Surely, each of us can recall actions or decisions made under stress that we later regretted, justifying them by saying, ‘I was stressed.’
Stress can become prolonged and develop into a chronic condition, affecting our quality of life.
Our excessive reactions and tension do not always pass without a lasting impact, both on our psyche and on our body and health.
Some stressful situations completely ‘throw us off track’ — it becomes difficult for a person to make balanced decisions and act consciously in the moment.
We are primarily discussing situational stress, which happens when an adverse event or situation arises and you experience stress (or distress) in the moment.
Let's clarify the concept of stress itself: a state of emotional and physical tension.
So, what can we do about this stress?
DISSOCIATION can help.
A person who is in a state of stress is associated with the situation; that is, they are entirely immersed in the situation, living it ‘here and now.’
Dissociation is a way to step outside the situation and view it from a different perspective.
The observer's position helps you see what is happening more rationally and removes unnecessary emotional reactions.
How to act:
1. Look at the situation through the eyes of other people. You can ask someone important to you, ‘What do they think about this?’
2. Imagine that you are watching this situation on a movie screen — you are the viewer, watching this film: ask yourself, ‘What do you feel?’ What thoughts come to mind? Then imagine that the screen is getting further and further away until your emotions subside.
3. Dissociation using a timeline. Draw a timeline (on the floor or a piece of paper), mark where you are now, and mark points in the future, 5 and 10 years from now. Imagine that a year has passed — how do you feel? Five years have passed — what thoughts come to mind? What has happened to the situation during this time?
Looking from the future will help you better understand the situation.
‘Remove’ yourself from the epicentre of the stressful situation — observe it from different angles, and your anxiety and stress levels will decrease.
Afterwards, you will be able to react and make more balanced decisions.
P.S. The last point is very illustrative from my personal life experience. Think of a few situations where you were extremely emotionally distressed, where the situation seemed catastrophic (even though it wasn't), and how significant it turned out to be in the end, and how quickly you dealt with it. Conduct a brief analysis and pay attention to this fact.
Save it, share it with those who need it, and use it.
Read my articles
https://stattya.com/how-to-survive-the-crisis-755
https://stattya.com/love-addiction-normal-or-abnormal-the-psychology-behind-falling-in-love-171
https://stattya.com/the-power-of-gratitude-why-its-so-important-for-your-well-being-280
https://stattya.com/toxic-productivity-what-is-it-and-how-to-live-with-it-645
You must be logged in to post a comment.