HELP THROUGH A JOURNEY.

STRESS. STRESS. STRESS.

It's okay to be stressed sometimes it happens to everyone.

What is imprtant is to deal with it in positive ways, not in a way that may further damage your health, your relationships or your wallet.

If you rely on alcohol or drugs to help you can find yourself with further problems and in greater trouble.

Learning to relax, being more active, getting involved with others and talking about your problems.

Are all better ways to cope.

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The loss of a loved one will be a crisis point in your life, most people can find the get-up-and-go they need to deal with a crises.

But what if the crises doesn't go away?

We can be so busy dealing with problems that we don't notice we're stressed. Our bodies need to keep on coping in the same way.

THESE ARE SOME OF THE SIGNS OF LONG-TERM STRESS.

*Unable to get restful sleep so that we're tired through the day*

*Eating more "comfort foods" which are full of fat and sugar*

*Having less energy to take exercise*

*Not feeling motivated to see people or get things done*

*Memory and concentration getting worse*

*Immune system weakens, increasing the risk of coughs and colds*

*Back pain, headaches and stomach and bowel problems are more common*

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It can be helpful to talk to a professional therapist who can help to work out the

answers to questions like:

If your problem seems a bit like this, try to talk about it with someone you trust (including your GP).

Even if the best you can say is I know I shouldn't feel like this, but I can't work out why,

that can be a useful first step.  Find out more at,  http://www.stepsforstress.org/

Stress is what keeps you on your toes during a presentation at work, sharpens your concentration when you’re attempting the game-winning free throw, or drives you to study for an exam when you'd rather be watching TV.

But beyond a certain point, stress stops being helpful and starts causing major damage to your health, your mood, your productivity, your relationships, and your quality of life.

How do you respond to stress?

It’s important to learn how to recognize when your stress levels are out of control. The most dangerous thing about stress is how easily it can creep up on you. You get used to it. It starts to feels familiar even normal. You don’t notice how much it’s affecting you, even as it takes a heavy toll.
The signs and symptoms of stress overload can be almost anything. Stress affects the mind, body, and behavior in many ways, and everyone experiences stress differently.