Stress.

Stress. A lot of conversations surrounding this topic occur a lot of the time. In having addressed various circumstances involving stress, several factors have surfaced when it comes to its reduction. Some of them are surprising, some not so much, but below are three primary factors (out of eight, which I’ll tackle next month) of which I’ve been able to compile based on both anecdotal and clinically-based evidence:

1. Information

2. Control

3. Predictability

These might be self-explanatory, but notice that ‘Information’ is at the top. I don’t know how many times I’ve spoken with clients and friends alike who have described feeling better about a particular situation if they have information. Moreover, anticipation or uncertainty about an upcoming event can often be worse in one’s mind than the reality of the event. Needless to say, this is where information comes in. The ability to surmise or more accurately predict what may occur lowers our metabolic rate and allows for a more improved sense of empowerment related to “handling it.”

This lends itself to both control and predictability. Feeling as though one is in the driver’s seat when it comes to decisions/perceptions of stressful situations allows for an even greater sense of self-empowerment, I think. Certainly, things come at us with a force greater than we can often imagine, but being able to obtain the necessary information in order to garner a better understanding of stressful circumstances/conditions brings about at least a little more control, and therefore, predictability – which, again, anecdotally has proven to be a top factor in stress reduction. (Think about the last time you started a new job.) Autonomy – or self-direction – is, I think, directly linked to healthy control when it comes to decision-making in both our personal and professional lives. And, often, others need to be taken into consideration when making a decision. Without information, control or autonomy, however, decisions are often made in haste or absent of the “greater picture,” an added element of stress. Thus, the more information, the greater the predictability/control, which leads to better self-empowerment and overall decision-making.

Written by Ann Kellogg, MA, LPC