Myths About Stress
Stress Myth 1 – “You are not stressed unless you are symptomatic”
The truth is that stress can show up in many different ways, and everybody reacts to stress differently. There are some people who may be able to hide their stress, while others may have very obvious signs of stress. Whatever the case, it may be best not to dismiss others’ stress out of hand.
Stress Myth 2 – “Stress is motivation”
While it may feel like stress is stimulating your drive to do things, it may not be stress that is truly motivating you. Deadlines, goals, and self-drive can be compared to motivation or stimulation. In contrast, stress is characterized by anxiousness, worry, and frustration.
Stress Myth 3 – “X thing will fix your stress”
You may have heard that X item or activity is the “cure” for stress. We can use meditation or yoga as an example here: while things like meditation and yoga may help individuals cope with stress, there is almost never a universal method for managing stress. Some people may find that adding another thing to their plate causes more stress, while others may enjoy meditation and see it as an effective stress-reliever. Either way, stress management is a personal endeavor, just as stress can be a very individual experience.
Stress Myth 4 – “You can’t do anything about stress, it’s everywhere”
Even though many of us are stressed from our day-to-day lives, that does not mean being stressed out is inevitable. Planning your life so that you experience as minimal stress as possible. Set priorities and solve your problems as they arise to manage your stress. This will help you to keep your stress at an acceptable level.
This isn’t to say stress management is easy, just to reaffirm that while stress can happen, it doesn’t have to be unavoidable.
