Stress will always be there, no matter where we are and what we do. It’s part of our life and comes in varying degrees. People have different ways of coping with stress, and we all have different thresholds and reactions to it.
“Stress” is defined as feeling troubled or threatened by life that causes us to have difficult thoughts and feelings, which then ”hook” us and pull us away from our values. Our values are our deepest desires for the kind of person we want to be; how we want to treat ourselves and others, and the world around us. When we are hooked to negative thoughts and feelings because of stressful situations, we pull away from our values. This may lead to making decisions that are not aligned with our values, and that we may later on regret in life.
It is important to be aware when stress becomes too much, as it can wreak havoc on our health and well-being. When we can easily identify our triggers, and manage our stress reactions, life becomes bearable. This is probably the reason why some people claim to be “living a stress-free life.” That while it is impossible to truly escape from stress, some people have mastered the art of managing stress.
The Caribbean Development Bank and the Pan American Health Organization have developed a stress management guide called “Doing What Matters in Times of Stress: An Illustrated Guide”* to help people cope with adversity. The publication is an adaptation of the World Health Organization (WHO) publication to support the implementation of its recommendations for stress management.
Causes of stress may come in the form of personal difficulties (e.g. conflict with loved ones, being alone, lack of income, worries about the future), problems at work (e.g. conflict with colleagues, an extremely demanding or insecure job), or major threats in your community (e.g. violence, disease, lack of economic opportunity).
The guide, which can be downloaded as a book or audiobook, is intended for all who experience stress, whether one is a parent, caregiver, health professional working in difficult situations, or someone just finding a way in this vast and sometimes harsh world. It is also for people who fled war, lost everything they have in life, and even for well-protected people living in peaceful communities.
Informed by available evidence and extensive field testing, it provides information and practical skills to help cope with stress. Per WHO, while the causes of stress must be addressed, there is also a need to protect and support people’s mental health.
The guide has five sections, each containing easy-to-learn techniques that can be used for just a few minutes a day to help reduce stress. If your days are fully-occupied, you can go through one section in your free time or every few days and practice the exercises. Another option is to read the book through in one sitting, applying whatever you can, and then reading it again, taking more time to appreciate the ideas and practice the techniques. Practicing and applying the ideas to daily life is key to reducing stress. The guide can be read at home, during break or rest periods at work, before going to sleep, or at any other time when you might have a few moments to concentrate on taking care of yourself.
You can download the book and its audio version from https://www.who.int/publications-detail/9789240003927 to support your practice.
The WHO advised that if you find that doing the exercises in the guide is not enough for you to cope with intolerable stress, you should seek help from relevant health professionals, social services, or trusted people in your community.
*Doing what matters in times of stress: an illustrated guide. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2020. Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.
For feedback, you may reach the author at joba.botana@gmail.com.
