It would be safe to say that most people do not view stress as something they would want. It is generally considered a negative thing that causes many health issues, including anxiety, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, obesity, and diabetes, which can even lead to death. What causes stress? Depending on your personality, status, and personal circumstances, stress is caused by different things for different people.

You may take for granted that you have a nice house to live in and the luxury of deciding what to have for dinner. Other people, who live in shanties or even on the streets, with nothing to eat, may find that stressful. However, they are not stressed out by taking exams, submitting papers, or commuting, because those issues are totally irrelevant to them. That being the case, there are a number of stress busters that most people will find helpful.

First is having a support group. Second is being able to come up with options and alternatives. Third is having the financial resources to neutralize the source of the stress. I am certain there are a number of other stress busters that you can come up with, but to me, these three items are the most basic and effective ways of overcoming stress.

Having a support group of family and friends that you can count on may be able to provide a sympathetic ear, give you advice, refer you to people who can help, provide you with something you need, and help you out in many different ways. Sometimes their presence alone will alleviate the stress. Having someone accompany you to the doctor, help you move house, go with you to a wake, be a travel companion, or anything else that makes you feel you are not alone is a good thing. It is true that there is strength in numbers.

Being in a position with no hope will certainly create a lot of stress for you. This is why coming up with options and alternatives gives you hope that whatever is causing you this stress has a solution. It may not work, it may not be perfect, and it may have consequences, but at least you have some choices, and it eliminates the feeling of hopelessness. Having these different plans of action available is also helpful in de-stressing yourself, because you do not let your mind wallow in desperation but allow it to come up with different ideas.

If you have been fortunate enough to have inherited, or have had the foresight to have built up your financial resources, this is an excellent way to provide yourself with stress relief. Money can be used to buy you comfort, such as travelling in business class; it could buy the future, by being able to send your kids to the best schools; and it can buy you time, by having house help to do all the housework, freeing you up to do other things. If the stress is being caused by legal issues, hire a good lawyer. If the stress is being caused by a medical problem, consult with the best doctor. If you are worried about your personal safety, get a bulletproof car and hire a bodyguard.

Knowing how to make use of stress busters is key to a happier and longer life. Only you can tell when things get too much to handle and you need to step back, slow down, or ask for help. Creating another problem to solve an existing one is not a solution, and will result in even more stress due to criminal repercussions, the destruction of family relationships, and the loss of friends. To alleviate your stress, you might think you can get away with taking advantage of other people, stealing, lying, and committing other crimes. You will pay for your wrongdoing, and karma will definitely get you sooner or later. The only thing you would have achieved is to have burned all your bridges, leaving you up a creek without a paddle.