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What to do about the stress of the alarming US climate
If you are scared and anxious about scary moments like the riots in Capitol and the presidential election in 2020, you are not alone.
Staff Video, USA TODAY
Consider them warning signs. Something is not right.
Maybe you are not sleeping well or you are getting more headaches than usual. You also have no appetite and nausea.
Stress is not just a state of mind. This is something that can cause chaos in your body. Experts believe that poor physical health can often indicate poor mental health.
“Our body often tries to communicate with us when we’re not in the right place,” said Vaile Wright, senior director of health care innovation at the American Psychological Association.
According to the American Psychological Association in 2020, in America’s survey, Americans were severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, while also continuing with other persistent stressors – such as political polarization and racial discrimination.
According to the survey, 80% of American adults believe that the coronavirus pandemic is a major source of stress in their lives, and 60% said the number of problems America faces is overwhelming.
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“We would be automatic if we did not have some kind of emotional or physical response to stress,” said Vanessa Kennedy, director of psychology at Driftwood, a rehab center for addiction and mental health in Texas. “But we can certainly mitigate the reaction … by making sure we check in on ourselves every day and make a conscious effort to really pay attention to our body.”
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When someone experiences an increased level of stress, the body releases stress hormones – cortisol and adrenaline are one of the best known. It prepares the body for fight or flight, our evolutionary response to a threat.
The problem, Kennedy said, is when stress becomes chronic. Prolonged release of stress hormones increases the overall level of inflammation in the body and can lead to long-term health consequences.
Research shows that stress affects the nervous system and can even cause structural changes in the brain, which can change how we think and change our memory. Stress can weaken our immune system, making us more susceptible to disease. Prolonged stress can also aggravate existing health conditions, such as cardiovascular disease or respiratory problems.
Nearly 1 in 5 Americans say their mental health is now worse than last year, according to a report by the APA in October.
“Maintaining a level of hyper-excitement is not really sustainable,” Wright said. “It’s too much. It just makes you tired.”
How To Examine Your Body For Stress
Kennedy said that sometimes it is easier for someone to concentrate on physical symptoms than it is for them to identify what they are feeling emotionally. Therefore, she advises her patients to perform a daily body scan.
“We’re not going to be aware from day to day because we’re just trying to put one foot in front of the other about how we feel or how we’re starting to get a little more muscle tension,” Kennedy said. .
You must slow down to log in. For 15 minutes she said: be quiet, be present and pay attention to all your five senses.
“Come in with every muscle group, from your feet to your head,” she said. “You may notice things like, ‘Oh, I feel this lump in my throat,’ or ‘I have a mild headache,’ or ‘maybe I’m a little tired.'”
You can also ask yourself:
- Am I sleeping badly?
- Do I eat well?
- Am I craving unhealthy foods?
- Am I grinding my teeth?
- Do I feel body aches?
“If you answer yes to these questions, your body is trying to give you the signal that something needs to change in the environment, or you need to respond to what is happening in the environment,” Kennedy said.
Kennedy said that while stress may not feel good, our body’s responses to it are productive, and are probably ultimately a good thing if we can use the cues to change what’s in our control. She also notes that one of the things that is most healing for a body is related to another person.
“There are neurochemicals that are actually released in our brain when we connect with other people in a meaningful way,” she said. “Relationships and connection with others are key.”
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