Stress Awareness Month

Stress Awareness Month: let’s talk about stress

April is Stress Awareness Month. It’s a chance to talk more openly about stress, how it affects us, and what can help.

Most of us will experience stress at some point. Sometimes it can be helpful – giving us focus or motivation. We call that Stretch. When stress sticks around for too long or starts to feel overwhelming, it can have a real impact on our mental health.

Stress doesn’t look the same for everyone. You might feel constantly on edge, find it hard to switch off, or notice changes in your sleep, mood or energy. For some people, it shows up physically too. Stress is an indicator that one or more of your twelve essential needs is not being met in a good enough balance for you.

There’s no one-size-fits-all

There isn’t a single way to manage stress, and what works for one person might not work for someone else. This is because the unmet needs causing stress might be different for each person.

For some people, it’s about slowing things down, and getting some Privacy. For others, it might be about connecting and being part of a Community. Talking things through and meeting the need for Attention might help some one else, whilst going outside and meeting the need for Movement could be the answer for some one else. Either way, making small changes can often have a big impact on reducing stress.

What matters is meeting your needs in a way that feels manageable to you.

Small steps can make a difference

When things feel overwhelming, even small steps can help:

• taking a short break 
• checking in with how you’re feeling
• talking to someone you trust
• giving yourself permission to rest

Whilst these actions may not change life’s stresses, they can help us feel more in control and more resourceful so that we can find a way forward.

Hear from our Mental Health Education Lead

Natalie Britt shares more about what stress is and how it can affect us, as part of Stress Awareness Month.