When
stress leads to drug abuse, chronic illness or pain, lack of pleasure or relaxation, or otherwise negatively affects well-being, meeting with a mental health professional or medical doctor can help. Health care professionals can work with you to treat your stress symptoms and work through the issues causing it. Therapy can help address stress that occurs as a result of life events. When a person is stressed due to loss , divorce , or a life-altering medical diagnosis , therapy can help address these concerns and other effects they can have on a person’s life. When workplace issues lead to stress, for example, a therapist may help a person explore ways to deal with those issues.When individuals enter counselling to deal with the symptoms and affects of stress and anxiety, your values-based counsellor begins with an understanding of how your life is uniquely impacted by these events. In some situations, this may include making life changes to your situation to reduce the level of stress you are experiencing. In other situations, we may simply be trying to manage too much in our life and reprioritizing what we take on may be the start to living a healthier, less stressful life. While it is important to determine if a change is possible that would reduce external stressful events, for example, downsizing your home to reduce the financial obligation and burden of debt, counseling also looks at how you react and respond to the stress in your life.
Cbt is perhaps one of the most common types of therapy available, as it addresses your thought patterns and behaviors. Your therapist will help you identify your stressors, and help you come up with healthier responses to reduce the impact of your triggers. Cbt may be used on either a short-term or long-term basis. This can make it suitable for helping to treat chronic mental health conditions, as well as helping you get through traumatic events and other causes of acute stress. You may benefit from cbt if you’re concerned about:.
How counselling can help with stress
Leah is a 24 year old woman who was recently discharged from the army on medical grounds. During her four years in the army, leah experienced high levels of stress and anxiety which she coped with by drinking heavily. When she presented for counselling, leah had been sober for 55 days and was seeking strategies to cope with her anxiety that didn’t involve drinking. While working with leah, the professional counsellor adopts a case management model in order to assist her to build a network of supports within the community, enabling her to maintain her sobriety and prevent recurrence of the factors which contributed to her high levels of stress.
Anxiety often arises after traumatic events, such as experiencing a death, injury or abuse. Experiencing a traumatic event may lead to feelings of extreme fear or helplessness. Sometimes these feelings continue long after the traumatic event has passed. If everyday events start triggering unwanted flashbacks and involuntary stress responses, counselling is the recommended course of action to treat the symptoms of ptsd. Around 10% of people will experience ptsd at some point in their life, with an exceptional recovery rate of 95% amongst those who seek treatment.
If you have tried relaxation techniques and reaching out to someone you trust, but still feel overwhelmed, you can check in with your doctor or speak with a mental health professional. Stress is not itself a diagnosis but rather a clue that something else is going on. Chronic stress could be a sign of depression , anxiety or a symptom of another mental health condition. Gps and psychologists are trained to know how to recognise when stress is a sign that you need extra support, so don’t hesitate to reach out for advice. Find a health service — the service finder can help you find doctors, pharmacies, hospitals and other health services.