The Connection Between Stress and Mental Health
Do you know that there is a direct connection between stress and mental health? Many people are not aware that if you do not have effective coping strategies for stress, it will build exponentially.
A little stress you can probably handle easily without even thinking about it. When things get tough, however, those low levels of stress can accumulate and develop into big stress. How does this affect you?
Imagine for a moment how you feel when you are under stress.
The usual signs include agitation, tension, muscle tightening, neck pains, headaches, stomach pains, loss of appetite or increased appetite, weight gain or loss, and a range of other symptoms. You will probably notice that your mind races. You begin to experience heart palpitations, dizziness, sweating episodes and much more.
Your overall sense of well-being eventually is affected.
You begin to lose confidence in your abilities. You doubt them. You begin to question your every move. You come to doubt yourself and your decision-making capabilities.
Over time, you will become anxious. Anxiety and stress are very closely related, too, because the stress puts pressure on your entire nervous system. Ultimately, this means your system is deprived of the proper nutrients to stay health.
As you can see, it affects your mental health, not just your body.
Some people develop depression as a result of their unresolved stress. Their minds become preoccupied with the negative instead of the positive in their lives. They seem unable to think of anything else as their problems (the cause of the stress) overtakes their minds.
Researchers have yet to determine if depression causes anxiety or anxiety causes depression, but you can be sure the two are interlinked.
Through all of this, your body begins to break down. It is unable to utilize the nutrients that you feed it. Your body becomes inefficient in maximizing the benefits. It experiences mineral and vitamin deficiencies. This state, in turn, triggers more depression, anxiety and stress.
It becomes a vicious cycle. If the stress, anxiety and depression continue to go unresolved, more severe conditions develop, such as full-blown anxiety disorder and panic attacks.
Studies have revealed that stress tends to lower the body’s levels of B-complex vitamins. Vitamins C and E are also depleted faster than normal. These vitamins are very important because they are antioxidants. In other words, they help to remove free radicals from your system. These free radicals can damage cell membranes and lead to the development of a range of diseases.
The solution is obvious. First and foremost, you need to find ways to cope with your stress on a daily basis to prevent it from building. You have to ensure you are getting sufficient nutrients to sustain you during even the mildest stress situations.
Learning how to relax on a given notice is crucial. This will enable you to calm yourself and prevent anger from taking over, which is a common risk in people who are under stress. That is where relaxation techniques can be great tools. Practice them even when you don’t think you are up tight. You might surprise yourself when you realize that tension has become a regular habit.
As you can see, stress and mental health are quite closely intertwined. Finding ways to cope with stress is important. In the meantime, you can take vitamins for stress through supplements or herbal remedies.
