Ontrak Health is a behavioral health engagement program that provides affordable, long-term treatment options for those struggling with mental health issues. In the following article, Ontrak Health discusses how managing stress properly can reduce anxiety and lead to better overall physical and mental health management.

When it comes to everyday pressures, stress is a natural response. Though it’s normal to experience, there comes a tipping point in which stress may have detrimental effects on a person’s mental health.

Stress can be thought of as a double-edged sword. While it can manifest as the anxious feeling people get before big events (the birth of a child, marriage, etc.), a constant exposure to negative stress (frustrating situations, fear) can lead to extreme anxiety, panic attacks, and depressive disorders, as well as problems with sleep, building relationships, and the like.

Stress Explained

Put simply, Ontrak Health explains that stress is a response the body undergoes during times of pressure, anxiety, or threat. It is often related to feelings of helplessness, or when a person feels they have a lack of control.

These situations can be granular, like a student worrying before a presentation in class, or larger in scale, similar to the stress victims of abuse may feel on a regular basis. Though the body is equipped to handle these situations in small doses, further consequences arise when massive amounts of stress are felt on a regular basis.

Symptoms Of Problematic Stress

Ontrak Health reports that the physical and emotional feelings that accompany stress are often recognizable. They include:

• An increased heart rate
• Sweating
• Clammy hands
• Thoughts of worry
• Worst-case-scenario thinking

During normal events of stress, these feelings subside quickly, or resolve as soon as the stressful event passes. Ontrak Health states that, unfortunately, these symptoms can build alongside an influx of emotion.

When stress is more severe, new symptoms arise. These include:

• Memory issues
• Difficulty concentrating
• Self-deprecating or negative self-thoughts
• Moodiness
• Feelings of depression
• Headaches
• Fatigue
• Withdrawing from social situations
• Decline in productivity

There are even more mental and physical symptoms, which can manifest into larger problems that directly impact a person’s life and overall well-being, sometimes becoming so chronic that a solution cannot be found without the aid of a medical professional.

Stress and Mental Health

Ontrak Health explains that with these symptoms in mind, stress certainly can have a direct impact on an individual’s mental health.

Copious amounts of research have gone into finding the link between stressors and a person’s mental health. Ontrak Health reports that the link between the two is biochemical- having to do with the brain’s response to a stressful situation.

Within seconds of an individual recognizing a moment as “stressful”, the brain will release chemicals such as adrenaline and serotonin, which are immediately followed by stress hormones.

The most important aspect to note is that the release of these stress hormones directly impacts the areas of the brain responsible for retaining memory and regulating emotions back to baseline. This happens in order to self-regulate, but can end up having permanent effects on these areas if intense stress happens on a regular basis.

In time, Ontrak Health says that the state of a person’s mental health can deplete and lead to anxiety attacks, disorders, and even episodic or chronic displays of depression. The impact that stress can eventually have on nerves and white matter will also leave an individual at risk for an onslaught of additional mental illnesses.

Dealing With Stress

Prevention is key when it comes to dealing with stress. It’s important for individuals, especially when in a high-stress job or situation, to educate themselves on the best ways to keep stress at bay (or regulated, at the very least).

Ontrak Health provides below a few effective ways to manage stress:

• Practicing self-care on a daily basis can make a world of a difference when it comes to dealing with stress. Setting a routine that involves eating clean and healthy when possible, as well as exercising and taking breaks can keep stress at bay.
• Preventive healthcare is essential in avoiding stress, whether it’s for your physical, dental or vision health. Getting annual checkups, vaccines and other health screenings, such as mammograms or colonoscopies, annual eye exams and teeth cleanings, can help detect health problems early.
• Avoiding triggers such as alcohol and drugs will allow the brain to work through stress in an effective way.
• Talking to others can help a person understand that they aren’t alone in their troubles, and that they don’t have to carry the weight of their stress alone. This can mean talking to a close friend or family member, or even a support group when necessary.
• Understanding when professional intervention is needed is one of the most important ways to keep mental health strong. Stress can very quickly snowball to suicidal thoughts or dangerous behaviors, and the sooner a person can recognize that they’re on this path, the more effective intervention can be.