We live in a world where everyone has to deal with stressful situations and this negative emotion can have a major impact on both our physical and mental health.

In everyday terms, stress can be defined as a negative feeling, such as sadness, agitation, guilt or anxiety that people have when they can no longer face the challenges of life.

In other words, there are days when we feel like we are at the end of our rope, up to our ears in work and the truth is that these days are really annoying. But when you feel that you’ve got a lot on your plate you should try to find a way to recharge your batteries, because otherwise your health can be adversely affected.

Nevertheless, one of the most important things that you have to keep in mind when it comes to taking care of yourself is the fact that stress can be a real issue that can lead to severe diseases.

Unfortunately, there are many people who do not know how to self-examine and believe everything they hear. You have to take things seriously, especially when you feel that something strange is happening to your body.

Moreover, an increase from 4.9 to 5.1 for the average stress levels in the United States was observed by the American Psychological Association (APA) in 2015.

Here are some stress facts that people should stop believing according to psychologists. Read on for more information!

Stress won’t go away if you choose to ignore the symptoms

One of the most important things that we have to take into consideration when we talk about stress is to always try to understand what caused those symptoms and reduce the activities that make you feel uncomfortable. If you chose to ignore your feelings, the quality of your life and health can be affected.

Stress can put you at risk for developing heart diseases, gastrointestinal issues, reproductive and sleep problems, weight gain or various mental disorders.

According to Jessica Rohlfing Pryor, Ph.D., a clinical lecturer in the department of psychology at Northwestern University, “I often tell my clients that compartmentalizing stress is akin to trying to put water in a cardboard box: It will leak out in one way or another.”

You can’t just get over stress as nothing happened to you

I bet we all have that friend who always says “you will get over it”, “calm down” or “oh, move on”, right?

But, unfortunately, you can’t get over stress instantly and pretend that you are fine because, in real life, the stressful situations will appear every time you try to lie to yourself by thinking you are okay. This is why it is important to take your time and find out what causes you stress.

According to practicing clinical psychologist John Mayer, MD, “We need coping mechanisms and lifestyle changes to be stress-free.”

Stress can affect your body as well

Many people believe that stress is just a state of mind and will affect only our mental well-being, but the truth is that stress can lead to many physical health problems.

How does the mechanism of stress work in the brain?

• Stress can be the cause of many diseases and can make your mental health issues worse. Thus, constant agitation leads to health problems such as diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, acne, eczema, obesity and anorexia.
• Stress can be a symptom of some mental health problems, such as anxiety and depression.

“I have seen stress be the cause of very unusual ailments that one would not normally associate with stress,” says Dr. Mayer.

You don’t have to wait for stress to heal itself

Another important thing that you have to do is not to expect stress to heal itself and to take action as soon as possible. Otherwise, the other future stressful situations will make recovery difficult and you may become seriously ill.

“In my practice, I work with a considerable number of high-functioning professionals, and I have now come to expect them to commit to taking care of themselves after the busy season or their next professional deadline. The thing is, we cannot make up for stress periods similarly to how we now know we cannot make up for lost sleep. It is important to maintain good self-care practices because of this,” explained Pryor.

Stress is closely related to thoughts

Stress can be the cause of mental illness and can aggravate the situation more than you think. For instance, people who suffer from anxiety can be prone to developing negative thoughts and depression.

So, if you have had negative thoughts these can be stress symptoms and the next step is to find out the cause of the problems that makes you anxious. Do not be afraid to call a psychologist for help and advice.

Stress feels different for each person

Other people’s advice does not work most of the time because every person feels stress differently. So, whether we talk about work, relationship, school or moving into a new house, the level and intensity of stress is not the same for everybody.

Moreover, the symptoms of stress may also be different. For example, some individuals can develop the irritated bowel syndrome when they are stressed, others have frequent episodes of diarrhea and some can have breathing difficulties or just negative thoughts.

“Stress is idiosyncratic, which is why there are so many varieties of physical manifestation,” says Dr. Mayer.

Stress can’t motivate you

There are a lot of people who think that stress can motivate you in various competitions or achieving your goals, but this is unhealthy thinking. It is important to distinguish the stress from the motivational stimulus.

“Research has shown that the best motivators are internal motivation, not external motivators. Stress as a motivator is temporary, thus ineffective,” explains Dr. Mayer.

Stress is NOT good for you

First of all, if you have friends who tell you that stress is good for you then you are surrounded by the wrong people.

It is true that there is a milder form of stress that you are more likely to feel before an exam, a speech or a situation in which you have to prove something and you are the main character. And this type of stress is not that bad for your health, but a constant state of agitation and anxiety can be harmful.

Is stress inevitable?

Well, even though many people struggle with stress, it doesn’t mean that everyone should have it. You do not have to always think about how you can be affected by stress because you won’t live your life as intensely as you should. So, enjoy your life and stop thinking about what to do to avoid it because this is how stress occurs. “The key is how we cope with the daily bombardment of stress,” says Dr. Mayer.

Stress is curable

According to the American Psychological Association “Chronic stress, which is constant and persists over an extended period of time, can be debilitating and overwhelming.”

Everyone can get rid of stress, even people with chronic diseases. So, one of the best solutions that can help you cope with stress is therapy. There are a lot of people who choose to take medication for stress relief, but this is not the only effective option.