It’s Stress Awareness Month! Psychologist Harini Sankarlal Shares Insights on Stress (Part-2)
Every April since 1992, Stress Awareness Month has served as a crucial reminder of the physical, emotional, and psychological toll stress can take—and the many ways we can overcome it. Led by The Stress Management Society, this global initiative aims to foster a more resilient world by promoting awareness, education, and solutions for stress.
This year’s theme, #LeadWithLove, urges us to meet life’s pressures with empathy and kindness—towards ourselves and others—grounded in the philosophy of Unconditional Positive Regard.
We speak with Ms. Harini Sankarlal, a passionate Counselling Psychologist and Guest Lecturer at the University of Madras. A gold medalist and the Best Outgoing Student of her MSc Counselling Psychology Batch (2023), Harini completed her BSc in Psychology from M.O.P. Vaishnav College for Women in 2021 with second rank.
Driven by curiosity and compassion, Harini is also an award-winning researcher, recognized nationally and internationally for her work on burnout, technostress, internet addiction, and adolescent well-being.
In this two-part interview with Dr. Sai Vinthiyaa Gopinath of MedBound Times, Ms. Sankarlal shares her journey, unpacks the nuances of stress, and offers practical tips to lead a balanced, emotionally healthy life.
There’s a lot of talk about mindfulness and meditation—do these work for most people?
Yes, they do work for most people. In fact, my postgraduate dissertation was on providing an intervention with components of mindfulness and gratitude to school teachers to combat their burnout and technostress levels, and my intervention did have a significant effect in reducing burnout levels for teachers.
Of course, mindfulness-based interventions do not usually produce extreme differences. They work differently for different people, and some can find mindfulness practices unhelpful or even experience adverse effects.
Does stress show up differently depending on a person’s age or career?
Definitely. Stress manifests in different ways among different age groups. One can usually notice differences in stressors and coping mechanisms. For children, stress usually stems from their experiences in school, like peer pressure or instances of bullying. Signs such as irritability, temper tantrums, withdrawal, and sleep disturbances may be noticed. Coping styles mostly involve relying on their parents and other supporting figures in their lives, like teachers or relatives.
For adults, it's a little different. Adults can have stressors like financial troubles, work-related issues, and relationship problems. Adults might not instantly turn toward supportive figures in their lives during times of stress, but some may.
For students who are constantly under pressure, what advice would you give to help them stay balanced?
Having a balanced diet and staying hydrated. Not just that—prioritising sleep and being physically active is also necessary.
Recognising and understanding your signs is extremely essential. It's okay to take a break and feel vulnerable. Figure out what makes you feel better about yourself. It can be dancing, singing, painting, walking, exercising... anything. But ensure it is healthy, and do more of it.
Do you think social media and the digital world have made stress worse for people today?
It depends on how people perceive social media. Social media has increased expectations on how people need to lead their lives and has taken a toll on mental health. In the pursuit of having that 'picture-perfect' life often portrayed through social media, I fear people miss out on embracing their own flaws and imperfections. When people realize social media doesn't often reflect reality, it becomes one less problem to deal with.
We’ve heard that stress can affect your body, too—what are some common physical effects you’ve seen?
As I've already mentioned before, headaches and digestive issues are some common physical effects. Stress can also manifest as pain or muscle tension in random body parts. Catching a cold often can also be an effect of prolonged stress, as prolonged stress leads to more serious physical issues, such as a weakened immune system, cardiovascular problems, among others.
Are there small daily habits that can make a big difference in how we handle stress long-term?
Keeping a healthy routine for oneself—a balanced diet, a good amount of physical activity and sleep, along with relaxation practices.
If you could leave everyone here with just one message about stress, what would it be?
Stressful experiences are a normal part of daily life. Some experiences can be beneficial, while some can be detrimental. Learning to manage these experiences and addressing the stressor is the key.
Could you share an instance where you saw someone who turned their stress into something powerful or positive?
There are multiple instances of that sort with my clients. Not dealing with specifics, but a lot of them channelise their stress to positivity, owning their creative side, and one even running their own business successfully.
MedBound Times extends heartfelt gratitude to Psychologist Harini Sankarlal for sharing insights about her journey in educating and raising awareness about stress, its effects, and strategies to handle it.
