Stress is part of human life and it influences mental health, behavior, moods, and overall sense of wellbeing. Young and healthy individuals may experience acute stress responses, which are adaptive and less harmful to their wellness. If the tension poses unremitting threats, the problem can cause long-term impacts, damaging health. Assessing personal stress levels is crucial to manage psychological wellbeing (Olpin & Hesson, 2015). The persistence of stressful factors, as well as an individual’s biological vulnerability determines the extent to which psychological issues can harm them. There are disparate psychological interventions to treat the mental disorders that could cause chronic diseases. This essay presents the major stressors in my life, how they affect the body and mind, as well as performance at home and work. It also describes how these issues can be addressed to improve overall emotional and psychological wellbeing.
The main stressful factor is physical disability and it is of much concern due to the considerable suffering associated with physical limitations. Diminished life quality follows the restrictions, exacerbating depressive symptoms. Tough et al. (2017) assert that physically limited people experience depressive symptoms more than their normal peers do. The problem creates a feeling of social devaluation, especially at home, in the workplace, and in other jurisdictions (Raj & Julius, 2018). As result, the patient lives with expectations of discrimination and rejection, as well as other forms of misfortune, including economic loss. In the end, the individual experiences stigma and greater stress exposures. For my case, I developed physical disability upon getting a permanent foot drop to the right and undergoing a spinal surgery. These changes require me to wear a brace and walk with a stick for the rest of my life. The situation has caused posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety.
Education is another major stressor because working on multiple tasks and striving to meet assignment deadlines is difficult for most students. Worries about receiving better marks in upcoming tests stress not only struggling learners but also good performers because they care about future scores to maintain their grades. The same students also feel burdened by too much homework because they need time to rest and engage in family relationships. Moreover, studying disciplines that are more advanced can be stressful and it needs social support and other motivations to cope with it. School-related stress affects overall school performance and personal wellbeing because the student will struggle with depressive symptoms.
Having discussed the most stressful factors I live with, it is important to analyze how they can be addressed to improve emotional and psychological health. Some of the effective stress management methods I incorporate include personal planning and organization, setting priorities, physical exercise, socialization, adequate sleep, and focusing on oneself (American Psychological Association, 2019). Cultivating social support is vital because friends and family members can listen and offer advice concerning personal stressors.
Further, copying with physical disability requires social support and physical exercise. The appropriate exercises I engage in include light stretches, massages, walking, and progressive muscle relaxation. The American Psychological Association (2019) reports that relaxation reduces anxiety and improves overall mental health. Staying in a pleasant environment also helps me to cope with disability-related stress. It is also advisable to visit a personal doctor because they can recommend anti-depressive therapy or medications.
I have tried to manage physical disability by engaging a service dog and family members to provide the necessary assistance. For instance, my spouse and children help me with daily activities and necessities, such as dressing, cooking, walking, and bathing among others. Yarborough et al. (2017) state that a service dog is an instrumental medical equipment and it can wake the handler and help to retrieve medication from known locations. It also opens doors, and assists with other mobility-related tasks. The dog has reduced cost of paid help, apart from improving my depressive symptoms. According to Yarborough et al. (2017), service animals help retired members of the armed forces with combat-sustained injuries to manage physical challenges. They are instrumental in behavioral tasks such as panic prevention and waking veterans from nightmares. Crying and physical affection are the other ultimate solutions I use to regulate my emotions, and to stay calm. My spouse and children provide true love, reminding me that I do not shoulder all the burden of disability alone. They are the witnesses of my struggles with whom I visualize the future.
Conclusively, analyzing personal stress levels and the stressing factors is vital to improve wellbeing. The commonly noted stressors in my life include physical disability, depression, social fears, limited mobility, upcoming tests, and studying advanced courses. I try to manage them through socialization, having enough rest, physical activity, personal organization and goal-setting, crying, creative expression, massage, focusing on myself, staying at a pleasant environment, and finding affection from my family members. It is crucial to find mitigative measures on time to avoid developing chronic mental health problems. My current situation requires additional help from other sources, as the level of psychological pressure is significant. Overall, it is essential to consider the mental state of an individual struggling with stress and constructing proper ways of releasing the tension.
References
American Psychological Association (2019). Healthy ways to handle life’s stressors. Web.
Olpin, M., & Hesson, M. (2015). Stress management for life: A research-based experiential approach (4th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Tough, H., Siegrist, J., & Fekete, C. (2017). Social relationships, mental health and wellbeing in physical disability: A systematic review. BMC Public Health, 17(1), 1-18.
Yarborough, B. J. H., Owen-Smith, A. A., Stumbo, S. P., Yarborough, M. T., Perrin, N. A., & Green, C. A. (2017). An observational study of service dogs for veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder. Psychiatric Services, 68(7), 730-734.