“Every pressurized system needs a relief valve. There has to be a way to reduce the stress, the tension….there has to be a way to find relief, because if the pressure doesn’t find a way out, it will make one. It will explode.
It’s the pressure we put on ourselves that’s the hardest to bear. The pressure to be better than we are. The pressure to be better than we think we can be. It never ever lets up. It just builds and builds and builds.”
This is a quote from Grays anatomy on an episode where several interns were under, you guessed it, an uncontrollable amount of stress. The pressure kept building – until the interns began to crack.
- One found release in alcohol.
- One in sex.
- One let his steam blow off by punching another intern.
- And one just sat with a friend talking intimately about flooring and bathroom tile.
Some of the things that reduce my stress are kayaking, playing guitar, hiking, writing.
But when we are sick, we usually can’t do the things that release our pressure. So it builds and builds and we get really good at holding it in and pretending it’s not that bad.
Until the pressure makes it own way out – and we explode.
How do you handle stress when you’re laying in bed in pain and misery? What do you do to release the pressure valve?
It’s not easy – but there are ways to find relief without exploding.
Binge watching tv shows (hence a grays reference) and playing games on my phone are my go-to’s. These also help divert my focus from pain. These are not necessarily the healthiest tools, but sometimes they are the only tools.
Coloring, sketching, reading, writing – all things I enjoy when I have the mental clarity and functional ability to do them – help release pressure and can also help improve brain function.
Shopping therapy can calm a multitude of emotions – even online helps a little – but it can be too much of a financial drain to do it often enough that it makes a difference.
Brain retraining – or neuroplasticity – can help keep your brain from pressure build up. If you are in an unhealthy cycle of pressure build up and release, I encourage you to check out the videos and programs below and consider making some easy changes to help yourself shift out of that cycle.
If it just seems too overwhelming, or if you have questions about the process, fee encouraged to reach out to me – you can leave me a comment here and I will get back to you, or message me on FB.
Links for Brain Training
- Biologix Videos (Dr. Martin Hart)
PhilippiJoy 