How Stress Can Cause More Impulsive Behavior

Stress is a normal part of life, but not everyone is capable of dealing with stress in an emotionally balanced way. Additionally, some people are dealt an unfair share of stress, resulting in anxiety and other psychological conditions. What many people find most surprising about stress is that it can lead to less impulse control and poor decision-making.

The strategies to reduce impulsivity in adults typically relate to stress reduction. Stress or anxiety tends to ignite the fight or flight impulse in the brain, and this impulse can lead to bad decisions. For instance, a person might have an angry outburst that is not equivalent to the cause of the outburst. Consider a person who suffers from consistent feelings of inadequacy. They decide to make a friend a birthday cake. During the baking, they are bombarded with feelings that people will hate their cake. When they get to the party, no one says anything about the cake, but the person misinterprets a comment or a look, leading to the outburst.

Impacts of Stress on Your Body

When stress is chronic and untreated, it literally builds tension in the body. The brain releases cortisol to heighten the body’s awareness, triggering the fight or flight response. Unfortunately, in chronic cases, the fight or flight response does not quickly subside; it only adds to the anxiety and stress, furthering the chemical production.

Thankfully, over-the-counter medicine for anxiety and stress can help with mild symptoms. The medicines contain science-backed ingredients that are designed to calm your body. While it can take several doses to experience true calm, OTC medicines can be incredibly effective. If you are curious about trying one of these medications, talk to your doctor.

Know What Triggers Your Stress

If you want to avoid emotional explosions or overwhelming feelings, you must learn what triggers your reactions. For some people, academic pressure triggers their anxiety. If school often results in worry and fear, you might consider hiring a tutor to help prepare you for academic challenges. Additionally, depending on the frequency of attacks, you might consider what to take for irritability. Again, your primary care physician can help you figure out the appropriate course of treatment for your condition, which might include OTC remedies and talk therapy.

Stress and Impulsive Behavior

Stress can lead to impulsive behavior because it literally alters your brain chemistry. Unfortunately, impulsive behaviors can be less than healthy activities. For example, some people who have chronic anxiety often resort to cutting. While dangerous and unhealthy, the activity helps them feel some form of relief, even if it is fleeting.

The goal of anyone dealing with chronic stress should be to find healthy stress relief. You can try talk therapy, meditation, exercise, diet, etc. However, always include your doctor in the discussion. Avoiding impulsive behavior is about finding real solutions and treatments to your condition. If you are curious about trying an OTC anxiety or irritability relief medicine, contact your doctor or local pharmacist to discuss your options.