STRESS

All people have times when they feel less full of life and are under pressure. When this is having a significant influence on our daily life both emotionally and physically then we call it stress. Stress disturbs the balance between what we can cope with and what is demanded of us. This can manifest itself in many ways. You can get physical complaints like a headache, back pain, or feel short of breath through breathing too much and too quickly (hyperventilation).

Becoming ill can be your body's way of escaping heavy pressure. When ill you do not care any more. You can also get emotional symptoms like tiredness or feeling rejected. Because each person is different, each reacts differently to stress. Different people's bodies produce different physical symptoms. Some people get headaches, others get stomach aches, abdominal or muscle aches.

SELF-CARE

What you can do yourself

Don't wait too long. Stress also makes us more likely to become ill.

There are no simple solutions for stress.

It is not usually possible to change things in our lives. And you cannot always change yourself just like that. But the fitter you are the better your body and mind are able to cope, so think about taking regular exercise twice a week.

Consider whether or not it would be better to share the problem. Seek help or advice to see if the difficult situation could be altered or ended. Think about how you might relieve stress yourself, for example exercise and relaxation time with friends (this is now called stress management!). Stress can also be connected with a difficult relationship or work that demands too much of you. A drastic change in your life might be serious, yet your peace of mind in the long term is of more value. Tranquilisers are not the answer.

Talking with others, particularly if they have experienced the same problems, can help. For some problems there are self-help groups, allowing people to share in the experiences of others who have gone through similar problems and coped with them. Your local social services office will tell you about such groups. Social services exist to help people with problems by referring them to agencies best suited to help.

Do not drink any more alcohol than usual and do not take it out on those around you.

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