After taking the questionnaire, and tests, I feel like I actually learned a lot about myself and honestly didn’t expect to at first. I stopped and put my mind into these situations and answered the questions as if I was actually experiencing them. Learning about how you deal with stress is very important, but can also be stressful realizing the truth about how you handle it.
My Life Stress score came out to 575, which was a pretty big reality check. I’ve always known I juggle a lot, school, work, life, etc. But seeing it added up into an overall score made it real. The coping results explained why stress tends to stick with me. I internalize everything. I don’t naturally talk things out or plan my way through problems. Instead, I overthink, lose sleep, and keep pushing forward like it’s my only option. You tell yourself that It works… until it doesn’t.
The Type A test tied everything together. I’m driven, competitive, and hard on myself, but at the same time I’m patient with people, warm, and tolerant. I don’t usually blow up, I internalize it. And that “absorb everything, show nothing” mindset is exactly why stress builds on me the way it does.
Moving into this next phase of my life, I know stress won’t disappear. But how I manage it has to change. There are plenty of outlets in the world today that are easily accessible if you put in the effort. Mental health in recent years has generally started being taken seriously. The VA has counselors, wellness programs, therapists, etc. I want to use those tools instead of pretending I don’t need them.