LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Local health officials are marking Stress Awareness Month by sharing information on its impacts and how to address it.
Stress Awareness Month has been recognized since 1992 as a national, cooperative effort to inform people about the dangers of stress, successful coping strategies and harmful misconceptions about stress that are prevalent in our society.
Stress can be debilitating. It can cause and aggravate mental health concerns. Many report needing greater emotional support, of late, due to rising gas, grocery and energy costs and global uncertainty: https://www.apa.org/topics/stress
Stress is a normal part of life — no one is immune to it. It is important to equip ourselves with skills and knowledge, so we recognize stress when it rears its ugly head. Building coping strategies into our norms and routines can help each of us address this silent scourge:
• Practice meditation. Learning how to “train your attention” is one of the most effective ways to deal with stress head on. And it so happens, meditation is one of the most popular ways to achieve peace and quiet.
• Exercise. Exercise is another way to battle the debilitating effects of stress. Be sure to get out and breathe our beautiful Lake County air by walking, jogging, bicycling or any other physical activity you can enjoy outdoors.
• Avoid drugs and alcohol. Stress can increase vulnerability to addiction. Drug and alcohol use can also reduce resiliency to future stressors.
• Visit your doctor. Your physician is truly the best and most objective person to help you get started on the path to stress reduction and more effective management.
Short-term stress responses have been found to help people perform better, in some cases. Recent University of Rochester research suggests “stress reappraisal,” informing people of “functional benefits of stress” may reduce anxiety and even procrastination.
However, on the flip side, unmanaged stress can make individuals more susceptible to a host of ailments, like insomnia, headaches, high blood pressure, acute heart problems and even chronic cardiovascular disease.
A multitude of factors contribute to stress; relationships, economic outlook, family, work, and money, for example. In recent years, natural disasters have caused stress for many Lake County residents.
“Practicing self-care, and learning to cope with our own stress, can even help people around us,” attests Todd Metcalf, director of Lake County Behavioral Health Services. “This month, reach out to people you trust, talk about what you are experiencing and share healthy and effective coping strategies. You are not alone.”
Please join Lake County Behavioral Health Services in recognizing April as Stress Awareness Month.
For more information, please contact Lake County Behavioral Health Services at 707-994-7090 or 707-274-9101, and visit https://medlineplus.gov/stress.html or https://health.gov/myhealthfinder/topics/health-conditions/heart-health/manage-stress.
April is Stress Awareness Month
- Lake County Behavioral Health Services
- Posted On