Teascape t1_iu0hib5 wrote on October 27, 2022 at 5:21 PM

Drs always telling me physical issues can be caused by stress and to stress less, even though I don't feel I have anything particularly stressful going on in my life. Are there some people who are chronically stressed and don't realize it? How do you 'stress less' when you don't feel stressed?

wnderingsatellite t1_iu2027y wrote on October 27, 2022 at 11:30 PM

I relate to your idea of being a “chronically stressed” person. I’ve had doctors point to stress as a aggravating factor for my chronic health condition, but I didn’t see myself as stressed at that time.

However, with time and the help of a therapist, I begin to realize that I actually had a lot of unacknowledged stress. It’s not that I wasn’t stressed before; it’s that I was out of touch with my body, my feelings, and what signals they were trying to give me.

Since that time, I’ve learned so much about myself and my anxiety. I have a clearer perspective on what things trigger stress in me and why; I have better awareness and a process to recognize it when it happens and move through it.

I’m no doctor, but just sharing my anecdotal experience in the hope it’s helpful. Wishing you less stress!