Stress is one of the most common mental health concerns for people around the world. We’ve all been stressed at some point, and we all will be stressed again. Nevertheless, there is so much information about stress that you are bound to come across a few myths here and there. Today, we debunk three of the most common stress myths around:

Everyone is stressed by the same things

It’s very common to feel that everyone gets stressed by the same things. Therefore, if you’re not stressed about something, how can anyone else? This is probably the biggest and most damaging stress myth as it leads to people not sympathizing with others. You might be really stressed out by your job, while a coworker finds it easy. Does this mean your stress is invalid? Not at all! We all experience stress in different ways and find different things triggering. That coworker of yours might find it very stressful talking to people on the phone, while you could thrive at that.

You need medication to treat stress

Absolutely not true, and it’s because of the way stress is triggered in us. Something causes our stress, meaning we can always treat it by addressing the cause. In the previous example, we spoke about a stressful job. Finding ways to deal with the stress at work can help you cope with your symptoms and see improvements. 

Additionally, there are alternatives to medication that work very effectively. You have things like CBD, which is a cannabinoid that has become very popular. Now, what are cannabinoids? Effectively, they are compounds found in the cannabis plant and your body. They help your body produce certain reactions, such as producing more hormones to combat stress and make you feel more relaxed. Alongside this, you’ve got even simpler ideas like meditation that can help with stress, so no, medication isn’t the only option. 

Young people can’t be stressed

Again, this is totally untrue and it stems from the first point about everyone having different stressors. Adults often look at young people and laugh when they say they’re stressed. How can you be young and stressed? You don’t have a job to worry about, a mortgage to pay, or endless other adult responsibilities. That doesn’t matter. Kids have stressors just like anyone else, and you should be concerned if your child seems stressed. Don’t brush it under the rug or tell them to grow up and not worry about it. Find out why they’re stressed and help them deal with it. 

Likewise, if you’re young and stressed, don’t feel like you shouldn’t be! Obviously, you don’t want to be, but you shouldn’t feel like you’re making up symptoms or overreacting. Everyone gets stressed, and the important thing is to treat it as soon as you notice it.

The key to managing stress is identifying the symptoms as early as you can. If you feel stressed or think you’re stressed, try to figure out what’s causing it. From here, you can find solutions to tackle the causes of your stress and ease your symptoms. Never ignore stress as it can manifest and lead to serious health concerns.