Table of Contents
What is undue stress?
Undue stress is the distress that is excessive or unnecessary. It is the reaction to events that cause anxiety, fear, or other negative emotional responses.
Undue stress occurs when individuals feel the pressure they cannot handle or are not prepared for, resulting in negative consequences such as death-related health issues.
Most people are under undue stress in today’s world, and they don’t even realize it. The key is to pay attention to the emotional distress in your life and learn how to manage it. It’s not easy, but the benefits are well worth it.
People are under undue stress because of various factors: work, school, injury, deportation, family life, or finances.
For example, unfair treatment by others is one of the sources of undue stress; and this can range from being talked into things to a demeaning compliment. It may also be simply a person at school or in the workplace who thinks they are better than you. There is no way to control another person’s mind or actions, but you can control how you react. If you are dealing with someone who makes you feel guilty for something they did or said, you need to learn how to deal with that type of stress before you get into an argument or start a fight or any other disproportionate behavioral stress response. Social media is another primary source of unnecessary stress.
Undue mental stress is not only risky for your mental health, but it’s terrible for the rest of your body, too– it affects sleep, digestion, circulation, immune system, and more. It can lead to high blood pressure, heart attack, depression, diabetes, or even early death.
Some other examples of undue stress that are often overlooked include those who struggle with anxiety or depression, chronic pain disorders such as fibromyalgia, or even just facing an illness like cancer.
Other undue stress scenarios include workplace stress, caring for difficult young children, exams, law enforcement, death threats, arrested illegal immigrants waiting for deportation, prisoners serving a death penalty and poor prognosis in patients suffering a chronic illness.
COVID-19 pandemic as an illustration of undue stress
The COVID-19 pandemic has put undue stress on people due to the lack of resources, constant worry about their family’s safety and whether they have been infected themselves. There is also a lot of uncertainty involved in this type of situation as it may take days or weeks for someone who has come into contact with the virus to develop symptoms and realize that they are infected. Then there is the expectation of obtaining the COVID-19 vaccine on time. For those that are infected, COVID-19 severity may put undue stress on family members.
What are the long-term effects of undue stress?
The long-term effects of disproportionate stress can be seen in the individual’s lifestyle. When individuals feel too much pressure from their work or other aspects of life, they may develop bad habits such as overeating and smoking cigarettes to relieve some of that built-up tension.
This is also a behavior that has been linked with various health risks, including obesity and lung cancer.
The consequences of undue stress may include health issues, relationships with others suffering from the same condition or family and friends who are unable to provide help. With anxiety disorders, people can experience physical symptoms such as nausea and headaches that aren’t linked directly to one particular cause. They also often have difficulty functioning in social situations due to their feelings of worry and low self-esteem.
Other types of stressors can be detrimental to our health and well-being. These include financial problems, toxic relationships, or even bullying at work. They’re difficult to escape from because they happen in various parts of your life. One way you might help yourself is by taking an honest inventory of what’s happening with these three areas: physical, emotional and social.
In summary, the consequences of undue stress include poor health, like obesity or heart disease, low self-esteem, and coercion to make unhealthy decisions, such as overeating junk food or smoking cigarettes.
The final step is creating some structure around how you deal with stress when it occurs–this might include meditation, yoga, walking, or talking to a friend.
Regardless of how many steps you take, it’s essential not to ignore the signs and symptoms of stress (e.g., chest pains) as serious repercussions could result if they’re left untreated.
Also, it is vital to identify the symptoms of unmanaged stress levels and take measures to alleviate them. For example, a person with chest pain might need medical attention, or an individual struggling with insomnia could try relaxation techniques.
How to prevent undue stress
The first step is recognizing the stressors in your life that are causing undue stress–workplace deadlines, for example–and finding ways to reduce them (e.g., changing shifts). Next is making sure you have time every day to relax and recharge your batteries. This could be as simple as taking a few minutes every morning to read the news or have tea or going for a walk on your lunch break with coworkers.
There are three main steps to preventing undue pressure: changing your work environment, for example, if you feel like the stress is too much for you, making time for regular exercise to release all the built-up tension in your muscles and mind, or simply taking a break from what’s stressing you out. By following these steps, individuals can prevent themselves from feeling undue stress by giving themselves some peace of mind.
There are other ways to prevent undue stress too. One of the best is learning how to manage it and not let it get out of hand. You can do this by identifying what causes you undue stress, understanding why these things cause you undue stress, and finding healthy coping mechanisms for each type of pressure that bothers you so much.
Some people may feel too much pressure from their job, while others may find it challenging to balance life and work.
We must take care of ourselves and make time for stress-relieving activities.
How can we manage undue stress?
The effects of unmanaged stress (or “unhealthy” levels) on an individual’s body and mental state are not sound. The consequences might include headaches, chest pain or tightness, increased blood pressure and heart rate.
Undue chronic stress comes in different ways; for this reason, its management is also diverse. It is important to note that some uncontrollable events may cause undue stress. One example of a stressor is the loss of a loved one; this can be devastating to many people and may lead to depression or other mental health issues, such as anxiety.
When a death of a loved one occurs, the person grieving may have a better chance at coping with the loss by reaching out to friends or family, getting professional help, and engaging in activities they enjoy.
If someone is experiencing undue stress related to a specific thought, event or situation, then the effects can be reduced by looking for ways of changing that event or situation. Examples may include quitting a job with an overly demanding boss or finding hobbies outside of work to make a person happy.
Some people are in situations that they cannot change, such as being victims of domestic violence or sexual abuse. Such people may have to find healthy ways of coping with their stress and anxiety while staying safe by talking to someone about it and getting appropriate professional help.
If an event or situation is causing undue stress, but the person can change it, they may need to find ways to manage their feelings about that event to reduce the impact of the negative effect. For example, if someone has lost a job and worries about how they will survive financially without work, talking with friends and family members or getting professional help for anxiety-related symptoms may be necessary before making rash decisions.
If an event or situation is causing undue stress because it can’t be changed, but the person has no coping strategies for dealing with their feelings about that event, they may need to seek help from a professional.
Someone who’s been abused and keeps having flashbacks of the trauma might need counseling sessions to process their feelings and work through the emotional flashbacks. That’s not to say that everyone who has been abused needs therapy, but it is necessary for someone traumatized.
Everyone has a different way of coping with undue stress, which is why it’s essential to learn the difference between healthy and unhealthy ways of managing mental health conditions. These can include using alcohol or drugs to relieve symptoms, but this never solves the underlying issues causing them in the first place. It also means getting the right balance of physical activity, healthy eating habits and good quality sleep.
The key to managing it is realizing that you are not the only one going through this, even if you feel like it’s happening all at once.
There are many ways to help relieve the symptoms of anxiety and depression that arise from undue stress, including adopting practices like meditation.
Establishing a routine may also be helpful as it will decrease feelings of uncertainty or chaos in a person’s life.
Developing healthy habits such as eating well and getting plenty of sleep is also beneficial.
But there is no one size fits all solution that will work for everyone. A person may benefit from different approaches based on their chronic stress and mental health condition and other factors such as age or socioeconomic status.
They can begin by exploring coping skills and techniques that are appropriate for their needs. Sometimes, the best approach is to find ways to increase feelings of safety or control in a person’s life; others may benefit from practices that help them communicate thoughts and emotions more effectively.
When we wake up, it’s essential to start the day with a good breakfast and feel-good activities such as meditation or yoga. This routine helps set you up for success! You should also involve well-meaning family, friends and coworker in your life; ask them how they are doing, too – vulnerability is contagious.
If the self-help approaches are not effective, the doctor may prescribe medications as an additional layer of support for the person concerned.
Healthy coping mechanisms for managing undue stress
Healthy coping mechanisms for the different types of undue stress may include relaxation techniques, physical activity such as going for a walk or doing yoga, adopting practices like meditation and mindfulness to help relieve mental fatigue. Some great online resources can provide coping strategies for those with anxiety disorders or depression.
For some people, counseling can be an effective way to help manage conditions like anxiety disorders, depression or bipolar disorder. If you are an ex-patient and this is a route you’re considering taking, your counselor must understand what type of condition(s) you have so they can tailor any advice they give accordingly.
Meditation/mindfulness: A person can learn how to meditate either through self-directed practice or by attending classes with an instructor. Mindfulness is another type of meditation in which the individual attempts to focus on here and now and reduce the frequency and severity of mental health symptoms.
Breathing deeply can help: deep breathing exercises effectively reduce cortisol levels (often called “the belly fat hormone”) and boost the immune system.
Keeping a healthy diet, getting adequate sleep, exercising regularly and practising stress management techniques are also things you can do to reduce your risk for undue stress.
If you notice symptoms of unmanaged stress in someone else, talk with them about what they’re feeling. By so doing, you will clarify similar problems that you may have. On the other hand, instead of dwelling on what you can’t control, try looking forward and seeking support from others who are going through similar situations to gain perspective.
Try your best to keep calm and not take anything too personally. The more you do these things; the less stress will build up in your life.
Do you need professional help for undue stress?
If you’re experiencing undue stress because of an event or situation that can’t be changed, then consider seeking help from a professional psychologist or therapist. For instance, you might not have been able to get a promotion at your job, but you can still work through the stress with a therapist if that would help.
One of the techniques used by many psychologists is cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), which helps people identify and address thoughts that might be causing undue stress or anxiety. One study found that CBT helped reduce symptoms in patients with a generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).
If undue stress is a chronic problem for you, it might be time to seek professional help from a psychologist or therapist who can offer advice on managing this feeling.
