AI Issue 5 2018

92 Acquisition International - Issue 5 2018 Stress is a natural human reaction to external - or internal - triggers, and while it is an evolutionary strength, in that it is one of our many ingrained defense mechanisms, it is becoming an increasingly common fixture in people’s lives, and this is when it can become a real problem. Latest figures show that 85% of British adults experience stress regularly, and in too many cases, it can trigger a domino effect that leads to struggles in every facet of a person’s life. With this in mind, here are the three steps to overcoming stress. ecognise the Symptoms The ubiquity of stress is causing people to miss the signs. Too many people consider stress to be a normal part of a busy life that cannot be avoided, and so should be swept under the carpet, marginalised, or ignored entirely. Some people, who are already prone to low self esteem can skew these natural stress responses and take them as signals of their failure as a person, as a parent, or friend, or partner, etc. A lot of deep-seated social norms cause people to live in denial of the stress they feel, and this just leads to further problems. As they say, the first step is admitting you have a problem. Taking Steps to Help Once a person has recognised that their life is being unhealthily impacted by stress, it is important that they consider what they can do to counter these problems. It is all too common for people to underestimate or dismiss the effect some of the measures against stress actually have. Simple lifestyle changes, such as healthy diet, regular exercise and adequate sleep are central to dampening the effects of stress, but taking time for yourself to unwind and have fun are also essential. Explore your interests, and take one evening a week to do what you enjoy doing. Some people are quick to brush off such suggestions - after all, if it is their stressful workplace causing them problems, how on earth can taking up a new hobby help? - but give it time and make a real effort to do things just for you. Find the Cause No problem can be solved without first identifying the cause, and when dealing with stress, this is a very important step, because taking measures to counter the stress is only half of the battle. Once you figure out what is causing you to feel stressed, you can explore the possibilities of minimising them at the source. Too often, people are quick to assume that they cannot do anything to reduce the source of their stress, and this is commonly because they fail to identify the true cause of the stress. But remember that there is always something that can Three Steps to Overcoming Stress R 1801AI04 be done to make changes, and as soon as you pinpoint which elements of your life are causing you grief, you can look at making adjustments to reduce your stress. Stress is one of the silent killers of modern society, and it is often ignored for a multitude of reasons. Whether those affected dismiss it as being too sensitive or weak, or fail to acknowledge it for fear that others will think differently of them or doubt their abilities, stress is not talked about - and therefore remedied - anywhere near as much as it should be. As we have discussed, stress is a natural human reaction, and there is not one among us who has not felt its sting at some point. But modern life is stressful, and ignoring the symptoms of stress can lead to a very abrupt downward spiral, so never dismiss the problem. If for no other reason, the issue at heart may turn out to be much easier to fix than you ever imagined; but if not, it is important to identify and break down the problem in order to rectify it. By Karen Meager and John McLachlan, co-founders of Monkey Puzzle Training