Are you stressed? Get relieved in the right way

By Dr Siddhika Ayyer

CHENNAI: Priya, a 34-year-old mother of 2, complained that she always feels tired. She does all her household work but does not enjoy any activities. She gets irritated with her children for small mistakes. She craves junk food even when not hungry. She feels she is unable to sleep well.

When spoken to in detail, she revealed that she had a lot of pressure at work. She was worried about her parents’ health. She had no one to express her concerns.

Nowadays, a common word used by everyone is ‘stress’. It is usually used to describe any difficulties we face in life, for instance, exam stress or work stress. In medical terms, stress is our body’s response to challenges. We must equip our bodies and mind to be strong to face these challenges.

So let us first think, how will I know I am stressed? What are the symptoms? As we saw in Priya’s story, stress affects us emotionally, mentally, and physically.

When stress starts presenting like feeling irritated, anxious, depressed, overwhelmed or overthinking or having too many negative thoughts about self and the situation can be one.

If one is feeling disinterested in work and unable to enjoy anything and finds it difficult to concentrate and makes mistakes which usually one would not do, it can be stress. There can be a lack of sleep, poor appetite, or stress eating.

Stress can also cause physical symptoms like hair loss, headaches, acidity, irritable bowel syndrome, coldness/numbness of hands and feet, and hypertension. With prolonged stress, symptoms can worsen leading to depression and anxiety disorders.

To handle these situations, we must understand that stress is a part of everyone’s life. Small steps can go a long way in dealing with it. We must make sure to take care of your physical health by having a healthy diet, drinking adequate water, and sleeping well. We must find time to exercise 3 to 4 times per week. Make time for leisure activities and hobbies. Confide in family or friends and spend time with them.

If you feel overwhelmed and unable to handle the stress, get in touch with a psychiatrist.

- Dr Siddhika Ayyer, Consultant psychiatrist, Gleneagles Global Health City