Stress Awareness Month: Coping with Stress during a Global Pandemic

April is Stress Awareness Month and today we what causes stress, how to understand stress and how to alleviate stress.

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the lives of millions of people from the way we socialise to the way we work. It has affected our mental/physical health and well-being and made all of us feel really isolated and not in control of our lives. According to the Mental Health Foundation, it is said that 74% of UK adults have felt stressed at some point over the last year, feeling unable to cope and being overwhelmed. 

What causes stress and what are the symptoms?

Stress occurs from challenges, changes or pressure from external/internal forces. Stress comes out in a variety of ways with symptoms being mental and physical. It always changes the way we behave.

Physical Symptoms: headaches, exhaustion, stomach problems, muscles tension, chest pains. 

Mental Symptoms: unable to focus, difficulty making decisions, a sense of being overwhelmed, feeling worried and anxious, forgetting things.

Changes in Behaviour: Over-eating/under-eating, being snappy/irritable/emotional, sleeping a lot or not getting enough sleep, avoiding people and places, drinking, or smoking more. 

Some people can feel numb when stressed or even feeling more emotional than usual. It's important to know that stress affects everyone differently and what may not be considered stressful to you, can be stressful to someone else. Being kind and understanding to one another allows us to be more open about what is stressing us, create a space for bonding and reassurance.

Understanding Stress

One of the first things to start coping and managing stress is understanding it. What are the things that make you feel stressed? How does it make you feel? Where do you feel this stress in your body? How does this stress affect your emotions and how does it make you act? What makes you feel better when you are feeling stressed?

Answering these questions can help you link specifically link the causes and help you understand what emotions run through you in relation those causes. Sometimes people just a break from work or from people, so a small holiday to recoup is needed. Often people can put pressure on themselves by taking on too much work/responsibility and find it difficult to delegate. Young people might find their schoolwork load stressful and the pressure to do well in exams/course work. 

It is important to be kind to yourself and always make time for self-care and self-healing of the events that has happened during the day. Some people find that following along with meditation can be helpful, and help you process the emotions you have gone throughout the day. A good app to use is Medito :App - Medito Foundation.

Some people often find that exercise and physical activities can help alleviate stress and can makes you more resilient to oncoming stress. Developing a hobby and investing in your interests can help take your mind off everyday pressures and allow you take have "me-time". Never underestimate a hot bubble bath with lavender, a good book or a puzzle. 

Sometimes it feels better talking to friends and family, or even a health professional. If you have experienced feeling stressed by certain things like travelling to places or doing certain tasks, ask yourself what things you can do to alleviate that stress, like listing tasks or planning an earlier arrival to avoid the stress of rush-hour/being late.

Those who feel stressed often try to do everything at once. It is important to try techniques one at a time, as tackling them all at once can be overwhelming and may make you feel down if they do not work. It is important to set small targets that can be easily achieved.

Below are some websites for further reading and resources to help with stress:

What is stress? | Mind

Understanding stress (redcross.org.uk)

Stress Awareness Month 2021 - The Stress Management Society