As we continue our journey through Mental Health Awareness Month, this week we turn our attention to stress and its management. Stress is a common experience that can affect our physical and mental well-being. Understanding stress and learning effective management techniques are crucial for maintaining a balanced and healthy life.
Below are resources to help us recognize the signs of stress and implement strategies to cope with it. Let’s utilize these tools to support each other in creating a more resilient community.
Warm regards,
Your Behavioral Health Team
Week 3: Stress Management
Interesting Fact: Approximately 33% of people report feeling extreme stress, and 77% experience stress that affects their physical health (American Psychological Association, 2020).
Resources for More Information:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): CDC Workplace Stress
- HelpGuide.org: HelpGuide Stress Management
- BBC: Managing Stress Video
Self-Directed Exercises:
- Stress Relief: Research shows that practicing stress management skills, such as mindfulness and cognitive-behavioral strategies, significantly reduces long-term anxiety and depression, enhancing overall mental health resilience (Chiesa & Serretti, 2009). For ideas on how to incorporate stress management tools, visit 18 Effective Stress Relief Activities.
- Mindful Walking: Commit to a 10-minute mindful walk each day, focusing solely on the physical sensations of walking and the environment around you to reduce stress (Kabat-Zinn, 1994). Please click here for an audio-guided walking meditation with Jon Kabat-Zinn. Here is a resource from Greater Good Science: Mindful Walking for Adults.