Why You Need to Learn How to Cope With Stress

As a former police officer who was medically retired with PTSD, I know something about stress. Many people dismiss it as part of life, and while that is true, left unchecked, stress can destroy your life.

Modern society is more affected by my stress than ever before:

In the past year, 74% of people have felt so stressed they couldn’t cope.
46% have unhealthy eating habits due to stress.
29% started or increased their consumption of alcohol.
16% started or increased their smoking.
51% of adults who felt stressed also felt depressed
61% felt anxious.
16% of those who reported feeling stress had self-harmed.
32% had suicidal feelings.

As you can see, stress wrecks your mind, body, and spirit, and the damage ripples through society.

The types of stress.

The best definition of stress I’ve come across is any change that causes strain. That strain can be physical, emotional, or mental. Stress is your body’s response to something that requires action.

There are several types of stress. The most common is acute stress, the body’s response to an unexpected event or anticipated challenge. Symptoms include emotional distress, headache, stomach upset, and muscle tension.

Sometimes, as in my case, acute stress is much more severe. The acute stress of witnessing people harm each other led to PTSD.

Another sub-category is “episodic acute stress.” This occurs when a person suffers acute stress regularly. It makes you think everything in your life is going wrong. Such constant negativity can be draining.

Episodic acute stress might affect how you act towards others. You may show hostility and experience relationship difficulties as a result.

When stress reaches this level, speak to a doctor. You may need to make lifestyle changes and reduce your expectations of yourself.

The final sub-category is “chronic stress.” This is a long-term form of stress caused by emotional pressure. Examples are a stressful job, relationship problems, or money difficulties. Chronic stress occurs when your body doesn’t get enough time to recover between episodes of fight or flight. Your nervous system is constantly aggravated, which leads to health problems such as heart disease.

The impact of stress on my health.

Stress stimulates the release of adrenaline. This causes an increase in heart rate and blood pressure as the body prepares for fight or flight.

In 2022, my resting heart rate hit 130 bpm. I’m now on beta blockers. It’s impossible to tell if my heart problems are solely related to stress. However, as I’ve been battling PTSD since 2003, it’s not a leap of faith to think it may be connected.

The most obvious area where stress has affected me is that of mental health. The stress of being medically retired and told I was 100% disabled for the rest of my life led to a ten-year depression. I’d lost my purpose, ambition, friends, and security.

I tried plugging the gap by doing voluntary work, but it was in my old policing area. Every day, I saw my colleagues going to emergencies, and it hurt so much that my heart felt like bursting.

At my worst, getting out of bed was a heroic feat, and every day was a nightmare. Sleep was my only respite.

It all started from unmanaged stress.

Why coping with stress is essential.

It was imperative for my heart rate that I get control of my stress levels. I don’t want to be on beta-blockers for life if I can help it.

One of the things that has helped the most is putting space between me and the stressor. The old me would get bad news or interpret someone’s actions as aggressive and lash out. I’d get into arguments with my partner where I said hurtful things. I’d make a situation worse with rash decisions, all from acting too fast.

Now, I walk or sit and commit to doing nothing about a situation until my emotions calm down. This has saved me a ton of guilt from avoiding arguments and kept me from making impulsive decisions.

It’s not just the heart that improves from effective stress management. Your immune system will thank you.

Stress can disrupt the digestive system and lead to conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome. Reducing stress can restore normal function.

Breathing, sleep quality, and even weight management are all aided by a more relaxed approach to life.

The greatest benefits for me of a less stressful lifestyle have been emotional. I’ve overcome a 20-year battle with post-traumatic stress disorder. PTSD and stress complement each other. One causes the other in a vicious cycle.

I was able to break that cycle with a process of controlled exposure. I confronted situations that traumatized me, knowing I’d have to deal with intense stress in the short term to conquer it in the long term.

I began visiting all the places that I’d avoided for 20 years. I read news articles about the cases that haunt me. I wrote about my experiences in as much detail as I could to get past the censors.

I’m now at a stage where I can talk about any aspect of my trauma to anyone. I’m like an open book after decades of secrecy. PTSD and stress grow in the shadows. Confront them, and they wilt.

Now that my stress levels are at an all-time low and my PTSD is in remission, my productivity is through the roof. I write daily — short form, long form, email, blog — you name it. I have a plan for the future and nothing holds me back. I feel like I’m back in the land of the living after being a ghost for two decades.

Final thoughts.

Learning to cope with stress will change every area of your life. You’ll become more capable and less sick.

Your mental health will improve. While you may not be able to cure complex conditions like PTSD, or bipolar just by reducing your stress levels, it’s a step in the right direction.

All these improvements will give you time and space for creativity and the chance to try new things. Who knows where your new life will take you?