The mind, body, and spirit are interconnected parts of a human being that function cohesively as a well-tuned machine. If one part is off-balanced, the well-tuned machine will not function properly.
Mental stress and anxiety can cause physical ailments or symptoms that hinder the body from performing at its fullest potential. For example, a mother of three works two jobs to keep food on the table and a roof over her family's head, and she gets 3 to 4 hours of sleep daily. She smokes and drinks a bottle of wine nightly to cope with her stress and anxiety, and drinks a lot of caffeine to feel productive during the daytime hours. This lifestyle catches up with her, and her body gets off balance.
She starts to develop chest pain, which only increases her anxiety. She goes to the hospital to check out her chest pain, and the healthcare providers run a battery of tests on her to rule out a heart attack. The mother was diagnosed with high blood pressure, given medication to treat her high blood pressure, and told that she didn't have a heart attack and that she needed to follow up with her primary care physician (PCP). She goes to her PCP, and they write her a prescription for an anti-anxiety pill to take care of her feelings of anxiety and continue to monitor the effectiveness of her new blood pressure pill.
The mind-body connection for the mother is apparent: the mind thinks, and the body speaks. If this mother was taught healthier ways to manage her stress, would she have high blood pressure or anxiety?
In Western societies, the focus on health has been on seeing the doctor to get a pill to treat a symptom or individuals taking substances to self-medicate to "heal" themselves. Yet, some symptoms are a result of our thinking, and we want to put an end to our suffering quickly. This act has made people dependent on Big Pharm and the healthcare systems to solve their problems, thus leading to our nation's health being significantly unwell.
We typically learn how to cope with stress and anxiety from watching what our parents did before us. Many turn to food, alcohol, and drugs to cope with their mental stress. Very few people were shown how to cope positively with their mental storms in life.
Below, I will provide a few tools to help you positively cope with the mental stress that could physically impact your health.
Identify the imbalance in your life: When we can identify what is causing your mental stress, you'll gain clarity on how to treat it.
Can you change the situation?: Most situations in life are fluid, and you can safely switch with a well-thought-out strategy to improve your life.
Practice meditation or breathing to lower stress levels quickly.
Journaling to gain clarity on an issue, create a strategy to improve your life, and use the journal as an accountability tool.
Do something physical to lower the stress: Research has shown that burning energy by kinesthesia, like running, kickboxing, going on a long walk, or dancing, can quickly decrease stress levels.
Connect to God or Higher Power: religious coping is a helpful tool to get support, guidance, and comfort during times of stress.
Our mind is a powerful tool, and if we sense a threat in our life that is causing stress, it is vital to learn ways to manage the stress before it manifests symptoms in our bodies. Stress is a part of life; how we cope with the stresses of life affects our total well-being. If you need coaching support in stress management, sign up for a complimentary Discovery call at Shining Light Holistic Health and Wellness.
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