Stress Management Materials 

Basic information about stress:

It is essential to communicate that we all have stress. But if our bodies are giving experiencing some of the following symptoms then maybe they need to find a better way to deal with stress. These are common signals when your are experiencing a heightened stress level:

Physiological effects - increased heart rate and blood pressure, slowed digestion

Physical symptoms - headaches, fatigue, nausea, sore neck/shoulders

Psychological problems - depression, anxiety, inability to concentrate

Many people have the misconception that they need to change their life in order to reduce stress. For example, someone may feel that there job is so stressful that they must quite the job. This may be the solution, but our perception is more important than the physical environment. So learning to change perceptions is key in stress management. A simple way to explain this is to ask people whether there problem is something that can be fixed. If they cannot fix it, then it is not a problem, instead it is a fact of life. And when we can admit that a problem is a fact of life, then we must decide how we are going to live with it. Admitting that a problem is really a fact of life can eliminate worry and help one move forward.