Importance of Communication

The Seventh Stress Management Approach

in Your Relaxed-and-At-Ease Guide to
Stress Reduction Approaches

We live and work with people... right?

And stress is created by our reactions to our experiences.

In other words, if we perceive a "threat" when we're talking to someone - whether or not it is real - our bodies will activate the fight or flight response.

Which means that whenever we get upset in a conversation - whether or not we show our feelings - our stress level can rise.

So the importance of communication becomes apparent when we realize that every interaction can affect our overall health and well-being...

It's possible for communication to go well if we use effective communication skills. When we do, four things can happen...

1. Each person can feel heard.
2. Clear requests are spoken and agreements are made and kept.
3. If one person feels hurt or misunderstood in the conversation, both people can use their good listening skills to try to clear up the mis-communication.
4. Interactions with others ultimately feel supportive and effective.

When communication doesn't go well... There usually are communication barriers such as...

• Assumptions are made - often based on nonverbal communication - about what the other person is feeling or thinking.
• Defensive behaviors - which include fight, flight, freeze, or faint - disrupt the conversation.
• Poor listening skills prevent the full exchange of ideas.

And then our stress level goes up. We leave the situation feeling upset - angry, hurt, or irritable. And then we go over the conversation in our head again and again which continuously activates the fight or flight response.

What to do?

Would you like to run away and live on a deserted island?

Well I've certainly considered this option. Unfortunately it's not practical... and ultimately I think would be very dissatisfying.

And even though communicating with other people has its challenges, there's nothing like good relationships...

Some of my favorite things include...feeling loved, laughing hard with a good friend, holding the hand of a loved one (especially a young child), working things out with someone I care about.

So... since the importance of communication is a given - I recommend learning effective communication skills and understanding the different types of nonverbal communication.

When you practice effective communication skills, you'll decrease the negative impact of challenging conversations on your health and well-being...

And you won't be left with an unfinished conversation mulling around in your head.

To understand the styles of communication, go from the Importance of Communication to the Definition of Communication.