Top Things That Stress Management Articles Commonly Get Wrong

It’s easy to find information about stress all over the internet. Whether it's articles with stress management tips or information about how to identify stress, there’s no shortage of knowledge out there on how to understand and cope with this difficult emotion. However, elevated stress levels have the potential to affect our mental and physical health and well-being. 

Some stress management articles don’t provide all the information you may need. While there’s no denying the importance of learning how to identify and cope with psychological stress and situations called stressors, there are some key pieces of information these articles tend to leave out. 

Here are a few points that stress management articles often get wrong, plus relaxation techniques and additional information about how to manage stress effectively to help fill in some of the gaps.

Some stress isn’t unhealthy—but chronic stress can be

Virtually everyone will experience stress at some time or another. Our hardwired stress response helped our ancient ancestors respond to danger, and this ability has supported the continued survival of the human race. Today, the stress response can still help us stay safe, but it may also be triggered by situations that don’t require us to run or fight like early humans did. An approaching work deadline or conflict with a partner can act as major stressors that cause the body to release hormones like adrenaline and cortisol and increase blood flow to prepare the body to react—just as it would have if you’d lived thousands of years ago and came face to face with a large animal.

Prolonged exposure to the stress reaction or overwhelming stress in everyday life—and its potential mental and physical effects on the human body—is what has been linked to several health problems. Some of these include anxiety disorders, trouble with immune system functioning, depression, high blood pressure, and digestive and cardiovascular disease or heart disease. 

Stress can look different from person to person

Many stress management articles lead readers to believe that stress responses are quite standard in appearance. The images associated with these articles often include someone clutching their head, grinding their teeth, or tossing and turning in their bed at night, with the text detailing basic physical symptoms like muscle tension and a tendency to feel overwhelmed. 

While stress can definitely have some of these fundamental physical markers, we each might experience it somewhat differently. Identifying how you personally tend to react to stress may help you learn to better cope with it.

Physical signs associated with stress

The American Institute of Stress has identified 50 general physical signs and symptoms that can be associated with the condition. Some of these that may be lesser-known include:

• Tension headaches

• Hives

• Increased or decreased appetite

• Insomnia

• Little interest in punctuality or appearance

• Forgetfulness

• Lower sexual desire or trouble with performance

• Neck pain

• Feeling overwhelmed

• Unexplained infections, illness, or pain

• Inability to prioritize tasks and make decisions

• Excessive defensiveness or aggressive behavior 

• Overreaction to petty annoyances

Unexplained physical or mental health symptoms may or may not be related to stress. If you’re concerned about some you may be experiencing, consulting with a doctor or a mental health professional is generally recommended.

Stress management can look different for everyone, too

Just like presentations of stress itself can vary from person to person, effective methods of managing it can be diverse as well. Consider the fact that nearly every article you come across will tell you to practice self-care. While this is generally sound advice, the examples given are often narrow. They usually begin and end with eating nutritious foods, exercising, getting enough sleep, leaning on social support, and taking deep breaths. While these are undoubtedly useful suggestions for caring for health and promoting resilience and the physical relaxation response, the most effective self-care for stress management may need to go deeper.

So beyond the basics, what exactly is self-care? It can include anything we do to let off steam, refuel our emotional tanks, and recharge our brains or our hearts. For example, self-care can be anything that is:

• Adventurous

• Relaxing

• Mentally stimulating

• Physically stimulating

• Artistic

• Creative

• Organizational

• Exploratory

Which of these feelings or activity types you might need to pursue to feel calmer after a stressful situation depends on your unique needs and preferences. This is what many stress management articles might fail to tell you: that you may have to build on and think beyond the basic, traditional strategies for maximum effectiveness. In the end, what may matter most is finding the practices that help you feel like you.

Methods that may help manage stress

Managing stress effectively can help maintain healthy blood pressure and heart rate levels. Relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing and mindfulness meditation, can be particularly useful in calming the mind and body during stressful situations. Regular practice of these methods can enhance overall well-being and resilience in the face of everyday challenges.

Here are some methods you might want to try to reduce and manage stress: 

• Regular exercise can help reduce stress hormones and boost your mood.

• Deep breathing exercises can calm the nervous system and lower stress levels.

• Healthy eating can support overall health and reduce the impact of stress.

• Adequate sleep can be important for managing stress and maintaining mental health.

• Relaxation techniques like meditation, yoga, and progressive muscle relaxation can help alleviate stress.

Stress can be related to other physical and mental health concerns 

Stress can be linked to several other health conditions. If you suspect a mental health disorder might be at the root of your experiences, it can be important to speak to your doctor or a licensed mental health professional. They can help you come up with a personalized treatment plan for reducing stress and addressing symptoms that may help you experience a higher quality of life. 

Therapy may help you find relief from symptoms

Another option for managing stress is working with a licensed therapist. Not only can it offer a safe place to explore your feelings, but your counselor may also help you shift your thinking so you can become more skilled in finding ways to handle life’s stressors that work for you—whether that’s engaging in tai chi, learning to practice gratitude, making art, or anything else. If the thought of commuting to and from in-person therapy appointments adds to your stress, you might want to consider online therapy instead. Platforms like BetterHelp allow you to get matched and meet with a licensed therapist from anywhere you have an internet connection, for your convenience.

If you’ve tried therapy before and didn't find it helpful, it is possible that you weren't working with the right therapist or engaging in the right therapy technique for you. There’s more than one type of talk therapy, and everyone has their unique needs and preferences. If you engage in therapy again, you might ask your provider which ones they practice. Some of the most common types include:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). This type of talk therapy can allow the client to better understand their thoughts and behaviors in response to stressors in their life. The therapist can then help them reframe their thoughts and try new behaviors to overcome future difficulties.

• Interpersonal therapy. This type of therapy can help you manage your relationships with others and make positive changes within them.

• Psychodynamic therapy. This therapy modality can help a person focus on understanding subconscious influences, potentially working to heal pain from the past that may affect current behavior.

As one meta-analysis suggests, online therapy of various modalities can be effective in addressing a variety of mental health challenges and conditions, such as stress, anxiety disorders, and depression. These effects were observed in over 20+ studies that evaluated a pool of 1,400+ participants. Additionally, no comparable difference in effectiveness was noted between online and in-person CBT.