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If you are in a frightening situation that you are not able to control, you experience situational stress. A conflicting situation, job loss, loss of status or acceptance from the members in your group, getting laid off, committing a major mistake or entering a dangerous area may lead you to experience this type of stress. Some situations like childhood abuse, family life with domestic violence, criminal assaults and bullying in schools may lead to stress disorder.
Situational Stress Symptoms
Situational stress often occurs suddenly and is opposite of chronic stress. Recognizing the physical and emotional situational stress symptoms can help you manage it better. The initial reaction to a stress situation is a feeling of anxiety. You may feel bloating or your stomach knots. You may withdraw into yourself and find it difficult to answer when others ask you about something. Low mood, poor sleep, poor concentration and irritability are the psychological symptoms experienced by some people. A sick feeling, fast heart beat, chest pain, headache and breathing difficulties are some of the physical situational stress symptoms, which may last for several days. If you experience chronic situational stress or encounter stress, you need to seek immediate help, as it can cause some other health complications.
Situational Stress Treatment Options
Stress symptoms usually disappear, once the stressful event is over. However, if you have severe or prolonged symptoms, you need to look for appropriate situational stress treatment options.
• The best way to deal with this type of stress is to avoid people, event or place that may cause stress. Learn to take control of your environment. If some events in your life are stressful, take measures to eliminate them as quickly as possible.
• If you are not able to avoid a stressful situation, try to change it. Expressing your feeling to your close friend, family member or a counselor can help you reduce stress. Learn to be more assertive and to manage your time better, so that you can stay relaxed.
• Take time for enjoying fun and relaxation. Going for a walk, doing some exercise, playing with kids or pets, listening to music and getting a soothing massage are some of the simple ways to reduce stress.
• Conflict is the main source of situation stress. Hence, learning effectual conflict resolution skills is the best situational stress treatment. If you are well prepared to deal with the stress of conflict when it arises, you will not experience stress symptoms.
• You can increase your resistance level to stress by boosting your physical health. Do some physical activity daily. Take a healthy well balanced diet. Stay away from alcohol, drugs and caffeine and reduce your intake of caffeine and sugar. These measures help promote sound sleep at nights, which in turn helps you get relief from stress.
• If you have severe episodes of stress symptoms, you can get the help of your doctor. The doctor may prescribe a beta-blocker or benzodiazepine for a few days or week to alleviate the symptoms.
