HEALTH WITH HIFAD
Welcome to our weekly health section With HIFAD where we discuss different health topics and also answer questions ..
HiFADS Mental health series
* We all need this
* Start managing stress now..
* Read this more than once, and if you are battling with stress, keep reading this till you are better
* Don't be quick to use drugs to ease your stress
STRESS
We all know what it's like to feel stressed, but it's not easy to pin down exactly what stress means. When we say things like "this is stressful" or "I'm stressed", we might be talking about:
• Situations or events that put pressure on us – for example, times where we have lots to do and think about, or don't have much control over what happens.
• Our reaction to being placed under pressure – the feelings we get when we have demands placed on us that we find difficult to cope with.
There's no medical definition of stress, and health care professionals often disagree over whether stress is the cause of problems or the result of them. This can make it difficult for you to work out what causes your feelings of stress, or how to deal with them. But whatever your personal definition of stress is, it's likely that you can learn to manage your stress better by:
* managing external pressures, so stressful situations don't seem to happen to you quite so often
* developing your emotional resilience, so you're better at coping with tough situations when they do happen (.
Is stress a mental health problem?
Being under pressure is a normal part of life. It can be a useful drive that helps you take action, feel more energised and get results. But if you often become overwhelmed by stress, these feelings could start to be a problem for you. Stress isn't a psychiatric diagnosis, but it's closely linked to your mental health in two important ways:
* Stress can cause mental health problems, and make existing problems worse. For example, if you often struggle to manage feelings of stress, you might develop a mental health problem like anxiety or depression.
* M ental health problems can cause stress. You might find coping with the day-to-day symptoms of your mental health problem, as well as potentially needing to manage medication, heath care appointments or treatments, can become extra sources of stress.
Why does stress affect me physically?
You might find that your first clues about being stressed are physical signs, like tiredness, headaches or an upset stomach. This could be because when we feel stressed emotionally, our bodies release hormones called cortisol and adrenaline. This is the body’s automatic way of preparing to respond to a threat (sometimes called the 'fight or flight' response). If you’re often stressed then you’re probably producing high levels of these hormones, which can make you feel physically unwell and could affect your health in the longer term.
Common signs of stress
How you might feel:
• irritable, aggressive, impatient or wound up
• over-burdened
• anxious, nervous or afraid
• like your thoughts are racing and you can't switch off
• depressed
• uninterested in life
• like you've lost your sense of humour
How you might behave:
• finding it hard to make decisions
• avoiding situations that are troubling you
• snapping at people
• biting your nails
• unable to concentrate
• eating too much or too little
• smoking or drinking alcohol more than usual
• restless, like you can't sit still
How you might be physically affected:
• shallow breathing or hyperventilating
• you might have a panic attack
• blurred eyesight or sore eyes
• problems getting to sleep, staying asleep or having nightmares
• sexual problems, such as losing interest in sex or being unable to enjoy sex
• tired all the time
• grinding your teeth or clenching your jaw
• headaches
• chest pains
• high blood pressure
• indigestion or heartburn
• constipation or diarrhoea
• feeling sick, dizzy or fainting
What causes stress?
Feelings of stress are normally triggered by things happening in your life which involve:
• being under lots of pressure
• facing big changes
• worrying about something
• not having much or any control over the outcome of a situation
• having responsibilities that you're finding overwhelming
• not having enough work, activities or change in your life.
There might be one big thing causing you stress, but stress can also be caused by a build-up of small challenges. This might make it harder for you to identify what's making you feel stressed, or to explain it to other people.
Can happy events cause stress?
Some of the situations listed above are often thought of as happy events – for example, you might feel expected to be happy or excited about getting married or having a baby. But because they can bring big changes or make unusual demands on you, they can still be very stressful. This can be particularly difficult to deal with, because you might feel there's additional pressure on you to be positive
How can I deal with pressure?
Even though there are likely to be some things happening in your life that you can't control, there are still lots of practical things you can do to manage the amount of pressure you're under day to day.
Identify your triggers Working out what triggers stress for you can help you anticipate problems and think of ways to solve them. Even if you can't avoid these situations, being prepared can help. Take some time to reflect on events and feelings that could be contributing to your stress You could consider:
• issues that come up regularly, and that you worry about, for example paying a bill or attending an appointment
• one-off events that are on your mind a lot, such as moving house or taking an exam
• ongoing stressful events, like being a carer or having problems at work. You might be surprised to find out just how much you're coping with at once. Remember that not having enough work, activities or change in your life can be just as stressful a situation as having too much to deal with.
Organise your time
Making some adjustments to the way you organise your time could help you feel more in control of any tasks you're facing, and more able to handle pressure.
• Identify your best time of day, and do the important tasks that need the most energy and concentration at that time. For example, you might be a morning person or an evening person.
• Make a list of things you have to do. Arrange them in order of importance, and try to focus on the most urgent first. If your tasks are work related, ask a manager or colleague to help you prioritise. You may be able to push back some tasks until you're feeling less stressed.
• Vary your activities. Balance interesting tasks with more mundane ones, and stressful tasks with those you find easier or can do more calmly.
• Try not to do too much at once. If you take on too much, you might f ind it harder to do any individual task well. This can make you feel like you have even more pressure on you.
• Take breaks and take things slowly. It might be difficult to do this when you're stressed, but it can make you more productive.
How can I become more emotionally resilient?
Taking steps to look after your wellbeing can help you deal with pressure, and reduce the impact that stress has on your life. This is sometimes called developing back when something difficult happens in your life. emotional resilience – the ability to adapt and bounce Make some lifestyle changes There are some general changes that you can make to your lifestyle that could help you feel more able to cope with pressure and stressful situations. You can:
• Practice being straightforward and assertive in communicating with others. If people are making unreasonable or unrealistic demands on you, be prepared to tell them how you feel and say no.
• Use relaxation techniques. You may already know what helps you relax, like having a bath, listening to music or taking your dog for a walk. If you know that a certain activity helps you feel more relaxed, make sure you set aside time to do it.
• Develop your interests and hobbies. Finding an activity that's completely different from the things causing you stress is a great way to get away from everyday pressures. If stress is making you feel lonely or isolated, shared hobbies can also be a good way to meet new people.
• Make time for your friends. When you've got a lot on this might seem hard, but it can help you feel more positive and less isolated. Chatting to friends about the things you find difficult can help you keep things in perspective – and you can do the same for them. Laughing and smiling with them will also produce hormones that help you to relax.
Look after your physical health
Taking steps to look after your physical health can help you manage stress and lessen the impact on your overall mental health. For example:
• Get good sleep. Stress can make it difficult for you to sleep, and you may develop sleep problems. Being well-rested can increase your ability to deal with difficult situations.
• Be more physically active. Physical activity is important for reducing stress levels and preventing some of its damaging effects on the body (so long as you don't overdo it).
• Eat healthily. When you're stressed, it can be tempting to eat too much of the wrong kinds of food or to eat too little. But what you eat, and when you eat, can make a big difference to how well you feel.
Give yourself a break
I love this one a lot, learning to be kinder to yourself in general can help you control the amount of pressure you feel in different situations, which can help you feel less stressed.
• Reward yourself for achievements – even small things like finishing a piece of work or making a decision. You could take a walk, read a book, treat yourself to food you enjoy, or simply tell yourself "well done".
• Get a change of scenery. You might want to go outside, go to a friend’s house or go to a café for a break – even if it's just for a short time.
• T ake a break or holiday. Time away from your normal routine can help you relax and feel refreshed. Even spending a day in a different place can help you feel more able to face stress.
• Resolve conflicts, if you can. Although this can sometimes be hard, speaking to a manager, colleague or family member about problems in your relationship with them can help you find ways to move forward.
• Forgive yourself when you make a mistake, or don't achieve something you hoped for. Try to remember that nobody's perfect, and putting extra pressure on yourself doesn't help.
"COPING WITH STRESS SHOULD BE A NORMAL ATTRIBUTE OF EVERY HUMAN, DISCOVER YOUR SELF, DEAL WITH PRESSURE, ORGANISE YOUR TIME, BECOME EMOTIONALLY RESILIENT, LOOK AFTER YOUR PHYSICAL HEALTH AND GIVE YOURSELF A BREAK ONCE IN A WHILE, ITS REALLY EASY, START NOW! ".
HiFAD©........
Let's save Africa's future....
Written by
Aminu Peter olamide
Instagram _ola_peters
Facebook ola peters
HiFADS Mental health series
* We all need this
* Start managing stress now..
* Read this more than once, and if you are battling with stress, keep reading this till you are better
* Don't be quick to use drugs to ease your stress
STRESS
We all know what it's like to feel stressed, but it's not easy to pin down exactly what stress means. When we say things like "this is stressful" or "I'm stressed", we might be talking about:
• Situations or events that put pressure on us – for example, times where we have lots to do and think about, or don't have much control over what happens.
• Our reaction to being placed under pressure – the feelings we get when we have demands placed on us that we find difficult to cope with.
There's no medical definition of stress, and health care professionals often disagree over whether stress is the cause of problems or the result of them. This can make it difficult for you to work out what causes your feelings of stress, or how to deal with them. But whatever your personal definition of stress is, it's likely that you can learn to manage your stress better by:
* managing external pressures, so stressful situations don't seem to happen to you quite so often
* developing your emotional resilience, so you're better at coping with tough situations when they do happen (.
Is stress a mental health problem?
Being under pressure is a normal part of life. It can be a useful drive that helps you take action, feel more energised and get results. But if you often become overwhelmed by stress, these feelings could start to be a problem for you. Stress isn't a psychiatric diagnosis, but it's closely linked to your mental health in two important ways:
* Stress can cause mental health problems, and make existing problems worse. For example, if you often struggle to manage feelings of stress, you might develop a mental health problem like anxiety or depression.
* M ental health problems can cause stress. You might find coping with the day-to-day symptoms of your mental health problem, as well as potentially needing to manage medication, heath care appointments or treatments, can become extra sources of stress.
Why does stress affect me physically?
You might find that your first clues about being stressed are physical signs, like tiredness, headaches or an upset stomach. This could be because when we feel stressed emotionally, our bodies release hormones called cortisol and adrenaline. This is the body’s automatic way of preparing to respond to a threat (sometimes called the 'fight or flight' response). If you’re often stressed then you’re probably producing high levels of these hormones, which can make you feel physically unwell and could affect your health in the longer term.
Common signs of stress
How you might feel:
• irritable, aggressive, impatient or wound up
• over-burdened
• anxious, nervous or afraid
• like your thoughts are racing and you can't switch off
• depressed
• uninterested in life
• like you've lost your sense of humour
How you might behave:
• finding it hard to make decisions
• avoiding situations that are troubling you
• snapping at people
• biting your nails
• unable to concentrate
• eating too much or too little
• smoking or drinking alcohol more than usual
• restless, like you can't sit still
How you might be physically affected:
• shallow breathing or hyperventilating
• you might have a panic attack
• blurred eyesight or sore eyes
• problems getting to sleep, staying asleep or having nightmares
• sexual problems, such as losing interest in sex or being unable to enjoy sex
• tired all the time
• grinding your teeth or clenching your jaw
• headaches
• chest pains
• high blood pressure
• indigestion or heartburn
• constipation or diarrhoea
• feeling sick, dizzy or fainting
What causes stress?
Feelings of stress are normally triggered by things happening in your life which involve:
• being under lots of pressure
• facing big changes
• worrying about something
• not having much or any control over the outcome of a situation
• having responsibilities that you're finding overwhelming
• not having enough work, activities or change in your life.
There might be one big thing causing you stress, but stress can also be caused by a build-up of small challenges. This might make it harder for you to identify what's making you feel stressed, or to explain it to other people.
Can happy events cause stress?
Some of the situations listed above are often thought of as happy events – for example, you might feel expected to be happy or excited about getting married or having a baby. But because they can bring big changes or make unusual demands on you, they can still be very stressful. This can be particularly difficult to deal with, because you might feel there's additional pressure on you to be positive
How can I deal with pressure?
Even though there are likely to be some things happening in your life that you can't control, there are still lots of practical things you can do to manage the amount of pressure you're under day to day.
Identify your triggers Working out what triggers stress for you can help you anticipate problems and think of ways to solve them. Even if you can't avoid these situations, being prepared can help. Take some time to reflect on events and feelings that could be contributing to your stress You could consider:
• issues that come up regularly, and that you worry about, for example paying a bill or attending an appointment
• one-off events that are on your mind a lot, such as moving house or taking an exam
• ongoing stressful events, like being a carer or having problems at work. You might be surprised to find out just how much you're coping with at once. Remember that not having enough work, activities or change in your life can be just as stressful a situation as having too much to deal with.
Making some adjustments to the way you organise your time could help you feel more in control of any tasks you're facing, and more able to handle pressure.
• Identify your best time of day, and do the important tasks that need the most energy and concentration at that time. For example, you might be a morning person or an evening person.
• Make a list of things you have to do. Arrange them in order of importance, and try to focus on the most urgent first. If your tasks are work related, ask a manager or colleague to help you prioritise. You may be able to push back some tasks until you're feeling less stressed.
• Vary your activities. Balance interesting tasks with more mundane ones, and stressful tasks with those you find easier or can do more calmly.
• Try not to do too much at once. If you take on too much, you might f ind it harder to do any individual task well. This can make you feel like you have even more pressure on you.
• Take breaks and take things slowly. It might be difficult to do this when you're stressed, but it can make you more productive.
How can I become more emotionally resilient?
Taking steps to look after your wellbeing can help you deal with pressure, and reduce the impact that stress has on your life. This is sometimes called developing back when something difficult happens in your life. emotional resilience – the ability to adapt and bounce Make some lifestyle changes There are some general changes that you can make to your lifestyle that could help you feel more able to cope with pressure and stressful situations. You can:
• Practice being straightforward and assertive in communicating with others. If people are making unreasonable or unrealistic demands on you, be prepared to tell them how you feel and say no.
• Use relaxation techniques. You may already know what helps you relax, like having a bath, listening to music or taking your dog for a walk. If you know that a certain activity helps you feel more relaxed, make sure you set aside time to do it.
• Develop your interests and hobbies. Finding an activity that's completely different from the things causing you stress is a great way to get away from everyday pressures. If stress is making you feel lonely or isolated, shared hobbies can also be a good way to meet new people.
• Make time for your friends. When you've got a lot on this might seem hard, but it can help you feel more positive and less isolated. Chatting to friends about the things you find difficult can help you keep things in perspective – and you can do the same for them. Laughing and smiling with them will also produce hormones that help you to relax.
Look after your physical health
Taking steps to look after your physical health can help you manage stress and lessen the impact on your overall mental health. For example:
• Get good sleep. Stress can make it difficult for you to sleep, and you may develop sleep problems. Being well-rested can increase your ability to deal with difficult situations.
• Be more physically active. Physical activity is important for reducing stress levels and preventing some of its damaging effects on the body (so long as you don't overdo it).
• Eat healthily. When you're stressed, it can be tempting to eat too much of the wrong kinds of food or to eat too little. But what you eat, and when you eat, can make a big difference to how well you feel.
Give yourself a break
I love this one a lot, learning to be kinder to yourself in general can help you control the amount of pressure you feel in different situations, which can help you feel less stressed.
• Reward yourself for achievements – even small things like finishing a piece of work or making a decision. You could take a walk, read a book, treat yourself to food you enjoy, or simply tell yourself "well done".
• Get a change of scenery. You might want to go outside, go to a friend’s house or go to a café for a break – even if it's just for a short time.
• T ake a break or holiday. Time away from your normal routine can help you relax and feel refreshed. Even spending a day in a different place can help you feel more able to face stress.
• Resolve conflicts, if you can. Although this can sometimes be hard, speaking to a manager, colleague or family member about problems in your relationship with them can help you find ways to move forward.
• Forgive yourself when you make a mistake, or don't achieve something you hoped for. Try to remember that nobody's perfect, and putting extra pressure on yourself doesn't help.
"COPING WITH STRESS SHOULD BE A NORMAL ATTRIBUTE OF EVERY HUMAN, DISCOVER YOUR SELF, DEAL WITH PRESSURE, ORGANISE YOUR TIME, BECOME EMOTIONALLY RESILIENT, LOOK AFTER YOUR PHYSICAL HEALTH AND GIVE YOURSELF A BREAK ONCE IN A WHILE, ITS REALLY EASY, START NOW! ".
HiFAD©........
Let's save Africa's future....
Written by
Aminu Peter olamide
Instagram _ola_peters
Facebook ola peters
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