Annette Maylam Counselling Wimbledon

Stress and Distress

A little stress in life is inevitable and can be helpful, motivating us into action to get things done. However, too much can affect us emotionally, mentally and physically. Prolonged exposure to stress is a genuine health concern that can lead to far more serious problems such as DEPRESSION or ANXIETY or physical problems such as high blood pressure.

Stress is the feeling you have when you are under pressure, emotionally or mentally. The pressures of everyday life, often revolving around taking on too much work, are often blamed for the increase in stress levels. Life changes are also usually stressful, even if they are not negative: a new baby, a new job, getting married, moving house, for example. Because stress is common, many people feel they have to live with it, not understanding the impact stress could have on their general health. There are many things that can be done to reduce stress and restore psychological wellbeing.

Symptoms of stress

Stress can affect how you feel and how your body works. We all have pressures in life; the key question is how you cope with those pressures. Here are some symptoms that may indicate that stress is becoming a problem:

• trouble getting to sleep, or staying asleep
• digestive problems
• loss of appetite
• adrenalin rushes, indicating that the “fight or flight” hormone is being activated more than normal
  difficulty concentrating
• worrying about decisions or
• unwillingness to plan for the future
• headaches
• aching muscles
• drinking more alcohol than usual

When working with stressed clients it is important to identify what triggers their stress and why?

I also explore relaxation techniques with them so that they can manage stress better.

I believe it is important to get to the essence of the problem and develop ways of helping one cope better when stress is triggered.