Why Stress Is the Mind's Way of Saying Something Important

 

You've probably heard it time again: "How to say the right words when friends are stressed? It's not something I do a lot of, but some people seem to be able to do it more than others.

I am sure you have heard this advice before from more important people - "Stress is the mind's way of telling you something important." This is true, but why? There is a good chance you won't understand how it works, or why you should care about your friends' stress levels, until you know what exactly causes stress in your life.

Stress can come from a variety of sources. It can be caused by financial problems, relationship problems, medical issues, jobs and family issues. It is the body's natural reaction to these things that cause the physiological responses. And, what stress does to your body, it does to your mind as well.

This is a quick lesson in stress; when the body tells you something is wrong. Your body reacts by sending "pain signals" that tells your brain that you are experiencing pain. These are much like car alarm on your dashboard.

The body tells your brain that something is wrong, and it gets you to do what you need to do to get you out of the situation. But, some things that seem to be as simple as eating a bowl of candy or being upset over a minor issue actually make the situation worse, and in most cases they cause the body to suffer the symptoms we call stress.

Just like your body cannot get in pain without your brain knowing, stress can be ignored at times, but not for long. It can build up, become overwhelming and cause the body to become less responsive to the "pain signals" our bodies send. We are constantly bombarded with stress, which means that we may have to learn how to say the right words when friends are stressed out. This doesn't mean that we should act like machines or play mental "Russian Roulette".

But it does mean that we have to do something to help our friends deal with their situation. How do we help them if we don't know what they're going through? There are a few things we can do - we can provide a space where they can release their feelings, we can offer to help them, and we can even express our condolences.

If you are a friend who has ever wondered how to say the right words when friends are stressed, now you know what you need to do. It's a simple fact that even those of us who have never been in this situation, do not have all the answers, but we can help to lead them to the direction that works best for them.