Healthy ways to cope with difficult situations

Keeping stress bottled inside can lead to long-term health conditions but it’s rarely something we discuss. So for Stress Awareness Month, we’re making sure to bring extra attention and encourage you to find healthy ways to deal with challenging events. Finding ways to channel our stress helps us to build resilience and live positive lifestyles.

Types of stress reactions & signs to watch out for:

• Frustration, anger, sadness, anxiety
• Headaches, dizziness, stomach pain, skin rashes or sweating
• Mood swings and outbursts
• Shock, fear and numbness
• Digestive problems such as bloating, constipation or diarrhoea
• Substance misuse
• Difficulty concentrating

• Changes in weight, appetite, sleep or interests

Take the Individual Stress Test to discover your stress risk and current levels

What is stress?

When life hits us with unexpected events, our stress response is the feeling of overwhelm, physical tension and heightened emotions. Stress is our body's automatic response to feelings of overwhelm, especially when we feel threatened or out of control.

There are many different factors in our lives that cause us to feel stressed, such as money pressures or unexpected loss of a job, divorce or separation, bereavement or work-related stressors. But not all stress is negative. Positive changes such as starting a new job or moving to a new house can also lead to unexplained feelings of stress.

How does it affect our health and minds?

Although a small amount of stress can be good for us, allowing us to feel alert and energised, especially when completing tasks or meeting deadlines, too much of it can wreak havoc on our physical and mental health.

Stress itself isn’t a mental condition, but too much of it can lead to the development of mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. Stressful periods can cause a rise in behaviours that increase heart disease such as eating, drinking and smoking and it can even lead to the development of more serious problems and long-term illnesses.

Psychological stress can also affect the gut balance leading to digestive problems such as constipation or diarrhoea. Research also shows that long-term stress can lead to gastrointestinal conditions like stomach ulcers or Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).

Healthy coping mechanisms:

1. Meet your needs. Take care of your mind, give yourself a break whenever you feel stressed, eat healthy meals, move your body and ensure you get enough sleep.
2. Limit news sources. It’s great to stay informed in current affairs, but consuming the wrong kind of information, especially on social media, can be upsetting and triggering.
3. Take deep breaths. Whenever you feel overwhelmed, take a minute to yourself to breathe deeply for a few seconds and notice how much calm and clarity it allows you to feel.
4. Talk to others. Share your problems with someone you trust - whether that’s a friend, family member or professional. Don’t keep your feelings bottled up and know that someone is always there to listen to you.
5. Limit alcohol and/or drug use. Although they may seem to ease stress in the short-term, long-term use can change your brain’s chemistry, increasing the release of stress hormones such as cortisol, altering the way your body responds and reacts to challenging events.
6. Make time for the things you love. Participate regularly in activities that you enjoy in order to give yourself a boost of motivation whenever your mood dips and to improve your overall outlook on life.

Focusing on reducing stress in your own life can allow you to take better care of others who may be struggling, such as children or young adults. With global pandemics, war-anxiety and increased social media usage, it’s natural for children to feel overwhelmed and struggle to cope with events in their lives. Below are some tips on how you can support children too:

1. Open the discussion. Seeing and hearing news on social media can create terror and unease in children behind closed doors. Talking to them about the current news can help put uncertain information into a more balanced perspective.
2. Tune into signs. Notice changes in your child's mood, motivation, behaviour and appetite as any changes could indicate they are struggling and need support.
3. Maintain their usual routine. Encourage healthy meals and sleeping habits at regular times to ensure children have a sense of stability in their lives.
4. Encourage children to express their feelings. Allow children to feel safe and listened to and encourage them to journal down their thoughts in order for you both to manage them.

Know that sometimes we all face uncontrollable situations and unexpected events. Whilst we cannot change outcomes or control them, we can tune into others ways listed above in order to help us cope with stressful events and control the way we react to challenges.