Counselling Connections

Do you ever feel like the stress levels in your life have become unmanageable?

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Do you ever feel overwhelmed to the point where if feels like you are literally drowning in a sea of stress?

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In this ever-changing world of ours, it is no wonder that stress levels are often in the “red zone”. According to a recent American Psychological Association (APA) survey, fifty-four percent of adults are concerned about the level of stress in their everyday lives. Teens and young adults all too frequently indicate being “stressed out”.

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Stress management is a day to day activity. It’s a skill – almost like a muscle – that you learn to use to prevent stress from ruining your life.

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On the other hand, stress can become a self-fulfilling prophesy– a daily issue that takes all of the happiness out of life. 

• Untreated stress can put strain on your work and your relationships, creating more stress.

• Untreated stress can lead to the serious erosion of physical health.

• Untreated stress can lead to the development of mental health disorders.

• Untreated stress can change the way you see the world – turning positives to negatives.

 

Tools for Changing the Ways You Manage Your Stress And Your Life:

• Recognize and adjust the unhealthy strategies you currently employ (e.g. denial or procrastination)

• Replace unhealthy ways of coping (e.g. alcohol, drugs, food, or sex) and replace

them with healthier methods (e.g. exercise, outdoor activities yoga, creative/expressivearts, or spiritual practice).

• Identify negative self-talk and discover realistic and positive ways to build yourself.

• Be aware of ways in which you are contributing to the stressfulness of the current situation.

• Get better organized. Become a more effective and efficient time manager.

• Take greater control of the things you can control. Let the rest go.

• Consistently do the daily basics of adequate self-care (eating, hydration, exercising, & sleeping).

• Make regular efforts to take care of your physical, emotional and spiritual needs.

•  Listen to your body signals. Take regular breaks and extra rest when you begin to feel tired.

• When feelings of tension begin to appear, stop, stretch, and do some deep breathing exercises.

• “Take 5” daily, giving yourself the gift of visualizing yourself in a serene, tranquil setting.

• Consistently set and enforce healthy boundaries (i.e. do not overextend yourself). Say no when you need to, and say yes when you truly feel you can without resentment/being drained.

• Learn to slow down, so that you can identify what you need and feel at any given moment.

• Learn about the kinds of stress can help you grow, enriching your live or challenging you to reach our potential (e.g. planning a wedding, buying a home, or growing a love relationship).

•  If, and when, you recognize that stress has become overwhelming to the point where it is affecting your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health, seek the assistance of a therapist or join a support group.