What do Rihanna, Barack Obama, Tiger Woods, and Evelyn Lozada all have in common? They all have to learn how to deal with life in a fishbowl. Peering eyes. Alert ears. Probing questions.
For many celebs, privacy is the price they must pay to stay in the spotlight and remain relevant to their fans. On the one hand, fame is a measure of your worth as a performer. But on the other hand, it jeopardizes your privacy, freedom and safety—a double-edged sword.
Although most of us cannot relate to the trappings of celebrity, we all do experience stress. Take a closer examination of say, Beyonce’s career and related stress factor,s and you might be surprised at the similarities to stress in your own life. As tabloids like to say: Stars—they’re just like us!
How To Deal
The celebrities who cope best have families who can differentiate between their public and private personas. And the same goes for the celebrities themselves. They take that off when they come home. They can let that public part go and be much more spontaneous and sensitive and more like themselves.
Similarly, regular folks can learn to leave the work stress at the office and chill out with family and friends.
According to the American Institute of Stress, stress is tough to define and measure. In addition, there are several kinds of stress. The most common is acute stress. This is the short-term stress triggered by events or incidents that can be thrilling and exhilarating. But too much of it can lead to psychological distress, tension headaches, upset stomach and other symptoms, says the American Psychological Association (APA). The good news is, this type of stress is easy to treat and very manageable. Another kind of stress is episodic acute stress. This is usually a constant condition that’s exhibited by the driven Type A personalities and the worrywarts who tend to be anxious and depressed about the catastrophic nature of life. The last type of stress is chronic stress, one that’s akin to facing never-ending struggles that sap your energy and wear you down. This kind of stress is particularly bad because depending on its cause, people may sometimes internalize it and bear the burden for years without ever realizing there is something wrong.
“Chronic stress kills through suicide, violence, heart attack, stroke and, perhaps, even cancer,” reports the APA. “People wear down to a final, fatal breakdown…. The symptoms of chronic stress are difficult to treat and may require extended medical as well as behavioral treatment and stress management.”
Learn How To De-Stress Like A Celeb
Here are 3 tips that will help you to reduce your stress levels.
1. Learn to manage time and excessive demands.
There are head-spinning demands on celebrities. They’re always on the go with intense time pressures, huge expectations, and they still have to perform! Of course, you’re no different. You’re balancing your work and home life, plus everything else that comes your way – bills, conflicts, emergencies and everything in between.
There really are ways to cope with huge demands and time pressures… one of the best tools in your stress toolkit is to learn to say ‘no’ when you should. If it isn’t a priority, or if it means that you’re going to be over-scheduled, say ‘no’.
2. Stress doesn’t happen overnight.
Musicians lose their voice during their big concert tour or an actor gets sick during his big movie shoot, for a reason. If you’re pushing yourself too hard and you’re losing sleep, getting sick, or are simply exhausted, then you’re already experiencing symptoms of stress and you need to take action now. Don’t wait until you have a huge meltdown and then blame stress after the fact.
Be proactive in managing your health and happiness. Start taking little breaks every day to relax, and listen to your body for signs of stress.
3. Seek real support and long-term solutions.
Celebrities are always on the go and they lack stability in their life. Without the “parachute” of a support network, when they fall, they hit the ground hard. In response to their problems they may snap, abuse alcohol and drugs, or seek short-term relationships.
You go through similar difficulties in your life (except without the paparazzi) — you’re on the go, and life can be filled with uncertainties. You may even feel alone in your personal battles. Plus, you still have to do your job and fulfill your duties at home… it’s hard work, especially if you’re alone.
Without a strong support system, it’s easy to gravitate towards quick fixes, short-term pleasures, and “solutions” that help you feel better for a few minutes or hours. It
becomes easy to fall prey to addictive bad habits, fueled by the desire to feel happier after a bad day.
You know in your heart that there are no “quick fixes” to all your problems. It just doesn’t work like that. Instead, find people who can support you — a family member, friend, colleague, or even an online community. And take the time to sit down and ask yourself: “What am I doing? Is this what I truly want?”
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