Family Stress

Family Stress

"Have you ever experienced what you would call a family crisis? If so, what was the nature of that crisis? What caused it? If you posed these questions to other people, you might hear of some differing kinds of crises than you have experienced. In any case, crises are closely linked with stressful events and/or behavior."

Oddly enough my family has had plenty of stress throughout various situations. I'll share a few stories and how my family was able to work through the stress. 

Every family and individual goes through different kinds of stress because there are many different situations that create it. 

In my family I have a sister that was rebellious and she wanted to have a different lifestyle than how she was raised. In college she got pregnant outside of marriage and it threw my family for a loop. We weren't quite sure how to handle the situation. It was a foreign situation to us. There was a lot of stress involving the father, the child's future, the finances, and so much more. It was a very emotional few months as we figured out how to process this shocking change in family dynamics. It took us a long time to work through our emotions.

On churchofjesuschrist.org this story is available and it really explains how to overcome emotions.

"Will emotional trauma ever go away? Addressing it with a professional counselor, praying to God, and talking with trusted friends can ease some pain. In this video Brittany shares her experience with God’s grace and her emotional trauma.

When Brittany was a young teenager, her parents got divorced. The feelings of abandonment were overwhelming. Deeply hurt and longing for acceptance, she ended up in an abusive relationship. Alcohol, starving, and self-harming were just some of the ways in which she tried to cope. But everything she did took her to darker places.

Brittany never felt good enough or lovable enough. It was as if she deserved to be left alone. But one night, while her friends partied, she realized she could not deal with her emotional trauma alone. Alcohol hadn’t helped in the past, and it wouldn’t help now. A thought occurred to her that the Savior, Jesus Christ, could help work through the pain. She wanted to change her life and take the Savior’s hand.

It took time for Brittany to understand her value. Regular therapy visits, prayer, and talking with loved ones helped. Now Brittany consistently works through her trauma in healthier ways."

Also on churchofjesuschrist.org is a great explanation of working through stress.

"As you begin any new experience (like joining the Church or attending a new school), you feel excited about the opportunity—and nervous because you don’t know quite what to expect. Over time you learn to meet these challenges, and you grow in the process.

Missions are no different. Sometimes a mission feels like a wonderful spiritual adventure—or at least a challenge you can handle. You calmly move forward with faith, realizing that much of the nervousness or worry you experience is temporary. You take courage in knowing you will adjust with time, grow spiritually, and develop many new skills. Experiences you once feared become more manageable. You even come to cherish aspects of missionary life that once felt overwhelming. You rely on the Spirit, grow in confidence, and find joy in your service."

Through the discovery of my depression to the divorce of my parents I have needed the spirit to help me overcome my stress. Having stress is normal and be able to cope with it is a need tool today. Without the ability to cope with stress our lives will spiral out of control.