Stress Avoidance | Mixed Media Project

Did you know that April is National Stress Awareness Month? I discovered some time ago that it's been observed since 1992. In an article by Rogers Behavioral Health, Dr. Maya D'Eon, PhD, defines stress as “the physical and mental reaction we have to a stressor, which is essentially anything happening outside of us that causes us strain or tension.” "Also, situations that are uncertain or uncontrollable are a breeding ground for stress.” ¹

Dr. D’Eon also says awareness is critical because we aren’t accustomed to regularly checking in with ourselves. In analyzing this, she states that “we all tend to focus on the things we have to do and the people in our lives,” she says. “Stress builds as the number and intensity of stressors increases. The longer we’re exposed to a stressor, the more it taxes us physically and mentally. When left unchecked, a person can reach the point of burnout.”

The most important thing is learning to identify when stress is near. Suffolk University suggests that several warning signs exist if you pause and pay attention to them:

• Physical Aches and Pains: Tension headaches, unexplained neck, back, or jaw pain, and low resistance to illnesses may be manifestations of stress.

• Sleep Disturbance: This is critical to recognizing stress. I understand my body when it's telling me that something is amiss when I can't sleep. Stress can cause sleep deprivation in the form of insomnia, trouble falling asleep, waking up in the middle of the night, or constantly feeling exhausted.

• Digestive Issues: This is speaking directly to me. A highly stressed body can experience indigestion, heartburn, stomachaches, or constipation and diarrhea.

• Intellectual Signals: Pay attention to mood swings and unexplained irritability.You may feel overwhelmed, feel frequent anger or rage, experience anxiety, or show signs of depression.
  Cognitive Impairment: Stress can make it difficult to concentrate, leading to forgetfulness, racing thoughts, and difficulty making decisions. ²

The worse thing that one can do is to turn to alcohol or drugs to manage stress.

Stress is inevitable, I believe at some point in our lives. With today's fast pace life, situations and events are highlighted daily. Limiting yourself by taking breaks from disturbing news that weight on you or social media that overwhelm you is key.

However, help is available in numerous ways, both personal and professional. For a personal approach, one recognize and acknowledge that stress is the cause of their pain, discomfort, or anxiety, both physical and mental.

1. Plan ahead;
2. Decide which tasks take priority;
3. Prepare for stressful events as best you can;
4. Consider ways to solve ongoing problems causing you stress; and
5. Limit contact with external stressors if possible. ³

Over the years, I have learned how to avoid stress in my own life. I've trained myself to recognize when stress is chasing me.

I try to navigate my way around it. Some of the key factors I've encountered in my daily life is setting priorities for my own mental health. I've learned to say "No" to anyone aiming to push upon me their priorities and goals. By limiting my exposure to individuals (called external stressors) and situations that cause me to panic, I've significantly reduced my stress level over the years. Working in a stressful legal career taught me the importance of distancing myself from stress.

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For my current mixed media project, I wanted to portray a female dealing with various stressful situations. Some are internal; some, external. I located a lovely photo of a normal female, then paired her with unpleasant situations.

Below are my steps in which I utilized Canva, my design program, to blend the different type images. I leave with you my procedures which began with a blank, white canvas.

Images I included are listed below:

^{Female with flowered hat ~ Woman in pain ~ Mask ~ Abstract background ~ Black forest illustration ~ Purple lightning - Contributed to the #LIL by @edgarafernandezp ~ Pure Fractal titled "Veil5 - Thrombom" ~ Pure Fractal titled "Tender Purple Veil" ~ Abstract yellow circles ~ Brown metal treads}