A knot in the stomach

TW: mentions of stress, mental illness

I feel anxious. I constantly have this feeling, and this knot in my stomach doesn’t seem to go away. I don’t know what causes it, perhaps it is caused out of fear of failure, perhaps out of the continual effort not to disappoint everyone. I don’t know… It’s considered to be a normal reaction of the human body, when it’s facing demanding situations, but it’s not easy for me to believe it. After all, is there any situation in our lives that is not demanding?

I cannot overlook that there are times when stress works favorable, as it helps people concentrate on each goal they have been called to accomplish. At the same time, it contributes to the vigilance – alertness of the person and leads them to take action. But what is the threshold, which if someone surpasses, the negative effects of such an emotional response emerge?

The unit to measure stress is sometimes intensity, other times duration, while sometimes both of them. Let’s explore them one by one. Certainly, an emotion, when intensified to a great extent within us, is very likely to function at the expense of ourselves. This is because it does not allow us to see “clearly” and thoroughly what is happening around us. In addition, when the companion of thought is stress (not necessarily intense) for a long time, finding inner peace becomes extremely difficult. Finally, the coexistence of these two factors contributes to the creation of a circle around the human neck, which is getting even more narrow day by day.

The effects of chronic and intense stress mirror everyday life. In particular, people who choose stress as a companion have difficulty finding their personal peace. They will always find a motive to “torture” their mind whether it’s called “school,” or “work,” or later, “family.” This way of living triggers the procreation of insecurities, which causes a lack of self-confidence. Moreover, this way of life will render people under-operated, leading to a situation of stagnation. They will face difficulty in finding interest in what’s happening around them, convincing themselves that they are unable to influence the flow of things. They may find themselves at a point where they are the only spectators in a show that stirs them pain and sadness, looking forward to its end, which never comes. Various ways of escaping will pass through their minds. They will reject some of them out of fear, but at the same time they can choose one of them as a solution of necessity without thinking about the impact it may cause on them. Perhaps one of them is to resort to abuse. Most likely, there will be times that will make them escape, offering them the redemption they desire, but in the end, how long will this last? Strange thoughts will come to their minds. Their days will pass, but memories will be eliminated. On the other hand, seeking help is one of the ways they will reject out of fear, although they know that it will help them get out of the impasse, as it is difficult to talk about such a delicate issue.

There comes a time when they have to go overboard, stop thinking more than they should, only then will they stop being catalyzed by this toxic disease. It’s high time they broke their silence by consulting a specialist. It’s still possible for them to draw strength by confessing to their loved ones what’s holding them back. Unfortunately, in a society dominated by criticism and prejudice, such an action is not easily materialized. Realizing that they are not the only ones experiencing such a bad situation, they’re likely to find the so desperately needed comfort.

Certainly, the feeling of stress is something that inevitably dominates everyone. Some to a great extent and others not so much. The challenge, however, that we must all set for ourselves is to learn to manage it, to transform it into something productive, which lays the foundation for our personal development. In the end, we mustn’t allow this to constitute a dizziness for our freedom.

Photography by Grigoris Lazaridis

Related Posts

Osmosis - TEDx AUTH
Read More
The Cleaningans - TEDx AUTH
Read More
lets-talk-about-comedy
Read More