How to Deflect Unexpected Stress

No matter what problems we are dealing with already, life keeps going. And, occasionally, it pitches unexpected and sudden stress right at all of us. A stress curveball can throw pre-planned coping strategies out of balance. There is little time to re-plan or even adjust to the news and what you must do instead. Sometimes, extreme emergencies arise. Accidents, injuries, bad news can hit without notice, and consequences can be severe, but snow and ice storms, delayed travel, and less serious circumstances can affect you or those you love also. I hope this doesn’t happen. We all do. But there is a way to at least minimize the difficulties that come “out of the blue.” Stress has been defined as what happens within us when expectations are unmet or when something happens that is not expected. Making the best plans possible is a good start to finding balance in any situation, but another layer of protection can help control or deflect thoughts, emotions and physical reactions you might later regret. Science now tells us the fight or flight response has a third component. In some situations, the human body instructs us to freeze. Thinking ahead can help minimize the detrimental effects of all of those. My mother put it another way. Expect the best, but prepare for the worst. Have a Plan B and C. If things go well, you can relax and follow Plan A. If not, you at least have an idea of what you can do under stress, and you’re not blindsided as much. Don’t expect to cover eve...
Source: World of Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Self-Help Stress stress reduction Source Type: blogs