Sigh. Stress and strain will simply be a part of your life, whether you like it or not. Are you the type who improves under pressure, or do you feel like a 10-pound weight is on your shoulders when you are under pressure?
Sure, occasionally being a bit frazzled may actually help you meet that deadline, but incessant, interminable anxiety and worry will actually change the structure of your brain. We all need the stress hormone cortisol to keep us alert and attentive. But chronic anxiety may shrink your prefrontal cortex. This part of your brain, sweet friends, is responsible for memory and even self-control.
Then again, it’s been said: I’ve tried yoga, but I find stress less boring. But truly, the amygdala may get larger — the part that handles fear and emotional reactivity. Do you find yourself overreacting to things often? Did you have a meltdown over something that normally wouldn’t trouble you at all?
We need a balance between thinking and feeling. If that balancing act is thrown off, you are way more likely to become emotionally overwhelmed or overwrought. You may struggle to remember even something simple when you get stuck in a loop of anxiety.
Your hippocampus is affected by stress as well. This is the part of your brain that is responsible for memory. Heck, my memory is so bad, I need a reminder just to remember to set a reminder. No doubt you wish to retain important information in your life. If you are chronically worrying, your brain has a harder time functioning.
Perhaps your to-do list keeps adding sequels. Does your patience go missing before lunch? How well do you bounce back after a difficult day? It’s hard to regulate your moods if you remain under constant duress.
If you want to continue to feel pleasure and motivation, you must learn how to reduce your anxiety, sweet friends. You run the risk of not being able to enjoy those things you used to love. You might be tempted to isolate. Please do not.
Your health may very well be affected as well. Chronic tension literally weakens your immune system. Your brain and body are profoundly connected. Do you have more digestive discomfort or headaches? You may be under a great deal of pressure, which causes bodily inflammation as well.
You simply must relax and reset, sweet friends. You can certainly recover by changing your daily habits. Yes, we will talk about exercise and adequate sleep yet again. When in doubt, work it out. The only bad workout is the one you didn’t do. Do whatever it takes to restore your balance.
Talk to your best friend, grab that coffee, and ventilate. Heck, I put coffee in my coffee. Plus, it gives me the illusion that I might be awake.
Of course, you cannot eliminate daily burdens. But you can learn to manage your feelings so as not to allow them to overwhelm you. Remember that it is your mind’s reaction to the pressure, not the pressure itself.
What is causing your stress right now? Your boss, mate, kids, or being stuck in traffic again? Choose a healthy thought right now, please. Slow down. Relax your shoulders. Get mental exercise every day.
Above all, please be patient with yourself. If you can’t change it, try to change the way you think about it. What is your favorite spirit-booster saying?
Changes made: corrected spelling, grammar, punctuation, spacing, and hyphenation, including “10-pound,” “meltdown,” and “Of course.” I also added commas around direct address phrases like “sweet friends” and smoothed punctuation without changing the wording or tone.
Caroline is a licensed psychotherapist, crisis counselor, and writer with an office in Woodmere. She works with individuals, couples, and families. Appointments are available throughout the week and weekends. She can be reached at 917-717-1775 or at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
