At the time, we were living in Oregon, which was far away from our families in Iowa. I felt very alone in my grief and lost and unsure of how to manage my range of emotions as I coped with the loss.
The American culture seems to reinforce people by valuing productivity and being “stressed out” over mental health. Sometimes it seems as if slowing down is seen as undesirable and linked with being lazy. Is it possible that some stress could be self-inflicted?
Some stress is necessary to motivate us to act. Think about the stress you might feel while preparing for a test. It can motivate you to study hard do well on the exam. However, too much stress can interfere with our daily life and performance and can lead to long-term health issues.
