The fact is men and women handle stress differently. Blame biology or lifestyle, men—and particularly young men—find it more difficult adjusting to life’s pressure than females do, and they can sink more frequently into anger and depression when feeling burned out.
With the effects of Covid adding to the heavy workloads, student debts, and societal pressures Millennial and Generation XYZ men (and women) already face, how are Men in particular coping with the extra pandemic stress?
Clinical Psychologist Avantika Dixit has worked with young men and women around the world battling mental health crises.
A former tech entrepreneur and brain tumor survivor, she has dedicated her life to helping young people deal with the difficulties and disruptions that are so unique to the modern era. Her passion for supporting mental health led her to create Woke Hero, an online social therapy platform that’s like a virtual coach who can guide them through life’s rough moments while helping them find meaning in their lives.
“Outside of career and financial struggles, until 2020, the biggest stressors for Millenials were major life events like divorce, death, illness, or caring for a family member— things that don’t happen too often,” says Dixit.
“The pandemic really turned up the switch on that, and some of the most vulnerable people to stress are young men who tend to ignore their own mental health needs. They’re really struggling to navigate it all. But by knowing and understanding the causes of stress, and taking the time to focus on what’s happening within themselves, they can begin the journey towards peace of mind.”
Although men experience the same physical symptoms of stress that women do, recent evidence suggests that women are better at managing stress in general and are far less likely to experience depression from work-related stress. Men are also more likely to withdraw when stressed, which can introduce relationship issues. Stress is also a leading cause of psychological impotence.
“There is no reason for men to continue suffering,” says Dixit. “They’re not alone. There is a wealth of information, people, and even online therapy spaces like Woke Hero that can help them reset their minds to stay happy and on track with their lives.”
Dixit compiled a list of stress management insights and tips to help men —and everyone—to live more fulfilling lives.
1. Stress is a Global Phenomenon
The World Health Organization (WHO) has conclusively declared that 80% of global disease burden is attributed to stress.
2. Stress is a Chemical Reaction
Stress evolved as a biochemical response to keep us from danger. Short bursts of stress can even be positive—enhancing neuromuscular performance and motivation. Chronic elevations of stress hormones like cortisol and noradrenaline are what create the sense of fight-or-flight, and make us feel overwhelmed, anxious, or apathetic.
3. Stress Triggers the Sympathetic Nervous System
Your body has an autonomic nervous system which goes into either sympathetic mode—the state in which you are reacting to a perceived threat, or in fight-or-flight response— or parasympathetic mode, wherein the nervous system prevents the body from overworking, restoring it to a calm and composed state. Stress triggers the sympathetic nervous system into overdrive, preventing rest and deep healing.
4. Watch What You Watch to Avoid Stress Triggers
Watching the news or engaging with certain social media content can lead to negativity bias—a state in which your brain perceives the world to be worse and more threatening than it actually is. Humans have a bad habit of mentally giving more weight to things that go wrong than to things that go right—just one negative event can cause a domino effect of negativity in our minds that can be damaging to our work, relationships, happiness and well-being.
5. Develop Your Brain, Feel Less Stress
The prefrontal and neocortex are the most recently evolved regions of the human brain and are also referred to as the “higher brain” which is responsible for feelings of well-being and executive function. Executive functions are what allow us to control short-sighted, reflexive behaviors and that allow us to take part in things such as planning, decision-making, problem-solving, self-control, and long-term goal planning.
Avatika’s evidence-based tips for preventing and coping with stress:
1. Conscience breathing. Breathwork practices are easily found on the internet at no cost. Three of my favorites are the alternate nostril breathing, the inhale, hold, and exhale in a 1:2:4 pattern; and the simple, prolonged inhalation-exhalation practice. All three stimulate the vagus nerve, which can switch your brain from sympathetic to parasympathetic function and can lower stress in as little as 30 seconds.
2. Acu-meridian stimulation. Also called tapping. This is a highly proven practice where taps on key points on the hand, head, face, collar bone and chest , chest activate the release of any emotional or energetic blockages stored there. It takes less than 5 minutes to tap on oneself each day. There are several free tapping resources online and you can also be part of the free tapping circles or groups in your community or online. Woke Hero also offers one.
3. Meditation and visualization. People who meditate a minimum of 20 minutes, several times a week, have shown to have brains with a more well-developed prefrontal cortex and neocortex. Studies have proved that meditation and visualization can stimulate positive brain development in less than three weeks, and continued practice gives better results with time.
4. Simplification and Detox. Spending more time in nature, doing a digital fast for several hours each day, adopting mindfulness, and simplifying life as much as possible, can really help in reducing stress.
5. Gratitude, Joy and Love. Oxytocin and serotonin are released when you think of or participate in acts of love, gratitude or joy. These two “love hormones” are natural stress-removers.
6. Be organized and create rituals and predictability. By staying organized and creating rituals and predictable routines, you can better manage the areas of your life that you have control over. Set achievable goals and celebrate when you hit those milestones. Keep reminding yourself of the progress you are making.
The Editorial Team at Lake Oconee Health is made up of skilled health and wellness writers and experts, led by Daniel Casciato who has over 25 years of experience in healthcare writing. Since 1998, we have produced compelling and informative content for numerous publications, establishing ourselves as a trusted resource for health and wellness information. We aim to provide our readers with valuable insights and guidance to help them lead healthier and happier lives.
