It’s the first Wednesday of November and that means National Stress Awareness Day is here once again. As a society, our understanding and interpretation of mental health issues have improved and developed considerably, especially in the last 5 years. Recognition of mental health issues is at an all-time high, which is great news for all of us; for too long many have gone without support, treatment or even basic recognition of acutely serious mental health concerns. There is, of course, a spectrum of severity, within which everyone will fall depending on the nature of their issues, but the tentative nature of mental health makes it all too easy for minor concerns to manifest as much more severe traumas if left unchecked.
What Stress Means To Us & Why It Can Be Harmful
Stress represents one of the most widespread and commonplace mental health concerns and has undoubtedly affected each and every one of us throughout our lives. While often shrugged-off as an inevitability of life, without proper management stress can be an insidious influencer that without warning becomes all-consuming. Modern life and its ever-increasing pace sadly carry stress as a prerequisite these days, but this pressure can have unbelievably severe mental and even physical impact. Lack of sleep, lack of focus, eating disorders, mood swings, anxiety, depression strokes and more can all be triggered and fuelled by stress. The increase in blood pressure alone from the feeling of constant tension can have severe knock-on effects.
The scariest thing about stress isn’t even the degree to which it can tear a person apart, it’s the fact that we are all at risk every day. That is what National Stress Awareness Day is all about – bringing the topic of stress to the forefront of our minds nationwide. Recognising where our stress originates is a vital step towards controlling it, often it becomes clearer for us to see that there are plenty of options available to help us control our stress once we understand what aspects of our lives trigger it.
When Stress Occurs, How Can I Manage It?
Stress-relief can take many forms, from the simple act of enjoying a personal pastime to more structured approaches like meditation, group discussion, even medications like beta-blockers. As with all mental health concerns, the ideal solution will always be highly tailored to the specific needs of the individual, with personal preference and the severity of the stress they experience dictating the nature and intensity of the relief effort.
People are experimenting every day with new and innovative ways to keep stress under control, CBD products as a recent example have become increasingly popular in the UK as a method of stress-relief and generally boosting wellbeing. Of course, research is still ongoing to confirm the impact CBD can actually have on stress and other conditions, but many people have reported personal successes, so if you have been struggling to find a solution to your stress levels, CBD could be an interesting avenue to explore, whilst always making sure to follow the advice of your healthcare professional!
Be Mindful!
Whether you try CBD, meditate, paint, dance or even just chat to your nearest and dearest, we want you all to embrace the spirit of Stress Awareness Day and start thinking about your own stress levels and how you manage them; could you be doing more for yourself? Or is there someone around you that you think is suffering? No matter the situation; at home or in the workplace, we should all take extra care to monitor our stress. Life is challenging but equally wonderous – by working together and embracing mindfulness we can make sure stress never takes that wonder away.
For more information about the Mind Charity and National Stress Awareness Day, you can visit their website: mind.org.uk/workplace/national-stress-awareness-day/
