We’re always told to spring into action right away in order to lower our stress levels and thus fend off the many health complications associated with chronic stress — you know, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, high blood sugar, heart attack, stroke, anxiety, depression.
But just because something is making us feel like we’re less stressed than before doesn’t mean right away that we’re doing the right thing. There are healthy ways to deal with stress as there are unhealthy ways to cope with it, and this article will focus on those that can do more harm than good. Needless to say, the ones that you will come across below should be avoided at all costs.
Got relatives and friends whose everyday lives are just as stressful as yours? Then make sure that you repost this article on all of your social media sites later on so that they, too, may be able to dodge these unhealthy ways to deal with stress:
Smoking Cigarettes
Many people swear by the stress-relieving properties of cigarette smoking. That’s really weird because nicotine obtained from cigarettes is a stimulant, which can cause even more stress and tension.
But whether it can relax or cause further stress is not really the cause for concern. Everyone knows for a fact that cigarette smoking is a major risk factor for lung cancer and cardiovascular disease — having these serious health nightmares can definitely cause massive amounts of stress.
Drinking Lots of Alcohol
A lot of stressed individuals turn to excessive amounts of alcohol in order to deal with their excessive amounts of stress. Since alcohol can depress the nervous system, it can in fact help to get the mind and body relaxed.
Unfortunately, consuming lots of alcohol at night in order to catch some Z’s won’t help to lower one’s stress levels — having alcohol in your system can keep you from enjoying a restorative kind of sleep, thus you wake up the following day feeling worn out and stressed still. And by the way, the health complications associated with excessive alcohol intake will surely keep you from having a stress-free existence.
Abusing Prescription or Illegal Drugs
Some people turn to prescription medications such as painkillers, muscle relaxants, sleeping pills and anti-anxiety medications for stress relief. However, this unhealthy approach to dealing with stress could cause all sorts of serious issues when it’s time to quit taking them and also as soon as the known health risks are already around.
Instead of OTC or prescription medications, there are those that turn to illegal drugs in order to attain much-needed relief from too much stress. However, going against the law and landing in jail will certainly cause lots of unnecessary stress.
Eating Lots of Foods
If you think that being hooked on food rather than alcohol and drugs in order to manage stress is healthier, better think again. Sooner or later, it’s for certain that the many dangers of turning to excessive food intake will make their presence known.
Most especially if you stuff your face with unhealthy types of food, it’s for certain that it won’t take long before problems that can leave you even more stressed will come your way. Some of them include obesity, sleep apnea, high blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, anxiety and depression.
Doing Nothing at All
Engaging in the above-mentioned unhealthy ways to cope with stress is just as bad for you as not doing anything at all to get your mind and body relaxed in order to lower the levels of stress hormones in your bloodstream.
Needless to say, it’s a good idea for you to spring into action without delay and partake in healthy ways to deal with stress. It’s virtually impossible for you to run out of something new to try each time — just about anything that can relax your mind and body without any unfavorable consequence can be considered as a healthy stress-relieving activity.
