What is Stress?
Stress can become a vicious cycle without the stress management techniques needed to manage it. The words “…But I can’t relax……”can become commonplace in a person’s life.
In small amounts, stress can be tolerated. However, prolonged or intense stress levels can impact on our relationships, work performance, and lead to panic attacks and/or depression. Common symptoms can include irritability, lack of concentration, sleeping problems, negative thinking, changes in appetite, lack of motivation, loss of libido, social withdrawal and mood swings. Stress can also contribute to physical symptoms such as skin disorders, headaches, muscular tension, high blood pressure and other bodily aches and pains.
Issues for Stress Counselling
- Work Pressures
- Family Stresses
- Relationship Worries
- Difficulty Coping
- Panic Attacks
- Irritability
- Physical Ailments
- Constant Tension
Stress is a direct result of an individual’s assessment of the demands made on them by their environment, which are perceived as threatening and are reflected in the body’s physical responses i.e. Increased heart rate, muscle tension, increased blood pressure and perspiration, sweaty palms, dry mouth, chest palpitations, nausea and restlessness.
In prehistoric times, it was important to deal with the physical threats all around us, and it was often necessary to make speedy judgements on a course of action in order to survive. For example, primitive man, confronted by an attacking dinosaur or a sabre toothed tiger, perceived, in such a threatening situation, that a demand for immediate action was necessary and that he needed to:
- Stand and fight
- Run
- Hide
The body’s stress response, coupled with a heightened sense of awareness was an asset in these situations and helped primitive man survive the many dangers he faced throughout his life.
However, modern man, whose body’s stress responses are the same as those of his ancestor, faces ‘threatening’ situations of a completely different kind. These are triggered by modern day demands.
C.B.T.(Cognitive Behaviour Therapy) will help you with stress and give you contentment and happiness. It teaches methods whereby those who experience negative thoughts, low mood stress anxiety/ panic etc can change them to positive thoughts feelings and behaviours with a new way of thinking.
