Chronic stress, especially over prolonged periods, can negatively impact life. What are the impacts of chronic stress on life? This topic of chronic stress will be highlighted in this blog post. Additionally, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy will be touched on as a way to address and alleviate stress held within the body.
Where Does Chronic Stress Stem From?
The world moves faster than ever. Sometimes we feel like we can barely pause to breathe in life. Stress can stem from any form of event from which you perceive a negative outcome or have a poor result. It is not uncommon to experience stress in the following domains, for example:
- Work-Life – work environments can become toxic or filled with drama. This can result in the depletion of our internal reserves to manage future stressors
- Education – whether pursued when young or later in life. Educational pursuits take effort, intention, and time, which can deplete our ability to navigate other stressors in life and contribute to stress
- Relationships – all relationships go through hard times. Sometimes, relationships can be filled with never-ending stress, financial hardship, and/or trauma, which then contributes to stress in the body
- Mental health challenges – mental health symptoms on their own carry a weight of stress. The unpredictability of symptoms and/or fear of ‘will life ever get better’ carries a lot of weight
- Persistent Health Issues – Cancer, diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), (and others) all contribute to stress in life. Not only from what happens inside the body but the psychological and emotional tolls these take over timeÂ
What Are the Effects of Chronic Stress on the Body?
Experiencing chronic forms of stress can negatively affect a person’s health. The article linked here, explains many different effects of chronic stress in life. Stress can impact a person’s ability to:
- Concentrate/focus on tasks
- Impact sleep patterns
- Negatively impact energy levels and motivation
- Create health issues
- Exacerbate mental health symptoms
What Activities Can Help Decrease Stress in the Body?
Most people understand that by engaging in activities they enjoy they can then reduce their stress levels. However, the challenges of not having time to implement these activities can be a barrier. The list below will highlight some activities that can be beneficial in decreasing chronic stress. What’s also important though is to find what activities are most meaningful to you.
- Working out – is a great form of grounding, socialization, and hormone regulator
- Showers/baths – water can be a wonderful way to reset the nervous system
- Time in nature – hearing and being in nature can soothe the nervous system, which can decrease stress loads
- Hobbies – leaning into activities that bring you joy can balance the toxicity of stress
What Forms of Individual Therapy Can Help Reduce a Person’s Stress?
There are different forms of stress. Some stress can be beneficial, other stress can be detrimental. Depending on the causes of the stress and the fallout of this stress, i.e. lowered self-esteem, anxiety, irritation, etc, EMDR therapy can be beneficial to heal the nervous system and body and reduce stress levels within the body.
EMDR Therapist near WI
At Revitalize Mental Health PLLC, we are trained in EMDR therapy and can help you alleviate stress wounds stored in the body and the negative effects of stress on your life. Call us at 720.295.6703 or set up a free individual therapy consultation by clicking here.
