Stress is often defined as a bodily response to the demands of life. But there are also emotional and mental aspects of stress. It is experienced as thoughts and feelings as well as in the body. Another way to define stress could be as an internal and conditioned response to external pressures.
Counsellors can often help people reduce and manage their stress. They can also help people work through other mental health issues that have developed while coping with high levels of stress over a period of time.
Stress evolved in the form of a fight or flight response. This response was a reaction to physical threats on one’s life. The fight or flight response causes the physical aspects of stress, which appear when adrenaline and cortisol are released into the bloodstream. These hormones cause increased blood flow, clotting, and elevated heart rate, blood pressure, and blood sugar.
The stress response is immediate and uncontrollable. Someone with high stress levels may experience these physical aspects several times throughout the day. Consistently high levels of stress can cause people to develop conditions such as hypertension, stroke, diabetes, chronic pain, and heart attacks.
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Tiredness
- Lack of motivation
- Food and eating issues
- Addictions and/or compulsions
- Substance abuse
- Irritability
- Sadness
- Anger
- Feeling overwhelmed
If you are worried about how any of these symptoms are affecting you, it is okay to reach out for help. Talking with a therapist or doctor about your stress can help you learn how to manage it.
Stress is not always caused by a negative event. Some positive life experiences can be just as stress-inducing as negative ones.
Some of the common factors of stress can include thing like:
- Losing a job or starting a new job
- Getting divorced or going through a breakup
- Getting married
- Discrimination
- Experiencing a change in financial status
- Having a child
- Moving
- Beginning or ending school
- Bereavement
- Being diagnosed with an illness
- Over exposure to social media
To find out more about how we could help you manage your stress or to book an initial session please contact us.
Initial Consultation £50
Length of Session: 45 mins
A discount is offered to all armed forces and emergency services personnel, NHS staff, university staff, and students.
