Psychosocial stress takes its toll on our general health whether we like it or not. This type of stress is the result of a cognitive appraisal of what other think and arriving at conclusions based on that. It is the result of what happens when we perceive a social threat in our lies, real or imagined and begin to suffer emotionally or mentally as a result.
Psychosocial stress is often the result of perceived threats to our:
• Social status
• Social esteem
• Group acceptance
• Social negation (being ignored)
• Reputation (personal or professional
Like physical threats, these social threats can lead to feelings of alienation, lack of control or feat that can also lead to a stress response in the body. Cortisol, adrenalin and dopamine might be released to deal with the threat in the short term, but if they are experienced every day they can be damaging in the long run. For instance, cortisol is that hormone that allows us to have a “fight or flight” response if there is real danger, but releasing too much of it can lead to suppression of the immune system as well as a host of other effects including emotional distress, nausea, lack of appetite, heartburn, headaches, addictions, paranoia, defiant behavior, escapist behavior, body dysmorphia nightmares and other issues.
Ways to Deal With Psychosocial Stress
When life becomes too much for you and you feel overwhelmed, here are some ways to overcome psychosocial stress:
Stay away from social media for a few days. Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms are often a source of conflict and stress for individuals, especially if envy of others or cyberbullying is at play. Find some serenity by taking a vacation from online drama for a few days, a few weeks or even a few months.
Focus on supportive “real life” friends. Almost everyone has two or three people in their life thy know they can trust. Spending more time with people who make your life easier and minimizing times with those who make you feel awful can help eliminate some of the distressing drama in your life. It is important to mingle with others as a study conducted found that social isolation is linked to inflammation and hypertension and also puts you at higher risk of developing diabetes. https://www.pnas.org/content/113/3/578
Avoid jumping to conclusions. When you are stressed out, you often suffer from distorted reasoning. Avoid “all or nothing” thinking, jumping to conclusions and other negative thinking patterns that cause your body to produce cortisol and other stress hormones. Refuse to fight “the windmills of your mind” and instead actively focus on the positive factors in your life.
Develop a shift in perspective. Sometimes when we feel exasperated with the world our minds work overtime, overthinking and creating catastrophic scenarios to stress about. Often this has to do with managing the way you talk to yourself. Changing your inner narrative can help you see life in a more positive light. Seeing a cognitive therapist can help you be more aware of how a negative perception of the world might be causing you more stress than necessary.
Are you feeling a bit burnt out, stressed out or like you are in the need of some rejuvenation and restoration. Our integrated total health team at the Pinewood Natural Healthcare Centre website that has a list of full services and products at http://www.pinewoodhealth.ca that can help you. call our Toronto Office at (416)-656- 8100. We also have an office in Pickering, Ontario at (905)-427-0057. You can also email us at email@example.com and we would be happy to answer any question that you have about stress relief, cognitive therapy and relaxing therapies such as iv vitamin drip therapy, mesotherapy and dietary advice.