Stress is that drive that gets us to study hard, get up earlier, and reach big goals. In many ways, it is a positive thing. But what happens when stress becomes uncontrolled? Uncontrolled stress is what leads us to sleepless nights, mental illness, and impaired functioning.
Everyone has those days where one more thing will cause a breakdown. But what if that day was all the time? Maybe your stress has been so high and constant for so long that you hardly notice the stress part anymore, just the unhealthy coping mechanisms you’ve adapted.
Healthily managed stress can be positive, but unmanaged stress is the biggest killer in the US! So, what can we do with such a precarious balance? How do we stay in the safe zone with so many stress points around us? Thriveworks Columbus counselors have years of experience working with stress and can teach and walk beside you as you learn your own stress levels and best strategies for managing it.
Why Am I So Stressed?
Stress literally saved lives back when we had to hunt for food and beat off predators. But with Walmart a few minutes away and the only predators being the annoying coworker, stress doesn’t’ know what to put it’s energy into. So, it latches onto unnecessary events. The stress that kept you alive during winter is working when you’re walking through a crowd or confronting someone. Danger is hard-wired into our brains, even if no danger exists.
Thriveworks Columbus wants you to know that the emotions and behaviors you’re experiencing are completely valid. Anything can cause stress: money, relationships, or life changes are a few examples.
It can feel like everything is trying to attack you and hold you back from healthily coping. Although it can definitely feel like this, there is a way out! Thriveworks Columbus has years of experience searching for the roots of stress and finding the best coping mechanisms for your unique circumstance and personality.
Unmanaged stress hardly looks like stress. Some signs of it include:
- Constantly avoiding confrontation (initiating the “flight” response)
- Angry outbursts or aggressive behavior (initiating the “fight” response)
- chronic headaches
- joint pain
- upset stomach
- easily triggered anger
- irritability
- panic attacks
- feeling overwhelmed
- trouble sleeping and/or nightmares
- memory loss
- impulsive behavior
Stress doesn’t have to control you anymore. With a little professional help, you can get the peace you deserve.
What Does Stress Management Counseling Look Like?
Coping with stress is not a one-and-done thing. What you learn in a Thriveworks counseling session can be carried with you for the rest of your life. It is a journey to find the right coping mechanisms, but that’s the journey Thriveworks Columbus wants to help you with!
Sometimes, people will try to change their circumstances to get rid of stress. Changing circumstances can be a vital part of stress management. However, stress will always find a way to come back. You could be chasing stress out of your life for the rest of your life! To fully have control of your stress, you have to change, not just your environment.
Some ways we can do this include:
- Learn mindful and relaxation techniques for when you are in a stressful moment
- Proactively plan stress relievers
- Talk through any underlying problems that may be causing stress
- Practice healthy habits like getting enough sleep, exercise, and healthy nutrition
- Build a strong social support group
- Learn to identify stress before it gets to be overwhelming and ways to stop it from growing
- Pick out negative thoughts that may be driving stress, and learn to replace them
Thriveworks Columbus knows there is no one singular way to combat stress. That’s why we focus on your individuality—to find the unique solution for your unique situation.
Behavioral Issues, Coping Skills, Self Esteem, Stress, Women’s Issues, +7 more 
