Physical stress: What is it and how to cope?

Stress comes in many forms. We might think that we are calm or feeling good, but our bodies might be indicating just the opposite! This is especially true for people who have gotten used to chronic stress, whether it’s because growing up it seemed normal, from traumatic experiences, living in a big city (hello New York!), or many other reasons.

A big sign of your body being in such a state outside of your awareness is feeling bored with situations or activities that most others would find enjoyable. Or, rather, needing an extreme amount of stimulation to feel satisfied. It also might be evident if you tend to get frustrated with things that are supposed to be relaxing, like sitting still, reading a book, or going for a casual walk.

It has a lot to do with the body’s anticipation of danger. Sitting still if there’s a tiger after you is not exactly good for your health! So, your body gets agitated if it’s in a fight/flight state. The problem with people who have experienced a lot of volatility, trauma, and/or worry is that this state becomes the default.

When our bodies are stressed out, this can create havoc. Many physical diseases, from heart disease to autoimmune diseases, even some forms of cancer can be traced back to the “fight/flight” response chronically being in the “on” position. Just because we think we’re fine, we just might not be.

This video goes over what is meant by “physical stress,” what it might look like or how it might be experienced separate from the stressed out state of mind, and ways to possibly begin decreasing this toxic physiological state.

Check it out and share widely if you find it helpful!