If it’s not successfully managed, stress can lead to greater problems.
Whether it’s caused by your job, the struggle to balance family and work commitments, or a one-off event like moving house, stress is familiar to most people.
Stress is a natural response but if it goes on too long it can become a mental and physical problem.
The first step is to recognise you are stressed, and what you think may be causing it . Then work out what, if anything, is in your power to change : can you break down a seemingly insurmountable problem into a series of more realistic ones, do more planning for an upcoming stressful event, resolve conflicts that are playing on your mind, increase the amount of exercise you do, or sleep, or eat better?
For most of us to change our behaviour, we need to recognise the current methods aren’t working. Figure out which parts of a problem you might have to let go of.
- Work out the source of stress.
- Identify the aspects that you have control over and take action, however small.
- Focus on details and slow down.
If you have little interest or pleasure in doing things, or feel down, depressed or helpless, we strongly advice professional help. Talk to your doctoe or nurse.