Causes Of Stress

To know how to manage stress, depression and anxiety effectively, identifying what lies at the root of these problems is critical. Fact is, you cannot solve a problem unless you identify what the problem is in the first place! Once you know what the root cause of stress is, you can then develop an understanding of what is happening to you. Then you can start to apply effective stress relieving techniques to get rid of stress once and for all.

Usually, various causes of stress are listed in two groupings: Causes that are within you - internal and causes that are outside you - external. Such groupings can be very confusing and they make identifying what lies at the root of stressful illnesses more difficult. Let's now discuss why the majority of causes of stressful illnesses regularly listed in these groupings are incorrect.

External causes of stress are probably the ones believed by most people to be at the root of stress. The list contains events that nearly every human being is going to experience throughout their time here on earth. For example, problems at work, divorce, a loved one passes away, issues with your family and a change of home.

The crucial aspect in this is to realize that such circumstances do not lie at the root of stress, anxiety or depression. It simply isn't possible for circumstances, whether minor or major, to be at the root cause of stressful illnesses. The reason is because two people can be faced with the same event, let's say moving home. One will find it stressful, the other will not. If the cause of stress lies in events, then everyone who faces them would be affected and they are not.

Internal causes of stress include self-deprecation, looking on the downside of things, lack of confidence and incapability of dealing with uncertain outcomes. As with the external events, these factors are not the root cause and in truth, are signs of stress, anxiety and depression. Talking to yourself negatively usually occurs after you've screwed-up or when your life doesn't go as you'd hoped. Not being able to cope with uncertain outcomes is really more of a sign of stressful illnesses when reacting to circumstances so is also not at the root.

I'll bet most of us have met at least one person who is always pessimistic however, they are definitely not suffering from stress, anxiety or depression. Furthermore, many people are self-conscious introverts however, stress doesn't affect each and every one of them. Conversely, out-going and extroverted people can become quiet and introverted when they experience stress, anxiety or depression and that is precisely what happened to me.

OK, if all of those internal and external issues don't lie at the root of stressful illnesses, what does? The root cause of stress lies in one factor: It concerns the way you assign a meaning to the situations and circumstances that occur throughout life. It could be something as minor as driving on a freeway to something major such as relationship breakdown. If you ascribe absolute, unpleasant and disastrous explanations to situations, you'll arouse fear and stress levels will rise.

This explains why certain individuals facing important events remain stress-free while others become stressed out over minor issues. Individuals who remain stress-free do so because they are equipped with powerful techniques and if you learn these techniques then stress, anxiety and depression will never enter into your life no matter what demanding situations confront you.