Stress is a natural response to challenging situations. While it serves an important purpose in small doses, it can take a serious toll on both your mental and physical health when it becomes part of your daily experience.
Whether it’s pressure from work, financial concerns, family responsibilities, or something else, chronic stress can feel overwhelming and inescapable — but there’s hope, and better well-being starts with talking about it.
Our team at Boston Neurobehavioral Associates specializes in individual therapy in Massachusetts, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, and Rhode Island, and we want to hear what you have to say.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and there’s no better time to take a closer look at stress, why it happens, and how therapy can help you manage it in a healthier way.
Stress is your body’s built-in alarm system, and it exists to help you react quickly to threats and challenges. When you face a stressful situation, your brain releases hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, which increase your heart rate, sharpen your focus, and give you a temporary energy boost, also known as the “fight-or-flight” response.
In small doses, stress can actually be helpful. For example, your body’s stress response is designed to keep you alert in dangerous situations. However, when stress becomes chronic — meaning it doesn’t go away — it can negatively affect your health and lead to burnout, anxiety, and even physical problems like heart disease.
When you’re in an ongoing state of stress, it can start to affect nearly every system in your body. Chronic high stress can cause issues like:
Over time, unaddressed stress can increase your risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and other chronic illnesses. So what does this mean for you? It’s essential to find ways to manage stress before it causes lasting damage to your well-being.
The good news is that stress is manageable — and one of the most effective ways to gain control over stress is by talking to a mental health professional. Therapy provides a safe, non-judgmental space where you can share your struggles and get personalized, actionable advice.
In cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), we help you identify your stress triggers and learn how to navigate them more effectively. We work to develop your coping strategies, so you can handle daily stressors more easily. Negative thought patterns can also make stress worse, and therapy helps you identify and challenge those thoughts.
Practicing relaxation techniques, like deep breathing, can help you stay grounded in particularly stressful situations. And last but not least, we can help you set boundaries and prioritize self-care, particularly if you struggle to say no to others even if your schedule is already too full.
Remember: seeking support isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s a powerful step toward better mental health and overall well-being, and all you need to do is start talking about it.
If you’ve been feeling stressed all the time, you’re not alone — and you don’t have to manage it by yourself. Mental Health Awareness Month is the perfect time to check in with yourself, and we’re here to help you achieve better balance. Contact Boston Neurobehavioral Associates to book your first session today.
