Mental Health Awareness Week
14th – 20th May 2018 
Focus: STRESS
“Research has shown that two thirds of us experience a mental health problem in our lifetimes, and stress is a key factor in this.” Mental Health Foundation.
What is stress:
Stress is a reaction of the brain, it pumps hormones and glucose through the body, preparing the body for the flight or fight response, a survival technique going back in history as far as early man. In today’s time when the demand for our attention outweighs our supply of time, stress is the result.
Mental Health Awareness Week is a time to think about how stress affects us and to find ways to equip ourselves with ways of dealing with stress better.
Consider some of these ways to help combat stress:
Talk about your feelings – Talking about your feelings can help you stay in good mental health and deal with times of when you feel troubled.
Take a break – Taking a break is good for us, a change of scene or a change of pace can be good for your mental health.
Eat well – What we eat may affect how we feel, a diets that’s good for your physical health is also good for your mental health.
Keep in touch – Strong family ties and friendships can help you deal with the stresses of life and maintain good mental health.
Stay active – Regular exercise can boost your self-esteem and can help you concentrate, sleep and look and feel better.
Drink sensibly – We often drink alcohol to change our mood, but drinking is not a good way to manage difficult feelings.
Do something you are good at – Enjoying yourself can help you beat stress. Do an activity you’re good at to improve your mood.
Ask for help – None of us are superhuman! If things are getting too much for you and your feeling you can’t cope, ask for help.
Care for others – Doing good for others does you good, take time to care for others to improve both your mental health and their mental health.
Accept who you are – We’re all different. Accept and be proud of who you are rather than wishing you were more like someone else.
For more information and further support visit Mental Health Foundation website.