Mental Health series: 3 | Coping With Stress

A situation causing us to feel stress is not uncommon and is something the majority will feel in day to day life. Feeling stressed doesn't mean you have bad mental health. It can often be good to feel a little bit of stress in certain situations but just like any other emotion, its about finding the balance. When you are at a point of stress that is starting to get in the way of you being able to live your everyday life, that is when it is a problem and could trigger poor mental health issues as well as physical.

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I think the word 'Stress' is less of a taboo subject than depression, anxiety and eating disorders. This is because it is a feeling felt by everybody so the idea of someone saying they are stressed is less daunting than someone saying they are depressed. However, it is important not to overlook the feeling of stress as it has a bigger impact on our daily lives more than you may think. Understanding the difference between being stressed about a minor and major situation is important in your coping technique. For example, i may say I'm stressed because i can't decide on which colour trainers to get (It is in this context we see it being used most generally). This type of stress is not the type that will necessarily cause me any issue after the decision has been made or really during the decision however, if I was to say I'm stressed about the amount of university work I have due in, then this is the type of stress that for me, is likely to lead to other issues. My anxiety and depression is often triggered by a stressful emotional situation so it is understanding the situations that cause this and preventing it from becoming something such as anxiety.

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There are different triggers for stress and depending on your personal reason behind it depends on the techniques that will best help you.

The general advice in coping with stress include:

Eating healthy, well balanced meals
Avoiding drugs and alcohol
Giving yourself the chance to relax and have you time
Talking to people around you and surrounding yourself with people you trust

All of the above are the general things everyone needs to have a content lifestyle. And if you are currently going through issues with stress, look at these steps and ask yourself if you are doing all of the above. If you aren't then that could suggest why you are showing signs of stress as its important to do them all actively in order to mentally function.

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