Recognizing & Coping with Stress
~Feelings of fear, anger, sadness, worry, numbness, or frustration
~Changes in appetite, energy, desires, and interests
~Difficulty concentrating and making decisions
~Difficulty sleeping or nightmares
Stress is a normal reaction to the demands of life and can be described as real or as an interpreted threat to an individual's psychological or physical state. Although low levels of stress may be beneficial and perhaps even motivating to perform well, higher levels of stress occurring regularly can potentially exceed our ability to cope.
To monitor our stress, identifying triggers can be a helpful step. What makes you feel angry, tense, worried or irritable?
Healthy strategies for managing and coping with stress to explore:
~Mindfulness exercises, meditation, relaxation or contemplation time
~Abdominal breathing
~Creative and expressive activities (dance/movement, playing music, singing, creative art)
~Exercise and physical activity
~Spiritual activities
~Regular time in nature
~Connecting with others
~Practicing gratitude
~Journaling
~Taking a break from social media
Learning how to identify our stress triggers, recognize our responses, and cope with stress in healthy ways will help make you, the people you care about, and those around you become more resilient.
