In our previous blog, we talked about stress and how to be more aware of it. But what happens when stress becomes destruction?

People consider this stress as well, but this is beyond stress. At no time was anyone able to rest, look toward the future, acknowledge oneself for “saving the day”,  or even taking the time to pursue those things in life he, or she enjoys. It was perpetual “All hands on deck, we have another crisis!” This in time becomes an adaptation and everything in this person’s life is a catastrophe, and for no other reason than they have trained themselves to catastrophize everything.  Can you see the problem?

This is no longer stress or certainly not good and beneficial stress- this is overwhelming.  Overwhelming are those things that go on, and on, and on without end and have through adaptation become the way of life for these people.  There is no resolution to any problem or situation, just cope, cope, cope until that is all they can do is cope for overwhelming situations that they create by thinking everything is a catastrophe, and never taking the time to rest and allow things to resolve.

Take a look at your life. Does your lifestyle, that is your job, activities, exercise routines, friendships, clubs, and organizations, do they make you feel alive, and like your batteries have been recharged, or are being recharged? I know people who go to work and leave feeling crushed, but when they get home to their families or some group they belong to, wow! They are back alive.   A person really needs to take a look at this and probably find those things in life that build them up.

So what’s the solution? In my opinion, it is the ability to stop, or rest, or whatever you want to call it.  That’s really it, just stop. Put the phone down. Leave work at work. Go to the gym only occasionally. Stop making everything a catastrophe. Stop coping. Learn to organize, but just STOP!

Phoenix for the past 20 or more years is the red light running capital of the United States, and this includes red-light fatalities.  I bet they’ll stop now. I know the dead person has. It’s just stupid! Just STOP!!!!!!!!!

Stop and create the time to rest, enjoy the company of family and friends, and ultimately feel a sense of accomplishment,  value and meaningfulness in your life – any “stress” associated with this will ultimately make you bigger, stronger, smarter, prettier- whatever “…er” you are looking for. Anything else is just overwhelming and like a tsunami will eventually crush you and wipe you off the face of the earth.  And for what? No sense of time, accomplishment, joy, love, companionship meaning or purpose in life. It seems kind of silly, doesn’t it?

I really wish I could say more on this topic, but the truth is you have to rest. You have to stop. Stress is stress and there will always be stress, but the time you allow yourself to heal, and recover and ADAPT to those various stresses will make all the difference in the world, and stress, like fire, will now be your friend and not your enemy!

Best Wishes,

Dr. Dave