Stress Management

Stress is often defined as a bodily response to the demands of life. But there are also emotional and mental aspects of stress. It is experienced as thoughts and feelings as well as in the body. Another way to define stress could be as an internal and conditioned response to external pressures.

Mental health professionals often help people reduce and manage their stress.

They can also help people work through other mental health issues that have developed while coping with high levels of stress over a period of time. Few people will deny they have been stressed at least once in their life. But for many, stress can be ongoing and unbearable.

Chronic stress can contribute to numerous mental health and physical health issues. When these complaints occur as a result of stress, they may clear up when the stressful situation is resolved.

Research has linked high stress levels to:

• Insomnia or hypersomnia
• Feeling more or less hungry than usual
• Self-soothing with drugs or alcohol
• Changes in mood or mental health
• Intimacy problems
• Migraine headaches

Less productivity and enjoyment at work

• Chronic pain
• Anger issues
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Loss of enjoyment in social activities
• Heart attack and stroke