STRESS
Stress is part of life – for everyone.
Stress can be part of everyday living such as managing challenges and pressures related to school, work, relationships, and completion of tasks. It can also arise suddenly in the face of transitions, both good and bad. Examples of transitions include the birth of a baby, the start of a new relationship, financial struggles, moving into a new home, experiencing an illness, and a job change. Stress can also be a reaction to exposure to one or more traumas such as an accident, assault, natural disaster, pandemic, or war.
Warning signs of stress include:
- Feeling anxious or depressed
- Irritability or anger
- Lack of energy
- Dizziness
- Headaches
- Aches and pains
- Grinding teeth
- Stomach issues
- Use of substances to cope
- Trouble with concentration or decision-making
- Changes in appetite or weight
- Difficulties with sleep
- Muscle tension
- Racing heart
- Fatigue
- Trembling or shaking
- Disconnecting from others
- Sexual difficulties
Is stress good or bad? The answer is both.
Stress serves as a warning sign for dangerous situations, triggering built-in survival mechanisms known as the “fight or flight response” that help us survive. Stress can also serve as a source of motivation. Before a job interview, stress can signal that the job is something that you really want! And, before completing an exam or competing in a sporting event, stress can contribute to optimal alertness and performance.
Yet, when stress becomes too chronically elevated and perceived negatively, effective coping and performance capabilities decrease. For some, stress may contribute to a “shut down” mode that is difficult to bounce back from.
Chronically elevated levels of stress hormones can contribute to adverse consequences such as:
Don’t let your stress manage you!
Counseling and therapy at Wellness Grove…
Our in-person (outpatient) counseling services are offered in Canton OH (near Akron, North Canton, and Massillon). We also offer telemental health sessions to all Ohio residents.
Wellness Grove
