Managing Stress with a Counselor or Psychotherapist's Help
Stress & Counseling
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Stress is the pressure under which you are placed by daily life. It can be positive and spur you into action to meet a deadline; but too much stress can put your health at risk and leave you unable to function. It is the second major cause of illness at work, after back problems.
Stress is an individual problem – what debilitates one person will be invigorating to another. There are two main types of stress: the constant 'drip' of everyday pressure such as deadlines, bills and errands and the 'gushes' of loss and life changes, such as bereavement, divorce, new job, house move and marriage.
Symptoms
Emotional * anger or snappiness * crying or shouting * depression or anxiety.
Physical
* increased alcohol/smoking/nail biting * sleeplessness * constipation or diarrhea * chest pains or palpitations * dizziness or sweating
Causes
Most people are susceptible to certain types of pressure according to their temperament and the beliefs they hold about themselves. People who are motivated to please others or to succeed at all costs may be less able to deal with stress.
Stress is often caused by what we interpret as being expected of us rather than the reality. It may be our inability to be realistic which puts us at risk. Feeling powerless, at work and in relationships, increases our stress levels.
When is the best time to seek help?
When stress and your reaction to it are dominating your life and there is no chance to switch off, it is time to seek help. Inability to sleep, increased alcohol intake and anger outbursts are all early symptoms which can alienate the stressed person from those around them and add to the problem. Some people are unable to acknowledge the stress they are under and may unconsciously project it onto partners or children. This can underlie depression and anxiety.
Stress is a problem which feeds on itself and lowers a
Find a Counsellor or psychotherapist dealing with Stress »
Stress is the pressure under which you are placed by daily life. It can be positive and spur you into action to meet a deadline; but too much stress can put your health at risk and leave you unable to function. It is the second major cause of illness at work, after back problems.
Stress is an individual problem – what debilitates one person will be invigorating to another. There are two main types of stress: the constant 'drip' of everyday pressure such as deadlines, bills and errands and the 'gushes' of loss and life changes, such as bereavement, divorce, new job, house move and marriage.
Symptoms
Emotional * anger or snappiness * crying or shouting * depression or anxiety.
Physical
* increased alcohol/smoking/nail biting * sleeplessness * constipation or diarrhea * chest pains or palpitations * dizziness or sweating
Causes
Most people are susceptible to certain types of pressure according to their temperament and the beliefs they hold about themselves. People who are motivated to please others or to succeed at all costs may be less able to deal with stress.
Stress is often caused by what we interpret as being expected of us rather than the reality. It may be our inability to be realistic which puts us at risk. Feeling powerless, at work and in relationships, increases our stress levels.
When is the best time to seek help?
When stress and your reaction to it are dominating your life and there is no chance to switch off, it is time to seek help. Inability to sleep, increased alcohol intake and anger outbursts are all early symptoms which can alienate the stressed person from those around them and add to the problem. Some people are unable to acknowledge the stress they are under and may unconsciously project it onto partners or children. This can underlie depression and anxiety.
Stress is a problem which feeds on itself and lowers a