Coping with Stress and Anger Management

Stress is a natural reaction that the body shows in the face of any danger that requires adaptation or response. The situation observed regarding the danger may be a real event or a situation that the mind “perceives as dangerous”. The stress reaction that occurs in order to protect the person may impair the quality of life and the functionality of the individual when observed too much. Many life events in school, home, family and work environments in daily life can become stressful. Stress that occurs at the physical, emotional, thought and behavioral levels can be observed not only in the face of negative life events; it can also be observed in any situation that requires adaptation, such as a change of job or city.

What are the symptoms of stress?

Stress has many physical, emotional, intellectual/cognitive and behavioral symptoms.

Heart palpitations, feeling of pain and fatigue, muscle tension, rapid breathing, gastrointestinal problems (constipation, diarrhea, stomach and intestinal disorders), weakness, chest pain, nausea, dizziness, getting sick frequently, weakening of the immune system, loss of sexual desire; reluctance, not being able to enjoy things that were once enjoyed, feeling lonely, depression, feeling unhappy, uneasy, pessimism, feeling overwhelmed, restlessness, sensitivity, irritability, outbursts of anger, anxiety disorder; forgetfulness, difficulty in making decisions, constant anxiety, focusing on the negative side of events, weakening of reasoning skills, memory problems, difficulty in focusing; sleep disorders (such as sleeping too much, not being able to fall asleep, interrupted sleep), appetite problems (excessive eating or loss of appetite), anxiety-indicating behaviors (such as nail biting, hair pulling), procrastination, not being able to start a job or continue a job that has been started, isolating oneself from people, becoming introverted, alcohol or substance use.

Suggestions for Teenagers to Cope with Stress?

In order to reduce the level of stress, it is very important to discover what triggers stress. Understanding the source makes it easier to develop a method for coping and is the first step on the path to follow. Recognizing stress symptoms and the individual’s awareness during stress is another step. In cases where very intense stress is experienced and coping becomes difficult, it is very critical to seek help from a mental health professional. If deemed necessary, medical treatment can be initiated. In psychotherapy, interventions are made to discover the source of stress and strengthen coping methods.

Keeping daily records about stress (event, trigger, thoughts that go through your mind at that moment, emotion, behavior record) will increase awareness. In this way, it becomes possible to discover triggers and recognize triggers. Breathing and relaxation exercises that can be applied during stress can reduce the stress level in the body and make it easier to control. In psychotherapy practices, clients are taught breathing and relaxation exercises to learn how to relax physically during stress. At the same time, a change is created in the thought system by establishing a connection between the event-thought-emotion-behavior that triggers stress.

Physical exercise, healthy nutrition, regular sleep and rest, communicating with people, maintaining social ties, focusing on the present rather than the past or the future, trying to enjoy the moment and learning to relax are among the methods that can be used to cope with stress.

The use of substances or alcohol, which have a calming effect to reduce stress, can return with a more intense anxiety state after the effect wears off. For this reason, identifying the things that will trigger stress and focusing on coping skills provides a much healthier and more permanent solution. It is very important to organize the responsibilities of your life, to make a list and to make time for enjoyable activities. Continuing social interaction, getting support from a close friend or family member, and seeing a specialist when necessary are supportive of coping skills.

Anger Response

Anger is a basic emotion that is felt in the event of any attack, threat or obstacle, and is observed in the body with physiological symptoms. In times of danger, the nervous system secretes cortisol (stress hormone) and adrenaline hormones. Thanks to these hormones, the body goes into “alarm mode”. The heart rate increases, blood flow to the muscles increases, heart rate, blood pressure and breathing increase, body temperature rises and sweating is observed. The body becomes ready to fight against danger. This reaction given by the nervous system is called the Fight-Flight response and is activated automatically.

The body and mind have difficulty distinguishing how dangerous the events in daily life are; when it receives signals of internal or external danger, it activates the “Fight-Flight” response. When it comes to a promotion or a job with an approaching deadline, it acts like a wild predator approaching. Therefore, it needs to be on the alert frequently. In order to survive the approaching “danger”, it activates the alarm system physically, emotionally, mentally and behaviorally. Being constantly on the alert and trying to cope with the danger starts to become quite tiring in the long run and reduces functionality. The individual may become unable to continue their routine work. A vital alarm system reaches a point where it disrupts the function and negatively affects psychological well-being when used too much.

Anger Management in Youth

Recognizing the emotion of anger and its symptoms, and identifying the emotions associated with anger are the primary steps in anger management. Anger is a very healthy and normal emotion, but when directed at the individual, the environment or objects, unwanted situations can occur and this means that anger is not being managed healthily. For this reason, it is very important to distinguish between anger and aggressive behavior. Taking short breaks during anger and using the methods that can be used until it calms down will provide a great deal of calm. In the step to be taken based on problem solving, it is necessary to act thoughtfully in order to gain the ability to calculate profit and loss and predict the results.

Another important element is that parents are role models for young people in anger management. Children learn how to approach and solve problems in the environment they are born into through their parents.

In psychotherapy, relaxation and breathing exercises are used to teach methods that can be used in times of anger. Alternative thinking methods are emphasized by establishing a connection between the event-thought-emotion-behavior that triggers the anger reaction. Various exercises and studies are done to support communication skills and strengthen coping skills. In anger management, it is aimed to provide skills such as making arrangements regarding the conditions that trigger anger and approaching with humor when necessary.