STRESS – WHO WANTS IT?

 

A certain amount of stress can be positive, but too much can be difficult to cope with and may cause health problems.

 

How stress can damage your health?

 

Stress, if it persists, can cause a wide range of physical, mental health problems, such as:

 

· Headaches, migraine, muscular tension, back and neck ache.

 

· Increased susceptibility to colds and other infections.

 

· Respiratory and digestive disorders, such as peptic ulcers, diarrhoea or constipation.

 

· High blood pressure, which can lead to heart attack and stroke.

 

· Menstrual disorders for women.

 

· Asthma attacks in asthma suffers.

 

· Difficulty in sleeping.

 

· Anxiety and depression.

 

Stress – busters

 

Stress situations may be beyond your control, but the anxiety they cause can be relieved by using these stress – busting techniques:

 

· Organise your time. Make a list of your tasks in order of priority, do thing in that order and complete one task before moving on to the next.

 

· Don’t take on more than you can handle. If unrealistic demands are made on your time, be prepared to say, no.

 

· Accept who you are. Don’t be too hard on yourself.

 

· Talk about your problems with your partner, friends or family. Talking helps to put things in perspective, and bottling up your worries may make things worse.

 

· Keep in touch with friends and make time to have a social life.

 

· Keep active. Regular exercise helps to release the tension caused by stress and can give you energy too.

 

· Do something creative that give you enjoy such as listening to music, painting, drawing, gardening or reading book.

 

· Avoid negative ways of coping with stress such as smoking, drinking or compulsive eating. They may seem to relieve stress, but in the long term they make things worse.

 

· Learn to relax. Try to make time for yourself. Fit things into your day that help you unwind.

 

· Ask for help. Everyone needs help from time to time.

 

· Survive. Sometimes all we can do is survive. Take one day at a time and take time out if you need it.

 

If stress persists and you are finding difficult to cope, seek help from your GP.