On the 20th of March, TribeCa Care, in collaboration with One Society organised a workshop on stress management. People from different walks of life got together to discuss stress in their lives and how to deal with it. Specialists were present who shared their opinion about how to manage stress.
We live in the times of nuclear families. The glorious days of the joint family, talking to each other about troubles, are over. We live scattered, like islands. This is where ‘Under the Mango Tree’ comes in. This is a group of people who share their worries and troubles and in turn give others a way to cope with theirs. The stress management workshop was an ‘Under the Mango Tree’ initiative where people came together to discuss how stress affects their lives.
Stress is everywhere. It has become a part of everyday life these days. It manifests itself in many different ways. Some people get headaches, some people become catatonic; some others just simply stop engaging with life. A little stress is a good thing. However, if it extends beyond a certain limit, it could be detrimental to physical and mental health. Our in house psychologist, Shreya Das is of the opinion that stress, if left untreated, can be debilitating to the extent that it makes people dysfunctional.
A participant, Sarbani Lal (name changed) shared her problem. “I wake up with anxiety everyday”, she said. Another participant, an octogenarian, said, “The trick may be to think only about the present. Acceptance plays a big role in stress management.”
Stress is the body’s response to difficult situations. Stress related symptoms are easily misconstrued. One common symptom is a headache. Sometimes it is so severe that it becomes difficult for people to get out of bed. They are unable to function on a day to day basis. According to experts, women suffer from stress more than men do. According to pain management specialist, Dr. Arijit Banerjeee, the ratio is 60:40. Psychologist Shreya Das emphasized, “Do your best to handle your own problems. You have to let go at some point and tell yourself you have done your best.”
Founder Director Elina Dutta opined that loneliness is a big factor behind stress. People don’t live in joint families anymore. There is no one to talk to about their troubles and worries. The chemical that is released in our bodies when we participate in an enjoyable activity is the same one that gets released in our bodies when we are stressed. How we choose to react to certain situations and deal with our problems may well be the answer to stress.
