Coping With Stress – Tips for Women to Stay Healthy

Ever get the sense that you live in a world that sometimes feels like it is spinning out of control? Do the stresses of your day-to-day life often seem overwhelming? When you look in the mirror, are you happy with what you see or do you constantly wish you could change it? Well, you’re not alone.

Although women have made significant political and social progress in the last 100 years in terms of equality, many of us have paid a tremendous price when it comes to our mental health. We’ve been told we can have it all – and do it all. Somewhere in that equation few of us were told just how much energy we would have to expend in order to jump through these hoops. It doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try to grasp, or even want, those proverbial golden rings, it just means some of us need to step back and make sure we are taking care of Number One in the process. Having it all shouldn’t come at the expense of our overall mental well-being.

It’s fairly daunting when you realize that nearly 70% of the prescriptions written for antidepressants are given to women, especially when this is coupled with the fact that 30 to 50% of the time depression in women is misdiagnosed. Many women actually think that depression is a natural part of the aging process. It’s very important to remember that depression and mental disorders have a psychological, genetic/biological and social (stressors, circumstances) component. Further, it’s crucial to see a medical doctor if you feel depressed. Getting a complete physical, making sure to check for thyroid disorders, should be at the top of your ‘to do’ list! And don’t forget, even fluctuating hormones may be causing you psychological distress.

All too frequently when women feel depressed, they self-medicate with alcohol or other drugs. Alcohol is a depressant that can actually worsen sleep patterns, as well as create other physical and emotional problems, so you want to make sure this is not a path you are following!

What are some of the main components of good mental health? One of the first should be not to blame yourself if you are having emotional problems. Here are a few tips that may help you to maintain a better balance emotionally:

• The ability to enjoy life is a main ingredient of good mental health. If you find yourself worrying too much about the future you’re missing out on the here and now. Whenever possible, stay in the moment. Be mindfully aware of the beauty and life-affirming moments that surround you.
• Work on becoming more resilient. Everyone has ups and downs, but in order to learn how to deal with life’s stresses, you need to discover how to bounce back from adversity. Is your glass half full or half empty? How you view the world can have a huge impact on your mental outlook and well-being.
• Finding a way to balance your life will lead to better mental health. You need time by yourself, but you also need to spend time with friends and family. This same sense of balance is also important in your work and play, between your sleep and wakefulness, between light and dark, between rest and exercise, and even between the time you spend indoors and out.
• Learn how to be emotionally flexible. Are you one of those people with such rigid opinions that no one can change them? You may actually be setting yourself up for added stress. Mentally healthy women experience a range of emotions and allow themselves to express these feelings.
• Are you one of those people who shut off certain feelings, because you think they are unacceptable? Suppressing what you feel is not healthy. Learning how to express it in acceptable ways is.

Learning how to validate and listen to your feelings, whether they are good, bad, or indifferent is an important component of finding the balance needed for good mental health. And seeking help when you can’t seem to get over an emotional hurdle or block is a healthy way to begin the process.