If you have been struggling to sleep lately or have had headaches or stomach problems, the culprit might be a common feature of everyday life: stress.
Stress occurs not just when negative things happen but when positive things happen as well. A promotion at work or becoming a parent can bring a new set of stressors that some people are unprepared for.
Although stress is both common and inevitable, stress management is usually not something that is taught in school, and families may not always model the best ways to handle stress. As a result, many people never develop the tools and resources to manage stress effectively.
Furthermore, there are certain experiences, such as losing a loved one, financial problems, or relationship issues, that can cause more stress than usual. Sometimes a number of different stressors that could be easily handled on their own occur at the same time. Counseling can help people better manage the challenges that life presents.
There are a few different ways that counselors may help individuals with stress. For example, there may be underlying reasons for a person’s anxiety or stressful response to certain situations. Uncovering those reasons makes it possible to treat them, and counseling is one way to identify those reasons and begin addressing them to reduce the overall stress in an individual’s life.
A counselor might teach specific techniques to cope with stress. Cognitive behavioral therapy can give people the tools they need to shift how they think about problems in their lives and avoid mindsets that can worsen their stress.
Depending on a person’s needs, there are other types of counseling that can be somewhat less structured but just as useful as CBT. For some people, counseling may be the only place where they feel able to openly express their thoughts, fears, and beliefs. The ability to explore these things with a trained individual who is not a family member or friend can often help people better understand their responses to situations and learn ways to defuse stress.
Some people may benefit from working with a counselor who teaches mindfulness. This might include meditation techniques and breathing exercises. Mindfulness and CBT may be combined to offer even more options.
Stress takes a toll not just on mental but on physical health. Depression, anxiety, chronic pain, high blood pressure, and digestive problems are just a few of the ailments that can arise from untreated stress. Furthermore, some people may respond to stress with such unhealthy behaviors as misusing alcohol or drugs. Counselors can assess the reason for a person’s stress and create a treatment plan to help them cope.
No one will ever live a life entirely free of stress, and such a life would not be desirable even if it were possible. Stress has many positive effects, including boosting energy and improving cognition. However, it can also become overwhelming and make it difficult or impossible to carry on with routine tasks and responsibilities. Counseling is an excellent way for people to get the help they need in order to manage stress and live a fuller and more satisfying life.
