ARE YOU STRESSED OUT?

Stress can play a serious role in deepening depression or other mental illnesses. It affects everyone, even people without mental illness. When the mind is plagued with sadness, stress becomes magnified and begins to take over the body and mind. It makes you feel like you have no control over your emotions, body, and life.

In college, I worked hard to pass my classes while struggling with a learning disability. It took me a long time to read chapters for homework, and I had to study extra hard to pass tests. I couldn't concentrate and my thoughts began to race. My muscles tightened and my shoulders and neck became sore, causing me to have a headache. The harder I pushed to make good grades in my classes, the more stressed I became. I became frustrated and I felt as if I had no control over my body, college, and life. I spent hours in my room, alone, falling deeper into the hole and injuring.

When I was at my worst, small things stressed me out like buying new shoes, choosing friends, or deciding what to eat. I felt worthless, like I couldn't do anything right. My chest tightened and it felt as if someone had shoved a fist down my throat. Then I got into an abusive friendship and the stress increased. I started dry heaving and throwing up. Keeping the friendship and the idea of being alone if the friendship ended, stressed me out also. I lost my appetite, I couldn't sleep at night, and when I did sleep I had nightmares.

During my path to recovery, my therapist helped me identify the different things in my life that caused my stress. Things like bad relationships, worrying over finances, doing a good job at work, and my health. When I first started working my job, I got sick with the flu and bronchitis often. I learned that the more intense I felt, the weaker my immune system became. Once I was able to learn techniques to relax, I was able to handle the rough patches in my life better.

Stress still plays a big role in my life, but I have learned to handle it better. I have also learned to avoid it when I can. I don't work full time because I know it would be too much for me to handle. I have ended unhealthy friendships, I talk over finances with my husband, and I try to avoid conflict. With my illness, I know I have limitations and I find ways around them.

When I do get stressed out, I write in my journal, I listen to a relaxation tape, I take deep breaths and slowly let them out. I also turn to my support team such as my friends, family, and husband. With the techniques I have learned in therapy and the help of my support team, I can take stress by the hand and dance within the light.