments of peace and calm, you might come up with specific strategies on how you can better deal with the stress you are experiencing.??

Some hobbies include :

• Gardening
• Journaling
• Drawing
• Knitting
• Running
• Volunteering
• And more

2)?Show extra love and kindness?

When you are feeling upset, hurt, and highly stressed, show more grace than usual to all others around you. Doing so will help you build more of your own feeling of helpfulness and self-appreciation.?In those painful moments, you realize that you are not the only one experiencing major stress in life - there are thousands of others who have something they are undergoing that they may not be showing.?Giving others grace and being patient with their needs will help you with your own stress management process.

3)?Call friends, colleagues, and mentors?

Call specifically to get advice and "next step" suggestions. Do not dwell on the problems and issues - focus on the next steps. Others around you who have gone through traumatic and highly stressful situations can teach you coping strategies that are very helpful.?Your goal is to learn from their experiences and adapt some of the ways in which they have managed stress and anxiety in their lives.?

CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE WITH 10 STRATEGIES, INFOGRAPHICS, AND INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES.?