The Coping Domain: Leisure.

In this issue we’ll discuss the second domain of wellness called the coping domain. This domain has four parts; leisure, stress-management, self-worth, and realistic beliefs. We’ll continue with stress-management which is all about managing stress effectively.

Stress management is exactly as it sounds, managing the level of stress in your life, however, is easier said than done. Stress management is synonymous with self-care as we essentially cannot have one without the other.

A small amount of stress can be helpful and serve as motivation to accomplish things. Too much stress can quickly become detrimental to functioning, causing mental and emotional problems affecting functioning. Being stressed causes the body to release a hormone called cortisol which can be hard on your body. Everyone has stress, but when it becomes chronic the cortisol levels can cause problems.

Symptoms of being overstressed can include problems concentrating, stomachache, headache, other body pains, appetite losses or gains, and trouble sleeping. Many people will attempt to cope with these symptoms with ineffective coping strategies such as smoking, drinking, or other drugs. Stress can cause or exacerbate existing mental health problems, which can ultimately affect functioning in social and work situations (World Health Organization, 2023).

There are many ways to manage stress. Most people find one or two things that work well for them so be sure to try different ways of managing your stress to allow your system to calm down. Below are some ideas for managing stress.