Untitled Photo of Man Meditating}. Retrieved on April 1, 2015. From: http://www.clivir.com/lessons/show/meditation-techniques-to-relieve-stress-and-blood-pressure.html
Many people suffer from stress. Stressors vary from person to person. Some stressors include finances, type of employment or lack of employment and relationships with others. At times the word stress is used loosely to describe an overwhelming feeling that one may have. Medicine.net defines stress as “a physical, mental or emotional factor that causes bodily or mental tension.” If stress can cause an impact on one’s body and mind, what is the damage it can have on a relationship?
Knowing the signs…
Some symptoms of stress include frequent headaches, trouble sleeping, impatience and unjustifiable irritation. If you know the signs of stress and can readily identify them in your partner, it may lessen the burden of trying to figure out what is wrong with him or her. Oftentimes, we get offended or hurt based on the actions of others rather than trying to figure out what is causing them. If your partner is suffering from stress, they may not know. Let your partner know that stress could be the contributing factor to the discord in the relationship and together explore the possible causes and resolutions together.
Coping…
Love can help with many things, but dealing with another person’s behavior no matter how much you love them can be difficult. After identifying that your partner is suffering from stress, seek help or gather information on techniques that can help such as meditation, removing the stressor or changing environments. Coping with your partner’s behavior should not involve becoming a literal or figurative punching bag. Verbal, physical and emotional abuse should not be tolerated no matter the excuse. In order to keep your mental health intact, find healthy coping skills for yourself so that you can still be a supportive partner but not become stressed yourself. Some coping skills can include spending time away from your partner, or taking up a new hobby that you both can enjoy.
Remember, relationships can get tricky. Though perfect bliss would be nice, having a realistic expectation of problems and learning how to work through them together is the best way to grow and have a healthy relationship with your partner.
Written By: Nastassja Anderson
Reference
Stress (n.d). MedicineNet. Retrieved from http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=20104. Retrieved on April 1, 2015