ST. LOUIS — The weather, the pandemic, the situation in Europe or in your child's school. We asked 5 On Your Side viewers: "What's stressing you out right now?" And we heard about a lot of tough situations.
“We can have physical symptoms, we can have emotional symptoms, we can feel like we don't have things together, we can feel symptoms of burnout,” explained Dr. Rimiko Thomas, a psychologist in St. Louis.
While typical portrayals of and discussions around stress emphasize the negative impacts, she also added that sometimes stress can help us focus, build resilience and take stock of our support networks.
“Really checking in with yourself and really thinking, do I need to ask for help? What does that look like asking for help?” she said.
Stressful moments can also be times for gratitude and reflection on overcoming past tribulations.
Maybe you're planning one of the 2.5 million weddings expected to happen in in 2022, or among the 55% of Americans considering a new job. Sometimes your stress is "eustress,” the clinical term for that pressure surrounding a good or exciting stressor.
“It can enhance performance. It can increase our motivation. It can also really enhance a lot of the good feelings,” said Dr. Thomas.
But even good stressors can come with downsides, like feeling overwhelmed, losing confidence or feeling disappointed due to unrealistic expectations. Try setting limits or boundaries, slowing down and practicing some mindfulness.
“Think how we can bring our self back into the moment and enjoy the moment for what it is?” said Dr. Thomas.
When you kick stress out — even the good kind — your head has more space for other ideas.
“There's nothing wrong with taking breaks,” said Dr. Thomas. “It actually gives our mind a time to really rejuvenate and think about new ideas or think about things that we've never thought of before, or think about solutions that didn't come to us at the time when we were so overworked or overwhelmed with worry.”
Exercise, rest, a good diet: all can help us get through the stressful times, as well as remembering it's OK to simply be "okay."
“Recognize that this is a trying time and we're doing the best that we can,” said Dr. Thomas.
If you are having difficulty managing your stress or would like to talk to a professional for help, here are some resources that could help: