Category: Stress

How Talkspace De-stresses

Author By Josh Wolff, Staff Writer at Talkspace
Posted:
Woman in citrus bath

Stress has been a part of the human experience since the dawn of consciousness. It’s an instinctual reaction to perceived threats, originating as humans made their way up the food chain. Gone though are the saber-toothed tigers and growling bellies of our ancient past. Our new threats are red bubbles with numbers in them, and politically-charged talk radio over hour-long commutes.

Prolonged stress takes its toll. Over 70 percent of Americans report experiencing physical and psychological symptoms caused by their stress. Productivity loss and health care related to stress costs employers close to $300 billion annually, according to the same American Psychological Association study. Stress has reached epidemic proportions, and how to cope with, or manage modern stress has become a literal “billion dollar question”.

In honor of “Stress Awareness Month”, Talkspace asked our therapist community and co-workers to share their favorite ways to de-stress.* We hope you discover some beneficial new stress management solutions!

Continue reading How Talkspace De-stresses

Can You Be Addicted To Stress?

Author By Renee Fabian, Contributor
Posted:
Man with laptop looking stressed

Feeling stressed out lately? If so, we’re not surprised.

According to a 2015 American Psychological Association study, 24 percent of Americans experience extreme stress on a regular basis. A similar study in 2017 found that 63 percent of the U.S. worries about the future of the country, 62 percent about money, and 61 percent about work, and stress levels have been steadily increasing over the last decade.

Continue reading Can You Be Addicted To Stress?

6 Things To Do When Your Partner Is Stressed

Author By Wendy Wisner, Contributor
Posted:
Couple holding hands on the street

Life is stressful. Work can be demanding, family life can be taxing, and so can our relationships, finances, and health-related struggles. Just turn on the news or open social media and your blood pressure is apt to rise. Really, there are so many things that can be triggers for stress, and we all experience our fair share of them on a daily basis.

Equally stressful is when we watch our partners suffer from heightened periods of stress. It can be upsetting to witness and can even create tension within our relationships. Perhaps the most difficult part is that we desperately want to help, but often feel bewildered about what the best approach might be.

Continue reading 6 Things To Do When Your Partner Is Stressed

5 Reasons Masturbation is Great for De-stressing

Author By Ashley Laderer, Contributor
Posted:
Woman with a hand on her skirt and tattoo on leg

While it’s likely that the concept of masturbation was a source of stress when you were younger (because when you’re 11 it’s easy to believe masturbation can, indeed make you go blind), solo sex is great for your health. In fact, the mental health benefits of masturbation are so bountiful that I’d go so far as to claim masturbation is self-care.

If you’re not already masturbating regularly, you might want to add it into your routine (Ugh! What a horrible chore!) Aside from making you feel great, masturbation is great tool for de-stressing. Not convinced yet? Here are some ways masturbation helps you calm down.

Continue reading 5 Reasons Masturbation is Great for De-stressing

5 Secret Stressors That Are Killing You

Author By Jessica Weinberger, Contributor
Posted:
Woman peering out from behind grey curtain

Stress is a natural part of everyday life. We’ve all experienced sweaty palms, a racing heartbeat, and a boost of adrenaline in a stressful situation. This primal instinct to protect ourselves from threats or danger originated long ago with our ancestors, and it continues today.

Obvious stressors present themselves at key turning points in life — a death in the family, or a significant life change like a move or new baby. But there are also stressors that can live under the radar, undetectable by our conscious mind. Having gone unnoticed, these stressors can initiate an extended “fight or flight” response that can have serious consequences for your health.

Continue reading 5 Secret Stressors That Are Killing You

Working Hard or Burning Out?

Author By Ashley Laderer, Contributor
Posted:
Man at computer with head in hand

Today, my grandma texted me (yes, she texts) asking if I had anything fun planned for the day. I told her I was heading to a coffee shop to work.

“Do you work seven days a week?” she responded. I realized, I sort of do. But that’s just how life is now, right? Burning out is the norm in America in the 2000-tens. Is anyone not overworked? Does anyone actually know how to unplug from work and compartmentalize different aspects of their life? I asked myself these questions at the end of a yoga class during savasana, the final relaxation during which you’re supposed to quiet your mind and let everything go. Oops!

Continue reading Working Hard or Burning Out?

How to Calm Your Mind When You Can’t Sleep

Author By Jamie Wiebe, Contributor
Posted:
Comfortable bed with messy sheets

I’ve been a light sleeper since birth, but deep into my 20s, I’ve found myself confronting a new problem: nights spent staring at the ceiling waiting desperately for sleep. A series of big life changes — a new marriage, home, job, and puppy — turned my once-calm mind into a spinning series of worries and to-do lists.

In fact, I swore my brain grew wilder and more active after nightfall.

I’m not alone. Restless nights spent struggling to sleep are an age-old problem. The earliest cavemen probably tossed on their rocks, and even the richest among us lay exhausted (yet awake) on their 100% cotton sheets. But when a few nights of restlessness become a never-ending half-slumber, insomnia can wreak havoc on the human body — and the brain. Continue reading How to Calm Your Mind When You Can’t Sleep

7 Self-Care Tips for When Stress Affects Your Body

Author By Joseph Rauch, Staff Writer at Talkspace
Posted:
stressed sore woman working on computer at cafe

Since I was a boy, my body has been extremely sensitive and reactive to both physical and emotional stress. When my parents announced we were moving away from my hometown, my muscles tensed up so much I could barely use the bathroom for many days. Eventually I learned these health issues were a combination of a rare muscle tension condition and psychosomatic symptoms from my depressive-anxiety disorder.

Because my body usually felt like a car that had driven hundreds of thousands of miles — parts constantly requiring maintenance, always creaking, sputtering, or breaking down — I became a master of self-care. I spent hours every week making a conscious effort to heal and recuperate. This lifestyle was the only way for me to survive and function well enough to graduate from college and find employment. Whenever I neglected proper rest or pushed myself too far, new symptoms arose. Continue reading 7 Self-Care Tips for When Stress Affects Your Body

In Defense of Stress

Author By Katelyn Dickie, Contributor
Posted:
stressed woman on computer

Upcoming dinner plans, a half-baked trip to the beach, and a hold waiting at the library are all small stressors I keep in the back of my mind and contribute to my anxiety. My planner is full of scribbles of upcoming plans and reminders to make future appointments. I’m preoccupied by mild rashes, engine lights, and sudden sounds. In an average week, every member of my immediate family and a handful of close friends tell me to “chill” or “relax.”

My baseline stress level is above average. A reminder “not to stress about it,” whatever it may be, is sometimes helpful. More often, it’s an annoying comment, a directive that actually increases my anxiety. And yet, it’s a comment that many of us toss out to our stressed friends and family members without a thought. Indeed, the pressure to “chill” is increasingly another stressor anxious people deal with. At this point, ads for wellness, mindfulness, and relaxation cures increase my blood pressure. Continue reading In Defense of Stress

5 Therapist-Approved Ways to De-Stress Your Day

Author By Jor-El Caraballo, Talkspace Therapist
Posted:
woman writing pen table journal

Daily stress management is one of the key indicators of mental health and wellness. By being proactive in dealing with stress, we can minimize its impact. Regularly engaging in stress reduction techniques emboldens us to stave off feelings of being completely overwhelmed, depressed, or persistently anxious or panicked.

Here are five ways you can start de-stressing your day today:

1. Journaling

Journaling is a tried and true practice for therapists. Many of us came up in training programs that required writing to process our own experiences as students and trainees. Journaling is a simple yet powerful tool that allows for internal thoughts, worries, and concerns to become externalized onto a page. This can help you gain greater insight into your feelings, thoughts, and motivations as well as provide an emotional holding space for difficult material.

2. Spend More Time in Nature

Often overlooked, spending time in nature has great therapeutic effects. With the power of Vitamin D (which helps lift mood), spending time in nature can also be a great mindfulness activity. By communing with nature, many people discuss feeling a greater sense of peace and less rumination (which is consistent with worry and anxiety). Sites like parks and beaches are often popular because they tend to convey feelings of bright energy, enjoyable activities, and generally pleasant conditions. Continue reading 5 Therapist-Approved Ways to De-Stress Your Day