Stress Management

Stress as a term is used to describe a variety of mental states and situations: being overwhelmed, being unable to cope with the situation in hand, having too little to do, doing something which is not engaging and fulfilling, or the state of being too bored. The idea of resilience is something which has emerged in a very positive and preventive sense. Resilience is the capacity to persist in the face of stressful challenges and to recover from them.

How much is each of us responsible for our own stress? Responsibility of the individual is highlighted when it comes to stress management and developing resilience, rather than the roles of social context, organizations and cultures. There can indeed be external factors, but the responsibility for change and an appropriate response lies significantly with the individual. We also tend to contribute significantly to our own stress levels, and so working on ourselves is genuinely helpful.

The symptoms and signs of stress are also possible symptoms of illness. Aches, sleeping problems, a tired feeling, low or negative mood and difficulty concentrating are some of them. Early action to identify stress and reduce or remove it is always advantageous, with less wastage of energy and less damage. Working out the sources of stress, both internal and external, is recommended.