Stress & Mental Health

​“I’m so stressed!” trips off the tongue with real ease.  We say it all the time to everyone who’ll listen.  It’s almost like a badge of honour!  The busier we are, the more stressed we feel, the higher up the ladder we go.

​But stress is not so good for us.  It can harm us physically and mentally.

Body Symptoms

There are several ways that stress can show itself through our bodies:
Headaches
Muscle tension/pain
Chest pain
Fatigue
Sleep problems

All of these things can lead onto high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity and diabetes.

Mood Symptoms

​Then there are various ways that stress comes out in our emotions:
Anxiety
Irritability or anger
Feeling overwhelmed
Lack of focus and motivation

​When left unchecked these can lead to debilitating thought process that can take a long time to break out of.

What to do With it

​One of the first things we can do is learn that stress is not good for us and that it’s ok to not be stressed!  It’s ok to take time out and relax.

Take a Break

​The chances are when we cross something off our to-do list then we add at least one more item to it.  And that’ll still happen whether we’ve taken a break or not.  So take a break!  Have a rest.

​Some people worry that if they stop they won’t get going again, but that’s not been my experience.  Once we’ve had a break it often energise even more to do the things that need to be done.  Or if we know our break is coming towards the end of the day we can look forward to it.  And looking forward to it can motivate us to keep pressing on with those items we need to cross off.

​Everything needs a break.  Everyone needs a break.  Otherwise, we break.

Breathe

When the stress is becoming overwhelming take a moment to breath.  Find a place to be quietly or close your eyes and take a few deep breaths.  This helps to slow down our bodies internally so we can regulate all that’s going on inside of us.  And when we do that, it helps us to function outwardly.

​Doing this will reduce the chance that a full-blown panic attack will happen.  Because if that occurs it could take longer to recover from.

Laugh

​Having a good laugh with family or friends or alone watching a comedy sketch is great for lifting the mood.  It seems obvious but when was the last time you really laughed?  I mean REALLY laughed?  Laughter relaxes the whole body, boosts the immune system, releases endorphins (our “feel-good” hormone), and can burn calories!

​(There’ll be a whole blog another time dedicated to laughter so watch this space!)

But I Perform Better Under Stress!

​That might be so but it doesn’t change the fact that we need a break.  There’s no problem with a bit of pressure.  However, stopping will reduce the tension, give us space to breath and ease things out before jumping back in and give us the ability to last longer.

​There have been studies carried out to show that with a little bit of stress we can perform at a higher level.  The importance is that we try not to then stay at that level!  The long-term damage it can create is more than likely going to outweigh the short-term productivity it can help with.

​So help yourself by managing your stress.

​If you are feeling like there is an area in life where stress is getting the better of you or even if you’re unsure, click on the link to arrange a counselling appointment where we’d be glad to help.

Book a Session

Josh Hardingham

Counsellor and Psychotherapist