Stress is the body’s reaction to any change or challenge. Stress can strain the mind and body, making it difficult to function. Several factors, including relationships, holidays, work responsibilities, finances, or traumatic events, can cause stress. Stress can contribute to mental health conditions, like depression and anxiety, and chronic illnesses, like diabetes and cardiovascular disease. It is important to learn how to manage stress with healthy coping mechanisms to minimize negative health outcomes.
Signs of Stress
There can be physical, mental, and behavioral signs of stress. Noticing the signs of stress and identifying what you are feeling can influence how you cope with the stressor.
Physical signs of stress may include:
- Headaches
- Sweating
- Digestive problems
- Shortness of breath
- Feeling tired or dizzy
- Cold or sweaty hands and feet
Mental signs of stress may include:
- Being forgetful
- Having difficulty concentrating
- Easily irritated or angered
- Constant worrying
- Racing thoughts
Behavioral signs may be:
- Change in eating habits, including eating more or less than typical
- Avoiding family or friends
- Difficulty sleeping, including sleeping too much or not getting enough sleep
- Procrastinating and avoiding responsibilities
- Increase use of alcohol, drugs, or cigarettes
Stress and Chronic Conditions
When stressed, the liver releases stored sugar, which can elevate blood glucose levels. Chronic stress can also elevate cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood pressure. These health indicators can increase the risk of developing chronic conditions, like diabetes.
Individuals may try to cope with stress through unhealthy behaviors such as emotional eating, excessive screen time or substance use to escape reality, or withdrawing from family and friends. These behaviors can also increase a person’s risk of developing chronic conditions and can make the management of chronic conditions more difficult.
Furthermore, living with a chronic condition, like diabetes, can contribute to feelings of anxiety and stress. The daily management of diabetes – from meal planning and exercising to testing blood glucose and treating low blood glucose levels – adds a significant mental burden that can be stressful for some individuals.
Focus On What You Can Control
Healthy coping mechanisms alleviate stress and minimize negative health outcomes associated with chronic stress. Managing stress requires addressing both the mind and the body through positive coping mechanisms, as they both contribute to symptoms.
When you are experiencing stress, it is important to identify the stressor and determine whether it is within your control. Then you can decide how to mentally and physically cope with the stressor. There are many stressors that we have no control over. Control often gives people a feeling of security and comfort. Consequently, a lack of control can exacerbate feelings of stress and anxiety.
Creative Outlet for Coping with Stress.
RHN Team, ©2020, Clemson University
Stressors outside of your control include:
- What happened in the past
- What happens in the future
- What people say or do
- What people think of you
- How people treat you
Stressors within your control include:
- How you cope with stress
- Who you surround yourself with
- What you say and do
- What environments you choose to leave or stay in
For stressors outside your control, it can be beneficial to seek social support from family or friends to process, reconcile, or heal; professional therapists are another support option. These positive social connections can help you accept what you cannot change and take steps to move forward.
For stressors within your control, it can be helpful to reflect on what actions you can take to minimize the stress or change the circumstances surrounding the stressor. These actions may include setting boundaries, advocating for yourself, changing your environment, or changing your behavior.
Coping Mechanisms
Along with getting enough sleep and eating a balanced diet, engaging in stress-relieving activities can alleviate stress and improve your overall health. Discovering hobbies and activities you enjoy can provide positive, mental stimulation to sustain healthy coping mechanisms.
Exercise
Any form of exercise or movement can reduce stress while simultaneously improving your physical fitness. Exercise increases endorphin production, the brain’s “feel-good” neurotransmitters. Exercise helps regulate sleep, which is often disrupted by stress, depression, and anxiety. Some examples include walking, yoga, jogging, stair climbing, bicycling, weightlifting, and swimming. It is important to choose physical activity that you enjoy and can sustain on a routine basis.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is a mind-body practice that purposefully focuses attention on the present moment and breathing. Mindfulness can reduce stress through brief meditation exercises that bring calmness to the mind and body. Meditation exercises involve sitting in a relaxed position, clearing your mind, or focusing your mind on one thought while releasing all judgments. You can focus on a sound, on your own breathing, counting, or nothing at all. You can listen to music, conduct a body scan, or visualize pleasant imagery. Practicing mindfulness can quiet stress-induced thoughts and can help the body repair itself from the physical effects of stress.
Journaling
Journaling involves writing in detail about feelings and thoughts related to the stressor. Writing can be cathartic and help clarify what you are feeling, allowing you to gain a clearer perspective. Journaling can be used as a problem-solving tool to generate solutions more easily on paper. Your journal does not need to follow any certain structure – let your words flow freely. Try to write about your thoughts, hopes, fears, frustrations, gratitude, and any other emotions you are experiencing.
Positive Social Connection
By nature, people are social creatures. Stable and supportive relationships with family and friends help people cope with stressful situations. Talking to trusted people in your social network can help you process your feelings and receive helpful feedback. Spending quality time with others who make you feel safe and understood can be calming and stimulate hormones that counteract the body’s fight-or-flight response.
Therapy
Some stressors may require the assistance of a professional therapist. You may need therapy if you experience trauma, grief, relationship conflict, engage in unhealthy coping mechanisms, or notice a decline in your productivity. Therapy can give you an outlet to talk about your stressors and help you learn tools to address negative thought and behavior patterns and overcome mental obstacles.
For more information on mental health services in South Carolina, check out the BHDD Office of Mental Health for supportive nursing services, crisis intervention, and care coordination services available in your county.
Sources
- Anxiety & Depression Association of America. (2026). Physical Activity: An Evidence-Based Way to Reduces Stress. https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/related-illnesses/other-related-conditions/stress/physical-activity-reduces-st
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2025). Managing Stress. https://www.cdc.gov/mental-health/living-with/index.html
- Cleveland Clinic. (2024). Stress. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/11874-stress
- Cleveland Clinic. (2024). How Stress and Depression Affect Diabetes. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/14891-diabetes-stress–depression
- Connect with Others. (2020). https://www.mhanational.org/connect-others
- Schneiderman, N., Ironson, G., & Siegel, S. D. (2005). Stress and health: psychological, behavioral, and biological determinants. Annual Review of clinical psychology, 1, 607-628. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2568977/
- Sharma, H. (2015). Meditation: Process and effects. Ayu, 36(3), 233-237. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4895748/
Originally published 05/20
