Stress Can Kill
In my last post, I shared with you a little bit about trauma and the adverse impact of the pandemic in terms of mental health and general wellbeing. We noted that there has been a rise in mental health issues globally as a direct result of the pandemic.
Sadly, it has been recently shown in research conducted by the World Health Organisation (WHO) that working long hours and the stress of doing so is linked to poor health outcomes, including death from cardiovascular disease and stroke. This should be a global wake-up call for all!
As author, doctor and health and wellness expert Deepak Chopra says, there is an epidemic of stress that has arisen due to Covid and that it is essential that we do something to tackle the negative effects of stress on our wellbeing.
To leave it to chance is to risk becoming an indirect Covid statistic because the fallout from the pandemic goes well beyond the obvious impact.
Fight or Flight
When we are stressed, the flight or fight mechanism is activated, sending a flood of catecholamines or stress hormones into our bloodstream. While positive stress has some benefits, the negative benefits of too much stress or chronic stress take their toll on the human body.
This is why it is so important to consciously do something to counteract the insidious effects of stress.
Are you someone who feels overwhelmed by the events of these past 18 months? Do you feel drained or uneasy because you don't really feel comfortable with the uncertainty this pandemic has leased upon the world?
If this is you, you may be experiencing what is referred to as Pandemic Stress. We've all experienced stress in our lives. Many of us have experienced trauma as well. We may be sleep deprived. We may have personal issues going on.
So when you add the pandemic to this mix of stressors, you are actually adding a significant burden that over time not only amplifies all the other stressors but in fact will compound the damage that is being done and the constraint drain in your wellbeing.
Through my own experience, I have learnt the hard way that if you don't get proactive with managing stress and trauma, it gets proactive with you.
You Can Be The Driver
Believe me, you want to be the one driving this, not the other way around.
In my next post, I want to share with you a little bit about my own story around stress. And then I want to share with you some of the things that I discovered as I created a much-needed path out of what was a very difficult time. Thankfully, there IS a way to get through pandemic stress! There are ways to create a buffer against the effects of pandemic stress.
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