BEATING STRESS AND MANAGING GOOD MENTAL HEALTH

Contents What is good mental health? Improving emotional and mental health What is stress? Signs and symptoms of short term stress Signs and symptoms of long term stress What can you do to help beat stress Breathing exercises and relaxation

“Mental health is the emotional and spiritual resilience which enables us to enjoy life and survive pain, disappointment and sadness. It is a positive sense of wellbeing and an underlying belief in our own dignity and self-worth”

GOOD MENTAL HEALTH GOOD MENTAL HEALTH ISN’T SOMETHING YOU HAVE, BUT SOMETHING YOU DO. GOOD MENTAL HEALTH IS THE POSITIVE ABILITY TO ENJOY LIFE AND COPE WITH ITS DIFFICULTIES YOUR MENTAL HEALTH DOESN’T ALWAYS STAY THE SAME. IT CAN CHANGE AS CIRCUMSTANCES CHANGE AND AS YOU MOVE THROUGH DIFFERENT STAGES OF YOUR LIFE. GOOD MENTAL HEALTH IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS GOOD PHYSICAL HEALTH.

Improving emotional and mental health It is human nature to focus on the negative aspects of our lives – challenge negative thoughts Learn how to change your attitudes Improve your self-esteem Take care of yourself Pay attention to your own needs and feelings Build and foster good relationships Laugh a lot… Manage your stress levels

STRESS CAN HAVE A MASSIVE IMPACT ON OUR MENTAL AND PHYSICAL WELLBEING

WHAT IS STRESS? COMMON THOUGHTS…… I JUST DON’T GET A TASK FINISHED ANY MORE BEFORE I MOVE ON TO THE NEXT THING….. I HAVE A MILLION THINGS TO DO….. IT JUST SEEMS TO BE ONE CRISIS AFTER ANOTHER…… I KEEP EXPECTING SOMETHING ELSE TO GO WRONG…… I SHOULD BE ABLE TO HANDLE THIS…

STRESS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE PRESSURE YOU’RE UNDER IS MORE THAN YOU THINK YOU CAN COPE WITH

HOWEVER A SITUATION THAT IS INTOLERABLE TO ONE PERSON MAY BE STIMULATING TO ANOTHER THE ABILITY TO COPE VARIES FROM PERSON TO PERSON

WE CANNOT AVOID STRESS SITUATIONS ARISE ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS WHICH MAKE PHYSICAL, MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL DEMANDS ON US

WE ALL NEED SOME PRESSURE TO HELP US LEAD FULFILLING LIVES TOO LITTLE – CAN LEAD TO BOREDOM AND FRUSTRATION TOO MUCH – CAN AFFECT BOTH OUR PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH

SHORT TERM STRESS COLD SWEATY HANDS AND FEET CLENCHED OR GRINDING TEETH NAIL BITING DRY MOUTH TENSE MUSCLES INCREASED HEART RATE INCREASED SENSITIVITY TO TOUCH DECREASED SENSITIVITY TO PAIN WHEN THE ACTION OR EVENT IS OVER THE BODY RETURNS TO ITS NATURAL BALANCE

LONGTERM STRESS HOW YOUR BODY MAY REACT BREATHLESSNESS FREQUENT HEADACHES DIZZY/ FAINTING/ SLEEPING PROBLEMS/ EXCESSIVE TIREDNESS/ RESTLESSNESS CHEST PAIN/ PALPATATIONS HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE CONSTIPATION/ DIARRHOEA INDIGESTION/ HEARTBURN CRAMPS/ MUSCLE SPASMS/ NERVOUS TWITCHES LACK OF APPETITE/ CRAVINGS SEXUAL PROBLEMS

HOW YOU MAY FEEL IRRITABLE AGGRESSIVE GUILTY DEPRESSED LOSS OF INTEREST IN LIFE AND OTHERS WITHDRAWN FAILURE DREAD/ FEAR NEGLECTED ALONE

HOW YOU MAY BEHAVE DIFFICULTY MAKING DECISIONS DIFFICULTY CONCENTRATING CRYING UNABLE TO SHOW TRUE FEELINGS DENYING THERE IS A PROBLEM EXCESSIVE DRINKING/ DRUG ABUSE

WHAT CAN WE DO? REMEMBER STRESS IS NOT A SIGN OF WEAKNESS OR INABILITY TO COPE EARLY RECOGNITION OF THE SIGNS OF STRESS IS CRUCIAL TO PREVENT IT BECOMING MORE SERIOUS. LEARN TO RECOGNISE YOUR OWN INDIVIDUAL WARNING SIGNS

KEEP IN MIND THE ABC OF HANDLING STRESS AWARENESS WHAT CAUSES YOU STRESS HOW DO YOU REACT BALANCE HOW MUCH CHALLENGE CAN YOU COPE WITH BEFORE IT BECOMES A SOURCE OF NEGATIVE STRESS THERE IS OFTEN A FINE LINE BETWEEN WHAT IS CONSIDERED POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE STRESS CONTROL WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP YOURSELF CAN YOU USE THE RESOURCES YOU HAVE WITHIN YOURSELF?

DO YOU CAUSE YOURSELF STRESS? DO YOU SET YOURSELF UNREALISTIC OBJECTIVES? ALWAYS HAVE HIGH EXPECTATIONS OF YOURSELF AND OTHERS? TEND TO BE NEGATIVE OR PESSIMISTIC? TRY TO ACHIEVE UNREALISTIC GOALS? SAY YES WHEN YOU MEAN NO? USE CAFFEINE EXCESSIVELY TO GET YOU THROUGH THE DAY? PUT YOURSELF DOWN ON A REGULAR BASIS DWELL ON NEGATIVE OUTCOMES

BEATING STRESS Be aware of your own feelings Eat a balanced diet Accept the things you cannot change Time management Sleep Talk to others Relaxation Exercise Stop feeling guilty S miling and laughing

REMEMBER…. WELLBEING IS A CHALLENGE TAKE A HOLISTIC APPROACH AND LOOK AT THE MIND AND BODY TOGETHER BE THE SELF YOU CHOOSE TO BE IT IS DIFFICULT TO NURTURE THE WELLBEING OF OTHERS IF WE DON’T NURTURE IT IN OURSELVES

YOU SHOULD LOOK AFTER YOUR MENTAL HEALTH AS MUCH AS YOUR PHYSICAL HEALTH. THE PERSON THAT CAN DO MOST ABOUT IT IS YOU AFTER ALL, YOU ARE A 100% RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR OWN LIFE AND HEALTH GOOD LUCK – STAY POSITIVE!