This month is aimed at everyone!
Stress Awareness Month has run through April since its beginning in 1992. Although a significant amount of success has been achieved there is still a long way to go. Especially when you consider the more recent pandemic and its consequences on Mental Health services and the escalation of Mental Health Conditions across the world.
This year The Stress Management Society are launching a 30 Day Challenge. Through simple actions each day with the use of fantastic resources to support us leading to long term solutions.
By raising awareness and increasing knowledge of what stress is, how it affects us as individuals and more specifically how it can affect you significantly if you have a LTHC/Disability.
Part One - We focus on Stress Awareness Month and the role stress plays in our lives. The effects it places on our bodies and how this month can support positive change in our mental and physical well-being.*
Part Two - Considers in depth how psychological stress is felt through the diagnosis and management of LTHC’s and disabilities, through The Pituitary Foundation & MIND. Starting to look at coping mechanisms such as self care and rest.
Part Three - Is focused on the ways in which we can try to reduce our stress levels, looking specifically at hobbies which could include; Exploring Nature, Exercise, Art Therapy and Music.
Some Key Facts
It’s no secret that CORONA Virus has affected people across the globe and continues to do so now. Although it is hard to judge the impact on a physical basis. However, practically everyone living through the pandemic will have experienced difficulties to varying degrees mentally and/or emotionally.
Made clear by The Mental health Foundation report that;
’74% of UK adults have felt so stressed at some point over the last year they felt overwhelmed or unable to cope’. (https://www.stress.org.uk/what-is-stress/)
In addition The Stress Management Society and Huawei AppGallery joined together surveying 2000 people in order to gain a greater understanding of the true impact of COVID-19 on the British Public. The data chart below shows some shocking statistics and also the essential need to prioritise stress management as lives continue to be affected by the pandemic. Whether that’s because of a LTHC, a change in home life, work or mental health. Things directly linked to COVID or indirectly.
What is Stress?
The key to start with is to understand what stress is, then how it affects us and of course the key is to then recognising what is causing stress in our lives and what we can actually do about it. Interestingly the Stress Management Society report that stress is not actually a bad thing. Our bodies release hormones that provide adrenaline and a rush of energy to deal with difficult situations. Something that would happen in close avoidance of a dangerous situation, such as having to slam on the brakes in a car versus pedestrian situation. It’s in inappropriate situations where the body cannot get the blood to where it’s needed that it can affect our responses and have a negative effect on what we are trying to do and put pressure on health.
So how does Stress Affect Us?
The Stress Management Society give us 3 stages - Fight, Flight descriptors which are commonly referred to, but they also add into the mix ‘Freeze’. They define the three situations as;
Fight
‘When your body goes into a state of stress, we may feel agitated and aggressive towards others; this can be due to our bodies’ natural reaction being “fight”. This can be a helpful reaction to ward off predators, but in unnecessary situations, it can negatively affect relationships and ruin reputations’.
Flight
‘Some of us avoid our stressors, removing ourselves from the situation instead of tackling it. This can be a sign of the “flight” survival instinct; a function that can save our lives if we find ourselves in dangerous surroundings. However, in everyday life, this natural instinct can lead to a stressful situation escalating, and increase our stress levels when we realise that the stressor isn’t going away and we need to face it’.
Freeze
‘Unknown by many, there is a third mode that stress can cause; freeze. For some people, becoming stressed sets the stage for ‘dysregulation’. The energy mobilised by the perceived threat gets “locked” into the nervous system and we ‘freeze’. This response sometimes reveals itself when we breathe. Holding our breath and shallow breathing are both forms of freeze. The occasional deep sigh is the nervous system catching up on its oxygen intake’.
Awareness Month Focus
So we have facts, we have an understanding and now we need to fix things. One way is through
National Stress Awareness Month which this year is clearly focused on the 30 Day Challenge.This is the time required for our bodies to adapt and habits to be changed, enabling a longer term solution than just a one month wonder. Achieved through a downloadable calendar which includes a space for each day you need to write three steps in the categories of;
Physical
Mental and
Emotional
In order to do this key Stress Resources have been developed which include;
30 Day Challenge Daily Tips – Physical, Mental & Emotional downloadable booklet
30 day Challenge, Hints, Tips and Trips Guide
Digital Detox Leaflet
A Stress Relieving Adult Colouring Book
There are many more and you are spoilt for choice. Whether you want something for yourself, your workplace, children or to support someone else there really is something for everyone. The 30 day challenge is a daunting process when you look through all the support materials and consider the sense of time. For many, especially those with LTHC’s/Disabilities this may be very overwhelming. Therefore, you could commit to trying every other day or even one day a week. It will take longer to achieve the shift from ‘Action to Habit’ but in fact for many this would be a much better and successful process.
Test Your Stress is an Individual assessment and is a great place to begin the process of completing your calendar. You will be asked a series of questions about common stressors that you may face. Then a personalised score will be created before receiving an email with some ideas and recommendations. Very helpful if you struggle with all the other information. Takes literally 5 minutes! For every question asked you get a score and bullet point recommendations on good habits to maintain and simple suggestions to try. Housed neatly in a PDF document.
If you are after something a little bit easier to master then the 10 Top Tips to master your emotions could be the answer and includes observing your emotions, creating a mood tracker, giving yourself some space to breath and think and then managing that stress.
Alongside that is the downloadable Signs Of Stress Poster which is handy to pop up on the wall. It highlights the Emotional, Physical and Behavioural signs to look out for, which will also give you a great knowledge of what stress manifests as. Allowing you to notice this in your own time and take simple steps to help yourself feel a little better. Lessen the load and still have a really positive impact on your own stressors and new ones that you will face as we move forward into an ever changing world and way of living.
Summary
Although we have only scratched the surface here, there are a range of key statistics, worrying signs, but also some hope. From the Top Tips Poster on a basic level, to the individual stress test all the way up to the 30 day challenge. Making it an accessible and inclusive programme for anyone to try. The resources bag is brimming with ideas and free downloads. Remember, everyone is different and so is the way that we manage our stress and how it manifests itself. The first step is in the understanding, the second is how we utilise that information and the final part is what we find the most important for ourselves. For those with LTHC’s/Disabilities stress can have a detrimental affect on health and well-being which is the focus for next time.
*As you read our blogs please remember that we are all on the same pathways you. Sometimes we find what we convey helpful but at other times we don’t. However, we include it because everyones journey is different and we like to have this passionate perseverance to help others as much as possible. To dispose of it all would be a waste and a dis-service to our readers.
The Important Links
Stress Management Society - Home Page
Stress Management Society - 30 Day Challenge
Stress Management Society
Stress Management Society
Stress Management Society
Stress Management Society