Emotional trauma and the associated stress can be one of the most challenging things to deal with as an individual. And, like every other condition, you need to deal with it quickly. Feeling stressed or down can be a symptom of depression or other mental illnesses, which require medical attention just like physical illnesses.
One constant challenge when dealing with emotional stress is the feeling of being unable to change the situation. While you may not be able to change your circumstances overnight, here are four tips to help you deal with emotional stress and its associated psychological effects.
1. Practice Meditation
Stress can manifest as physical pain – such as a dull headache or an unsettling feeling in your stomach. One great way to approach this is by practicing mindfulness or meditation. Meditation enables you to focus on the present and quiet the running commentary going on in your head.
Daily meditation has been proven to help combat emotional stress. You can also build resilience to the various emotional stress triggers in your life. Once you’ve mastered it, if you ever need a quick-fix to a stressful situation, it can come in pretty handy.
2. Get an Emotional Support Animal
ESAs, or therapy animals, are one of the best ways to deal with stress. The exciting thing about this method is that the therapy process is beneficial to both the animal and the human. The most popular animals used for therapy are dogs and cats, however, people have also used birds, llamas, and even pigs.
But, it’s essential to call out that therapy animals are not service animals. Therapy animals are not covered under the American Disability Act (ADA), which means they won’t be allowed into specific public spaces. Landlords are also under no obligation to let them live with you in rented accommodation if they have a no animal policy. If you are looking into adopting an emotional support animal, a prescription letter is required from a licensed mental health care professional.
3. See a Therapist
Many people are apprehensive to see a therapist, but once they do, they wish they’d done it sooner. A therapist can help you work through any issues going on in your life in a healthy way, and proffer a set of solutions to help you battle your stress triggers.
If your condition is beginning to interfere with your well-being or daily activities, you should really consider contacting a therapist to book an appointment. If you’re able to access it, therapy is a very useful coping tool for stress, depression, and other emotional wellness issues.
4. Rid Your Life of Negativity
This should be one of the first things you do to deal with your stress triggers. First, identify negative people, situations, and thoughts that are causing you problems. Think about the symptoms of your issue, like any physical signs – when do they happen? Is there a particular situation that causes them?
While it can be challenging to avoid negativity, triggers, or toxic people altogether, you can learn to move yourself away once you’re aware of the feelings they or it causes you.
To counter this, try to spend more time with loved ones who support you. Make time to do the things you love, even if you don’t particularly feel like it. Do something kind or sweet for yourself. Find a hobby that keeps you fit and happy at the same time – exercise is great for your mental health. Set a small goal and complete it. The feeling of fulfillment is second to none and may help you see that good things come when you work for them.
The Bottom Line
Emotional stress is overlooked most of the time. You think it’s something you can handle or gloss over. However, after a while of bottling your feelings and stress, you could find yourself deeper in depression, anxiety, or other mental illnesses.
The four tips in this article can help you fight with the symptoms. They can also help you build a resilient and confident self, which is a great way to keep stress at bay.