Stress...

With a new academic year in full swing, I have heard parents, college students and teenagers alike mention the increased level of stress that accompanies this time of year. Changes in routines and schedules can be stressful- regardless of whether the change is positive or negative. We tend to think of negative events as being stressful, but positive events can also trigger stress. Whether you are returning to school as a student, or you are a parent who has children returning to school, or you are neither and are undergoing stressful situations at work/home, learning how to healthily manage stress is an important skill to possess. For this reason, I thought that I would post some tips for managing stress, brought to you by the American Psychological Association :)

Stress Tip Sheet

In today’s fast-paced and ever-connected world, stress has become a fact of life. Stress can cause people to feel overwhelmed or pushed to the limit. The American Psychological Association’s 2007 “Stress in America” poll found that one-third of people in the U.S. report experiencing extreme levels of stress. In addition, nearly one-in-five report that they are experiencing high levels of stress 15 or more days per month. While low to moderate levels of stress can be good for you when managed in healthy ways, extreme stress takes both an emotional and physical toll on the individual.

With the consequences of poorly managed stress ranging from fatigue to heart disease and obesity, it is important to know how to recognize high stress levels and take action to handle it in healthy ways. Being able to control stress is a learned behavior, and stress can be effectively managed by taking small steps toward changing unhealthy behaviors.

APA offers the following tips on how to manage your stress:

Understand how you experience stress, Everyone experiences stress differently. How do you know when you are stressed"How are your thoughts or behaviors different from times when you do not feel stressed"

Identify your sources of stress.What events or situations trigger stressful feelings" Are they related to your children, family, health, financial decisions, work, relationships or something else"

Learn your own stress signals.People experience stress in different ways. You may have a hard time concentrating or making decisions, feel angry, irritable or out of control, or experience headaches, muscle tension or a lack of energy. Gauge your stress signals.

Recognize how you deal with stress. Determine if you are using unhealthy behaviors (such as smoking, drinking alcohol and over/under eating) to cope. Is this a routine behavior, or is it specific to certain events or situations" Do you make unhealthy choices as a result of feeling rushed and overwhelmed"

Find healthy ways to manage stress. Consider healthy, stress-reducing activities such as meditation, exercising or talking things out with friends or family. Keep in mind that unhealthy behaviors develop over time and can be difficult to change. Don't take on too much at once. Focus on changing only one behavior at a time.

Take care of yourself. Eat right, get enough sleep, drink plenty of water and engage in regular physical activity. Ensure you have a healthy mind and body through activities like yoga, taking a short walk, going to the gym or playing sports that will enhance both your physical and mental health. Take regular vacations or other breaks from work. No matter how hectic life gets, make time for yourself — even if it's just simple things like reading a good book or listening to your favorite music.

Reach out for support. Accepting help from supportive friends and family can improve your ability to manage stress. If you continue to feel overwhelmed by stress, you may want to talk to a psychologist, who can help you better manage stress and change unhealthy behaviors.

Bullying: A Resource for Parents

I work with a lot of teenagers, and many of them have experienced bullying in some form.  Whether it exists in the hallways at school, online (cyber-bullying) or elsewhere, this is a problem that is becoming more and more common.  Most parents struggle with knowing how to support and respond to their children when they are being bullied, and as a result, often feel confused and helpless. Follow the link below for an article that provides a bit of insight and that may help you or someone that you know who is dealing with bullies at school!

http://www.psychologymatters.org/bullying.html

A Great Resource for Eating Disorder Information

The National Eating Disorders Association, commonly referred to as NEDA, is a great resource for information about eating disorders. If you or anyone that you know or love is dealing with an eating disorder, this is a great website that will provide you with resources for treatment as well as education about eating disorders. Here is a link to NEDA's website.

I would also like to highlight a portion of NEDA's website which is devoted to sharing stories of hope. Individuals who have dealt with eating disorders (and recovered) have written testimonials to encourage and give hope to those who are still on the journey to recovery. Follow this link and be encouraged!