Getting late for the office, preparing for the exams, looking after kids, doing double shifts, finishing the house chores, and a lot more is a daily part of our lives. Of course, they can trigger some amount of stress in you. But that motivates you to get your work done. In a sense, stress has always been a very common aspect of every human being’s life. However, how you handle it makes all the difference. The right stress management techniques enhance your living quality.
As we all know, today, mental health issues are gradually increasing. A lot more people are struggling with some sort of psychological condition than ever before. Why is it so? Well, according to studies, stress is one of the biggest culprits that has been found behind this sudden spike in the mental health deterioration of millions of people.
Not to mention, after the pandemic, things have gotten a lot more increased as far as worldwide mental health statistics are concerned. We are going to read a lot in that direction in this blog.
Indeed, today we are not going to talk about good stress that’s a motivating factor to get through daily life, but chronic stress- how it gets triggered, its causes, how it can lead to depression, and a lot of other related stuff. So, please keep the ball rolling!
There is no doubt that in today’s hustle and bustle, a lot more intense stressors people are facing in their day-to-day life as compared to prior. In fact, some of them are getting so ignored and unhandled, which in the long run, causes real psychological issues like depression, anxiety disorders, and more.
Chronic stress can paralyze your life and impact your physical and mental health for the worst. That’s why chronic stress management is the need of the hour. Through which one can learn how to balance the chronic stressors in their lives.
Before moving forward, what is exactly chronic stress all about? Let’s read a bit about it!
How Is Chronic Stress Different From Good Stress?
Generally, we all feel stressed from time to time in our lives. But, when stress becomes very intense that starts affecting our normal life and hindering our daily activities, then you can call it “Chronic stress.” It can result in a long-term feeling of anxiety and depression when left untreated can have a significant impact on your overall health, not just mental health.
Different people, different worries, and problems. However, here are some of the most common reasons behind prolonged stress in anybody’s lives-
- Loss of a loved one.
- Toxic and abusive relationships.
- Heartbreak or hurt with closed ones.
- Traumatic life events, such as emotional or physical abuse with you or your close ones.
- Prolonged stress and pressure at work.
- Hefty financial losses and obligations.
- Sudden big changes in life, like marriage, moving to a new home, starting a new job; etc.
- Having someone terminally ill in your environment.
- Divorce or end of some relationship.
- Mental health challenges like depression, anxiety, and more.
A lot of us make the mistake of perceiving our physical health entirely detached from our mental health. That is a trap! Yes, your mental health is directly linked to your physical health or vice-versa.
Chronic stress can leave some highly intense physical symptoms as well such as-
1. Headaches
2. Fatigue
3. Sleep issues
4. Digestive problems
5. Mood swings
Also Read: 5 WAYS ON HOW TO HELP TEENAGERS TO BE EMOTIONALLY INTELLIGENT
How Are Chronic Stress And Depression Interlinked?
Depression has been one of the most complex and varied mental health conditions. You cannot generalize it in any way. Different people are found to be depressed because of a thousand other reasons. So, you cannot say if person A is depressed due to x thing, then the same goes with person B as well. A big no-no!
Depression doesn’t only happen as per your mental state but based on your biology as well. Certain chemicals should and should not be produced in our brain, or at least be balanced organically. But, when these things get disrupted, causing mental health issues like depression. The levels of feel-good hormones like dopamine and serotonin get affected during the depression. And stress hormones like cortisol start producing way more than required, triggering sadness and mood swings.
Chronic stress affects our biology in a big way, producing more cortisol hormones in our brain. The prolonged imbalance of these chemicals results in physiological conditions like depression. According to all the latest studies, there’s direct connection has been found between chronic stress and depression.
Now, we know how these two are highly interlinked and can affect our mental health.
But, what can we do about it?
It’s completely understandable that sometimes sudden traumatic events can lead you to chronic stress without even you noticing it. It can happen to any of us. But, there are certain things that we can do to hold control of our lives back. Also, there are certain chronic stress management techniques that you can use.
Indeed, it all starts with your lifestyle. Yes, leading a sedentary lifestyle has been found to increase your stress levels. Daily physical exercise, a well-balanced diet, adequate sleep quota, meditation, yoga, and more are some of the best ways to keep your stress levels in check.
These activities will not only lower your stress levels but also enhance the productivity of feel-good hormones in your brain, reducing the chances of mental health issues like depression.
Final Takeaway-
Depression and stress can be bilateral and feed off each other. Understanding the connection between both of them is very important. If you are undergoing prolonged stress in your life, then you need to comprehend what’s the cause of it, and what you can do about it. Also, it’s always recommended to seek professional help. Depression is curable and needs proper professional guidance.
Besides, understanding that you cannot handle everything on your own is vital. The biggest mistake we make is we underestimate the power of real communication. Having some genuine relationships can reduce your stress amazingly. You just need some people who can listen your heart out. If you don’t have them, then talking to some psychologist is the best you can do.
In today’s lifestyle, it’s quite easy to catch up with chronic stress because of zillions of different reasons. But, what will make things different for you is how you respond to your stressors. Also, the effective implementation of stress management techniques is crucial.
We hope you liked this blog post. Don’t forget to drop your thoughts about the connection between chronic stress and depression in the comment section below. We would love to hear from you! Thank you!
