Stressed Out? Here’s Help
Learn to recognize and cope with what’s eating you, during Stress Awareness Month.
Money troubles, health concerns, work and family responsibilities demanding your time and attention – these are some of the common sources of stress that can wear you down and take all the pleasure out of life. But it’s not the stress itself that hurts – it’s the way we respond to it. The first step is to become aware of what’s bringing worry and anxiety into your life so you can deal with it.
April is Stress Awareness Month, an annual event sponsored by the Health Resource Network (HRN). The non-profit health education organization created it to bring healthcare professionals together with health promotion experts to help Americans understand what HRN calls a “modern stress epidemic.”
When you’re dealing with the pressures on a daily basis, it’s easy to think you’re the only one. But you are far from alone. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), 65 percent of adults say that “the current amount of uncertainty in our nation causes them stress.” The APA also reports:
- More than three-quarters of adults report symptoms of stress, including headache, tiredness, or sleeping problems
- Eighty percent of U.S. workers say they experience stress on the job.
- Forty-nine percent of U.S. adults (49%) say stress has negatively affected their behavior.
Signs of Stress
The effects of the pressures and anxieties you’re living with can have serious consequences, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
- Feelings of fear, anger, sadness, worry, numbness, or frustration.
- Changes in appetite, energy, desires, and interests.
- Trouble concentrating and making decisions.
- Nightmares or problems sleeping.
- Physical reactions, such as headaches, body pains, stomach problems, or skin rashes.
- Worsening of chronic health problems and mental health conditions.
- Increased use of alcohol, illegal drugs (like heroin, cocaine, or methamphetamine), and misuse of prescription drugs (like opioids).
Even though you probably can’t get rid of the things causing your stress, the good news is that you can develop strategies for managing your reaction to them, and you can get help if you need it. “Learning to cope with stress in a healthy way will help you, the people you care about, and those around you become more resilient,” the CDC assures.
Here are some strategies the CDC recommends:
- Take breaks from news stories, including those on social media. It’s good to be informed, but constant information about adverse events can be upsetting. Consider limiting news to just a couple times a day and disconnecting from phone, TV, and computer screens for a while.
- Eat healthy. Have fruits and vegetables, lean protein, whole grains, and low-fat or no-fat dairy. Limit foods with unhealthy fats, salt, and added sugars.
- Get enough sleep. Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day to help you sleep better. Adults need seven or more hours per night.
- Move more and sit less. Every little bit of physical activity helps. Start small and build up to 2 ½ hours a week. You can break it into smaller amounts, perhaps 20 to 30 minutes daily.
- Limit alcohol intake. Choose not to drink, or drink in moderation on days you drink alcohol. Moderation means having two drinks or less a day for men or one drink or less for women.
- Avoid using illegal drugs or prescription drugs in ways other than prescribed. Don’t take someone else’s prescription.
- Avoid smoking, vaping, and the use of other tobacco products.
- Continue with regular health appointments, tests, screenings, and vaccinations.
- Make time to unwind.
- Take deep breaths, stretch, or meditate.
- Try to do some other activities you enjoy.
- Connect with others
- Talk with people you trust about your concerns and how you are feeling.
- Connect with your community-based or faith-based organizations.
Where to Turn
If stress is overpowering you or a loved one, don’t go it alone.
- Contact Be Strong International for community mental health resources to help you cope. We also offer workshops and educational programs to help individuals and families make informed decisions about money, work, and family life, which can become stressful without the tools to navigate them. A critical part of this process is our Heart SkillsTM training, which helps participants build meaningful relationships by connecting authentically with the people in their lives.
- For immediate help in a crisis, call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org to reach the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lifeline. TTY users can use their preferred relay service or dial 711 and then 988.
- For more information on Stress Awareness Month, visit http://healthresourcenetwork.org