Stress is usually a reaction to
mental
or emotional pressure. It's often related to feeling like you're losing control over something, but sometimes there's no obvious cause.
When you're feeling anxious or scared, your body releases stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. This can be helpful for some people and stress might help you get things done or feel more motivated. But it might also cause physical symptoms such as a faster heartbeat or sweating. If you're stressed all the time it can become a problem.
Getting enough sleep least 8 hours, a night is good for both our body and mind. Sleep repairs, relaxes, rejuvenate our body and reverses the effect of stress. Good sleep habits (sleep hygiene) can help you improve your sleep: be consistent. Go to bed at the same time each night and get up at the same time each morning, including on the weekends make sure your bedroom is quiet, dark, relaxing, and at a comfortable temperature remove electronic devices, such as tvs, computers, and smart phones, from the bedroom avoid large meals, caffeine, and alcohol before bedtime get some exercise. Being physically active during the day can help you fall asleep more easily at night.
Where to get NHS help for stress
If you don’t think you can cope with your stress, or you’re worried you may become depressed or anxious, it’s time to make an appointment with your gp. Your gp may refer you to cognitive behavioural therapy (cbt) or talk about other options like medication.
Alternatively, you can use an nhs cbt service. Find your nearest psychological therapy service.
Currently, there are no official rules or regulations stipulating what level of training a counsellor dealing with stress needs. There are, however, several accredited courses, qualifications and workshops available to counsellors to improve their knowledge of a particular area, so for peace of mind, you may wish to check to see if they've had further training in issues regarding stress. The nhs recommends self-help stress management support groups and/or counselling to help cope with stress.
Although stress and anxiety might be used interchangeably, the force behind them both is considered different. Stress is a term used to quantify the anxiety that comes from a specific, identifiable thing, while anxiety is a long-term state without a definitive or distinctive origin. Their origins are different, but their effects are essentially the same. The symptoms of stress and anxiety both include accelerated pulse, increased sweating, feelings of fear, emotional distress, sleep disturbance, physical ailments, and general life impairments. The origin of each being different is quite significant, as the origin of mental and personality disorders are vital in determining an effective treatment plan.
We offer cognitive behavioural therapy (cbt) as a key form of stress treatment at priory. This talking therapy is the most commonly-used technique for helping to overcome chronic stress. Cbt is highly effective, used worldwide in the treatment of stress and a wide range of other mental health conditions. Cbt is based on the principle that stress develops, and is intensified, as a result of a series of deeply-ingrained, negative thought processes. These patterns of thinking have a detrimental impact on how we feel, behave and respond in stressful situations. The purpose of cbt is to encourage you to address dysfunctional thought patterns that may be contributing to your stress symptoms.