Stress

Stress can occur in people’s lives for all sorts of reasons. It may be connected to a person’s job, pressure at home, financial difficulty etc. This page has been constructed to help you recognise if you are suffering from stress and some ways to help you feel better. A certain amount of stress is good for you, it enables you to react and respond to everyday life. However, if that balance is tipped the wrong way, it can be bad for you.

The Effects of Stress

The effects of stress can be listed under four different headings listed below. Are you able to identify yourself in these categories.

Physical

• Tired all the time

• Headaches
• Backaches
• Constipation and diarrhoea
• Sweating
• Dry mouth
• Palpitations
• Tight Chest
• Nausea and vomiting
• Not being able to sleep
• Increased or decreased appetite
• High blood pressure
• Increase in skin conditions
• Exacerbation of existing complaints
• High Cholesterol levels
• Heart disease
• Stomach ulcers

Effects on Thinking

• The little devil on your shoulder shouting 'failure'

• Fearfulness
• Becoming obsessive
• Black and white thinking
• Everything, i.e. total success or a total failure
• Self attribution, i.e. all failure is due to me, all success is due to others
• Lack of concentration
• Thought blocks and loss of short-term memory

Emotional Effects

• Feeling high or low

• Getting agitated or feeling fatalistically calm
• Hostility
• Feeling guilty
• Feeling frustrated/anxious
• Feeling apathetic
• Feeling useless, or feeling threatened or attacked in some way
• Getting irritable and losing your sense of humour

Effects on Behaviour

• Overeating or not eating

• Drinking to excess
• Smoking
• Becoming argumentative or aggressive
• Driving too fast
• Not bothering
• Loss of interest in sex
• Becoming cold and offhand, particularly with loved ones
• Becoming over-demanding of affection
• Drug abuse
• Absenteeism from work
• Procrastination (doing something other than you are supposed to do)
• Putting things off

How to Cope

If you can relate to any of the above and feel that you are not yourself, some of the items listed below may help.

Exercise

A 15 minute walk is more effective at dealing with stress than a course of tranquillisers. Gentle rhythmic exercise such as cycling, swimming, jogging are ideal ways of reducing the tension caused by stress. The activity helps to release all the built up energy and encourage deep refreshing sleep.

Relaxation

Whatever the technique the individual chooses, the intent is to eliminate an immediately stressful situation or manage a prolonged stressful situation more effectively. The technique may be as simple as reading a book, listening to music, autogenic training (mentioned below) or meditation.

Behavioural Self Control

Individuals need to recognise what causes them stress and use it as a cue to relax. It enables individuals to become more aware of their limits and where possible they can avoid people or situations that will put them under stress. The individual needs to control the situation rather than allowing the situation to control them.

Cognitive Therapy

Clinical Psychologists have developed cognitive therapy techniques to enable individuals to perform more effectively and exhibit greater self control an therefore cope with stressful situations.

Autogenic Training

A series of mental exercises designed to switch off 'fight or flight' responses. It has been described as a westernised form of meditation.

Time Management

One of the major pressures at work is lack of time. Sometimes, no matter how hard you work there is never enough time. Effective time management is therefore essential.

Other Stress Coping Strategies Include...

Prioritising your workload

Delegation

Massage

Aromatherapy

Yoga

Visualisation

Deep breathing

A balanced healthy diet

Try to avoid doing more that one thing at a time

Cut down on smoking and drinking

Take up a new hobby or interest

Ensure adequate rest and relaxation