Stress is the tension or worries you experience when facing something demanding or going through change. Stressful events happen all the time, from running late for work to having a baby. This normal response is your body’s way of preparing you to manage these challenges.
The stress response goes back to primitive times when people faced life-or-death situations every day. Your body releases chemicals that give you extra strength if you need to fight and extra speed if you need to run away; this is the fight-or-flight response.
Fight-or-flight is ideal for escaping predators, but that’s no longer a daily challenge for most people. Your brain still reacts in the same way, though, resulting in stress.
Stress does have some benefits. For instance, it sharpens your mind and gives you an edge when you’re in an interview or playing sports. The problem comes when stress is extreme or present all the time.
If you’re constantly under stress, your body continually produces more fight-or-flight hormones. Long-term, these hormones can cause health problems. As a result, you might develop depression or anxiety. Headaches, digestive upsets, and chest pain can all be caused by stress.
You might feel irritable and angry a lot of the time and have difficulties concentrating. Sleeping too little or too much because of stress makes the problem worse. You might start to gain or lose weight and feel tired all the time. Many people with severe stress use alcohol or other substances to help them cope. But all these things just make you feel worse in the long run.
Licensed professional counselor Jessica Sanchez offers various therapies that help reduce stress. She works with you to find the causes of your stress and ways to overcome them. Sometimes it’s emotional problems that make you so stressed. In other cases, it’s things you feel unable to control, like problems at work.
Jessica uses cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and other talk therapies to help you identify your stressors. CBT enables you to challenge the thoughts that lead to stress and develop ways to manage the stress more effectively. These coping skills lower your stress levels because you feel able to handle your problems.
Jessica also offers advice on stress-busting activities like mindfulness, regular exercise, and yoga. Improving your diet and kicking bad habits also helps. Making time for yourself is essential for effective stress reduction. One of the best uses of that time is having therapy.
Call Jessica Sanchez today or book an appointment online to get relief from the stress that’s making you sick. Consultations take place remotely using safe, secure Zoom video conferencing.